Blick Art Materials

Where I Refill the Paint Box

first started using Van Gogh watercolors nearly four years ago when I bought a small travel set.

At the time, I was told by artists in several watercolor groups that the paints were inexpensive because they were low quality and not worth investing in. So I did what curious artists do. I started testing other paints. I tried more expensive brands, compared color strength, flow, transparency, mixing behavior, pigment load, and how the paints actually behaved when I sat down to make something. And after all that experimenting, I discovered something surprising:

I kept reaching back for my original Van Gogh palette.

The Paint I Didn’t Have to Fight

Some expensive watercolor brands produced beautiful results, but I also found myself frustrated by paints that separated unpredictably, flowed strangely, behaved inconsistently, or simply required more attention than I wanted to give them when I was trying to paint. Van Gogh watercolors were different. They gave me strong color, good transparency, dependable handling, and a pigment load that consistently felt much richer than I had been led to expect from their price. For my own work, I would not describe them as ordinary student-grade paint. They sit much higher than that in actual performance. In some situations, I’ve even preferred their behavior to considerably more expensive paints.

The most important thing, though, was simpler:

When I wanted to paint instead of troubleshoot my paint, I reached for Van Gogh.

What I Keep in My Paint Box

Van Gogh watercolor tubes
Replacement colors for my everyday palette
Masking fluid
Watercolor paper & surfaces
Brushes & painting tools
Archival PVA adhesive
Bookbinding & paper-art supplies
Specialty studio materials

Blick has become one of my first stops when I need to refill a favorite color or find a specialty material that isn’t easy to source locally.

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From Travel Pans to Tubes

After becoming comfortable with the small travel palette, I eventually decided I wanted to explore Van Gogh watercolors more seriously. My first large collection of tubes actually came through Dianne Zimmerman of Watercolors Beginners & Beyond. I purchased a complete set from her that was still new and unopened. Moving from pans to tubes gave me another opportunity to learn the paint in a different way. Once I understood how differently fresh tube color behaves from dried pan color, I began building a larger working palette. Eventually I purchased more than half of the available Van Gogh colors.

That led to another project:

finding the most economical place to buy them.

Three Months of Price Hunting

I spent about three months comparing prices across different art suppliers. For the Van Gogh watercolor tubes I was purchasing, Blick consistently became the most economical option I found. The regular prices were often competitive, and the paints frequently appeared in sales that made them substantially less expensive than the other retailers I was comparing. That mattered because buying individual tubes allowed me to build exactly the palette I wanted instead of repeatedly purchasing sets containing colors I didn’t need. It also meant I could replace the colors I actually used without treating every tube of paint like a precious object I was afraid to empty.

Why Blick Became My Art-Supply Stop

The watercolor pricing is what first made me pay attention to Blick, but it isn’t the only reason I continue shopping there. I’ve also used Blick for specialty materials such as masking fluid, archival PVA adhesive for bookbinding, watercolor supplies, paper materials, and other studio necessities that aren’t always easy for me to find locally.
My orders have consistently arrived well packed and, in my experience, often earlier than the estimated delivery date. When I’ve needed help, customer service has also been courteous and helpful. So over time, Blick became more than simply the place where I found inexpensive paint. It became one of the suppliers I trust when I need something for the studio.

Why I Still Recommend Van Gogh Watercolors

Price is part of the reason I love them, but it isn’t the main reason. I use Van Gogh because I like the paint. The colors are rich. They mix well for the way I work. They have good color strength and useful lightfast options. And most importantly, their behavior is dependable enough that I can concentrate on the painting rather than constantly negotiating with the materials. I’ve tried paints that cost considerably more. Some were wonderful. Some frustrated me. But after years of comparison, Van Gogh remains the watercolor line I reach for when I simply want to sit down and work. For me, that makes them an extraordinary value.

Would I Recommend Blick?

Yes.

If you’re shopping for individual watercolor tubes, replacing favorite colors, building a custom palette, or looking for specialty art and bookbinding materials, I think Blick Art Materials is well worth checking.

I especially recommend comparing their current sales before purchasing elsewhere. The exact prices and promotions change, of course, but Blick has repeatedly been the most economical source I’ve found for many of the Van Gogh tubes I use.

About This Recommendation

I currently do not receive compensation from Blick Art Materials for this recommendation.

The opinions on this page come from my own experience shopping with them and from the months I spent comparing watercolor supplies and retailers for my own studio.

If I establish an affiliate relationship with Blick in the future, I will disclose that relationship clearly anywhere those links appear.

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