University Art

I made a recent shopping trip to University Art as I was running low on tracing paper. The store associate was helpful as she showed me the various sizes of rolls of tracing paper which they had in-​stock. She also showed me the Stratmore tracing paper they had for sale. Stratmore is high quality paper which is sold as sheets, normally 50, not rolls. In the end, I decided on purchasing the Bienfang roll of tracing paper. It was only a few dollars more but was bigger quantities of paper than Stratmore. The roll of tracing paper came to a reasonably priced $ 23.22.
When the sales associate rang up my order she asked me whether I would like a bag. They’re one of the few remaining shops in Sacramento which gives plastic bags to their customers. I would visit University Art again because they offer a good selection of tracing, drawing, and poster paper and it’s fairly priced.

Is it possible to rate fewer than one star? I really need fewer than one star for these reprobates. Let me give you some background…
When framing, the «mat» is the decorative border occupying the space between the frame and the work being framed. It is a non-​trivial to cut a mat and do it accurately, and owing to its prominence and proximity to very straight edges, any eccentricities are immediately visible. It changes the character of the framing project dramatically from «pretty good» to «really, really bad» if the mat edges are anything more then imperceptibly imperfect; defects are glaringly obvious.
I had two items to frame. One was pretty big at 16″ x 22″ and the other was smaller at 8″ x 11″. The clever among you will immediately realize that I can cut the smaller mat out of the material leftover from the hole of the larger mat. This made no difference to University Art.
I spoke to the manager and I pointed out that they didn’t need to buy double material because one sheet of material was sufficient for both projects. «Oh, that doesn’t matter. We price by the cut.», he told me dripping with scorn that I had the temerity to question him.
Me: «Well, then the material is free?»
He: «No, it’s not free, but we don’t price it that way.»
Me: «If the material is not free, then discount the project by the cost of the material saved.»
He: «We have to use two pieces. The computer won’t do it that way.»
Me: «Of course the computer will do it that way. You cut the small window first, then you cut the big window, and trim the edges accordingly. The computer doesn’t know what is in the middle that it is cutting out and won’t care if there is already a hole where the small piece was.»
In the end, this charlatan took umbrage that I questioned their «honest» business practices and flat out refused to make any accommodations. Just to be clear, University Art wanted to charge me $ 30 for duplicating this material. I can’t say, because I am not on staff, but I would be astonished if they did not make these mats the way I suggested, because, this means that they get to charge twice for the material — once for the large mat and again for the smaller mat cut from the remnants of the larger project. I would certainly do it that way, but I would pass the saving on to my customer.
If this is any indication of the rest of the business practices in the custom framing at University Art, I suggest that you run from these thieves as quickly as you can and go a mere three block west to Midtown Framing (916.447.7558), where Gary will do a superior job at a fair price.

I just love University Art. The entire staff is extremely knowledgeable and friendly. It’s where I go for all of my art supplies and for those one of a kind gifts.
Highly recommend them and the prices are very reasonable.

My go-​to place for art supplies, in Midtown or otherwise. Michael’s sucks.
The people working are always nice and super helpful. The prices are reasonable. They have TONS of stuff for pretty much every craft and art project you can imagine.
Every time I’m in there, I am overwhelmed with inspiration and want to spend all my money.

I bring my son (16) here for his art supplies so my rating is based on his feedback. We normally go to Aaron Brothers and Michaels for his supplies — this was our 1^st trip to University. They have an awesome selection and the staff are very helpful — we are going w/​4 stars because my son felt that the staff at Aaron Bro’s go above and beyond to help him and they take an interest in his projects. This is not a hit on the University staff who are probably used to customers who are more experienced artists and are more familiar w/​a supply store than we are. All in all a very nice store with everything you could probably think of for any art project. The specialty paper selection in the back is absolutely beautiful! There’s also a section for the elementary age artists that is also very impressive.

Back in the day, this street had Art Ellis across the way, and Sleeper’s Stationery. Now University Art is all that remains. My favorite local shop for art supplies (and it’s not a chain store, which is great). Always fun surprises throughout the store and you feel comfortable browsing. It has a serious art supply vibe but is also accessible for the meanderer and hobbyist. Lately, I’ve been sketching and watercoloring, so I found some nice paper and palettes. They also have lots of frames, a kids section, and arty gifts. Don’t miss the counter where you’ll find miniature delights including pens and high-​quality erasers. I always buy some of their rulers, too. Metered parking out front and a little lot to the side. Sactown’s art supply central. Keep it local!

I love everything in the store, which is dangerous for my wallet, but also the staff is awesome. The manager that I always run into always knows her stock, is flexible with orders and changing up stock, recommend the best products for your individual needs.

Very poor customer service. Sales people act inconvenienced when approached by customers. Service is hurried, lots of quick pointing around to merchandise and then walking away. Cashiers are rote and insincere.

University Art feels like ¹⁄₃ art supply shop, ¹⁄₃ framing shop, and ¹⁄₃ gift shop. They have pretty much any art supply you need, including better quality products than you’ll find at the average mega-​chain craft stores. U.A. was my go-​to store for art class supplies when I was in college.
They offer custom framing (I once had them do a small frame with matting for me and it turned out wonderfully, without costing an arm and a leg) and many ready to purchase frames. If I need a unique sized frame or just want something cooler than the basic stuff Michaels sells, I come here.
Their wide, weird and wonderful selection of gifts is awesome. Prints, calenders, journals, books, toys, crafts, mugs, coasters, tote bags, magnets, buttons, décor, and all manner of nifty chotchkies that you may not need but you definitely want!
Unfortunately the Arden location of University Art has closed, but luckily we still have our midtown store. U.A. isn’t the cheapest and occasionally the staff service is lackluster, but it’s still a great store packed with wonderful gift options *cough cough holiday hint*

I’m having a baby boy in January. I walked into this store to buy supplies for my nursery, plus I enjoy supporting local businesses. When I asked the short-​haired woman for help in regards to lettering, she gave me a prentious smirk followed by the comment, «No, we don’t sell anything like that here, too crafty.» So, I immediately felt unwelcome and left. Yes, I am crafty and even artistic. Perhaps I would’ve bought materials to make my own from University Art, yet not with that cold attitude. I’ll spend my money elsewhere.

I stopped in with my list of art supplies that I needed for class. I was running behind and only had about 5 minutes when I really should have given myself 10 or more. I’ve been to University Art many times but I haven’t spend much time in the art supplies area. I tried to find my way around the store to locate the items I needed but, as a foreigner in a foreign land, I got nowhere quick. I asked one of the employees to assist me and between the two of us, we knocked that list out in no time. I wasn’t looking for anything top-​of-​the-​line, just the lower end of the price range since this was for school, and the grand total was a few dollars less than my professor had estimated.
When I’m not in a hurry, I do enjoy taking my time strolling around the aisles at University Art. In addition to art supplies, the store carries a wide variety of unique and creative gifts for all ages. I’ve picked up glass magnets, journals, cards… all sorts of lovely items for myself and my friends. Many of the kids’ items are interactive so great for having fun while learning.
University Art is on J St. which can be a pain in the butt for parking. I recommend trying a side street rather than parking on J.

University Art has a solid selection for fine artists. Paint, print making, drawing, calligraphy, paper, ink, brushes, charcoal, and much more I can’t begin to list.
They have a creative gift section, and one half of the store is devoted to framing your masterpieces.
They carry Snazaroo brand face paint. If you’re looking for rounds of turquoise, yellow, hot pink — colors that might be hard to find elsewhere, they’ve got them. The downside is that Snazaroo is not a great brand — it smudges a lot and doesn’t layer well.
On the upside, you can get a unique gift, card & awesome paper to wrap it in here.

This could be my favorite art supply store in town, though I don’t go as much as I’d like mainly because they close so early and the prices tend to trend high. But overall, it’s a well-​stocked place with a good vibe. The staff seems really on the ball and knowledgeable about art; I’ve gone in a few times with pretty vague questions about specific artistic visions I had and each time the staff were able to direct me to the right materials.
I dig that they also have art for sale; I’ve picked up a few pieces of really cool outré stuff from local talent. Great stuff to brighten up the home.
I would love to come here more often — as is, if I’m in need of art supplies after work, (and thus close-​by) or by some odd twist of fate, I’m actually up and out during the day on a weekend (so, thus, in wintertime…) I love swinging by here and loading up on supplies.

Pretty amazed how my small framing job turned out.
Andy made suggestions I never thought of and this
piece is now a standout.
Have used U. Art over the years and have never failed
to be thoroughly impressed with the ideas and execution
they come up with.

I stopped into this place a while ago looking for something in particular. I was surprised by how busy they were, I mean, the place was crammed, but in spite of that, I had to wait almost no time at all before an employee asked if I needed any assistance and then walked me to what I said I wanted.
I really had a favorable impression of this store, not only because of it’s huge variety of art supplies, but because of the helpful and knowledgeable staff.

The most important thing anyone needs to know about University Art is that it is open on Sunday until 4pm, on Thursdays until 7pm, and on all other days until 5:30pm. Who cares when it opens, I’m hardly ever LOOKING for extra things to do before Noon. However, if you are one of those special people who actually finishes things before Noon, you can go ahead and call to see when they open. And also: I’m jealous of you.
I find it hard to believe that I haven’t rated University Art yet.
They have the best selection of Golden paints and mediums of all sizes (which is important if you paint outside of your home or when you travel) that I have seen in person, even when compared with the big art shops in SF. There are some online stores that have the same selection with more reasonable prices, especially if you can wait for a sale, but something about seeing the colors and textures in person makes this store an invaluable resource to artists that prefer acrylics. And, try as I may, sometimes I can’t resist the instant gratification of purchasing what I want in-​store, especially when I consider the opportunity and inspiration that might be lost waiting 4 – 5 days for the mailman to show up.
They have a vast selection of brushes as well. I do prefer buying brushes in-​store. But sometimes it is better for me to just not look at them. It’s better for my checking account also.
University Art is also a great place to bring a child, should you consider yourself a patient person. I understand why my daughter gets so excited to come here because I feel exactly the same way. I find it enjoyable to watch her in here, it’s kind of amazing, actually: like, yes, this is definitely my daughter. Not that there was ever any question! I don’t mean to sound self-​absorbed or anything, but I think every parent gets a truly awesome feeling when they see their child mirror their behavior exactly.
The factor keeping University Art from the 5-​star category, for me, is the cost. Like I said, I would probably have much more financial freedom had I never stepped in this store. If they rewarded a longtime customer with some kind of discount I would be more willing to give them a 5-​star rating. But as 4 large tubes of Series 1 (read: Series 1 is the least expensive where series 9 is the most expensive) Golden paint and 3 small, unremarkable non-​workhorse brushes cost me over 60 dollars today, I can’t call myself much more than a fan. I don’t take offense to the high prices but I’m not exactly happy about them either.
Experienced artists might find it difficult to find expert guidance here, which should not come as shock. This is a store geared toward students, hence the name, who are not looking for anything more than art supplies since they already have a professor/​instructor. If you need help with a technique or you are looking to find out how best to do something, throw your anxieties to the wind and take a short walk to Art Ellis. In fact, I’m not sure how much I’d love University Art if Art Ellis wasn’t within a block of it. What can I say, I gotta keep it real. I’ve spent enough money here to say what I think. For more information on Golden paint check out
.

I recently discovered that I’m a talented artist especially when it comes to painting. So, I’m going to quit my job and just paint all day long. Then, my masterpieces will be featured at Temple Coffee and I’ll became wealthy and famous…
Okay, so I’m in a fantasy land right now (but, it could happen and you’ll be wishing you got my autograph)!
Well, one thing is for sure; at least I can rely on University Art to feed my art needs! Every type of creative genius can find their supplies here so that they can express themselves, whether it be painting, drawing, sculpting, etc. They even do custom framing and they have a whole area devoted to the kids with an artsy edge.
I appreciate that the University Art staff are incredibly helpful for a novice like me. They are always willing to take the time to educate me or show me where something is. Plus, their selection is superior to other art stores in Sac (it can be quite frustrating when you go in for white paint and they are out of all white paint in the store).
For the painters, there are tons of different types of canvases in many sizes, rows and rows of paintbrushes from the extra-​large to the microscopic, and a rainbow of paint colors. Everything I need is here so that I don’t have to go trekking around town just for one particular painting necessity.
The only downside is that being artsy comes with a steep price. This is an expensive habit! But, their prices do seem comparable to other art stores.
And, don’t miss their cool items near the register that make great gifts. I even found a coin purse that portrays the different types of cat butts out there. So, next time you see me, I’ll whip out my coin purse and educate you on some feline anatomy!

We had so much fun exploring this store! There’s about a bazillion things I wish I could buy in there and so did my son and fiancé. Not only do they sell art supplies, but great kids drawing books, toys, and knick knack items you’ll love.
The store can be a little pricey. But if you don’t go crazy in there, you can find just the right item you need for your art project. Or that perfect one of kind gift for someone that you won’t find at a chain department store.

This store, along with Art Ellis, has been a midtown staple ver since the days when it was Taylor’s Art Center.
Seems to be a decent selection of basic art supplies, although I’m always wishing there was more to chooose from in the cheap markers selection besides the basic Sharpies, which can be had most places for less.
I was surprised to find a selection of spray paint cans for the aspiring public artist. Some good instructional books, a framing dept., and mattes, boards, brushes, easels, gesso and all the other supplies that a burgeoning artist will require.
Service has been up and down; it usually consists of my going to the counter to ask a question and getting a point & «go there» answer.
It would be nice if they stayed open a bit later —

I don’t normally go to art stores and honestly there’s no need for an unartistic person like me to even step foot into an art store. My roommate is «the artist» and she wanted to pick up some supplies for a project she was working on. Unilocaling the nearest place to our location, we came upon University Art and this place is pretty neat! Lots of art supplies plus crafts and small little things here and there. It was enjoyable just to browse around the store. Definitely made me want to pick up an artistic hobby.
Browsing through the kids section brought back fond memories of my childhood. I already have some great scrapbook ideas just by browsing through the store, and let me remind you I’m not really into doing anything artsy!

I get inspired every time I come into this store. So many blank canvases, brushes, markers, paints and pastels of every shade and size, it’s like being in the middle of a double rainbow. And yes, I could spend a pot of gold in here.
Speaking of gold, I once bought paint here for the purpose of painting my bike copper, or so I thought. However, after I was finished I realized it was not. Now, I’m the only chick in Sac riding a beat-​up old gold bike.
Around Halloween, they even had blank masquerade-​esq mask kits with paint and patterns included so that kids (or grown up kids) could make their own. If you’ve got a creative itch, making your own holiday presents this year might be the way to go.