Any art students out there?

bestpud

My dd is starting art college soon and needs to get some things - sketchbook, pencils, acrylic paints, variety of paint brushes...

A basic kit of arty things really!

And we're wondering where is the cheapest place to get these things?

We live in a relatively small city so don't have too many 'real' shops to choose from unfortunately. We have WHSmiths, The Works (there stuff is cheap but is it any good?), Woolies (do they sell this stuff in there?) and an independent art shop.

I googled 'art supplies' and loads of sites came up, but can anyone recommend any reliable, and cheap, ones please?

Tia

BP

chrisbhoy

what about this site?

http://www.artdiscount.co.uk/

The_One_Who

Millers are quite good, so I've heard. My arty cousin shops in there. Probably quite expensive though.

jess444_2

My DD always used Rennies when she was at uni (don't know if these are throughout UK or just local). Also when she was at both college and later uni they had a shop that sold sketch books, etc, a lot cheaper than art shops.
jess

kr15snw

I wouldnt get anything other than a pen and notepad yet.

I bought the whole supplies list and hardly used any of it, but ended buying other stuff that was more important.

Unless they have been told to bring anything specific on the first day, hold off. Then wait until its needed

bestpud

kr15snw wrote: »

I wouldnt get anything other than a pen and notepad yet.

I bought the whole supplies list and hardly used any of it, but ended buying other stuff that was more important.

Unless they have been told to bring anything specific on the first day, hold off. Then wait until its needed

That's exactly what I was hoping she could do but they've now sent this list out, and as it is all quite general stuff, I'm thinking they may actually use it iyswim?

Or it that not right, do you think? I know nothing about art but was thinking things like pencils, eraser, metal ruler, craft (or stanley knife), variety of brushes, sketch book etc would definitely be used? What do you think?

Some if it - stanley knife/masking tape/stapler and the like will be found places much cheaper than art shops.

What worries me is we have a lack of shops here and I don't want her to end up paying more just because she had to get it last minute.

I may give my niece a call as she went to this college... Not sure why I've only just thought of that! :doh: Been a bad week - that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!

Would still be very grateful for any advice on offer though!

kr15snw

We had a list (2 sides of A4!!) and to be honest I used 25% of it!

Get the basics. A new notepad (nice big pukka pads with dividers are handy for lecture notes), a nice new pen. The rest depends on her course.

What is she studying? As all art courses are different.

She will receive a letter telling her what to bring on the first day, and they will then tell her what she needs from then on. So she can buy as she goes along

RachelRa

Hey,

I ended up doing four art A levels and this year I took out to build up my portfolio - rented a studio for a year got making (and selling) and I always use www.greatart.co.uk, they are based in germany I think, but are far cheaper/better quality than any discount shops here, and it always arrives in a few days. The sketchbooks are particularly good.

Although everyone has said wait until later to get stuff, I would say get her some basics and then you can always put another order in when she knows exactly what she wants EDIT: and trust me, there's nothing like having to pay stupid prices for materials, even from student shops, to jam your creative juices.

Where is she off to? Fine art? Good luck to her! I'm off in Sept too!

bestpud

Thanks for the replies.

She is doing digital media but the college she is going to makes them all do every type of art in the first year (well, not every type but they get a taster of everything they do there, except for performing arts).

They say many students have limited experience of the different things they can do and it gives them a chance to see what they really like doing, and what they are good at, before they specialise. I think it's a good idea tbh.

Ok, here's the list:

Pencils (HB, 2B, 4B)
Coloured pencils
Pencil sharpener
Large rubber
Variety of paint brushes
Glue sick x 2 (is that for a glue gun, or pritt stick type glue?)
Scissors
Metal ruler
Masking tape
Stapler
Small set acrylic paints
Retractable craft knife
Memory stick
Small, portable tool box to hold all the above
A4 sketchbook
Workshop overalls

As you can see, it is fairly basic and some of it is general student stuff anyway imo. Plus, much of it can be bought in cheaper places than art shops as I said before.

This came with all the bumpf about the first day so I can only assume they expect them to have it from the start - there will definitely be no more info now until she starts.

As a non art student, I'm thinking that is a pretty basic art kit, but I may be wrong? Why don't they write these things in numpty language?

RachelRa

oooo.. I'm kinda doing digital media too, along with other things.

That does seem like a basic kit... I wouldn't go with less than that - she will use all that in sketchbook/experiment phases. I may retract my https://www.greatart.co.uk suggestion, because you are right, most of that get be got at Tesco or some such.

It'll be glue stick, by the way.

Tell her good luck and have fun from me!

bestpud

RachelRa wrote: »

oooo.. I'm kinda doing digital media too, along with other things.

That does seem like a basic kit... I wouldn't go with less than that - she will use all that in sketchbook/experiment phases. I may retract my www.greatart.co.uk suggestion, because you are right, most of that get be got at Tesco or some such.

It'll be glue stick, by the way.

Tell her good luck and have fun from me!

Thanks. The art shops recommendations were also for later on, as she is sure to want extra stuff at some point.

Sorry, I have to ask this! Is it a glue stick for a glue gun then?