Welcome friends! In this Guide, we’ll explore Canada's best places to shop for art supplies.

Covering stores from both coasts, these stores are also online and offer shipping nationwide, so don’t be disappointed if you can’t visit in person.

This is a Part 1 Post about Vancouver. Check out Part 2 about Toronto.

Let me walk you through.

Opus Art Supplies in Vancouver

Opus Art Supplies is an independently owned art supply store established in 1974.

I love visiting their flagship store in Downtown Vancouver, 555 W Hastings St U1, which you can enter by crossing the street from the Waterfront Station.

Brushes and Tools:

Opus has everything from tiny detail brushes to big, bold bristle brushes. If you’re in need of a palette knife, sponges, or porcelain palettes, they've got those too.

Drawing and Illustration Supplies:

If drawing is more your jam, Opus has your back with pencils, pens, markers, and sketchbooks galore. Whether you're into graphite, charcoal, ink, or colored pencils, they've got the goods.

Canvas and Paper:

Canvas, panels, specialty papers – classic canvases, mixed media, or printmaking, they got them, and their watercolor paper selection is exquisite. I sometimes get that one very expensive that’s the best quality hot press paper by the sheet.

Watercolors Selection:

I always make my way to the watercolors section as I’m always curious to see the selection of professional quality watercolors. Here’s the selection you’ll find at Opus: Daniel Smith, Schmincke, QoR Watercolors, Van Gogh, Winsor & Newton.

Opus Art Supplies stands out for its wide selection of art supply brands and dedication to fostering a thriving artistic community. The staff are artists too, and they love sharing their wisdom. Keep an eye out for workshops, demos, and events that you can register for free on the Opus website.

Happy shopping!