raw materials

new: palomino blackwing pencils

2012-02-22T21:46:12Z

The Eberhard Faber Blackwing 602 pencil is legendary for its soft lead and smooth flow. Their tagline was “Half the pressure, twice the speed”. Unfortunately, production of the pencil (then manufactured by Sanford, best known in the art world now for their Prismacolor products) was discontinued in 1998.

In 2010, CalCedar revived the Blackwing as part of their Palamino line of pencils, doing their best to faithfully reproduce the unique characteristics of the original. The Palamino Blackwing was born. In 2011, they added the Palamino Blackwing 602 which has a slightly firmer lead, coming even closer to approximating the feel of the original Blackwing 602.

We now carry both pencils, as well as packs of the replacement erasers. You can buy either pencil individually for just $1.99, or buy them in packs of 12 for $19.10 (that’s 20% off the individual price). These are only available in the store for now, not online.

new: crafter’s workshop stencils

2012-02-09T02:25:26Z

These versatile stencils from Crafter’s Workshop are a fast and easy way to add a unique touch to scrapbook pages, greeting cards or any other paper craft project, as well as fabric and mixed media projects. Each plastic template is great for use with chalk, pens, paint, spray paint, modeling paste, glitter and other mediums. And they are made in the USA.

You may have noticed we filled the wall near the front door with these, but did you realize that there are so many patterns that we had to stack them up on the hooks? Peek behind the ones in front to find more gems.

new: mötsenböcker’s lift off removers

2012-02-09T02:10:24Z

We brought in an assortment of different Mötsenböcker’s Lift Off products that work better than traditional solvents or removers. They are water-based, biodegradable, low or no VOCs, and are formulated to be safe for the environment, the user, and all surfaces. We now stock the removers for: Crayon, Wax & Candles; Tapes, Stickers & Adhesives; Pen, Ink & Dye; Acrylic Paint; Spray Paint; Oil Paint; and Gorilla Glue.

Spill something? Get tagged? Just like to work messy? These should help clean things up.

sale: basic lyre easel blowout

2012-02-09T23:00:15Z

At the end of year, we found ourself with a small pile of the MABEF Basic Lyre Easel in our back room, and this is your chance to buy it at an unbelievable price: just $74.99 (usually on sale for $99.98, and the manufacturer’s “suggested” retail price is $199.95). This three-legged easel, crafted from stain-resistant oiled beech wood, features variable height adjustment. It has a maximum canvas height of 49″ and weighs 11 lbs.

Like all of the MABEF easels that we stock, this is made in Italy from beech wood with brass fittings and there is a lifetime warranty. And each one comes with a free 18" × 24" Art Alternatives Gallery Canvas.

These shouldn’t stick around long at this price, and once we run out, this sale is over and they’ll go back to our usual sale price.

sale: golden acrylics and williamsburg oils

2012-01-04T06:19:21Z

For artists who have a vision for going beyond the ordinary, Golden Artist Colors has released a limited edition set of Uncommon Blues featuring 22ml tubes of three blues from the heavy body line, each with unique qualities. These sets are 40% off for a limited time (making them a steal at just $5.99), along with all of the other Golden Acrylic paints and mediums, compared to the usual 30% off Golden products with our everyday discounts.

Anthraquinone Blue: A very dark, reddish, semi-opaque blue with strong tinting strength, also known as Indanthrone Blue. Many find it a more versatile alternative to Ultramarine Blue and not as overpowering as a Phthalo Blue. The color of the night sky or dark shadows. (Series 7)
Smalt Hue: A transparent, historical color originally made from ground cobalt glass, it was often used in European paintings during the 16th and 17th centuries as a substitute for Ultramarine Blue. The genuine pigment was prone to losing its color over time, but this modern formulation offers a deep blue that is familiar and classic. (Series 1)
Cerulean Blue Deep: Ceruleans are from the Cobalt family. Extremely lightfast, they were traditionally prized for their usefulness in painting skies and quickly became a permanent part of many landscape palettes. The Cerulean Blue Deep is deeper and greener than the brighter, more traditional shade. (Series 9)

And on top of that, the always-excellent Williamsburg Handmade Oil paints and mediums are also on sale for 30% off for a limited time, compared to our everyday discount of 20% off.

We’ve been warned that all Golden and Williamsburg products will have price increases in late February, so this is another great opportunity to stock up and save.

sale: montana gold spray paint on sale again

2012-01-03T21:43:22Z

Welcome to 2012! To celebrate the new year, all cans of Montana Gold spray paint are now just $7.29 for a limited time. That’s about 6% off our every-day price of $7.75 (which is over 25% off the “suggested” retail price).

We can only put Montana Gold on sale during limited times, so now is the time to stock up.

Montana Gold is a low-pressure, fast-drying and high-covering acrylic lacquer spray paint that is available in about 200 colors (and we stock them all). All Montana Cans spray paints are made in Germany.

ink&paper, a documentary

2011-12-29T18:41:12Z

ink&paper from Ben Proudfoot on Vimeo.

ink&paper is a documentary by Ben Proudfoot about Aardvark Letterpress and McManus and Morgan Paper. The two shops are located near MacArthur Park, and are two absolute treasures. McManus and Morgan is the oldest paper supply company in Los Angeles, and if they don’t have the paper you need, they can find it. Their next-door neighbors at Aardvark Letterpress are masters of letterpress printing (they did Jim and Celia’s wedding invitations). Like many small businesses, they are struggling in the current economic climate, and they could use your support. We’ve always referred people to McManus and Morgan for the sorts of speciality paper that we don’t carry, but consider this a pre-emptive referral to go and support these amazing businesses.

wonton’s holiday gift ideas 2011: wrap up

2011-12-19T19:38:23Z

Wonton has shared his ideas, now if you’re still at a loss what to get for someone, you can always get a Raw Materials Gift Card. We’re migrating to a new gift card system, which means that the owner of a gift card can check their balance online and use it in our online store, and eventually it will be possible to add money to the gift card. Fancy!

We will be open throughout the week and until 5pm on Saturday, Christmas Eve. Then we’ll reopen the Tuesday after Christmas for the last week of the year and the last week of our truckload canvas sale, and be closed again on December 31 and January 1.

Here’s the list of Wonton’s suggestions from the start:

wonton’s holiday gift ideas #12: eco tote bags

2011-12-19T19:37:42Z

Made from 100% recycled polypropylene-plastic water bottles, these roomy and beautiful Eco Tote Bags are both eco-friendly and stylish. Striking quilt imagery is featured on each bag. They are sturdy with reinforced stitching all around, a secure zipper and a wide, reinforced bottom panel. The shoulder-length handle makes it easy to carry. Totes measure 15½" × 15" × 8".

Also available is the Eco Messenger Camo Quilt Bag which features a pattern image from a modern quilt called Triangle Jubilee, made with recycled military uniforms. It is durable, waterproof, tear-resistant and comfortable to carry with an adjustable shoulder strap. Contents will be secure with the interior pocket and Velcro closure.

Until the end of the year, get one a free Eco Tote Bag with the purchase of $50 or more of the items from Wonton’s holiday gift ideas. Just make sure to ask for it when you check out, and we’ll help you pick one out.

wonton’s holiday gift ideas #11: prismacolor pencil gift set

2011-12-19T19:37:35Z

This special Prismacolor Colored Pencil Gift Set has 48 of the Premier Soft Core colored pencils in a beautiful, black premium box. The soft, thick cores of Premier Soft Core colored pencil create a smooth layer lay down for superior blending and shading. We also have Prismacolor pencil sets with 12 or 24 colors, and Prismacolor marker sets with 12 or 24 colors. All of the Prismacolor sets are 40% off for a limited time. (And there’s a special 15-color Premier Colored Pencil Portfolio Set in our clearance rack just begging to be stuffed in someone’s stocking.)