OH . MY . GAHD!! Paint? Check! Brushes? Check! surprises around every corner? CHECK ! CHECK ! Dye!! they . have . DYES!! I want an airbrush set up ... they have EVERYTHING!!! OMG!! yeah, yeah, yeah .. it's all Art Materials ... Latex ... stuff to make molds ... stuff to make masks... WHEEEE!! On my busline too? I feel a spell of ADD coming on .... over there! SHINEY!! SCORE! read more

I'm not a crafty girl. However, sometimes I need hair ribbons. That's right, I go to Blick for my hair ribbon. Why not? It's super affordable, the staff is nice, and I can browse all the crafty projects that I won't ever attempt but could possibly get someone to make for me. I also bought some hemp twine and Greek leather straps to tie in my hair for those occasions in which ribbon is too fancy, because that's just how I roll. read more

I love Blick mostly because I never expected to find anything here for my wedding and I did. No this store isn't only a go-to place for artists or the population of Columbia College or the school of the Art Institute. Someone like me who isn't an artist finds pleasure in shopping at Blick. They have a huge selection of canvas boards ranging from different sizes to quality types. This is not surprising since it is an art store after all. I got two canvas boards to use as a display board for escort cards at my wedding. I also love their paper section on the ground floor. You can use it for gift wrapping or poster or as liners. The patterns are contemporary and very nice. I had a hard time choosing which ones I liked best as a background for my display canvas boards. They also sell colored strings that I bought to hang favor tags. Blick isn't an arts and crafts store. It's an art store. But if you are in need of creating something for a special event, you might want to give Blick a try. With some innovation and creative ideas, you might get just what you want here. read more

Blick (now apparently without the "Dick") is a wonderland for anyone with crafty ambitions. The staff is young and hip--definitely making artists of all ages and levels of training feel at home. It's one of those places that you just can't imagine leaving without something in hand. Kid in a candystore syndrome, I suppose. *Be sure to check out the large sheets of handmade papers in the racks upstairs--Great for all kinds of paper projects. They also carry a few lomography cameras (www.lomography.com) which I had been eying online for years. Check this place out to quench your crafty needs. read more

Wheeeee! What a fun store in the Loop. Conveniently located a couple blocks from the Art Institute for when you're feeling inspired after looking at great works of art. I was surprised that there is such a full sized Blick's in the heart of a city. The store has two floors and is pretty well stocked. There are a lot of workers, both at the cashier and around the store to help with any questions you have. They will match their web prices which are usually cheaper than the listed price. Students and professional educators also get a 10% discount. Also, a hidden gem about this store is its clearance section. There are usually a variety of random things (stationery, paints, paper) at great deals, so it's always worth checking out! read more

It has been 7 years since my first design class. Oh, how I disliked purchasing art supplies for all of them. All of the Bristol papers and gouache paints (DAMN them to HELL!) leaves a student very broke. (Thus students acquire the "starving artist" stereotype very early on.) There is no better place that has a better selection art supplies than Dick Blick .. in the Loop anyway. If you're an artist, art student, or whatever, you might go insane here. In good and bad ways. You can find that stupid one use stencil, but go bonkers after seeing their selection of easels and more. ("I WANTS one!") You know they'd be perfect for your future studio in Pilsen! You can get most of what you need here if you're too impatient to purchase them online. The employees here are incredibly nice and helpful. That's always a bonus when you're a n00b and can't find drafting paper. While this store is two stories tall, it's not very large. If you go to school nearby, don't be surprised if you come here regularly. You'll learn the layout soon enough. read more

I went to Blick because I did not want to go to Michael's, thinking that shopping a little more locally would be better. Unfortunately, I will never be going back to Blick due to the horrific customer service. When I asked for help three times, all employees were extremely rude to me, and looked at me like I was a total imbecile. I understand that you are all probably in art school and your ideal job would not be working at an art supply store, but a little courtesy would've been appreciated. In summary, only go there if you are looking to be judged and treated rudely. read more

Seems like an art major's paradise but if you aren't that, a little difficult to navigate. Came here for frames and they don't really have a big pre-made frame selection, which I guess makes since since it's more of a supply/custom place. Staff not particulary willing to help with finding the best and most appropriate frame for my photos, was left on my own to figure it out for a while. Better leave this place to the artists..... read more

Last summer I released 42 ants in this store and today I am going back to release more. 5 stars

There's no better place to fulfill your creative needs. Attentive staff who are commonly artists in the making or already established themselves. They can almost always relate to what you require, whether it be for class or something of your own personal endeavors. They always have sales in order to compete with the other art supply chains in the city of Chicago. Also are their workshops, which are usually free and just require you to bring your own materials. Located in the heart of Chicago, with art schools surrounding the area, it's established itself in a very convenient spot. Their inventory is very large, filling in two stories. If they don't have something, it will usually fill up in the coming days. read more

I get impulsive sometimes when it comes to crafts. I also consider myself somewhat frugal, so Blick is perfect to satisfy my craving for DIY projects. I've bought canvas in bulk here (15 or so) online and had an issue with one so I brought it to the store and they gladly swapped it out for me. I usually compare their prices to Amazon and generally they're cheaper or just about the same. The staff don't make the initiative to help you and don't act like they care about you during check out, but that's fine. Also, there isn't a bathroom here from what an employee told me. read more

This is the second time I've gone into your store to buy a product and it is been out of stock. However there have the materials of the same tape on the shelves that I try to get to be rung up. In the second effort I was told again but these were not supposed to be sold to the general public. And yet they are they are. Maybe if your manager paid as much attention to the fact of people wearing masks as they do to lessen stuck on the shelves people wouldn't have to go through this. read more

I asked one of the kids who worked there if they had thin photographic paper. Of course this is not a camera shop so I didn't expect much but sometimes the staff can give you ideas. He found a great multi media paper in the sample pack dangling off the shelf. The only problem was that they didn't have it. He didn't know if they didn't carry it at all or if was just out of stock. I expected him to tell me he was going to make a phone call to see if another store had it or if they could order it or check with a manager, or SOMETHING! Nope, he just told me to go to Office Depot down the street. He ended out interaction with "is there anything else I can help you with?" Why yes, direct me to the pencils. OK he did and he even made a nice little suggestion of cheap-o pencils. Again he asked if there was anything else...like he was trying t get away. While talking about pencils he must have asked me that a million times. I felt like he was pushing me out the door. He was probably just being helpful in his own way but he needs a new approach. read more

I caught the origami fever. It's hard to explain, which makes it doubly embarassing to be caught tearing up sheets of rectangular paper into perfect squares at work. Enter Blick. With great apprehension, I approached their rotating stand of Aitoh origami paper. Quite a nice selection: papers come in 3-4 different sizes, double-sided, foil, flower, traditional pattern, two-toned, rice paper, mesh, glitter... Extremely reasonable prices (even compared to prices on Amazon.com). Too reasonable...day after day, I skipped lunch to peruse the papers. And then I discovered something even more deadly: cute japanese erasers. Now, I'm kind of a dude. Girlish things like mani-pedis, SATC, Twilight, shoes, and babies in bonnets are all...kind of repulsive. I like horror movies, bugs, and getting down with mud in the great outdoors. And yet, cutesy little erasers shaped like a cow, or peapod, or smelling like a sweet jug of milk are irresistable. So, I left my dignitiy in the "Japanese school girl" aisle. But I did emerge with a Blick card, good for 10% discount off all purchases. read more

Everyone here is super helpful. I wanted to look for the items myself but the cashier right away said I can help you find it right away, no problem. I picked up my selection immediately and found some stuff that I didn't necessarily need but did want. It really is like being a kid in a candy store like Marvin A said. I wanted to go home and start painting right away. read more

Don't go to Blick! You will become addicted and spend all of your money here! Honestly, even if you are not an artist/art student... you can't help but feel like a kid in a candy store. They have a great and helpful staff that are knowledgeable on the brands and mediums they sell. I believe they also will cut illustration boards and other paper products for you to your specified dimensions. read more

Yey Blick! Never again must I brave Pearl! Always always always have what I need, or at least a passable substitute. I went in looking for cheesecloth for bookbinding, after coming up empty handed at both Paper Source and Pearl. And guess what? They were sold out too! Oh no! But a thrifty store employee pointed me in the direction of a similar product that would get the job done, and it was actually a fiber used for screen printing. Who knew? BLICK KNEW! YEY! They seriously saved my life. The fiber worked like a charm and it literally cost me pennies. Awesome. I am completely blown away by the knowledge of the staff and their willingness to help. They do it all. Cut boards and paper, dig through their supply closets for an elusive product, and answer anything truthfully and accurately. These people recommend products based on quality, not on high price tags. They're the best. Clean store, ORGANIZED, and stocked like crazy. They have things you never even knew existed and yet you can not live without. I love Blick. And their student discount and monthly sales make life that much easier. read more

First off, might I say that I love Blicks and will continue to shop here for the rest of my life (or financially stable life lol, whichever lasts longer) anyways, I never took any art classes or anything art related before I started architecture school, so when I saw the list of supplies I needed, my mind just disappeared on me. luckily, throughout my first year of studio, the workers at blick have helped me find and learn about things that i never knew of before, such as: lead holders, acrylic vs. oil paints and which brushes work best with which projects, finding paper that was right in front of my face the whole time, lol. some people i know feel that the workers there are rude or ignore you, but in every instance i've been there, the staff has been very helpful, and Im not sure how much art supplies usually cost, but compared to Utrecht and Artists in Craftsmen, Id say Blicks does a pretty good job of keeping the costs low (in art supplies standards of course!) read more

Blick has a good selection of merchandise, but I only go there as a last resort if Utrecht or Pearl is out of something that I need. The large selection is nice, but when you go in looking for something specific, it's time consuming to look through so much other stuff to find it. The staff on the first floor is helpful, but I've had trouble finding someone on the second floor when I have questions or need help finding things. If you need an item that's not in stock, they can order it for you. read more

I brought in my incredibly buggy camera after taking it to no less than 3 other places. In under 24 hours, I have my camera back completely bug free and he gave my camera an overhaul an major cleaning. His prices are great. He is very friendly and helpful. I recommend everyone in Chicago bring their cameras here next time you need a repair. read more

Blick Art Materials - Art Supplies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went in a for a few things but the staff was kind of off putting. Definitely felt like we were being followed, staff standing around by watching us. made for an uncomfortable experience overall. read more

This place is like heaven! Even if you aren't into art or don't know a thing about what they have to offer, you can't help but be sucked into all the doodads, colors, and awesomeness. The staff is also the most helpful and knowledgeable group of people. You can easily get overwhelmed by all they have to offer and the staff will be your guides every step of the way. read more

Blick Art Materials - Drink and Draw - Art Supplies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Well stocked and big selection of supplies. Staff going around to help are knowledgeable and helpful without being over solicitous. which is good. I've had a couple of times where the person at the cashier seemed stoked or stoned but still functioning. Weird but then... they're artists and maybe they're not stoned.... just being artists. Other than that -- great store. read more

I don't have an artistic bone in my body. In fact, I'm pretty sure the only area in 3rd grade I ever got a "needs improvement" in was art class. And it scarred me for life. But when I needed to teach myself to knit quick and dirty style in two days (mission ended up being a failure), I ventured in here, hoping they had some yarn and knitting needles. Score. Small selection, and not what you would find at a dedicated knitting shop, but it was perfectly adequate for what I needed. The other 99% of the store is focused more on paints, pens, brushes, canvases, easels and all other things that I would destroy with my stick figure skills. Friendly staff that directed me exactly where I needed to go, and prices seemed pretty reasonable. Discount if you are a student/teacher (of which I am neither). Great option in the Loop. read more

I walked to Blick today. I went upstairs and started to ask a young man about 6'5" a question and he fumbled around with stuff in his arms and told me he was on lunch, and walked away from me. Not 3 minutes later he went downstairs to the register, and I said, "Oh, you can answer questions now?" and he said yes, "It's against the law in the United States to answer questions on your lunch hour" and he was dead serious. Unfortunately, I walked out of that location empty handed again, and I won't be going back. Customer Service??? read more

I am not much of an artist, in fact I have hard time legibly writing my name, then why am I here you might ask because I like to give it a shot anyway. The main purpose of this trip was just to pick up some stretched canvas, in the past I had ordered on line & I though stopping in to see the selection would be a great benefit. What a benefit it was such a huge collection and being a novice like I am getting the chance to scope out the product in person to compare it to my artistic ideas was a great help. The store of course has so much more a wide variety of brushes paints etc it is defiantly nice to walk in and browse as opposed to clicking around on the website. read more

Blick is my first place to go for art supplies. I fancy myself a painter and so I actually do buy a lot of supplies here- mostly paint and canvas, with the occasional brush here and there. I've never had much interaction with the staff as I tend to be the "leave me alone to wander and stare at all this cool stuff" kind of person, and I completely appreciate it. However, every time I want to purchase one of those paint markers that are in a locked case, a staff member magically appears to get them out for me. Blick is super convenient being located right next to the red line- no need to try and and weave your way through downtown crowds carrying a 3'x3' canvas. Thank you Blick! p.s. I love the patina (or whatever it is) on the large decorated (copper?) posts in the store. I want that on my walls! read more

We just happened to stumble upon this place today. I don't recall ever seeing it or even hearing of it before. My kids were tugging on my arms, begging to go in. I guess it seemed more interesting than the party in the street at the time. =-) The prices were actually pretty reasonable, much to my surprise. We didn't do any all out art supply shopping but we did browse around. They were happy to find a hefty supply of little erasers, pens, pencils, and other little stocking stuffer like items. Both of my children are really into arts and crafts, and very creative. My oldest son's drawing skills are amazing. I'm trying to encourage them to play with different mediums, so this is definitely a place we'll be visiting again soon. All of the staff members seemed friendly and helpful. If you sign up for their little preferred card thingy, you get 10% off of your purchases. read more

I am the farthest thing from an artist - yet the employees didn't judge me at all when I bought the prepackaged Paper Marbling and Watercolors kits. 4 stars right there. Plus 1 star for giving me a student discount even though I am a law student. The sand sculptures in the windows are really incredible - it takes a lot of will power not to reach out and touch them! read more

I have been to this shop a number of times and kinda like it. The peeps on the 2nd floor are mega helpful they kinda pounce on you and ask if there is anything you need then take you to it. It can be difficult to find things in the shop but sometimes it pays just to look around and stumble across things you weren't expecting. The bag check is kindof annoying especially if you have a $3,000 camera in your bag, it's like whoa guard that with your life or die. You would think that the raw materials for creating something whether it be a photograph, a matt, frame would be relatively inexpensive. You would be wrong. Anyway I kinda prefer this store and it's location over pearls on West Chicago because once in the loop there is so much else to do or photograph. read more

If I could have a torrid love affair with an art supply store, this one would totally do it for me. I am a huge sucker for paints, pens, brushes, pencils, papers, and the like, and this one has it all in spades. I dabble in a bunch of different media and crafts, and was amazed at how much stuff they carried for every single thing I could ever possibly want to do. Well stocked, well organized, friendly service. The trifecta of awesome. I've bought from dickblick.com for years because of their great prices and amazing selection. Having a chance to go to a physical store was a huge treat for me while I was in Chicago. There aren't any here in the MD/DC area (yet--hint, hint). Then again, having one close by would probably mean my financial ruin. DICK BLICK I LOVE YOU OMG. read more

I only came here after catching wind that Pearl had closed. Pearl had everything for every art/craft/hobby you could think of. It was always an inspiration to try something new. I felt that Blick was geared more towards the painter/paper arts/framing. However, the staff was EXTREMELY friendly and helpful. Everyone who walked by made sure you were okay or had questions and were quick and knowledgeable to answer. They did have a rather large section of kid craft/art kits, which would be great if you need a fun gift for a creative kid! read more

The staff is great. Good selection how ever. The store is so unbearable hot. They said the ac's are broken. I feel sorry for the worker. I could not stay longer with it so hot. read more

I am an artist (famousafteridie.com) and I love this store. My heart pounds just thinking about a trip to this candyland of possibilities. They carry my favorite brand: Prismacolor as well as a great selection of hot press illustration board - and that keeps me coming back. I could spend hours in this place. One of these times when I go into that store and spin the wheel, I will win the t-shirt. I got the bag and the sketch pad, but I would be proud to wear a Dick Blick t-shirt! read more

Cashiers are racist horrible and rude. Please don't shop here go to a different blick. Both of them had an attitude the second I came in.

I stopped by here last week intending to buy a Moleskine weekly planner, or other similar organizer, to kick off 2017. I bought stationery from Blick in the past (about a year ago) and found the selection to be good, the displays inspiring, and the pricing and quality fair. This latest visit was a complete 180-degree difference as I could not find a decent selection of planners and it seemed like the two workers at the front of the store were more interested in talking to each other than helping customers. After a few minutes looking around, I finally caught the eye of a woman working here who perfunctorily pointed me to a table of organizers/planners in a corner of the store. I could not find what I was looking for, so ended up leaving without purchasing anything. Complete waste of time. Right after that I walked to the Target a couple of blocks away and ended up finding exactly what I needed and a larger selection of Moleskine products to boot. read more

Nice place, great location, varied selections. I usually spend more money than I'm supposed to when I walk in here...lol Staffs are prompt and very friendly. read more

I love coming here to loser all the art supplies! Prices seem high but they have the professional quality brands- I've shopped around for those brands and found Blick to be competitive. I came in tonight looking for a sealant for some collages and a mixed media paper pad and Larry helped me find exactly what I needed! He's an oil painter himself and so he knew what to techniques to suggest and knew all the good brands to recommend. I recommend Blicks as the "go to" store for quality art supplies! read more

Great choice both in products and prices from entry level to student, to hobbyist and professionals. I use the website as well.

Blick has a monopoly on art supplies in the heart of the city in Chicago. The bad news is they gouge you on all of the prices. The staff is lovely and knowledgeable and the inventory is comprehensive, but compare to Michaels for canvas. Much better constructed and less expensive. Or Arts and Crafts store, same thing. They are blocks away from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago and several other colleges and universities so the location and the total lack of competition in the city enable their high prices. Remember there is also a 10% sales tax. Students get the 10% discount but it still doesn't make their prices comparable to other retail art supply. If it isn't urgent, check out the online sites, Jerry's art supplies, or cheap Joe's.They ship for free with a generally minimum purchase, the prices are better and there is no sales tax. read more