Art supplies, crafts, and materials
Welcome
to Artandlanguage.org. Our site is interested in conveying information
about art supplies, crafts, and materials. Artandlanguage.org is purely
informational and does not promote or endorse any particular product
or method.
Our site is designed to educate about purchasing the necessary art supplies
for an introductory education to art.
If you find yourself doodling during office meetings and you love taking
trips to the museum, then you should consider taking a class in the
visual arts. You can take classes at adult education centers or at a
local university or community college. You can also find software and
or a good book that can give you an introduction to art.
Once you have registered for a class you will need to make an additional
investment in art supplies. Most beginners have usually drawn with only
pens, markers and pencils. To get serious, invest in supplies that will
allow for more expression on the canvas.
Consider taking a figure drawing class because it teaches the basic
principles of shading, perspective and dimension. A class also offers
the opportunity to draw the human figure which has inspired artists
since antiquity.
Supplies for a figure drawing class are relatively inexpensive. You
will need charcoal pencils, a large sketch pad, and chemical spray to
preserve your drawings if you want to frame any of them and turn them
into prints for decoration on the walls in your home.
Art supplies can be purchased in a number of locations. Any midsized
to large city will have an art supplies store. Search the Internet or
open your phone book to find a retail store near you. A large art supplies
store such as the famous Pearl Street Art
Supplies Store in Cambridge, Massachusetts near Harvard University
and The Massachusetts Institute for Technology can be huge. (Pearl Street
has three floors.) If you find yourself overwhelmed with all the choices
at a store, ask a sales representative for help.
If you do not have a retail art supplies store in your neighborhood
you have other options. A number of online sites now sell art supplies.
Simply type in "art supplies" on an Internet search site such
as Google or Yahoo and you will find a number of merchants.
The advantage to shopping at a retail location is that you can often
try out display supplies. For example, often a retailer will display
different types of charcoal pencils and you can get a feel for which
one has a texture you prefer. However, shopping online has its advantages
too. Because online stores have such large inventories, they are able
to offer discounts and weekly specials. You will, however, have to pay
for shipping unless you purchase a large enough amount to qualify for
a shipping waiver. This is unlikely to happen though if you are trying
an art class for the first time.
After you purchase your art supplies and materials, be sure to ask your
instructor how to care for them. Sometimes it can be hard to decipher
the arcane language that is printed in tiny letters on art supply packages,
and you want to be sure you have the knowledge to keep your materials
in excellent shape for as long as possible.