Best Arts and Crafts Supplies Online: Stock Up on Creativity Essentials

Liquitex BASICS gives you 48 ready-to-go colors, so beginners can start painting immediately without hunting for extra tubes. We found the medium, creamy consistency easy to control and it plays nicely with Liquitex professional paints and mediums, plus it carries the AP safety seal for classrooms. Expect to layer more than with pro lines due to lower pigment load, and the 22 ml tubes can empty quickly on large canvases. For learning and studies, it’s a smart, versatile set.

Letterers and illustrators will love the Tombow ABT Dual Brush 96-set for its huge color range and the flexibility of a brush tip paired with a fine tip. In our testing, the inks blended beautifully for gradients and watercolor-like washes, making practice sheets look polished fast. Be aware these aren’t rated lightfast, so finished pieces can fade, and the brush tips may fray with heavy pressure. It’s a pricey set, but the breadth of shades can replace multiple smaller assortments.

Throw this Cotman Sketchers’ Pocket Box in your bag for paint-along hikes or café studies—it’s compact, with built-in mixing areas and a handy collapsible brush. In our testing, the student-grade pigments mixed cleanly and had solid strength for quick sketches. The tiny brush doesn’t hold much water, and we found some half pans can loosen or pop out during travel, plus you’re limited in color count versus larger palettes. Still, for portable practice, it nails the convenience-to-quality balance.

For students and hobbyists, the Canson XL Mix Media Pad hits a sweet spot: 160gsm/98lb pages that handle pencil, ink, and light washes. During our review, we liked the wire binding and micro-perforations for easy tear-out when you’re ready to frame. Heavy water techniques can cause buckling, and occasionally the perforations tear unevenly; our experience shows some variability between batches. If you stick to moderate wet media or sketching, it’s a dependable, budget-friendly workhorse.

These Arteza 11x14-inch canvas panels come pre-primed with multiple coats of gesso, so we could start painting immediately with acrylics or oils. The cotton surface took brushwork and mixed-media well in our testing, making them great for practice pieces, classes, or batch projects. Just know these are panels on board, not stretched canvases, so they won’t suit frames that require stretcher bars. Price varies by retailer, and while not the absolute cheapest, we found the 14-pack convenient for experimenting without worrying about wasting a canvas.

Strathmore’s 400 Series Sketch Pad is a dependable everyday pad with a fine tooth that grabs graphite and colored pencil beautifully. In our testing, the bright white sheets made contrast pop, and the recycled content is a nice bonus for eco-minded sketchers. It isn’t built for heavy wet media or aggressive erasing, so save your watercolor experiments for mixed-media paper or a dedicated pad. We found the cover scuffs and pages can tear out more easily than heavier options, so handle it gently or store it in a folder.

Crayola’s Super Tips have a versatile conical nib for fine lines or broad strokes, and the 50-color set covers most projects. In our testing, the washable ink came out of skin and many fabrics, making them an easy yes for classrooms and family tables. Packaging is flimsy and some markers may feel dry or streak at first, so store them horizontally and revive tips with a brief soak. Cap colors don’t always match ink perfectly, but we found swatching lids or labeling helps keep shades straight during larger art sessions.

These Crayola Twistables are kid favorites because there’s no sharpening—just twist and color—making them perfect for travel kits and quick cleanups. In our testing, they held up well for casual coloring, though some shades felt less pigmented than traditional pencils. We also noticed the tips can push in if pressed too hard, and the lack of printed color names makes similar tones harder to tell apart. For everyday doodling and school projects, they’re a stress-free, budget-friendly pick.

Crayola’s 5 lb Air-Dry Clay is a classroom hero: smooth, pliable, and easy for kids to shape into pinch pots and small figures. During our review, we liked the generous bucket and resealable lid for quick storage between sessions. Our experience shows you need to watch moisture—too much water can make it sticky or prone to cracking, and the lid isn’t fully airtight. Let pieces dry thoroughly before painting, as rushed finishes can crack and feel fragile.

This Sculpey III sampler packs thirty 1‑ounce bars across a vibrant range, making it great for classrooms, beginners, or testing color mixes. In our testing, the soft formulation conditioned quickly by hand and was easy for kids to shape without a pasta machine. However, Sculpey III can be too soft for ultra-fine detail, and unlabeled color names make reordering favorites tricky unless you keep notes. Our experience shows baking can be inconsistent if the oven runs hot, so use an oven thermometer and follow time and thickness guidelines closely.

For scrapbooking and paper crafts, the Tombow MONO Permanent Adhesive lays down a clean, wrinkle-free bond that, in our testing, ran smooth when the cartridge behaved. The snap-in refill system reduces waste and makes swapping cartridges quick, and it’s acid-free and photo-safe for archival pages. That said, occasional skipping or stalled tape can happen, and refill quality isn’t always consistent. It costs more than basic runners, but the clean, mess-free application keeps us reaching for it first.

Scotch Magic Tape remains a craft staple with its matte, invisible finish that virtually disappears on paper and looks clean in photos. In our testing, we liked that it’s photo-safe and writable, so labeling pages or making quick notes directly on tape is easy. The multi-roll packs deliver solid value, but refill sets often skip a dispenser, and some dispensers don’t cut as cleanly as older designs. Our experience shows it can be tougher to tear by hand, so keep a quality dispenser nearby to speed up craft sessions.

Elmer’s School Glue Sticks go on purple so kids see coverage, then dry clear for a tidy finish on paper crafts and classroom projects. During our review, the washable, non-toxic formula kept cleanup simple and parent-friendly, even after enthusiastic glue sessions. They’re not the strongest adhesive for heavier materials, so we apply generous coats or switch to liquid glue when bonding cardstock or light foam. Our experience shows sticks can dry out if left uncapped, and the plastic tubes create waste, so cap promptly and buy only what you’ll use.

We keep Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue around because that strong, immediate grab saves time on paper, felt, and light wood. During our review it dried clear and cleaned up with soap and water, which makes classroom and kid projects less stressful. The formula is quite thick, so precise lines can take patience, and we’ve also found the cap and larger bottles a bit awkward near the end. If you need a reliable all-purpose craft glue, this is still a great value.

If you want an easy, screen-free activity, this Hide & Seek Rock Painting Kit includes rocks, brushes, paints, stickers, and a sponge—no extra purchases. During our review, kids stayed engaged decorating and hiding their creations around the neighborhood for a fun scavenger-style surprise. We recommend laying down a table cover and cleaning drips while wet, since acrylics can stain fabrics and surfaces if left to dry. Some sets arrive with dried paint or decals that lift, so we get better results when rocks are fully dry or lightly primed first.

This mason-style Grow 'N Glow Terrarium packs everything kids need—chia and wheatgrass seeds, soil, decorative sand, stones, figures, stickers, and a mister. In our testing, sprouts appeared within days with regular misting and a sunny windowsill, making it a quick, rewarding science-meets-craft project. Just know the glow-in-the-dark accents are subtle and need strong light to charge; overwatering or sealing the lid early can invite mold. We found the compact jar perfect for small spaces, though supplies are single-use, so consider extra sand or decorations if you’re planning repeat builds.

If your craft corner is tight on space, this IRIS USA 10-drawer cart tucks in neatly and the varied drawer sizes make sorting brushes, paper, and small tools painless. In our testing, removable drawers made reorganizing and cleaning simple. Do note some buyers report cracked parts or missing casters on arrival, and the drawers can feel flimsy with heavier items. For lightweight supplies and everyday organization, it’s a convenient, compact solution—just inspect the unit as soon as it arrives.

If you’re wrangling bulky supplies, the ArtBin Super Satchel Double Deep has durable plastic and a transparent body so you can see contents at a glance. In our testing, removable dividers made it easy to customize compartments for paint tubes, yarn, markers, and smaller tools. Just note the double-deep format is bulky and pricier than basic bins, so it’s best for a shelf rather than frequent travel. Our experience shows very large or irregular tools don’t always fit the grid, but for most craft supplies it’s a tidy, long-lasting organizer.

Looking for an eco-friendly crayon set for kids? This 12-pack is made with 100% natural beeswax, and in our testing the colors went down smoothly and felt great for little hands. While the listing advertises safety, we wish there were more detailed ingredient and age guidelines, plus customer reviews to validate performance. It can also be oddly hard to find on the site due to missing categories, but if you value natural materials, these are a charming, classroom-friendly pick.

Faber-Castell’s Grip Colored EcoPencils feel great in hand thanks to the ergonomic triangular barrel and soft-grip dots, which reduce fatigue. During our review, the SV-bonded cores sharpened cleanly and resisted breakage better than typical student pencils, making them reliable for everyday sketching. Colors lay down smoothly, but our experience shows lighter shades like yellow, pink, and orange can look faint and don’t layer like pro sets. If you want eco-minded materials, the reforested wood is a plus, though artists seeking archival, richly pigmented performance should upgrade to professional pencils.