Orders/Prices
This site is primarily informational. Every week this site posts coupons on a variety of items, but the rest of the site simply tells area artists what they can expect to find here, and passes on tips to artists anywhere. But we know that price matters, so here's a brief overview.
Red Swan discounts most major lines such as canvas, brushes, and tube colors from their manufacturer-suggested retails year round. The amount of discount varies, but nearly always results in a lower price than other local sources. Usually our everyday prices beat their sale prices; when they don't, bring in their ad. On identical items we'll not only match their price, but we'll take an extra 5% off.
We cannot make this offer on percents-off sales with an unknown starting point because often such offer are designed to obscure real pricing, thus we will match these only if we can confirm the starting price. Probably you understand why, but if not, click here and read at the left for a full explanation.)
Red Swan is also a participant in the Coupons for Education booklets sold annually through the Marion County School system. We unhesitatingly recommend this program to you.
Finally, many (not all) items carry a small additional discount for those enrolled in any weekly Red Swan art class, or in certain approved classes held elsewhere. (For classes held elsewhere have your teacher check with us to determine if the class qualifies.)
Special Orders
We are always happy to special order any product not ordinarily stocked. Most special orders are received within a few days. If our supplier's minimum shipment requirements preclude our ordering immediately we will inform you at the time the order is placed.
Mail Order
WHEN THERE'S NO LOCAL SOURCE
While shipping regulations or packaging constraints make it impossible to ship some items, most of Red Swan's inventory is available for mail order shipment. Use your choice of the avenues at the left to reach us, but first read the caveat below.
SOME UNUSUAL WORDS ABOUT MAIL ORDER
We do occasionally ship orders, but so rarely that we have no shipping contract with any package delivery service, thus shipping costs run a bit higher. So unless there is no other alternative, we recommend against it. Making art is a touching, feeling experience, and unless you can actually feel the brush in your hand, experience the texture of a paper, or see an easel set up and ready to hold a canvas, you can't really know what you're buying.
More important, if you bypass your local store to buy that big set of colored pencils (or whatever) from a mail-order source, will the local store still be there when you need to replace one favorite color? If too many people go the mail-order route it probably won't be, so it may be better to buy locally, even if it costs a bit more. (In fact in the long run it may not even do that. If your local retailer doesn't make it on the items you buy mail order, he'll probably have to make it up with higher prices make it up on the items you do buy locally.)