One of the biggest costs for a painter is the canvas and, of course, the paint. I’ve been painting for over 20 years and during that time, I’ve had many fine brands of acrylic to choose from like Liquitex, Windsor & Newton, and Golden. But tubes of paint are crazy expensive.
In 1999, I got turned on to Nova Color paint by a muralist from Los Angeles. Nova Color manufactures and sells their own high quality paint, comparable to the name brands, out of California, and ships it direct to artists, cutting out the middleman–and the huge price tag.
I can buy a pint (16 oz) of paint for the same price as a 6 oz tube at the local art store. Big savings.
And big mess.
The only problem was that Nova Color ships their paint in jars, not tubes. Tubes are nice. You can squeeze just the amount of paint you need onto the palette.
Nova Color paint in quart and pint sized jars.
With jars, the only way to apply the paint onto your canvas is with a spoon. And that gets very, very messy. And you waste paint every time you load up your palette. And so preparing my palette is something I have grown to hate. I sometimes endure nearly dried gobs of paint rather than scoop fresh paint from the jar.
The solution.
Finally, after 15 years, I found a a way to get rid of the mess and waste: refillable squeeze tubes. They weren’t easy to find, but I purchased some squeezable tubes online at REI.com that people use for camping and travel. They work perfect for paint.
Squeeze tubes that you can use for acrylic paint from REI.com
You just open the end, pour in the paint, and crimp it to seal.
Pouring paint into refillable tubes from REI.com
Done. Now I have reusable paint tubes with high quality, low priced paint.
Finished tube of paint.
I’m loving preparing my palette.
I think I’m going to go paint now.
Share Your Thoughts!
Matt,
Thank you for sharing some of the issues you deal with. The info about your paint is very interesting. While you are a genius with canvas, the average person would never have thought here would be something you wouldn’t like doing. Keeping it real! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Marilyn! Actually, there are many myths about art and artists. One of them is that artists love their work so much (and we do) that to be paid for it would somehow be “selling out” or ruin the creative aspect of it. Not so, I say. We are craftspeople creating a product for people to enjoy and any quality product is worth paying for. I know you agree with this sentiment, Marilyn; I’m just ranting on my soapbox:) The second myth is that you have to be in a creative mood to work. Again, not true. I pray, and then I get to work, trusting that God will guide me as I draw or paint. I don’t have to feel like working, and sometimes I don’t. Sometimes, I’d rather just play on my iphone! But like any job, I know that once I start working, the creative juices eventually will flow. The famous contemporary portrait painter Chuck Close said about artists who wait for the creative muse: “Inspiration is for amateurs — the rest of us just show up and get to work.”
Thanks, Sheila! Yeah, cats are not loved very much in my house, either. I like them OK, but my wife and son are extremely allergic. But the shirt is of a band called the “Oscillators” who were staying over at the fellow artist’s house that I show my work at during the Falling Leaves Art Tour. They are friends of the family. I normally wouldn’t get a shirt with a cat on it, but the violin makes it transcend. 🙂 As far as preparing my palette, I like it a lot more now that I have squeezable tubes!
Thanks, Sheila! I bought that shirt to support a music band that just happened to have a cat on it. 🙂
Hi Matt
My name is Lydia and I am from South Africa. My lifelong dream has been to be able to paint but could not even draw a straight line without a ruler…. needless to say I sucked at anything to do with art. I was a business woman and when I retired I decided to take some art lessons. I did one portrait of my late daughter Karen, and have been doing a lot of Acrylic fine art paintings. I now would like to attempt a portrait of my first great grandson :-). I have been so blessed with this beautiful angel which God had lent to us. I happened to stumble onto your site and how amazing to find an artist who is willing to share – without a price! Thank you so much!! Looking forward to trying out your tips and following your instructions. May our Father give you tenfold back for your kindness.
Thank you for your kind words, Lydia. I hope my tips have been of help to you. May God richly bless your art!
Hi Pamela, missed this comment. Sorry it took so long to get back! A necessity would be raw umber, burnt sienna, raw sienna, ultramarine blue, alizarine crimson, organic red-orange, indian yellow, and titanium white. Please visit me at https://realisticacrylic.com for more tutorials. I hope to do a post on this topic. Thanks!
Ty Matt—Also I got your Card the other day TY so much it is really beautiful—hope to someday paint a well as you do—
Fantastic, Pamela! Thanks for the kind words. 🙂
Matt,
I love your hints on every thing. I do use most of the hints I have seen, but the paint tips with the empty tubes is really a winner. I have not gone through my orgional paints, and I do love the paint in the tubes. Now I can save money when I need more paint. Thanks for the exta things you help us with/.
Thank you, Leslie Anne. Yes, the tubes are a lot easier than trying to pour the paint out of jars, or use spoons like I used to. It makes me feel like painting more when I can just squirt the paint out of the tube.
What do u use for a palette. I’m over the Masterson paper in box as I find the paper sucks up the paint.
Hi Judith, this is what I use…
https://realisticacrylic.com/easy-inexpensive-artists-palette-for-acrylic-painting/
Thanks, Kathy!! Let me know how it works for you.
Yes, that tax check goes fast, doesn’t it? I’m actually going to work on my taxes today. Might as well, we’re having a snowstorm outside right now. 🙂