Touched Music

Who Needs Art Supplies?

The art supplies store is not dead. Not by a long shot. Today, big chains and office supply stores are stocking their shelves to try and become “one-stop shops” for today’s consumer. But, the aspiring artist is a different breed of consumer, and they have a discerning eye to see why they should be at an art supply store rather than shopping at a big chain:

• Quality. You know what they say: “jack of all trades, master of none”, right? This can certainly apply to the big chain office stores. They can stock their shelves with pencils, paper, and paints, but they will not be able to match the quality of a dedicated art store. The art store will be trying to carry the best tools and products for the artist. An office supply store will be trying to carry the most cost-effective products on the market: big brands, low quality.
• Variety. This is a similar situation as the first bullet point. A true artist enjoys making a selection and having choices. A big store may have one or two items, but a store dedicated to the artist is going to make sure there are different varieties of tools and supplies to allow the artist to choose what he or she would use best.
• Support. An art store will have artist-minded employees. Period. Anyone who works at an art supplies store has an interest. Most big chain office supply stores are just people who are trying to get a paycheck. If you are a beginner with questions, chances are you will not find an employee with extensive experience in any of the art materials.

So you see, some may look down on the art supply store, but they are horribly mistaken. A true artist knows that their tools are only as good as the store they get them from. Skip the big chains and find a store truly dedicated to the artist in you.

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