Creating great art doesn’t have to break the bank. With the right tools, a little creativity, and a healthy dose of care and attention, you can get the most out of your art supplies.
This article features budget-friendly hacks for stretching your dollar as you create your next amazing art piece. Start by perusing an art supply store with a huge selection online, then keep the following tips in mind.
Share with Fellow Artists and Organize Art Supply Swaps
If you’re looking to offset the cost of various tools and materials, consider strengthening your ties to your local artistic community. Most artists are more than happy to participate in art supply swaps and sharing schedules. You can also split costs by buying materials in bulk and dividing the spoils.
Remember the Three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Remember the three R’s you learned back in grade school: reduce, reuse, recycle? Those tenets transfer fantastically to the artistic life. Find creative ways to repurpose items like old canvases, scrap paper, or leftover paint to create new masterworks. Consider working with smaller canvases to reduce your supply budget. And use both sides of that paper or canvas to double up on your artistic surfaces.
Choose Student-Grade Supplies for Practice
A lot of art is dabbling, experimenting, and practicing. In these low-stakes spaces, artists hone their style and gain a deeper understanding of their medium. These practice runs don’t require artist-grade materials; opt instead for relatively inexpensive student-grade materials, and save the fine stuff for “showtime.” Which leads to the next point…
Next, Choose Artist-Grade Supplies for Longevity
When it’s time to create lasting artwork, reach for artist-grade (AKA professional-grade) supplies. The idea of spending more money in a budget-friendly art supply article might seem counterintuitive. However, that upfront investment pays for itself down the line. Artist-grade materials last longer, meaning fewer replacements. Plus, if you plan to sell your artwork, materials like artist-grade paints tend to show better, often fetching higher prices.
Store Your Supplies Properly to Extend Their Functional Lives
This is a big one! If you want to stretch your art supply budget, take care of your investment. Clean your brushes correctly and thoroughly after each session using art-specific cleaning supplies. Store your supplies neatly to avoid damage. Carefully wash your palettes and palette knives. And, for the love of everything artistic, put those caps back on the paint tubes when you’re finished!
Mix Your Own Colours
Lastly, budget-conscious artists can stretch their funds by mixing their own colours. Consider buying primary colours and shades and combining them to create the exact hue you need. This takes some experimentation and know-how (follow the link to learn more), but it’s a fun and instructive way to save a little money on your art.
Hopefully, the tips above allow you to create more art by lessening the expenses of each project. Find a great art supply store, get involved in your community, stock a mix of professional- and student-grade materials, take care of your investments, and learn the subtle art of colour mixing.
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