My daughter's birthday is coming up and we're having an art party. The kids will paint, color, etc. Can anyone recommend places to buy paint, canvases, crayons, etc in bulk that's pretty cheap? So far, I think Amazon is the cheapest but is there another place I'm overlooking? I'm not looking for tons as we only expect 10 kids or so but I would like some big bottles of washable tempura paint and maybe some watercolor sets?
Thanks!
Try looking online at Oriental Trading Company. They have all sorts of stuff like that. Their prices are really good too.
Discount School Supply - I like their Colorations brand paints - but it is worth reading the reviews on the site. One of their tempera colors was not as washable as all the others (don't remember which one). I purchased ours by the gallon (red, blue, yellow, white, black) and just mixed up the other tints and shades. They also sell boxes of brushes (not artist quality but definitely fine for kids).
They are always running specials (currently 15% off, code on site) and guarantee their prices are lowest.
http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/Community/Welcome.asp...
When I've run art workshops, I've used Discount School Supply. They are reasonably priced, have a decent selection of art supplies, and have given me reliable service.
See what they have at The Dollar Store.
Party City might be worth checking out.
You might find something.
If you have time to order and have something shipped, Oriental Trading has a lot of paints:
http://www.orientaltrading.com/craft-and-hobby-supplies/c...
http://www.orientaltrading.com/diy-canvases-a2-41_2159-12...
try Dickblick.com
http://www.dickblick.com/?wmcp=msn&wmckw=[dick%20blic...#
they specialize in discount fine arts, but they may also carry craft arts.
I used to run a Sunday School program for kids and we did a LOT of art work. I got my best deals for bulk purchases at places like Michael's and the Oriental Trading Company.
One of my go-to projects was painting and decorating the little wooden boxes from Michael's, they are like a dollar apiece. Both fun and practical, it's a great project they can take home.
First try Walmart. Esp for the canvas.
Then try Michaels. Look for their cheaper brands.
Alos, pick up poster paper to put down. Saves your surfaces and they
can draw on those to make big posters.
Whenever I need something cheap, I ALWAYS check on Overstock.com. You'd be surprised what you can find there, and the shipping is never more than about $3.
I don't know how it compares price-wise, but they DO have a 12 pack of tempura paints for $37.
http://www.overstock.com/Crafts-Sewing/Prang-Ready-to-use...
Hobby Lobby or Michael's maybe?
When my daughter was in cheer and they made signs, we found the Michael's or Hobby Lobby had good deals on paint vs Staples (when we had to purchase in an ER situation)
My daughter also paints as a hobby and she buys bulk canvas packages of maybe 5/pack or so. They are often priced at 40% off on the weekly deals and she stocks up when she gets notice that the discount is on.
Good luck and have fun!
Those big craft stores like Michaels sell art supplies really cheap, I couldn't believe how much more I had been paying for that stuff at places like Walmart and Target.
