Next pitstop
Welcome to the Survival Guide!
Know of another resource for books, art and school supplies? Send an email to us with the new location and a description of what you might expect to find there. We'll add it our list!
Where to get stuff
Art Supplier
Dick Blick: online
Cheap Joe's Art Stuff: online
Michael's: Various locations - Look for coupons in the Saturday Mercury News
University Art: in San Jose and Palo Alto
Aaron Brothers: Various locations
Palace Art & Office Supply: Santa Cruz and Capitola
Flax Art & Design: Art materials
Pearls Art & Craft Supply: Artist supplies
Blueprints
San Jose Blue: Note that only the Milpitas location still offers blueprints. The rest just make copies.
Watsonville Blueprint: Watsonville, CA - 831-728-7717
Blueprint Express: Santa Cruz, CA - 831-426-5299
Action Reprographic: Mountain View, CA - 650-968-7226
Books
isbn.nu: compare book prices from among many different suppliers
www.bestwebbuys.com: this site should give you a list of sites that sell the book and how much they want for it. Amazon.com is not always your best source.
Viking Bookstore: The West Valley College Bookstore- 408-741-2015 Drafting kit (ID15) and Elements kit (ID10) - Get it here. It's a good deal. You won't save anything if you try to piece it together from other sources.
Drafting Supplies
Hearlihy: Online - everything you need, pretty good prices; includes Hearlihy's discount store
Office Max: Stores carry a limited supply including some furniture templates & student drafting table; online- search for "drafting & design"
Office Depot: Office Depot Carries a bit more than Office Max; online- search for "drafting"
San Jose Blue: carries basic supplies- expensive, but if you need it today & can't find it elsewhere, they may have it
www.artstuff.net: Online; discount drafting supplies - they have a pretty complete catalog
Drafting Equipment Warehouse: Online; drafting supplies at a discount.
Fabric Samples: Calico Corners Calico Corners at 1410 Saratoga Avenue is happy to make sample cuttings for your projects. Always identify yourself as a West Valley College student and thank them for their support. Store Manager Claudia Echeverria says to mention her name if you need a sample larger than the standard 2"x6".
Tips for Surviving & Thriving
Do I really need everything on the materials list I got in class? It depends on the class.
- Absolutely get the Drafting kit and Elements kit (see above); buy it at the WVC Bookstore - you'll use everything
- Get a drafting board. They say it's optional but a good drafting board will improve the quality and accuracy of your work. The only other question is portable or stationary? Get the portable only if you really have nowhere to put a drafting table at home. Get the kind that are adjustable and can be positioned for sitting or standing use. They also fold for easy storage. It's easier to draft at home than in the classroom. I used my drafting table for all my projects as I could raise or lower it to work sitting or standing depending on how I felt and what I was working on.
Miscellaneous tips
- Colored pencil tip: Verithin colored pencils draw a thinner line and are chalky. Prismacolor pencils are oily
- Always keep a good quality, small, portable pencil sharpener with you (and your sketching pencils), the wall sharpeners in class tear them up and some specialty pencils don’t fit in them.
- Get an eye exam before drafting class so you don’t strain…you may need glasses.
- Halogen light is great for upclose work.
- Many manufactures or US distributors of imported fabric, wallpaper, etc. have an email address. Send a nice note about being a student, etc., doing a research project, and they will send samples. It never hurts to ask!
- Learn as many computer programs as you can. Excel or the table program in Office for legends on drafting plans, when manual is not required. Adobe Photoshop or any digital photo manipulation program.
- Be very nice to the employees at your neighborhood Kinko’s…become their friend…you will need them!
- Get student memberships at the Mart, Design Center and ASID
- Join the WVC Interior Design Club. The key to this business is networking and it's never too early to start!
Some supplies to always keep on hand through the program:
- glue sticks – for adhering paper to presentation boards
- white glue
- Black Zig pen
- Matte boards of various colors
- Canson paper of various colors
- black foam core
- pack of post-its
- roll of sketching paper
- collect plastic condiment containers, frozen dinner trays, or any small plastic containers with lids, for mixing and storing paint.
- StudioTac double sided tape about 5/8” (19mm) wide and StudioTac dry adhesive sheets, to cut any size. Use to secure fabric, wallpaper, more porous materials, to presentation boards. White glue can bleed through and look sloppy.
- Thick, padded double sided tape. It's good for securing tile and wood trim pieces to presentation boards and layering mat boards on top of each other for presentation interest and depth. White glue works for this too.
- Aaron Brothers sometimes has supplies University Art doesn’t and vice versa. University Art will have good sales…stock up then…sketch books, vellums, papers, boards, and paint brushes, and always is at a discount.