Painting/Artists materials availability

Frooty · Dec 17th, 2004, 21:18

Hey all... I can't find any info on this so heres my first post

Any artists who have travelled around India sketching and painting wherever... How easy is it to find Artists materials of reasonably decent quality...

I work mainly in Pastels but they don't travel well so i'm going to be using acrylics mostly but possibly use other media if available. I'm mostly concerned about the availabilty of canvasess as these are a pain to carry around in quantity...

I will be taking some spatulas, paintbrushes and paint with me... but if its easier to get it in India I'll get it there (any places in Mumbai I can buy it?)

Also if anybody has advice on posting back a number of mounted paintings (i hear its much cheaper to frame in India) to UK and australia that would be greatly appreciated.

TIA
Neel

beach · Dec 17th, 2004, 21:50

You can buy canvasess easily in big cities like Mumbai. Both the roll & the hard backed are easily available at larger bookstores. They are cheaper too. Camel is the popular brand here.

Mumbai, Delhi etc has a very large art community. Checkout at the local yellowpages for the nearest shop. The yellowpages are available at hotel reception, PCOs etc.

You may not get a 'huge' ranges of brushes. But a decent collections can be expected at major art stores.

Frooty · Dec 21st, 2004, 01:17

Thanks for your reply beach.

Anybody have any experience of posting paintings back to UK or Australia from India? To frame in India or to frame at homeany cost comparisons?

Baldy · Dec 21st, 2004, 04:59

Are you working on paper or canvas??

Wanderer22 · Dec 21st, 2004, 05:24

There's a good source of hand made paper in Pondicherry. The factory is a project of the Aurobindo ashram group.

HAND MADE PAPER FACTORY

The Hand Made Paper Factory, started in 1959, is internationally known for the strong and beautifully coloured paper it produces by hand. It specialises in white drawing paper and bond stationery paper in a range of forty colours. The grades of paper vary from thin bond (67gsm) to very thick drawing paper (660gsm). The most successful items are the special papers: bagasse, bamboo, ricehusk, gunny, straw, algae and tea leaves in paper pulp so that an abstract design is created on the paper when it finally emerges. Another successful item is marbled paper with which stationery items are made. Marbling is a Japanese art of abstract painting done on water. Every sheet of paper is an individual work of art and varies both in shade and design. 50% of the products made in the Hand Made Paper Factory are exported to USA, Europe and Asia.

Address: 44, S.V. Patel Salai, Pondicherry - 605001
Phone: 2234763
Timings: 8.30 am - 12.00 am, 1.30 pm - 5.00 pm.

Wanderer22

Frooty · Dec 21st, 2004, 16:42

Baldy I'm working on Canvases in Acrylic for the main art... but usualy do several pre-sketches in colour pencils/paper as I lack the confidence to sit outdoor with an easel and paint

Wanderer that sounds superb... I will definetely give them a call and get some of the specialist paper and see what new stuff I can branch out into... I think collages beckon

Still hoping someone has sent stuff home by snail mail as it will be difficult for me to carry art works around... if not I'll just have to be the first one to try it out

beach · Dec 21st, 2004, 16:59

If you are coming to the south visit Cholamandalam artists village too

federica · Dec 21st, 2004, 17:14

Even in smaller cities like Trivandrum you can buy art materials. I never tried sending something big by snailmail, but my collegue tried DHL to Indonesia. Quite expensive, but it worked. Not sure about the exact costs anymore.

Frooty · Dec 21st, 2004, 19:50

I'm going to the North only this time... Is there any similar artists village in the North?

Baldy · Dec 22nd, 2004, 04:42

Indian post is quite reliable (as long as you don't post valuables) - your paintings should be fine - you will need to roll canvases and use stiff cardboard tubes - metro post offices should have these I think.

wonderwomanusa · Dec 23rd, 2004, 11:25

I've sent many packages via seamail to the USA and they've all arrived safely. Be sure to wrap your artwork in plastic first, then take it to a tailor and have it sewn up in cloth. Take permanent markers with you to write the address on the parcel, then go to the postoffice!

Frooty · Dec 23rd, 2004, 15:03

Thanks for the advice guys... really appreciate it

Dec 17th, 2004, 21:18	#1
Frooty Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 43	Painting/Artists materials availability Hey all... I can't find any info on this so heres my first post Any artists who have travelled around India sketching and painting wherever... How easy is it to find Artists materials of reasonably decent quality... I work mainly in Pastels but they don't travel well so i'm going to be using acrylics mostly but possibly use other media if available. I'm mostly concerned about the availabilty of canvasess as these are a pain to carry around in quantity... I will be taking some spatulas, paintbrushes and paint with me... but if its easier to get it in India I'll get it there (any places in Mumbai I can buy it?) Also if anybody has advice on posting back a number of mounted paintings (i hear its much cheaper to frame in India) to UK and australia that would be greatly appreciated. TIA Neel

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Dec 17th, 2004, 21:50	#2
beach Lost in translation Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: India ! Posts: 2,234	You can buy canvasess easily in big cities like Mumbai. Both the roll & the hard backed are easily available at larger bookstores. They are cheaper too. Camel is the popular brand here. Mumbai, Delhi etc has a very large art community. Checkout at the local yellowpages for the nearest shop. The yellowpages are available at hotel reception, PCOs etc. You may not get a 'huge' ranges of brushes. But a decent collections can be expected at major art stores.

Dec 21st, 2004, 01:17	#3
Frooty Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 43	Thanks for your reply beach. Anybody have any experience of posting paintings back to UK or Australia from India? To frame in India or to frame at homeany cost comparisons?

Dec 21st, 2004, 04:59	#4
Baldy gotta pee ... Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Brisbane Posts: 187	Are you working on paper or canvas??

Dec 21st, 2004, 05:24	#5
Wanderer22 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 472	There's a good source of hand made paper in Pondicherry. The factory is a project of the Aurobindo ashram group. HAND MADE PAPER FACTORY The Hand Made Paper Factory, started in 1959, is internationally known for the strong and beautifully coloured paper it produces by hand. It specialises in white drawing paper and bond stationery paper in a range of forty colours. The grades of paper vary from thin bond (67gsm) to very thick drawing paper (660gsm). The most successful items are the special papers: bagasse, bamboo, ricehusk, gunny, straw, algae and tea leaves in paper pulp so that an abstract design is created on the paper when it finally emerges. Another successful item is marbled paper with which stationery items are made. Marbling is a Japanese art of abstract painting done on water. Every sheet of paper is an individual work of art and varies both in shade and design. 50% of the products made in the Hand Made Paper Factory are exported to USA, Europe and Asia. Address: 44, S.V. Patel Salai, Pondicherry - 605001 Phone: 2234763 Timings: 8.30 am - 12.00 am, 1.30 pm - 5.00 pm. Wanderer22

Dec 21st, 2004, 16:42	#6
Frooty Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 43	Baldy I'm working on Canvases in Acrylic for the main art... but usualy do several pre-sketches in colour pencils/paper as I lack the confidence to sit outdoor with an easel and paint Wanderer that sounds superb... I will definetely give them a call and get some of the specialist paper and see what new stuff I can branch out into... I think collages beckon Still hoping someone has sent stuff home by snail mail as it will be difficult for me to carry art works around... if not I'll just have to be the first one to try it out

Dec 21st, 2004, 16:59	#7
beach Lost in translation Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: India ! Posts: 2,234	If you are coming to the south visit Cholamandalam artists village too

Dec 21st, 2004, 17:14	#8
federica Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Bavaria Posts: 1,102	Even in smaller cities like Trivandrum you can buy art materials. I never tried sending something big by snailmail, but my collegue tried DHL to Indonesia. Quite expensive, but it worked. Not sure about the exact costs anymore.

Dec 21st, 2004, 19:50	#9
Frooty Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 43	I'm going to the North only this time... Is there any similar artists village in the North?

Dec 22nd, 2004, 04:42	#10
Baldy gotta pee ... Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Brisbane Posts: 187	Indian post is quite reliable (as long as you don't post valuables) - your paintings should be fine - you will need to roll canvases and use stiff cardboard tubes - metro post offices should have these I think.

Dec 23rd, 2004, 11:25	#11
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Dhaka Posts: 3,570	I've sent many packages via seamail to the USA and they've all arrived safely. Be sure to wrap your artwork in plastic first, then take it to a tailor and have it sewn up in cloth. Take permanent markers with you to write the address on the parcel, then go to the postoffice!

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Dec 23rd, 2004, 15:03	#12
Frooty Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 43	Thanks for the advice guys... really appreciate it