Cheap art?

[Charkk]

I have recently been looking for some art equipment and I was outraged by how expensive everything is!

5in long Oil Paint tubes- 8.00$ each!
Painter X Program- 420.00$!
12 pack chalk pastels- 18.99$!
Wacom Intuos Tablet 3"x6"- almost 300.00$

With these prices, ill be drawing with a dinky pencil and paper all my life! Is there any good brands of any paints, pastels, or even canvas boards that I wont have to spend all of my money on? Im trying to become a better artist and just doodling on my sketch pad or playing around with Painter X free trial isnt cutting it at all.

PLEASE HELP ME

[DavePalumbo]

5in long Oil Paint tubes- 8.00$ each!

as high as $50+ depending on the pigment and brand. I've heard many people say they use acrylics because they're more affordable (and safe) than oils. Gesso watercolor paper for cheap surfaces (way better than canvas board imo). You could try and find a deal on a tablet off Ebay (though this may be risky).

Dunno, I guess at some point you have to make the sacrifice and invest. I had a teacher in school who would often suggest picking up some sort of special paper or some particular color of paint and he'd always say "just skip dinner that night"

[Zirngibism]

Charkk, are you currently attending high school or college? If so, you can get a student discount, which (I believe) makes Painter $99.00. Maybe if you have some other way to show that you aren't planning to make money at it. I found such a discount hard to believe (and have not purchased Painter yet), almost as if anyone could say they're a student. I think you need to somehow show a college ID card or something like that.

As for the drawing tablet, try eBay-- perhaps there are some used ones.

As for the paints? Well... you could probably take down the quality if it's for a learning experience. I've seen packs of small-ish tubes of oils by the "Reeves" brand at Pat Catans. There were 20-30 little tubes in there, and it was 20 dollars if I remember correctly. At least you would have all your colors.

Good luck!

[otis]

Im trying to become a better artist and just doodling on my sketch pad or playing around with Painter X free trial isnt cutting it at all.

What's wrong with that? The materials you work with don't make you a better artist.

[Elwell]

Is there any good brands of any paints, pastels, or even canvas boards that I wont have to spend all of my money on?
No. You get what you pay for. Art materials, both physical and digital, are a small, specialized market. What you can do is shop through specialty stores that do a big volume (Blick, Jerry's, Pearl, Utrecht, etc) so you're at least not paying list.

[Shadowwing]

Acrylic paints in plastic bottles that you find at department stores (kmart, walmart, etc.) in crafts section works pretty well for me, and they are cheap. And I also like the Reeves art sets....they are inexpensive and pretty good quality.

Some things you can't afford to skimp, like brushes-- you have to spend $$$ to get good quality brushes. Cheap brushes will come apart and leave hair all over your artwork...I had to learn that the hard way. Also, paper....you need to have good acid-free paper, with just the right texture, if you want your art to last.

Some things, you don't need to buy, just make it yourself, or salvage from the trash. Old jelly jars do fine for cleaning brushes, little bottles/ containers for storing paint and stuff, glass tabletop with lamp under for a lightbox, tackle boxes for storing supplies...you get the idea.

Hmmm...maybe I should write a book and call it "The Ghetto Artist"

[Charkk]

High School or Colledge is far away from me. Im 13 years old in 7th grade. Im a little afraid to buy something computer related off of ebay, because they tend to sell well... junk.

[Zirngibism]

High School or Colledge is far away from me. Im 13 years old in 7th grade. Im a little afraid to buy something computer related off of ebay, because they tend to sell well... junk.

Ah. Well, 13 is fine (wow, I really wish I had found this site when I was 13, you lucky duck). As long as you aren't far away on the opposite side and too old.

As for eBay, yeah, I've never used it either. But maybe, just maybe you can get some kind of student discount with a drawing tablet through your school. When they buy equipment, they may be able to get some kind of discount, even if they say it's for a student. It would depend on your district, but even then, don't quote me.

Again, you're lucky to get an early start with Painter and such, and even if you wait to earn the money, you're way ahead of most of us ;) .

[Seedling]

All you need is a pencil and some paper! Come on over to Concept Art 101 if you need some ideas on what to do with those things. The link is in my sig.

[FlipMcgee]

Art by Snake. Tool of choice: MS Paint. Price of software: free

.

[Zirngibism]

Art by Snake. Tool of choice: MS Paint. Price of software: free

.

Yep, I've done MSPaint, too. I don't even own Painter, but I'll probably get it later on.

This isn't finished, but it gives you a sample of what you can do in MSPaint. I think it's a really good exercise to use because you can't necessarily blend colors-- you have to MAKE your blended colors.

[Grief]

seedling is right, paper + pencil is a devastating duo in itself.
you don't even need the paper, take to the streets sucka'

spray paint is 0.99-1.99 for most brands (don't buy the 4.99 cans, they aren't worth the extra money)

hell students in the Bauhaus used trash and hair for their sculptures for a while.

'a poor craftsman blames his tools'

sure having fancy new equipment may be a piece of mind, but it certainly wont make your art 'better'

i posted some paintings in my art thread (cheap plug for my sketchbook: see signature) of naked ladies on canvas. ive been getting complaints at the show that they are outrageously overpriced. after i add up the cost of canvas, brushes, gesso, acrylic, latex, cleaning supplies, etc; i'm making less than minimum wage per hour of work.

returning to basics with strengthen your foundation of your work.
grab your pencil, hold it aloft to the sky and with a rebel yell say "BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL, I HAVE THE POWER" and if done correctly a beam of light will shoot down and transform you from a meek timid student into a forceful visionary artist.

PS- MSPaint with just monochromatic bitmaps alone is 100% badass.

[Seedling]

Oh yucko, guys! MS Paint? The Gimp is also free, and it is at least marginally like PhotoShop. :-P

I am delighted at the existance of that Colossus/Katamari art!

[Shadowwing]

Oh yucko, guys! MS Paint? The Gimp is also free, and it is at least marginally like PhotoShop. :-P


That is if you want to learn Linux...:perv:

I just hope you guys didn't use a mouse to do all those pictures! Carpal tunnel syndrome!!!

[sciboy]

GIMP is a cross-platform application and works under Windows, Mac and Linux.
How ever you can also get GIMPshop and Seashore which are derivatives.

But I have to say that my mechanical pencil gets the most use from me.

[kovah]

I got my wacom intous 2 A5 tablet from ebay for £127 which is $260ish i think Its perfect apart from a slight scratch on the drawing panel which doesn't really have a bearing on anything. There were cheaper ones going such as the graphire but i had the funds to get the intuos.

If you pick an ebay seller with good ratings as a rule you will get good stuff and not get shafted. Try asking for more expensive stuff for birthdays and christmas - which will also earn you brownie points with mum and dad because you are asking for 'educational' products ;)

[chaosrocks]

Im withthe rest
you can learn a HUGE amount with pencil and paper. If you have access to a scanner soyou can post here and get helpful critiques , so much the better.

it's not the tools that make the artist, but how you use them (on can get a dip pen, a japanese brush and a bottle of ink for less than 10$ for the whole set up. but I'd really explore that pencil first)
chaos

[DavePalumbo]

Im 13 years old in 7th grade.

whoa, didn't realize how early you're getting on the bus here :) I agree that just pencil and paper should be plenty at this stage. Draw a ton and from life when you can, because it's all money in the bank for whenever you do start painting down the road. I don't believe that I ever used oils until my first year at art school (just turning 18 ) but I did do plenty of drawing drawing drawing before that.

You will still have to make the sacrifice an invest one day, but not before you're at least old enough to be legally employed :)

[Farvus]

Artweaver (http://www.artweaver.de/index.php?en_version) is also free and its interface looks like something between PS and Painter.

Pencil/pen and paper for the beginning is really good choice :).

[Flake]

Artrage is kinda like Diet Painter, they have a free version if you want to play with that.
http://www.ambientdesign.com/artrage.html

btw, if you eventually buy a tablet..
-they come in cheaper versions ("Graphire" range.)
-they usually ship with limited versions of either PS or Painter.

[Charkk]

If you guys want to, you can check out a sketchbook I just made, heres the link:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=98522

[Grief]

I just hope you guys didn't use a mouse to do all those pictures! Carpal tunnel syndrome!!!

ive never used anything other than a mouse for my digital work.
mouse in my right hand... and i'm left handed.

too poor for a tablet.
college eats my funds.

[Shpow.Iain]

Ah. Well, 13 is fine (wow, I really wish I had found this site when I was 13, you lucky duck). As long as you aren't far away on the opposite side and too old.

As for eBay, yeah, I've never used it either. But maybe, just maybe you can get some kind of student discount with a drawing tablet through your school. When they buy equipment, they may be able to get some kind of discount, even if they say it's for a student. It would depend on your district, but even then, don't quote me.

Again, you're lucky to get an early start with Painter and such, and even if you wait to earn the money, you're way ahead of most of us ;) .


I'm 13 too, right now I'm mostly on pencils and doodle pads.

I also have a copy of Macromedia flash 8 (Proffessional)

Photoshop CS2


I'm telling you, good grades and student discounts rule :3

I suggest for pens and pencils..

Uniball Micro/Fine

Faber-castell Vision 1476 micro is a good ink pen, nice thin-ness. Not sure on the long lasting factor though

Adel Drawing pencils are nice.

Tablets...wacoms are great, but I suggest proving yourself to get your parents to give you the money, maybe you could get a cheaper one, like a nisis G5 (what I have).

I go to my school's after school art classes, great! Seriously, all supplies there are free.

Also, there's this useful Indian ink pen, I borrow sometimes from a friend, very fun for vague or asian styled paintings (not manga). Very oriental looking.


Save up, do chores for money, get good grades and you'll be fine. Still young.

EDIT, I forgot to mention those pens and pencils won't come up for more than $3-4, the Nisis tablet around $20 and Indian ink pen at around $5