My Favorite Ways to Save Money on Art Making

Making art doesn’t have to mean draining your wallet. Over the years, I’ve learned that some of my most creative breakthroughs happened when I had to be resourceful. Here are a few of my favorite money-saving hacks that keep me creating without breaking the bank.

My first tip: Make your own art tools: Experiment with textures by pressing bubble wrap, dragging combs through paint, or crumpling aluminium foil for unique effects. Create DIY brushes, try using sponges, feathers, or even strands of wool.

Want to try printmaking? Carve simple stamps from erasers or potatoes. And don’t forget household or found objects to create unexpected patterns and designs.

My second tip: Check out this 1 minute video on a great value way to double the amount of paint you have. I especially like what he has to say about the colour not shifting, but it can make your paint a little more transparent, which I personally love to work with.

My third tip: Reuse old canvasses. I often reuse canvasses that I have finished and fallen out of love with. I've even bought old canvasses from thrift stores and overpainted them - I believe the artist would probably prefer the canvas to be used than thrown into the bin.

My fourth tip: Buy art courses when they are on special offer. I try to share great deals with my followers whenever I can because I believe if you can get great courses for a crazy price then why not? And to show I am serious about saving you money for the next 5 days you can buy any of my current online courses for 33% off with coupon code WITHLOVE.

Bonus tip: Swap products with friends! Sometimes we buy supplies that just don’t click—maybe a paint color we thought we’d love, or a brush that doesn’t feel right. Instead of letting them gather dust, swap with friends. Trading art materials not only saves money, but it’s also fun to try something new without spending a dime. Plus, what doesn’t work for you might be exactly what someone else needs. 

Bonus tip was suggested to me by Carly from South Africa and I think it is a wonderful tip! Thank you for sharing, Carly!

Do you have any money saving hacks that I didn’t share? Write a comment on this post below and let me know! 

Angela x

Artist, creative coach and your personal cheerleader