It's true, there's always some kind of sale going on. Not to mention entertainment. Last time I went I got an earful from one of the cashiers about his cat-fight with his male co-worker... who happened to be standing right next to me. read more

Blick is a good art supply store and this one is much like the others in its chain through California. This particular branch is fairly large... great, although the thing about art supply stores is that most people don't really need to buy as much as they do to make really interesting stuff. Most artists could do without the fancy paints and buy cheap... That's the whole thing about the art supply industry, although it's such a pleasure to go here! I guess the rich housewives and dilettantes finance everything else for the poor starving students. They have a great selection of pens as well. read more

they have everything here. its great. However lately i haven't really been arting much. When i was really into it though i would either come here or go to the Art store near CCA. The employees are really helpful and understand how to use their product and advise you accordingly. read more

Love this place. They have a good selection of supplies and are well staffed. It's good for serious and casual artists. Support your local art store! read more

Best art store in Berkeley for sure! So many choices and the people work there are very nice. They usually have coupon several times a year, and sometimes they have gifts for customers! Love it! read more

This is where I have purchased most of my architectural and art materials thus far. They offer 10% discount to students and teachers and you just need to give them your name and e-mail to get started. E-mails are used to send you coupons, such as 30% or 40% off one non-sale price items, which is sent about once every 3 months. This can be a real savings if you are buying a high ticket item. They have a good selection of everything, including architectural model making tools and supplies. If you're into model making, Ink Stone in Berkeley has more items to choose from. Customer service is good. They ask you moments after you step into the store if you need help finding anything. Although they don't always have everything that I am looking for, at least they go with you through the motions, and attempt to help you find that item. Tip: Prices online are oftentimes cheaper than store prices. For example, Prismacolor art markers can be pricey, but oftentimes you will see these on sale at blick.com. Even with shipping you can get the markers for a little over $2/each if you buy in bulk. Try out the colors at the store before hand so you know exactly what you are getting. Being located in Berkeley, parking is not an issue - they have their own lot shared with Keetsa Matress. Right off of Hwy 80. A place to definitely check out. read more

Not much supplies for screen printers, but really good for purchasing basic stuff... Limited supplies...

Great selection, but do your own research if you have an uncommon question about an art supply. I had three employees scratch their head about a paint question. They were kind enough and eager to help me, but I expected someone to know what I was talking about. read more

Wow. Cesar was awesome. Above and beyond. He helped me find what I needed, warned me about the paint I thought I needed and suggested a better (cheaper) alternative, gave me the coupon discount, and went out of his way to make sure I got everything I needed. It's rare to find people like Cesar these days. read more

This is the largest art supply store in the area, so purely for matters of efficient shopping, you will need to go there. But does that make it "the best"? Customer service is uneven; some staff are knowledgeable and helpful, but many are clueless-- about processes, products and prices. The biggest complaint that I share with many others is that they do not show prices for many, many items in the store. Why should you have to ask? And even when they do list a price on the shelf, it is often not the price you are charged at checkout. And god help you if you have a coupon! The discount will be taken from a price that you have never seen! You look at your receipt and feel that somehow you have been swindled... Art supplies are expensive. Some transparency would be nice. read more

I've heard lots of positive reviews from artist friends about this place but was very disappointed when I visited the store. As someone who knows next to nothing about art, I felt completely lost, and the salespeople were not helpful at all. I think you have to be a seasoned artist who knows a lot about art to like this place. read more

This is a wonderful art store & the staff are all so friendly. They have really helpful staff who will take the time to explain products along with lots of supplies at great prices. read more

Good: Staff is very nice and helpful. Good: Decent supplies for serious painters. Bad: Not the best place for teacher classroom art supplies at a good price. Bad: Some incorrect pricing and shelving. Most of the items I was looking for are cheaper at Dick Blick's website. More than one item was incorrectly shelved or mispriced on the shelves, which the staff agreed had happened, but still led to purchase shock. read more

Blick is the best art store ever! All the staff is so nice and helpful. Especially this one kid with uber long curly hair named Alex. He is the KING of watercolors and everything else in the world. He is super nice and knows his shit! read more

I usually buy my art supplies online, but I decided to stop by at the Blick store and check out what they offered. The prices were similar to online prices, and to be able to see the products before buying was great. The staff were vert helpful; when I could not find the spray paints and stencils, they left what they were doing and helped me finding them. I will definitely shop from there when I am in the East Bay. read more

I was approached several blocks away with a flyer advertising a big sale going on. I needed some mat board and markers and a slide sorter. Got to the store to find a lot of clerks milling around, only one of whom asked me if I needed help, and then he was not able to find the mat board I wanted. I would guess that at least five pairs of employees were talking to one another, not paying attention to the customers the flyers had produced. The store manager was having her caricature done and was not available to help. I was asked if I wanted to spin the wheel for a prize, and I agreed. Won a shirt, but they didn't have my size. No second chance was offered. Helped myself to find the things I wanted and arrived at the register with over $200 worth of products. The clerk unloaded my cart and then a woman returned with some issue over a previous sale. They had not given her her $5 coupon. My clerk dropped me and attended to her. A manager approached, and a discussion ensued and I was left swinging in the wind over a five dollar issue. I waited a good five minutes, and then walked out. I will go to Utrecht or Flax next time. It's too bad, because they are handy, but their disdain for the very people who make their jobs possible is not acceptable. I hope the general manager does something about this! read more

how is is that there can be 4 working cash registers with 4 cashiers working them and not a single one of them can accept CASH FUCKING MONEY??????????????? so the 5 customers in line BEHIND me get to to go ahead of me, I;m pretty pissed at this point, so my fiance asks the guy (name tag RON) who one of the cashiers said could take cash, but has been on the phone for a while now if he can ring us up, but he shrugs his shoulders with a very blatant " I cant be bothered now with your shitty problems" look and gives me his best sassy "sorry" . We put all the products on the counter and leave, but I'm pretty steamed , so I call to complain to the manager about the shitty service and inability to take cash and who answers the phone,but Ron who also happens to be the manager, and has the balls to tell me that if I had just waited for five more minutes another employee would have been back from lunch and we would have been helped, and that even if he had wanted to he couldnt have taken cash at his register, but he was on the phone answering a customers question. WTF RON, you couldnt just use your giant managerial status to hand the phone to another employee to check on the availability of art supplies. one of, if not the worst customer service experiences I have had, and up until that point I would have given them at least 4 stars. Ron should be fired read more

I had to find an innovative way to pack something. The best ideas and customer service at Blick Art Berkeley! Thank you

Favorite art supply shop! Walking into this shop could inspire anyone to create art. So many possibilities and great quality supplies. There are a lot of little crafting kits for children as well which makes for great presents. I'm heading in soon for more fine tip markers ^_^ read more

This is a wonderful art supply store! I drop in with my daughter and browse about. They are so sweet with her and very helpful showing us about, I do wish more items displayed had their prices marked on the package, can't figure just why not. Lots of perks and sales. We love shopping there! read more

I am a professional artist, so I go to Blick on a regular basis for art supplies regardless of where I am living at the moment because it has excellent selection, is organized well, and offers good deals with their mail coupons. The staff at this Blick is very strange. I suppose you are thinking to yourself, why should I expect anything else? After all, it's an art store in Berkeley... Lots of employees tend to exhibit "dear in headlights" looks when checking out/being asked a question. Once I inquired about a large format Moleskin notebook and ended up having to dig around myself after the employee claimed it didn't exist; I ended up finding it right near the counter. I have been called "dude" multiple times, been told "happy trails" before I exited the store, and have had witnessed one employee fly into a panic attack when she couldn't figure out how to input my online coupon. Overall, in my experience the staff has acted routinely unprofessional and bizarre. read more

I love Blick's! I come here often fot all my art supplies, because of quality, price, and I can always find it here than other art stores or arts and crafts stores! I particularly like this Blick's better than the one in SF, mainly because there is a parking lot and side streets to park on. Blick's carries pretty much everything you need for an art project, whether that be for a personal project, school project, or professional project. I come here when I need specific items but I also come here for their canvas, paints, and brush sales. When they have sales, they really go out! Sometimes they have a 75% sale on everything in-store, which is pretty amazing and a wonderful deal for starving artists like me! I rememeber one time I saved $100 and bought a little more than $130. I appreciate that they also have a discount for student/teachers and it really pays to have a rewards card with them. The staff here are also very knowledable, friendly, and helpful and I've always appreciated that. I dream of working here a lot! read more

I admit I'm not an artist, but this store seemed to have a great selection of very quality art supplies. Michaels and other "craft" stores have lowered their standards and only carry crap now. This store had everything on my list that Michaels didn't have. Plus the staff was beyond nice and helpful. I would definitely shop here again! read more

A great art store considering that it's a chain. Usually the independent places are the best but Blick has a good selection although prices may be a bit high. The staff are OK but not superb. This place is best if you know what you want, not if you need help and advice getting started with a new medium. read more

Free Parking is always full. The store's fine. I like the space and product selection. The staff are youngsters who don't seem to know much but they've always been polite to me. I went there in the middle of the day and couldn't find a parking space so I went back at opening time the next day and still couldn't find a space. The yoga studio seems to be very popular. Parking nearby exists but isn't free. read more

Some areas are not stocked very well (Chinese ink painting brushes for one) but overall this is a great store, easy parking (rare in Berkeley) and a helpful staff. They do not carry everything that is in the catalog which is understandable... read more

I had never been there before, but today I stopped at Blick to buy a display easel and work light. They had exactly what I wanted, and the two service people I dealt with were friendly and helpful. And they have a parking lot! Great store. read more

Disappointing. I'd called to see if they had cold water day (they said they did). When I got there, they had the dye, but not the fixative.

Perhaps you shouldn't be so biased against the "black haired gothy guy" unless you actually work there. Judging from the review of the "graffiti artist", i would assume you haven't worked retail, otherwise you may understand that on occasion, there may be a shortage of employees who are able to assist you with such requests. Additionally, directing an ill attitude towards such employees will not encourage them to be friendly in return. I happen to think the gothy guy is pretty fantastic, as well as one of the other girls who works there, who probably knows who i am now. read more

they have a big store with a huge selection of art materials and tools.

This applies just to this instance of the supply chain. The people who work here are well-meaning but rather inexperienced and don't know much about primary materials (e.g. oil painting, mediums and pigments etc.) . Turnover seems to be high, and that means those who do gain experience disappear. The materials seem to be more and more geared toward hobbyists/school projecteers and this may be just a reflection of what 'the market' demands. read more

We had a fantastic experience here. The staff was beyond helpful, and I cannot recommend them enough.

Amazing staff and selection. Elm was sure helpful to myself and my group of students. great customer service and adoration of non-profit art programs. I recommend this BLICK over any store. Skip the online store and see the humungous selection and great people!! read more

I tried to make a same day return after mistakably buying the wrong pliers for jewelry making. I got in line and then got out of line curious to see if they did have the ones that I wanted. They didn't have the ones that I wanted so I got back in line. The young man at the register with the man bun said in a less than friendly tone that I really needed the receipt and that I shouldn't have gone down the aisle before I got in line. Insinuating that I was stealing he called his manager and I walked out keeping the unneeded pliers. Now I have a tool I don't need! I wish we didn't have the tendency, or cultural norms to jump to negativity about ourselves and each other. Assuming the worst intentions. I am a social worker, healer who just likes to make jewelry in my spare time. I can afford a pair of pliers and a roll of copper wire and to be judged like I can't didn't make me feel good. I advise you to your future customers to tell them what the policy is and leave it at that. And train your employees to do so as well. I'll stick to my local art stores. read more

They have TERRIBLE customer service. The manager told me they could cut mats and they came out dirty and the wrong size. Got my money back, but all of the employees were pretty helpless. On a hight note, they have tons of stuff! read more

I have never had any problems with blick, but now they dont allow you to cut large boards down so they fit into cars. The guy named Keith working there has a really bad attitude. First he just ignored me, went to do something else when it was my turn to pay. Didnt even ask me to wait and didnt say anything when he rang me up. Second when i asked them where i can cut down the cardboards another person pointed me to the big table (they moved the table). Then when i asked whether i could borrow a straight edge to cut, the person said he can do it and ask me to wait after hes done with the current customer. i waited and apparently he forgot about me, when he finally remembers about me he as Keith to do it, and Keith said they dont let people cut their own boards without any explanations, and he said he could cut it inside but charge extra 50c per cut! I am not going to spend $7 to get my cardboards cut! Returned all the cardboards! Never going back again, would rather spend more money at Inkstone! read more

awesome store!! staff is very friendly and helpfull, i specially want to point out one of their employees whose name is miguel, i came in with a couple pinstriping and airbrushing questions and maan, does this guy knw his stuff!! hes a pinstripe,airbrush, and tattoo artist!! he answered all my questions with such patience and detail!! and on top of that he brings his rolling portfolio with him! a nice white lowrider with murals and pinstriping , he also has knowledge in gold leafing, he showed me a couple of pinstripe and gold leafing techniques , overall great store nice prices and cool people. i would of given 5 stars but i took one off because they have limited pinstripe/airbrush supplies read more