I am always on the lookout for new art supply resources. Since most of my art supplies are ordered online and shipped, it is important to find stores that carry large inventories and have experience with volume shipping. Since I have been doing this for many years, I have a list of favorites. Also, I am a printmaker, encaustic painter, and mixed media artist – these require different tools and mediums (ink, wax, paint, pigments, binders. etc.) I will share the links to some of these stores with this post.
If you are interested in Mokuhanga (Japanese woodcut) or linocut (linoleum), one of the best stores around is McClain’s in Portland, OR. I have been ordering from them since 1996. Everything they sell is from Japan. The carving tools (chokokuto) that I use, were bought back then, and are “student” grade and still perfect if cared for properly and sharpened. They also have paper, brushes, inks, and barens.
If you are interested in collage or chine colle printmaking (printing over collage). Then you may hoard paper like me! A wonderful source for paper that comes from all over the world is Mulberry Paper and More. For all other printmaking paper, with the exception of Japanese Specialty papers, I recommend Dick Blick. They are my “go to” store for almost everything relative to painting in any media.
If you are interested in dry pigments, marble dust (chalk), casein paint, milk paint, gold leaf supplies, and so much more, check out Sinopia Pigments in San Francisco. Tiny storefront but awesome materials – order online. They have wonderful pigment “sets”. Another resource for dry pigments, fillers, crazy paint colors, sculpting supplies, paint making mediums – another San Francisco store, Douglas and Sturgess. I’ve been ordering from them for years and again, the store isn’t worth the effort to park a car (small), order on line. Their web site is basic but I’ve never had a problem and love the variety of art stuff that they sell.
Finally, if you are looking for bee’s wax for encaustic painting or candle making, a great store is Stakich. I order 25 lb. of white or bleached wax pellets from them at a time but you can buy a 1lb. bag for less than $12. If you don’t want to make any mediums for encaustic or oil bars, you can buy them ready made, albeit, more expensive, from R&F Handmade Paints. This is an excellent store. Happy shopping!