Wet Paint

I’m never buying supplies anywhere else ever again. This store and the people who work there are the absolute best. I needed a bunch of random supplies, and they assisted me around the store during the entire visit, for which I am very grateful, or it would have taken me much longer to find everything! They also know their stuff, and helped me choose between different papers and tools. And I can’t get over how sincerely sweet everyone was. Such a wonderful store, full of wonderful people! I look forward to my next visit.

Quality local art store stocked with the finest supplies are rare, if not barely existent. Wet Paint, however, has been a staple for local artists for years. They know their stuff and are always willing to help.

This store just gets better and better. They have expanded and rearranged and the store feels far more open and navigable. This has become our go-​to for art supplies because it is locally owned and the staff is exceptional. They treat the 7-​year-​old artists in our house with respect and enthusiasm. My son has attended one of their classes, and it was phenomenal. I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT!!!

What a great store. Friendly and extremely helpful. I was in and out in 2 minutes and got more than I was looking for, for less than I expected.

Amazing store with wonderful selection of art supplies! Staff is amazingly helpful as well and great at helping you find the best of what you are looking for. I went in looking for watercolor tubes and decided to find some brushes as well. Though I was looking for something more than the basic selection a really nice guy working there recommended a higher end brush and even brought out water and paper to test it. I have been to many art stores and never did any of them offer to let me try out an expensive brush before. I really did appreciate that extra step of care as I was able to see and feel how amazing they were and with the huge discount they have the brushes were a really good price too. Was also very kindly helped by a young woman with the diferent types and brands of watercolor paints and now with all the great info I have a much better idea of what I am looking for. I have become addicted with this store and will definitely be returning for all my future art supply needs. For any one who loves to draw or paint etc this is a must go to place. I’m also really glad they will be expanding as it will make it easier to navigate. I wish I had asked for the two employees names so I could go back and thank them!

This is a fantastic art store. I studied art in both undergrad and grad school so I have logged my hours in different art stores. Very often you have to seek out obnoxious, pretentious specialty stores to find the kind of quality products you need in terms of supplies. However, Wet Paint has everything you could hope for from simple craft materials to an amazing array of papers for the professional artist.
My customer experience here too was excellent. It has been years since I’ve had the time to sit down and draw but I recently had the dust settle enough to get back into my art space. I needed a very specific texture of paper but I always when by feel rather than having a name for it. When Chris approached me to ask if I needed help, despite my years of schooling, I fumbled through a description of what I wanted. It was a lot of, ‘It’s kind of like this… but looks sorta like this… and feels kinda like that…” Very articulate, let me tell you. He was patient and had a good sense of humor that I was basically asking for help with gibberish, but eventually he guided me to the exact kind of paper I was looking for. I was able to get 5 sheets for a decent price and he even gave me a sample from the scratch paper so I could bring it in next time and just hand it to some and say, ‘I want this.”
I found him to be helpful and welcoming and very willing to spend the time with me I needed to get my perfect texture of paper. This made me realize that not only are they supplied with everything you need but they also don’t need you to be a certain kind of person in order to help you find what you need. There’s no need to be intimidated by what is a legitimate art supply store or to feel like you need something fancy in order to visit. Notebooks, pens, Fimo, drawing books, compasses, puffy paint, you name it, they have it. Can’t wait to visit again!

Wet Paint is the bomb. It’s a local shop stacked with any art supply you can think of. Seriously, the place is crammed with anything you might need to get your Van Gogh on. It’s like Harry Potter’s Room of Requirement filled with any art supply you might desire.
Their staff is always friendly and helpful, giving tips from personal experience and helping you find what you really need. Compared to other art stores in the Twin Cities, where I have received no attention at all, this is a super refreshing change. I just want to hang out with them and talk art.
They often have deals and promotions, too– 50 percent off canvases is crazy good, and I feel like they run that one a lot. Wet Paint makes me wish I got artsy way more often than I do.

Does your 8 year old NEED to learn origami only to NEED to learn calligraphy two weeks later? Problems solved.
Any art related thing can be found here. They even have a room just for kids art/​craft supplies and kits which I always go to for birthday gifts.
The best part of this store is the staff. People greet you as you walk in and ask if you need help. And then they help with a nice attitude.
Knowing my 8 yr. old I’m sure we’ll be back soon.

Just picked up a fantaaastic custom framing/​matting job. The staff is very talented (artists know their art supplies and color theory) and attentive — they spent time with us picking out exactly the right mat colors (they have many, many shades of white plus every other color you could want). The artwork was all odd sized — pre-​cut mats wouldn’t have worked.
We could only afford to custom frame 2, but they matted another 6 or so that we will be able to buy ready-​made or second-​hand frames for. They had a great selection of reasonably priced framing materials — in a very very wide range of styles. In the end we spent about $ 350 to custom mat and frame 2 and mat another 6 and it was sooo worth it (especially considering we had some of this artwork in a drawer, waiting until we had the time and cash to get it done).
I would say they spent close to 2 hours helping us figure out all of the matting/​framing colors, lord knows how long it took to do all of the work so perfectly. I also really enjoyed talking with them about the art. I will definitely be back again when I can afford to do some more. I only wish I had the $ 500,000 it would cost to buy a house in Mac Groveland so I could visit more often. Thanks Wet Paint!

Yo, for real, I don’t normally write isht for stores on here, but SRSLY this place is just amaze. The staff came to my rescue and gave me exactly what I needed, and they had it on stock, and all of ‘em just could not have been nicer. I am super snobby and obscure too, so for them to just blow it up like that for me, I could not be more happy and blown away by how wonderful these cats were. Love ya all, Dru

I am very disappointed, I used to come here all the time and was always delighted with the supplies and service. I have to say I will never go back again. Very disgusted with the way we were greated with a grunt and «closing in 10 min.» that was it, not good evening or anything else. My kids and I preceded to be followed/​stalked around the store as we waited for the paper to be cut. Then we were told one price and got to the register and it was 3x as much. My children including my 16 mos. old baby were told to stop and get by their mom and even the manager/​owner admonished my baby telling him to stop touching a paintbrush. Totally disgusted and very disappointed.

Great variety of merchandise available along with a very knowledgeable staff. Which is very helpful for a novice like me. The shop is loaded with fascinating things to see, I usually browse for sometime even when I am done with shopping.
The parking can be a little challenging sometimes, especially during the daytime. Also the shop can be a little pricey and the cost adds up if you do not remain careful.

Very well informed and friendly staff. Will definitely be back next time I need supplies.

Sorry to disagree with the positive posters. The supply of papers is impressive, but the non-​clearance prices do not compare to web based stores and chains. The floor staff can be helpful, but the management feels it is doing you a favor by selling art supplies.

This is a Wonderland of a shop for everyone with any sort of artistic inclination.
Staff are friendly and knowledgeable and willing to assist.
Space is loaded with great things: decorative and handmade papers, all sorts of pens, pencils and markers, inks, pastels, pencil sharpeners, erasers, books, art kits, storage containers, pads of paper, paints, brushes, easels, framing supplies, plain stationery, decorative stamps, embellishments, and on and on.
Prices are very reasonable.
Business is locally owned by a woman who lives right in the neighborhood.
Several years ago, I purchased my first watercolor painting supplies here.
I love to return here every so often to just browse at the cool stuff. Easy for me to do since they’re right in the neighborhood.

Hands down, the best art supply store I’ve seen! Wet paint has it all, minus the attitude. The prices are on par for most art supply places, the layout makes it easy to find what you need, and the sales staff is interesting, helpful, and funny. If that isn’t the perfect art store, I don’t know what is.

This is a fantastic art supply store. For a small space, they pack in an incredible selection for very reasonable prices. I started coming here after it was suggested by the professor who taught the ‘architecture in watercolor’ course I took at the U. They have so many high quality brushes and papers to choose from, and if I remember correctly, they even created a custom ‘kit’ for our course.
Their employees are always so helpful and friendly, and they’re clearly knowledgeable about the supplies they’re selling. At some of the other art supply stores in the Twin Cities, I sometimes feel like I have to search awhile for help, and then I’m unsure whether to trust them, but I’m always promptly offered assistance by very credible individuals when I’m at Wet Paint.
Plus, I love being able to support an independently-​owned business. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s located in such a cute area, on Grand Avenue in St. Paul.

PARADISE — for artists — paint, paper, TEXTURES and deals on good supplies. I would sometimes come here just to check out the same supplies or to feel the same sheets of thick watercolor paper that I know I could not afford just to be happy. Once it became a dangerous addiction, I started taking harder classes at Macalester that demanded more of my time so I would not be able to linger about at Wet Paint!
The only way Wet Paint could earn 6 or even 7 stars is if they roast and serve fair trade coffee and offer free studio space. Of course then the place would be hopelessly packed with students eager to take advantage of that. STILL I think it should happen!

O.M.G. this place is heaven. I walked around in a stupor for 20 minutes, mouth wide open in wonderment, at all of the goodies packed into every available crevice. Outstanding paper, ink, and drawing supplies. Great staff — I visited when they were h e l l a busy and yet managed to be asked thrice if I needed any help (perhaps because I looked like I’d hit the mother lode). I went in search of Gocco supplies, and they, like everyone else in the world, were sold out, unfortunately.

there’s no getting around the fact that this is _​the_​art supply store in the twin cities. sure, blick’s good for the odd notebook refresh and stocking up on the standard stuff, but when you want to feel really artistically inadequate you need to come here. they have pretty much everything, the staff is very knowledgeable and they know where to point me when i come in asking for a particular pen which i’ve recently seen /​discovered and fetishized.
if you suffer from an art paper and/​or notebook fetish like i do, they’re your hookup. they carry the moleskine line, the rhodia pads, exotic italian notebooks watercolor paper that could be used for shipping containers, you name it. then there’s their paint selection and a wall of brushes. i’ll stop now.

Certainly St. Paul’s most solid art supply house. A big plus is the very friendly, knowledgable staff. No question is too silly, and staff will take whatever time is needed to get you up to speed. For you fountain pen geeks, Wet Paint stocks a variety of nice notebooks including the most excellent Clairfontaine brand. Lots of fun stuff here even for the non-​artist. There are a few parking spots in back of the store, if parking on Grand is too daunting. Plus: locally owned!