Special Offers 

Don't miss out on our special offers on a wide range of products from leading brands including Daler-Rowney, Winsor & Newton, Liquitex and more. Keep up with our current special offers and benefit from even further reduced prices. Huge discounts are available all year round!

If there is something you like on our special offers page, make sure to grab it quickly so you don’t lose out. Once our discount artist brushes, paints and other professional art supplies are sold out, it could be a long wait until they are back in stock again. Equally, if nothing takes your fancy right now, don’t worry! We update our discounted art supplies on a regular basis so there will be something for you very soon. 

How can I buy art supplies on a budget?

Budget is a very important thing to factor in when you are buying art supplies. There will be quality brands available at every budget level, so you don’t need to splash out on the most expensive paints, brushes and easels. 

It’s also important to consider your motivations for starting to paint: If it is something you will dedicate a lot of time to, it’s worth investing a little more into your equipment. However, if it is a hobby you would like to pick up on the side, maybe consider smaller purchases. 

To help you budget for everything you need, we have written some advice on the equipment required to begin painting.

• Paints: Both watercolour paints and acrylic paints can be great for people on a budget. Watercolours are great as they require very little other equipment, you can just use your brushes and plenty of water to create art. Acrylics can also be very affordable and allow you to layer your compositions further. 

• Brushes: Deciding what brushes to purchase is not only dependent on your budget but also on what type of paint you will be painting with. For example, there are distinct differences in brushes that are best for watercolour and acrylic paint. At Cowling & Wilcox, we even have a page dedicated to great value brushes to highlight the best option for you. 

• Canvases: Making the most out of your paper or canvas can help to save you money, so re-using your painting surface can be a great way to save your budget for other elements. Buying a canvas roll and stretching and priming your own canvas can save you money and also add that custom element to your art. Cowling & Wilcox offer a range of sizes and textures to suit your painting style and medium. 

What are affordable brands for Art Supplies?

• Daler-Rowney: Daler-Rowney is a very popular brand among student and beginner artists. They are known for being an economical brand, with great quality paints and brushes without a huge price tag. If you’re looking for affordable brands for paint, this is a great option. Brush sets, like this great value Daler-Rowney Simply Acrylic Brush Zip Case, typically come with everything you need to get started. The System 3 acrylics from Daler-Rowney are great for both beginners and professionals looking to purchase large amounts of good quality paint at an affordable price. 

• Liquitex: Liquitex are expert paint creators, and have ranges to suit your level of skill and budget. Liquitex Basic acrylic paints are a great option for beginners and expert artists wanting a more economical choice. The consistency and pigmentation of Liquitex paints are great for practising mixing and learning colour theory, so are also great for use in educational contexts like schools and colleges.

• Winsor & Newton: Winsor & Newton are a reliable and established creator of a range of high-quality fine art supplies, including acrylics, oil, watercolour paints, brushes, canvases and more. You can be sure to find what you are looking for with Winsor & Newton, with many multipacks to get you started on your art journey.

• Jakar: For good quality brushes without the price tag, Jakar is a great supplier of brushes for people of all skill levels and budgets. 

How can I save on art supplies?

While choosing affordable brands and checking our special offers page are good ways to make sure you’re saving as much money as possible, there are tips and tricks to use when it comes to making the most of your art supplies.

Use a Paint Tube Wringer - Your hands are sometimes not enough to get that last little bit of your paints out of their tubes. A paint tube wringer, or a homemade equivalent, will squeeze your paint tubes far more tightly than your hands can. This is a great way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your supplies.

Store your supplies correctly - This is another way to ensure you’re not throwing away any paint that you don’t need to. Acrylic paints, in particular, can dry up in their tubes if they are stored incorrectly. Temperatures that are too high, too low or overall inconsistent will affect the shelf-life of your paints. Dried paint around the lid can also prevent the lid from sealing properly, so clean your paint lids regularly to avoid this. Equally, washing your brushes, palettes and palette knives after you have used them will ensure they last as long as possible, removing the need to buy more.

Save on canvas - There are many alternatives to using canvas, such as properly prepared paper, wood, glass and more. You might find that anything primed with Gesso, or another primer, is a good painting surface. Furthermore, buying canvas rolls in bulk and re-using canvas when you don’t like your art are both good ideas when it comes to saving money. Many artists choose to stretch their own canvas to avoid higher costs of ready-stretched alternatives, and priming your own canvases will save you from buying pre-primed surfaces.