The Connecticut 2012 Scholastic Art Awards were held in the Lincoln Theater at the University of Hartford on Sunday, January 29, 2012. Staff from the Plainville store participated in the awards ceremony and distributed free merchandise to all the recipients and attendees. Two Blick awards were presented to local students. Best in Painting was awarded to a Rham Middle School student from Hebron, CT and Best in Traditional Drawing was awarded to a student from Artistic Minds in Brookfield, CT. An exhibition of the award recipients is being shown at the Silpe Gallery at the Hartford Art School until February 3, 2012.

To see more photos from the event, check out the complete album on the Blick Art Materials – Plainville Facebook page.

Thursday, February 9, 2012 is Blick Madness!  Join us at any one of our 36 store locations to play our Instant Win Game (while supplies last)!  Each piece is a guaranteed winner.  You could win discounts up to 50% off of your entire purchase or a $100 Blick gift card!  Don’t miss the opportunity to win big!

We’ll also be hosting a Valentine Card Making demo and a Screen Printing demo at each store location.  Take home your own card creation and screen printed tote for free (while supplies last)!

Enter to win a copy of Adventures in Mixed Media provided by Random House.  We’ll be raffling one off at each store!  Thursday, February 9^th, is also the last day to enter our $5,000 Dream Studio Sweepstakes and the art student exclusive sweepstakes for a $200 Dream Project!

It’s Madness!  Don’t miss this exciting, one day event full of fun, demos, discounts, refreshments, and more!  To find a store near you, please visit our Store Directory.

Our Winter Back to School Sale starts today at all store locations!

Begin the New Year by keeping creative whether you are a student, professional artists, or hobbyist.  We’ve got something on sale for everyone including paints, brushes, drawing materials, and gifts.  Don’t miss our mix and match canvas sale, saving you up to 70% off list!

Need something to house those daily doodles, sketches, or writing entries?  Looking for an original travel journal or scrapbook?  Join us in-store for a Handmade Journal Demo!  An exclusive Handmade Journal Kit is also available and includes all essential journal making materials and enough paper for two journals! No purchase is necessary to attend the demos, but after seeing what you can make, you’ll want to take advantage of the savings so you can create all year long!

Demos will be held at all store locations on January 14 and February 18, 2012 from 1pm-3pm.  Contact your local store for more information about the exclusive kit.  Demos are free to attend and no purchase is necessary.

Sale continues through Sunday, February 26, 2012.  To find your local store, please visit our Store Directory.

On Saturday, December 10, 2011 our stores hosted a card making demo!  For those that missed it or would like more inspiration, check out this simple card making project for fabulous, custom, handmade cards!  It’s not too late to make your own cards for the holidays.  In 10 simple steps and a quiet evening, you can complete your own set in hardly any time at all!

Materials: card packs or stationery, water-soluble block printing ink, linoleum block, hard rubber brayer, lino cutter set, and scrap board (matboard, cardboard, etc.)

Optional (but helpful) materials: cutting mat, cutting knife, ruler, pencil, glass palette, and spoon

Step 1:  Make sure your block is cut to fit the surface of your card.  Trim larger blocks down on your cutting mat with a cutting knife and ruler.  Map out your design with a pencil on the linoleum block.  Tip: The block will be flipped over to print, so when using text it will need to begin backwards on the top of the block. 

Step 2: Begin cutting your design with your lino cutter.  Use a variety of blades for different line qualities and details.  Don’t cut too deep into the block; always keep the top edge of the blade above the block surface.  Use an extra, small, block or scrap to test the required pressure it takes to achieve your desired look.  Continue cutting until your entire design has been carved out of the block.  Tip: What you cut will not print, the paper will show through.  

Step 3: Pick or mix a color!

Step 4: Lay or squeeze out your color onto a glass palette or scrap board.

Step 5: Use your rubber brayer to pull the ink down. Roll the brayer back and forth to create an even coating of ink on the brayer.

Step 6: Roll the inked brayer on the top of your fully cut block.  Make sure the ink is applied evenly and smoothly across the entire block. 

Step 7: Place your block (ink side down) on the top (front) of your card.

Step 8: Burnish the block to the card.  If the card is smaller, use hands to make sure contact is made between the entire block and card.  Using the backside of a spoon, may be helpful.  Be sure to not slide the block as this will smear your design.

Step 9: Lift up the entire block, starting from a corner, peeling up slowly.

Step 10: Print, print, print!

For more block printing tips check out our videos Linoleum Block Printing, Linoleum Block Printing – Getting Started, and Multi Layer Block Print Technique.

We’d love to see what you make!  Show us your creations on your store’s local Facebook page!

Friday, November 25, 2011 was BLICK Friday! All of the stores hosted free demos and showed participants how to make their mini canvas masterpieces into ornaments.  Each of the stores also raffled off a LED light pad! There were incredible deals and discounts that made for an exciting, holiday kickoff event!  Thanks to all that joined us in store!

If you missed the demo, we will be hosting another free card making demo at all store locations on Saturday, December 10^th! Please see your stores’ local page for more information.  For our store directory, please click here.

Join us in-store Friday, 11/25/11 for a fun, one day event! We’ll have amazing deals you won’t want to miss out on, saving you up to 65% off list! You’ll also have the chance to spin the famous Blick prize wheel and enter to win for a LED light pad! We’re picking a winner from each store!

That’s not all! From 10a-12p tap into your creative side and make a mini masterpiece into an ornament, we’ll show you how and you’ll get to keep your creation for free! 11/25/11 is BLICK Friday, be sure to join us for great savings, discounts, prizes, and more!

Our Holiday Sale is in full swing at all 36 of our stores! We’ve got everything you’ll need for artists – young and old, including a variety of sets and great ideas for making your gift complete. Need help creating the perfect gift? Let any of our knowledgeable associates help, they’ll gladly help put together something perfect at the perfect price!

Along with great savings, we’re offering a holiday demo series throughout the entire promotion. Spread holiday cheer with handmade greeting cards and make a mini masterpiece into an ornament. Demos will be held November 25, 26, and 27 and December 10, 2011. Check out your stores local page for more information. To visit our store directory, click here. We hope to see you in store soon, Happy Holidays!

Mark your calendar for Double Discount Days, Friday, October 21 – Sunday, October 23, 2011! Preferred Card members, be sure to visit any Blick Art Materials store and receive an exclusive discount of 20% off of your entire purchase of non-sale, in-stock items!

It’s not all about the discount! We’ll have free demos for everyone all three days. Join us Friday, October 21 for Mustache Making, Saturday, October 22 for Face Painting, and Sunday, October 23 for Mask Making! These are fun, creative demos for all ages; we hope to see you there! Check with your local store for times!

Not a Preferred Customer yet? Visit any store or click here for more details about the program.

Visit our Store Directory to find a store near you!

Jordan Deschene is a graduate of the University of Hartford Art School and is currently the General Manager of Paris in Plantsville Gallery.  For Jordan, “inspiration commonly comes from creative minds that work in alternative mediums”, such as “musicians, philosophers, and writers”.  Jordan’s imaginative illustrations will be on display through the end of October. This show will be rotating, so be sure to stop by the Plainville store a few times to see his unique selection.

To see more photos, check out the complete album on the Blick Art Materials – Plainville Facebook page.

Thursday, September 22, 2011 was the national event Blick Madness, and madness it was!  With live art and music happening at all store locations, a live screen printing demo with free giveaway tote, giveaways, raffles, and most importantly, instant win game pieces guaranteeing a win for each person, it was an exciting event!

A big thank you to everyone that came out to help the stores celebrate Blick Madness, especially to all of the participating artists nationwide!