Oh, Blickity Blick, you may not lackity lack in supplies but your prices are ridiculous. I can remember being a little kid, wide-eyed beneath a display of colored paint pens, and now as an adult I finally understand why my mom had the good sense not to buy me even one. Like everything else in the store, they cost too damn much. There are plenty of items at Blick that you may need so desperately, love so much and fall to the feet of that you're willing to pay the mark-up. That's you, boo. I simply cannot, will not and shan't ever demean my pocketbook for Blick's benefit. On top of that, it's pretty hard to get any info out of the sales associates here. My best friend and I visited last week because she had sunk to the level of so desperate for an art organizer that she was willing to pay Blick prices. The associate looked at her quizzically when she asked him about what they had in the store and then asked "Like, to buy?" Nah, bruv, we only want to rent art supplies at these prices. Oh, and don't you ever even consider using their parking lot. read more

I hadn't been here for years since I'm not an artist, but came to the Oakland store just before Christmas to buy a gift for someone who is. The woman who assisted me (didn't get her name) was very helpful as I decided among watercolor items that I didn't know much about. As a bonus I had also been looking for little stocking stuffers, and they had the best selection of such things that I'd found anywhere so I finished my holiday shopping here. (I'd considered ordering from Amazon to save the trip, but am very glad I didn't--I wouldn't have gotten the expert assistance, would not have found all the stuff I didn't know was there, would have paid more since Blick had a sale and an email discount, and Amazon's stuff these days is horribly perfumed.) read more

This FABULOUS art supply store is the best ! I was hoping to touch up an Italian leather handbag shoulder strap, and I'm so glad I went here. A wonderful gal, Sol, showed me markers, acrylic leather paint and brushes ( I took the strap with me) that would work, and work they did ! The shoulder strap looks brand new...I'm going back today to get some more of the same in other colors. Be forewarned : you could spend hours here as there are so many things to look at, and creative inspiration could really start surging through your thoughts ! read more

The service at the store is five star !! Helpful, respectful, interested in my art and what supplies I need and might need. They tell me about sales, specials, which helps a ton with the budget. They allways help me out with my large orders, and welcome me at the door. Iam sort of a regular, and if feels so comfortable to go in and see everyone. read more

I had no choice to come here since my son's art teacher Asked me to buy 12"by 18" in. Canvas . When I called , they said they had that size, but when I got there they said they do not carry that size so minus one star for that . The gentleman that helped me was really nice and even gave me a discount. Five star for him lol. This place is too far from my house but they have a lot of art supplies. I got everything that I needed so I'm happy with that but the items were little more expensive than Joann's or Michaels . Thank god the nice gentleman gave me a discount so I saved about 25$. For those Art students or Art lovers this is the right store for you . read more

This place has everything an ARTIST needs. Customer service are super helpful and greet you as you walk in and ask if you need any assistance. Parking is horrible. The only parking available is on the street. Being that this store is in a residential area all of the street parking is already taken by the local residents. Meaning that you'll have to drive around the block until you find an empty spot. I recently received a 40% off coupon in the mail. I'll definitely return before it expires to get more things that I need. Oh yeah, you also get a discount if your a member. Free to sign up. read more

I was incredibly disappointed with the Oakland store. Staff not willing to help or not familiar with mediums. Many products were not available in Oakland. I had to go to the Berkeley store for some specific products. What a contrast between the Oakland and Berkeley stores. I will not be a repeat customer in Oakland because of the staff and products. But definitely will be of the newer Berkeley store. read more

I was pleased with the customer service. I only had a very small purchase and one of the staffers opened a register for the next in line, which was me. He was incredibly pleasant. I am pleased as Blick Art Materials had the best price on my item after a search on the internet. read more

Love this Store and It's Excellent, Helpful Staff!!! Have had outstanding Service with most of the Staff, especially the Owner, and the 2 Women that run the Design Center. I was overcharged once by an older Gentleman that usually runs the cash register up front, but have received mostly good service from the other cashiers. I don't believe in Starving Artists, I believe in paying one for what they're worth while they're alive, and handing down inheritance before I die. I appreciate all the staff who have been helpful, send lots of referrals, and will send prosperity and abundance wishes to them and they're families!!! Thanks again for Your beautiful work! read more

Wonderful, helpful, very artsy art store :) Highly satisfied with the items, layout (I was just lost because I'm ignorant when it comes to all the art talk and materials). I went in today around 5pm (they close at 7pm) and it's a good thing we arrived about this time because I was a mess looking for what my teacher specifically wanted for my beginner's drawing class This is when Meems came to the rescue and knew I was in trouble with my confused stance. Managers, please award her for her wonderful service and people: she's awesome! She showed me everything! She went down my materials list from my syllabus print out and recommended the items that have been bought the most, what she has used and what was in sale. She did not pressure me to buy anything or become impatient when I didn't know what to get or what to decide on. She answered all the questions I had including the dumb but curious questions I had. Young...? I think was her manager's name who was very helpful as well. The employees in Blick's are beyond knowledgeable, friendly, inviting and talented employees. They belong in the art world from what I can tell! Prices are not bad in a sense that if there was something you needed, but it was pricey, they would have various alternatives. They had so many sales for BACK TO SCHOOL that it was hard to choose what I wanted because I wanted so much I will definitely be going back here for my art supplies if I decide to stick with my drawing class further down the line, or even pop it to look at things I can start as a hobby. Michaels used to be my go-to alllll the time maybe because of the convenience and the coupons, but the service at Blick's wins all over. Thank you for a great trip to my first official art supply store, Blick's! You guys are wonderful read more

A little know fact about Pamela D: this bitch likes to make things. Didn't know that? Maybe because you didn't ASK, you callous bastards. My father is a taxidermist, so as a small child I learned all the tricks of the trade: from how to delicately peel the skin back from the eyelids of an squirrel, use a bone saw to remove antlers from the skull of a skinned deer, to how to properly mount these lil' critters on Styrofoam molds. I can make a squirrel-bird monster fighting a mouse-snake hybrid. But it's not easy to come by dead animals, so I settle for bones, which my father ships to me in rather large boxes from Florida. Sometimes he even scribbles instructions on the outside of the box, for the poor UPS workers to see: "Some of these still have bits of meat on them. Boil them outside in a pot filled with Dawn dish soap, and then let them sit in a dry place for a day. That will help with the smell." Or, my personal favorite: "Only had vertebrae this time around." I do things with these bones, and because it's almost the holidays, and it seems that all of my friends are celebrating birthdays as well, I decided to become the Martha Stewart of dead shit, which is what found me at Blick. I came in looking for a few simple items that aren't easily begotten at Michael's or even Home Depot: a very small drill which is used primarily for drilling holes, an awl, some sort of engraving blade, acrylic paints, and display cases. As soon as I walked in the door, someone was there to help me. Never mind that the dude looked (and totally smelled) like a glass blowing major at the Arts and Crafts college, he personally showed me where to find each item. While he wasn't 100% knowledgeable about the engraving tools, he still TRIED to help. And, come on guys, it's the thought that counts. I can't really go overboard and say that the prices were affordable...They really weren't, but I am a lazy shopper and wanted to kill as many birds with one stone as possible for my upcoming projects. Oh, that was kind of a bad pun considering....Sorry. Also, luckily I am a decent driver because I would have been making an art project out of my dead car otherwise. Parking in their lot is a nightmare. Blick is an art store that I vow to return to with each new shipment of bones. read more

Blick specializes in Art materials for the Artist, Art Student, or the hobby Artist. They have more depth and variety and better knowledge workers than your typical arts and crafts place like Michael's. This location is right across the street from Oakland's well known College of Arts and Crafts, which also specializes in Art degrees, with 4 year programs. From the front, this store looks like it doesn't have much to offer, but then you walk inside and it goes very deep, so they have pretty much whatever you need. I usually go to the University Avenue store in Berkeley, which is newer and perhaps more spacious, but this location has a down home artsy feel to it, which is nice. Parking is only a few spaces in the rear, or on the street. But this store is not booming with drive-ins, as I am sure most of their customers just walk across the street from the College. read more

9 times out of 10, I can get in and out with exactly what I came for. Reasonable prices on most items. Great service. Parking is a bitch. read more

You know those places where the people who work there want to make it clear that they're too good to be working there? That they really have much better things to do than take your money or help you buy stuff in the store that pays them? Well, that was my experience at Blick's. It started out well enough when I walked in with someone immediately asking me if I needed help. The help I got wasn't very helpful so I figured things out on my own and went to check out. And that's when it went south (not like Virginia south, but like Florida south): The woman who checked me out and the tall dude who seemed to be her manager had an entire conversation going while she rang me up. She spoke to me only enough to get business done and the rest of the time acted like I wasn't there. I can put up with this to a degree, but then she started recklessly piling up the frames I was buying and the original art I brought in so that glass was hitting on glass. The last straw was when she couldn't find the price and asked Tall Manager Man for help and he said, "Don't worry, you have all the time in the world." Meantime my super invisible powers seemed to be working well. He walked off to check the price and she talked to another co-worker. When I found out that I couldn't return the frames once I bought them and realized I could pay $15 instead of $35 for a similar frame of the same size at Ikea, that was a wrap. In short: Poor customer service and overpriced frame supplies. read more

Eight months into my first "corporate" office job, I've decided that I need to explore some new career options (as the job I currently have cannot truly be considered a "career")... I've always loved art, but I've never been much of a drawer or painter. I've always been a little bit intimidated by the visual arts and all the skills and technical knowledge that goes along with them - the only art I've ever truly been comfortable with is dancing. So it was with great anticipation and some trepidation that I signed up for a summer extended education class at CCA in interior design. Located right across from the Oakland CCA campus, Blick offers discounts to CCA students (even ones taking non-credit classes like me). I had a list of items I needed to pick up before the first class and only a vague idea of what these items are - tracing paper? A Pentel sign pen? The fellow behind the counter was gracious and helpful to my artistically un-savvy self, walking me around the store to locate all items on my list. I didn't have proof of my registration at CCA but he gave me a discount anyway. Service was a little bit on the slow side, but it was 9:00am afterall, and I probably only noticed because I was on my way to work. All in all, a seemingly well-stocked store (but what do I really know - I've only skimmed the surface!) and a friendly staff. read more

If you need specialty art supplies beyond your Office Depot, places like Blick's are perfect. I needed some more artist pens with the large/fat nibs. I bought a dozen to replace some older/much used ones. Blick's carries a whole lotta other specialty art materials if you need to fuel your creative side. Mid-range sized store. Friendly workers that don't hover your every move. They have a parking lot in the side/back, but there is plenty of street parking. fistpump! read more

I just started an online art class and Elena made sure to find me the kit my teacher asked for, she matched the price to what my teacher told me my supplies would cost, she threw in a beautiful reusable blick tote bag, and she was incredibly gracious as well as made me feel very welcome! Thank you Elena! read more

These fucking guys. I expected the store next to an art college to have a comprehensive selection of papers and tools, but theirs was poor and disorganized. Service was nonexistent while I was searching the store and hostile at the register. Although there is a private parking lot behind the store, do not attempt to use it if you're driving anything larger than a Mini Cooper. read more

Arrived at 6:03 websites said store closes at 7. Immediately when I walked in because the door was not locked and no staff was standing there. The cashier yelled they was closed. As I stood outside waiting for my overpriced Uber I witnessed 5 customers come out of the store. With more people still shopping. Smh disgraceful read more

My friend and I drove here because there was an item out of stock at the Berkeley location that they put on hold here. Upon entering the store, an employee was whining about his job there, how he was under appreciated and how he hated his job. When my friend inquired about the item on hold, the same employee was condescending, rude and extremely unhelpful. My friend has been oil painting for years and was asking about a certain varnish but the employee kept insisting the varnish they put on hold(which wasn't the brand my friend wanted) was the same. We left the store without any varnish and without any desire to return to this Blick again. read more

This is just a comment about the service at this location. The people who work there are very nice and I am sure they know what they are doing, but honestly, you are better off looking for something on your own than relying on what they say. There have been a couple times where I am told they do not have a product or just have a certain type, then I turn a corner and find just what I need. Or I will call in to make sure they have something I need and when I get there, they are out, or do not have the type I am looking for. Tips: search for what you need and ask several people who work there for information Oh, btw their parking sucks read more

Something about art stores moves you to moments of nostalgia. Was it the wall-splattering sessions of finger-painting that you laughed and squealed over while your parents sigh at the mess? Or the hand-turkey with clawed feet sticking out of its butthole displayed proudly on the fridge, surrounded by similarly displayed stick-figure artwork and "snake" magnets that look more like curly piles of poo? Whatever the emotional twinge is, you find yourself meandering down the aisles of Blick, feeling the smoothness of vellum, scribbling pastels on test papers, dropping your jaw at the sight of Copic markers, running your fingers over canvases. All these art materials cry for your hands to hold them tight: "draw on me!" "squeeze me!" "doodle with me!" And with decent prices stamped on their tags, you're tempted to buy everything here and go hog-wild with your imagination. The only trouble was, despite the image of a well-stocked store, some things never show up on Blick's shelves, like palette sponges of a certain size or that elusive brush pen which ought to be available in the US. And sometimes, you have to scratch your head over the prices of a few items that lacked price tags. Luckily, staff is plentiful in amount and friendliness. You sign up for their Preferred Customer program: 10% off non-sale items, with the occasional big coupons in the mail. Given the already-competitive prices, some beating out the evil octopus that is Amazon, you smile at the notion that you will be returning, and maybe, finally, buy some colored pencils that isn't Crayola. read more

I love this place. Tons of stuff in the store and the staff are very helpful. They don't do custom framing at the Oakland store (need to go to SF), but Yann helped me today with getting everything I needed to frame a print that I've been holding onto for years. THANK YOU!!! read more

This Blick rocks! They have everything you could ever want. Quality or quantity, why choose when you can have both? Blick offers a plethora of artist supplies from Acetate to Zig markers, they have it ALL! This store is smaller, or so it seems, but the staff is here is superb in all aspects. They just have the best in customer service. Everyone is super friendly, speedy, and they know what they're talking about! One of my favorite things, as an artist and a student is the prices. Though, sometimes I feel like I could save a few pennies on some items, I end up saving money on something else and it makes up for it. If you're a student, you can even get a discount, which is great for all starving artists alike. read more

This is THE place to buy art materials. Do NOT go to Micheal's Arts and Crafts it is way too expensive! They have absolutely everything from Stand Oils to different size canvases and in different price ranges =] Workers are friendly the guy who helped me pick out the materials I needed for my art class. I spent $104 and saved 43% which is $72.31 off manufactured suggested list prices :D I would've rated it 5 stars but I had to drive about 20 miles to get there. They should place one in Hayward :) Oh yeah one more thing, parking sucks big time! Very very little space to park. There's literally 5 parking spaces :/ read more

Being from Stockton, my only choices to buy art supplies are Michael's, Aaron Brothers and the Delta College Bookstore, suffice it to say, its bare bones. I am so glad that I finally got a chance to check out Blick's in Oakland. They have a vast selection of art materials ranging from high end to low end. I spent almost 40 minutes just looking for the pencils and paper because their stock is so varied. If you're looking for easels, tables, lightboxes they have 'em all there too! The staff's mostly college kids and they're all very customer service oriented. Visiting here definitely gives me a jolt of inspiration and I'll come back again even if I don't need anything at all. read more

Love it unconditionally. I'd love to patronize small art shops, but 90% of them are kitchy specialty types - they have papercrafts, stamps, holiday cards, and some elmer's glue. This store is for people who want to grab some good quality pens, paint, and paper, and make /art/. My art needs are fairly simple as I mainly do inked comics and pencil drawings. However, I am one of those crazy art people who can spend 20 minutes opening up drawing pads, fingering the paper, going back and forth trying to make up my mind which is best, especially if I already have a pocket size sketchbook and a letter-size drawing pad so do I need a 4 x 6 80# or the 6x9 60#? And a vellum surface is really better over smooth, just the way it takes the pencil... It's like picking a perfect wine to go with dinner. And then a good pen, the marker type without a nib but ideally with a tapered tip because I don't the squared off ones and- You get the idea. Anyway, they have a good selection for me in pens, paper, ink, and brushes. Once I walked in and found all Winsor & Newton Series 7 and Isabey Kolinsky sables on sale for HALF OFF. I nearly peed my pants. The parking here isn't great but it's right off a residential area so you can park on a side-street if needed. Employees are helpful and knowledgeable. Awesome. read more

There are lots of items here even for those who are not painters. If you are into papercrafts, you will like this store as well. I found stuff to help me organize my arts & crafts tools here. I have good experiences with Blick -- they have a friendly staff that are not only helpful in helping me find what I need but they also helped me carry my new foldable drafting table to my car! Note: I noticed a few of my visits many moms bring their daughters in here looking for fashion illustration stuff or fabric marking tools, but they do not have anything like that here. If you want to find things dealing with fashion arts, this is not the place to go and the staff here don't have the knowledge to redirect you. Those of you who want to find out more about sewing related resources, check out my sewing list: http://www.yelp.com/list_details?userid=LNHtt3ydkZ14D2ZXXs6Gxg&list_id=vBfhEcap4HXb1gwbP4Q2GQ read more

Employees who treat theirs as more than just day jobs. I go here for anything vaguely art-related. One time my errand was to post an ad on the community bulletin board at the front of the store for a flat file I was selling secondhand. The eventual buyer didn't see my ad--a Blick employee did, and remembered it when a customer came in requesting a flat file, which they don't stock. Thank you, Blick Superemployee! read more

Can't say anything negative about Blicks. Staff always very helpful and they know their products well. I like that they will take time to teach you about products too. I think the prices are quite reasonable considering the prices to be paid at the big box craft stores these days. read more

Never been inside but called to get info on a specific color for my mom's birthday theme: Tiffany Blue. Searched everywhere and No other art supply stores had it :( home depot couldn't even get close to matching the color and my mom was getting anxious and almost gave up and then I thought to myself "Call Blicks!" Called up, got Megan on the phone and omg was she helpful!! She helped me to figure out what Type of paint I would need for the material we're using and she even grabbed an array of colors that matched what I was looking for to put behind the counter since I'm travelling from Antioch!!! So amazing! If you ever need help ask for Megan! She is incredibly helpful and did not make me feel rushed or like I was bothering her! read more

This is my first review on Yelp. I've signed up for yelp so that I could make a contribution towards businesses that I really care for in this dying economy. I've just started to study graphic design and fairly new to the art scene. I've had great customers service at this Blick (specifically). I find the staff very approachable and the prices are pretty good too. I live in San Leandro and I prefer to make the drive to Blick for my art necessities. read more

I was in the area to move a relative into an assisted living facility. There was some personal artwork I needed packed to check on my airline, and a large piece I needed packed and shipped accross the country. Galan helped with both. All items were handled with great care and arrived promptly without any concerns. Thank you very much! read more

Blick is one of those places that you go to for art supplies, paper, canvas, frames and engineering supplies. This one day I was looking for art brushes and I received excellent service on products offered and usage. It was great because most of the brushes were on-sale and they had the all of the types for water color, acrylics and oil. Being an engineer and wannabe Industrial Designer I had to check out the engineering supplies and they had a large assortment of rulers,drafting equipment, drawing paper and design pencils. They carry the brands such as Kohinoor, Stadler Mars and Alvin at reasonable prices. Just enough equipment to be creative. Great hours to buy supplies, the only drawback was the limited parking. Well worth the visit. read more

Small store packed to the gills with almost anything you'll need for your next art project, whatever your medium. Fewer curios than in their Berkeley location, the basic stock is comparable and the staff is, as has been mentioned, extremely friendly and insightful. There's also limited parking behind the store which makes it extra convenient for those not 'a pied.' Now, excuse me, I've got some paintin' to do. . . read more

Good selection and location (though I've never tried to park around there; I mean that it's easy to walk to from bart, and very, very easy to take the bus there). Friendly service. The prices are fine. I had an art store I went to a few years ago in another state that had better prices, but no use comparing, I suppose. This store will order you anything from the Blick catalog or website. You do still have to pay shipping, so it's really the same as ordering it from the catalog or website yourself, but I can see how it'd be nice. I do find the shipping part a bit strange, since you'd think that would be their supplier anyway! There's a certain paper I like that art supply stores don't always carry, and usually it's not a big deal to add it onto an order with one of the distributors they already use. I've had to make multiple trips, to be sure, but never to pay my own shipping. Maybe I misunderstood the guy at the counter. I always end up spending more here than I do on the website! Maybe it's because when I buy art supplies online I shop around for the best deal, so I only end up buying from Blick online when it's the cheapest? Or maybe because when I come into the store I end up buying things that aren't on my list! This store has all of my staples except for my favorite canson pads and watercolor palettes. I think part of why this store can seem expensive is because it is not huge, and that limits your choices; they have only a couple different watercolor palettes, and they're more expensive than the ones I get on their website, so if I bought palettes here, I'd always pay more. All that said they are really nice about returns : ) Also, you can get their discount card for free if you are a student or teacher, and being a student in continuing education or whatever counts. Checking out their sales and coupons is worth it too. read more

I had a great helpful experience at this Art supply Store. The Customer Service Rep - Josh assisted me. I had 3 long lists of art supplies I needed, I was already overwhelmed but Josh was patient and so helpful. This whole process took about one hour. He also helped me save $$ by looking at different choices and specials. I had such bad experience with Utrecht in the city, so I was feeling a little scared to enter an art supply store, but all of the people that worked at Blicks in Oakland were so welcoming. Later that week I tried the San Francisco Blick store on Market, same great experience. I am impressed and happy. Thank you. read more

In an age of small art stores going out of business and the cheap knick knacks of Michael's taking over, this place rises above. They have a huge and surprising selection, including art supplies I forgot existed. And prices are good. read more

Still one of the best art supply stores around. They have a great selection and knowledgeable staff!

Great selection of art materials. Parking can be a little tricky depending on time of day. They do have a small lot but it's a tight squeeze getting out. My niece was really excited to see their large selection of Tombow brush pens for calligraphy too. read more