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Category: Art Supplies [Edit]
Neighborhood: Nob HillMon-Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
"Once upon a time, scrapbook stores were abundant in the south bay. Today, they are hard to come by and are often poorly stocked. So, a…" read more »
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Blick's is my choice when I need art supplies. Down and dirty, no frills, just what I need, good discounts and out tha door. I've gone to a bunch of other art supply stores in the city (Ultrect, Flax, etc.) and when I just need the basics, I go to Blicks.
I notice when I am painting, I'm almost always there except for that one color that can finish off my masterpiece. And that one color, whether it be a deep blue or a vibrant red, is a color I just can't mix together no matter how many times I pull out my color wheel. I usually end up going to Blicks and show the guy the painting and he usually says, "oh yeah, that's permanent violet dark" and whips it out for me.
Good place to go for the price.
i've been in the store a few times, and let me just say... what a delight.
the atmostphere is great, staff seems happy to be there, and my needs are always met. the dude that was helping me was really knowledgeable, and after chatting with him about what i needed, and realizing they didn't have it, he told me when it was expected and that they'd hold it for me when it arrived. i was not surprised to find out he has an MFA.
when i was in there yesterday, there was a great 'madness' discount day and everything in there was 20% off...can't beat that (hello recession). another time i was in there, a guy named eric spent at least 15 minutes going over all the stuff i needed and breaking it all down for me.
great place..i'm sure i'll be back there sooner than later.
Best art store in the city. Trained staff, deep discounts, questionable parking.
Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. If I can't find it, they'll order it for me and always give good advice on how to go about my projects.
For those complaining about lack of "scrapbooking" supplies or "yarn". Um, HELLO it's an ART store not a craft store.
Blick is literally around the corner from me, and I can't believe I never went in until today. I went looking for inspiration for a paper-related project I am cooking up. They have a lot of cool stuff and since I'm not an artiste, I didn't recognize much of the brushes and potions and papers. But, they have a great selection of stationary and photo albums and frames and wrapping paper and funky pens, so even if you're looking to do a low-grade arts -n- crafts project, this store will do you just fine. FWIW, the prices on their web site are a bit lower and they have promotions that are only for online use. So, I went there today, figured out what I wanted and went home and bought everything from their website. Probably saved 20% overall. Fun store, though!
Upper Van Ness has always been boring... Places like Wherehouse and the movie theatre are long gone. All you see are car dealers and banks. But now there's Peet's (I like their thick latte and Matcha Freddo) and there's Blick. I'm not a "professional" artist or anything, but it's always fun to just walk in and look around the art store.
Recently I went there looking for some art supplies. There were only two workers at the time and about six of us customers waiting for service. So I had to wait for a while for my turn. Then one of the staff took me to a certain section of the store, took his time and explained to me in detail about the stuff I needed to know and have. He was very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. It was like I got an easy-to-understand mini art class for free. Thanks!
What's more? When I was there, they were offering a prize game to everyone coming to the store. I played it and won a $10 discount coupon, sweet! My friend won a nice thick sketchbook.
I'd thought of giving this store 4 stars. But I added one more for the super service I got.
No matter who/what we are, I think we could always use some art in our lives, and I'm thankful Blick's there. Thanks, Blick!
Very good experience with the SF Dick Blick, the workers actually have a good amount of knowledge in the merchandise, unlike the Oakland location on Broadway that needed me to spell out (literally) everything I needed. SF location is good b/c they carry most of the stuff they have on their site, unlike Oakland and Berkeley, although Berkeley does carry a good selection. If you need to go to Oakland or Berk I suggest calling before to make sure they have it, and it may be a good idea to have the item number for a reference to give them.
I have been to this store a few times, this morning was definitely the last.
I walked in and looked around, got paint, they were out of 3 of the 4 colors I needed. I then looked for a clerk who could check if they had more in the store room, and to help me find the paper I was looking for, but I couldn't find anyone. I walked to the back and peeped into the back office where I found a lady working on her computer. Instead of the normal 'hi how can I help you'? she gave me a blank sarky stare that actually meant 'I'M BUSY SO GET LOST'
I apologised for interrupting her and politely asked if she could help me find a certain type of paper.. big mistake. She tells me, 'ALL THE PAPER IS IN THE FRONT', I then told her that I had looked in the front but it was not what I was looking for.
She stormed out the office and did a tantrum march across the store to where the paper was. It wasn't what I was looking for but by that stage I was afraid to bother her any further.
I put the paint back where I found it and walked down the road to Utrecht, where I was greeted by someone who actually looked happy to have woken up that morning.
There is no excuse for being so rude!
Seriously, if you're having a REALLY bad day, stay home.
10% discount for students of any type
Horrible array of scrapbooking supplies
Nice diverse selection of paper and paints.
Came here today for the first time, this place is really cool.. so many things to buy. While walking around in there I was thinking to myself "too bad I won't be an architecture major, or this store would be my own 'heaven'" haha... the cashier sounded really dead... definitely not welcoming... wanted to get you rung out and DONE! haha
If you are looking for art materials this is your place. Every imaginable painting supply, paper... ok just plain art material is located here. The staff is super knowledgeable and helpful to boot.
The sales are nice, if you need school supplies or writing materials. For canvas, paints, brushes, paper, i.e. painting supplies in general this place is such a rip off. Time to stretch my own canvas. In other words, I'll get my boyfriend to do it for me since he thinks it's so simple and not at all time consuming.
Blick has to be the first strictly art supply store that I've been too that's clean, well organized, and [most importantly] well stocked. They have a good variety of everything here, and I'd love it if i lived in the area.
The only issue I had was that they didn't seem to have a lot of "offbeat" sort of brands here, and I'd say about 50% of their supplies could be found in smaller portions at my school's bookstore or Aaron Brothers.
I love blick for...
...bookboard, my special paper, random art items, printmaking papers, sketchbooks, paint markers, and various items.
I don't really like blick for...
...regular artsy paper.
:) Good stroe, fair prices.
Blicks has a great selection of art supplies however Management is not very educated in art or art history nor do they care to uphold freedom of expression. After shopping there for two years, I walked into the store the other day and complimented the salesgirl's nail polish. I then walked over to the paper isle where I was confronted by the sales manager. He said I know you have been shopping here a long time but the salesgirl was uncomfortable that you said she had nice nail polish. Her cohort then chimed in and claimed she was uncomfortable for me telling her she had nice hair. The store manager than came running down from his office claiming his employees are like his children and thus he banned me from his store. I felt like I was living in some Nazi era dictatorship let alone San Francisco. Artistic expression and Free Speech are the basis for Art. Yet here we have management running an art store that when asked if they ever read about Picasso or studied his life - they reply no. However his salesgirls are like his children. After reading several negative reviews on Yelp about the negative attitudes of the salesgirls at Blicks, I was relieved to know that I was not the only victim of these manipulative salesgirls. If you do shop here, make sure to read all the negative reviews about the salesgirls, before talking to any of the salesgirls about anything. In fact, if you are unhappy with their attitudes, write to Blicks Headquarters because if you complain to the manager, he's likely to ban you from the store. He values his faux children more than his customers. Better yet, give your business to Utrecht up a few blocks on the right or Pearl or Flax.
Blick is amazing! I happened to be strolling around and drop in at Blick! Perfect timing BECAUSE they have a wonderful 70-80% sale for back to school! So here i am loading on stuff and still didnt spend that much money! Bought some acrylics, canvases, brushes, ect. getting back into it! plus I was a little overwhelmed with all of the friendly helpful staff! Immediately i was asked twice to three times by different people if i needed any help with anything. Ill def be back before the end of the sale which i think is october?? So go!! :D
I absolutely LOVE this art supply store! They had everything I ever needed 100% of the time!
10% off everything, everytime, if you're a member... And you'll get valuable coupons in the mail! I once used a 40% off coupon on Clearprint drafting vellum. And those of you who knows what that is, it's damn expensive!
Staff is pretty helpful too. They'll come up to you and ask if you need any help. A lot of the workers here are artists themselves so they know what they're talking about!
I know Blick isn't the cheapest of art stores, but they're very well organized, clean, have good service, and have a huge selection. You can find anything from seasonal cards, journals, painting/drawing supplies, to folders and scrapbooking materials.
I was looking for a woodburning tool and they had that, so yea, I recommend calling and asking if you're looking for something special because they probably have it.
their sales are worth the trip. my sketch pads are dirt cheap right now so i stocked up today. the stationary selection is second to none.
I had so much fun in here. They had a contest to win a prize and I got a sketchbook. It's just what I needed. I havent been able to write or draw in months. Yet I get all these urges to do paintings and think about female knights a lot. They had a great selection including comical items such as Andy Warhol Design Inspiration (figurine w/book minus 2 raw garlic cloves he would eat daily) and the hamburger lunch erasers. I received no attitude or interragation for not being an "art student" or "practicing artist". No attitude, fun inventory and a prize that taps into one of heart's desires-drawing, writing is the other one.:):P:):P
It is so easy to spend money here! Find what you want at Flax and then come get it here for less. If you've got any creative bones in your body, you need to make your way down here and check everything out.
Eugy's dad is a fantastic artist. So for father's day we wanted to get him something artsy. We came over to Blick, picked up 3 large canvases and a gift certificate. The staff were really helpful, but seemed way too relaxed, almost like they were sleeping. Weird. But they were still helpful.
Even though I'm not an artist, I could spend a lot of time in a place like this. By the time I leave, I would have probably purchased a bunch of things that I don't really need, but convinced myself that I did. Like a 50 pack of chalk. Or 200 count color pencil set. Maybe some canvases and brushes. Oil paints. Um yeah... I've bought all of these things. And I can't even draw a stick figure. :P
This place rules.
This is a great art store. The people are helpful. The supplies are vast!
I could spend a large fortune here if only I had any money to spend at all. Prices here are comparable to most other art stores I've been too.
Some times artist are weird, pretentious and often lost in their own creative worlds, but Blicks helps artists by having most everything you might need!
As someone who's never taken an visual art class and really doesn't know how to answer my friend's question, "what's the difference between acrylic and oil," Blick is a great place to get started. The staff was helpful and I didn't feel inferior or stupid like I do in some art stores.
I would have given Blick five stars, but it gets 4 for the sheer fact that a lot of the items I picked up didn't have a price on them. In fact, practically everything in the sale section was unpriced and there were a bunch of cute little canvases (2"x2" and 3"x4") that my friend and I liked that had no tag. Oh well, I'll still go back.
This store is kinda expensive but always has a good acrylic paint on discount... plus there's this really sexy young guy that works here, but my broke ass hasn't been in for sometime so who knows if he's still there.
In an attempt to do more things away from the computer, I stopped by Blick Art Store today to pick up some acrylic paints and canvases for a foray into painting. Mind you, I know nothing about painting - I am usually a sketchbook gal, my arsenal of art supplies limited to large sketchpads, colored pencils, and soft pastels.
The store is well-stocked, organized, and the workers seem to be very helpful and easygoing. They have a huge supply of oil, acrylic, and watercolor paints & supplies, a nice section of canvases, display books, pencils, stuff for tie-dying (people still do that?), Fimo, sculpting, leather tooling, et. al. Also, they have a good book section to thumb through if you don't want to look like a complete newbie...just check out the "how to's" and skim the pages for an idea as to what supplies you might need for your project.
I did score a set of acrylic paints that are normally $68 for the dirt-cheap price of $19.98...However, I realized today that art supplies are not cheap - which completely explains the plight of "starving artists". Maybe one of these days I'll find a hobby that doesn't involve buying stuff. SHEESH.
Helpful and knowledgeable employees; loads of stuff. My only thing was that they didn't have a ton of the large sheet stuff. I went in and got lots of large sheets of acetate, and they had zero blue. They did have everything else I could have hoped they would. I am pretty sure this was not a normal occurance-so I am writing it off, assuming that some Academy kids just raped the store before I arrived.
DARN YOU ACADEMY KIDS! (j/k)
Blick is to artist, what Home Depot is to plumbers, what McDonald's is to fatty bum bums, what Black friday is to bargain hunters, what Myspace is to people with herpes.. Okay, okay.. I guess I'm taking it a little too far.. or am I?
Anway... This is Artist heaven right here, you imagine it, they got it, except you're not imagining.
Blick hooked it up with the right tools for my art course not too long ago, I purchased a large sketch book (acid free!), a clip board, a couple gravite pencils, unique erasers and a tool box, all for around 30 bucks (with a student discount). Which is pretty reasonable, compared to other Art supply stores in San Francisco and their ability to leave your stomach growling at the end of the day.
But nooooo, I had a sandwich and an Almond Joy right after I shopped at Blicks.You made me a happy man Blick, but you didn't give me a blickin' receipt!
One of my best friends gave me his student discount card to use here. It's a fantastic place! Prices are some of the best in SF. I like it for Frames and other art supplies. Since I am a job seeker, I have more opportunities for art days.
This is my favorite art supply store. It is organized and clean. Staff is very helpful. Prices are… Read more »
I only shop here for all my art needs because it's convenient. I didn't say they were cheap. They carry a wide array of art supplies for the needy artist from paint, paint brushes to portfolio cases to foam core and everything in-between. Things are nicely set up and everything is pretty easy to find. There is one thing I don't like: the people who work here. They have attitude problems, very unhelpful and have no customer service what-so-ever.
Also, to add to my rant: their canvases aren't very good. I've painted on better canvases back in my days. Thank you Hawaiian Brian's....wish there an art store exactly like them up here, at least they know what customer service is.
I drove up here from San Jose and I wasn't disappointed. They have a large selection of all kinds of paints at reasonable and not so reasonable prices. I love that they have so many sizes!!
They also offer 10% off for students and teachers. I am both, so I was happy!
The staff was friendly, the store laid out well, and I was as happy as a pig in sh*t.
They need to open a South bay location STAT.
No longer the Art Store, now Dick Blick. I just love saying that. This is the closest art supply to my crib, so I tend to go here more often than not. Not as big as Pearl, but better stock and layout. Better than Utrecht in every way. Probably second to Flax. They still need to work on the staff a little bit (very few staff working the floor, and lines at the register can get backed up). Left to my own devices, I do just fine. I know where everything is anyway. Wheelchair accessible except for the framing section in the back (small flight of stairs).
Tip: Probably the most kid/craft friendly art store.
The Dick Blick (btw, do parents still name their kids Dick these days?) Company recently acquired The Art Store chain. It's going to take a while for me to stop calling it The Art Store. I used to buy a lot of supplies from The Art Store as an art student, and it still amazes me how much money I spent on art supplies.
Nowadays, if I'm short on supplies for a particular project for work, I'll head over to this location, as this is the closest art store to my office. It's huge (not as huge as Flax), clean, well organized, got a great selection of supplies (Flax is still better), and the staff are always around to help you with anything.
I still can't believe I used to eat $1 double decker tacos while spending $40 on a pack of 25 sheets of glossy photo paper.
WTF.
I came here three times this week. And every single time I had a less than stellar experience. And by that, i mean they sucked balls.
1) Scouting the store to see the materials they had... I had a question about some canvas and no one could be found. Whatever, I figured it out myself.
2) I bought some canvas. And some of it wasn't wide enough. I came in to exchange it and was approached in the most standoffish way possible. "We don't do that." the woman behind the counter said, who hurriedly dismissed me. Oh man, that hurt my heart, she could have at least been a little more kind about it... if they don't accept exchanges or returns on cut canvas how in the hell was I was supposed to know, there were no signs (that I saw), no one told me when i bought it, and the receipts state nothing of it. I was especially annoyed because it took a while to get someone's attention, there were three people in the cashier island dilly dallying with their own stuff. C'mon guys, i was probably one of three people in the store at this time.
3) I came here again (yes i know, I don't know why) to get some 60" canvas. I asked the dude if they had any. "No we're out" ...right. There was some in the back that I found. That was kind of frustrating... but, it wasn't exactly what I was looking for so I didn't buy any. i did however also find some wider stuff that was like 80" or so... the staff could have at least offered the alternative. But no. They didn't.
This place needs some really work, and I probably won't be back if I can find what I'm looking for at Flax or Utretcht.
That is all.
My roommate and I were totally pissed when the guys who worked here were still smoking cigarettes out front at 11 am (the time that they're supposed to open on Sundays). It seemed like the store was *deliberately* not being opened at the advertised time. Naturally, my roomie and I grumbled about their "shitty work ethic" and about what a couple of douchebags they were for not letting us into the store when they finally decided to go in.
...then we realized that today was the end of Daylight Savings Time and it was only 10:23 am.
It was a little awkward when I got to the cash register half an hour later, especially since they were totally nice and competent.
my bad!
I wouldn't' say this place lacks personality or inspiration. It is definitely clean, organized and close to Mi Casa. That's good for me so I can find what I want rapido, get it and get on with channeling my inspirations into something concrete. I can see what fresh e. is saying though, it is not the the kinda store where you come to "hang" out with artists and talk shop and stuff.
After stopping in every now and again to browse, I stopped in here last night to pick up an airbrush and the helpful attendant was chock full of good info. He was quick to pick up on the scope of my project and offered loads of useful advice. Then, when there was an out-of-stock part I needed (an air compressor), he recommended a couple other art stores. 5 Stars!!
Blick is my art supply store.
I'm just glad that it's not 'Dick Blick' anymore. Not to get off topic, but I really have a difficult time having a conversation with a Richard who goes by Dick.
Ok, back on topic.
I'm a brush and paint snob and they have a really nice collection here. They have Williamsburg, Sennelier & Old Holland oils & high quality (NON-WARPED!) canvases for those of us who just might not have the space & time to stretch our own.
I signed on for the special saver card thingy and I get good deals because of it and advanced notice on the sales. The canvas sales are really good BTW, half off sometimes.
One day I will buy a super fancy easel. But it will have to wait until I start making more money from my art than I spend on it. :)
Living right around the corner from this place = bad/awesome decision.
I'm here about once a week picking up new art supplies, since painting is officially my new hobby. I'm such a novice.
Staff seems really nice, they have what I need, convenient. Now if only they had actual wall paint...
Wow. I just had the worst experience shopping here. If this were ebay I would give big frowny F+++ highly unrecommended negative feedback.
The people who work for Dick Blick are. Just, You know. There was absolutely no courtesy to be found in the dead-eyed contemptuous troglodyte who checked me out. He made no effort to assist me, made oddly hostile comments about the number of items in my basket (32) and insisted that I spent over 3 hours in the store. I thought was a joke, because while I took my time and in all, I seriously only spent around 50 minutes in there. Mid-afternoon, at that.
I had considered buying an easel, I was looking at some books... reading things about varnishes and mediums and such. 45 minutes or an hour doesn't strike me as an inordinately long time spent browsing at an art supply store. I was a good consumer, I was conscientious and friendly and spent about $150 As an ironic denouement to this unsavory financial transaction with Sales Associate 4097 I was coerced into buying into their 'Preferred Customer Program'. I left feeling bullied and insulted.
I enjoy relatively friendly interactions with reasonable people - Dick's selection is not the greatest and lower prices can be found. I won't bother with Dick Blick again.
A good discount card for students and an awesome selection makes this place bomb. They have practically every thing that you could ever need for presentations and projects short of people to put it all together for you.
ps
ATTENTION ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WHO ARE TAKING COLOR AND DESIGN!
if you buy your supplies here you can save a lot of money.
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