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Like To Draw Cartoons? I Highly Recommend This Store!
Computer animation careers are quickly growing on the job market. Talented artists and animators are finding more college courses devoted to computer animation.
My son is currently a student in computer animation. He enjoys this field of study because he can utilize his talent as an artist. This course of study requires a particular type of supplies made especially for animators. They require 'animation paper' that fits over a light box on the animator's workstation, several types of drawing pencils, and different types of software programs. The school provides these supplies for sale in the book store.
We had been purchasing his supplies through the book store until my yearly Christmas shopping dilemma drew near. I decided to go to the local art store and stock up on the art supplies my son would need over the next few quarters and put these under the ole' Christmas tree.
Well THAT didn't work. None of the art stores, not even the big chain stores, carried animation supplies. My yearly Christmas dilemma was still a dilemma. Christmas was 3 weeks away (yes I waited too long, again, as usual).
I wind up sitting at my compu
ter, looking at Google, conducting a search on 'animation paper.' The very first listing was titled 'cartoon paper' which could be viewed at Cartoonsupplies.com. I click on their link.
Cartoon Supplies On-Line Store
I immediately liked the website as it was simply laid out.
The front page has a "Hot Deals" line that shows their current sale items. Currently they have some animation storyboard software on sale for $29.95 (a good deal).
Underneath the 'Hot Deals' is a listing of the 15 types of items they sell, from the smaller items (drawing paper, art pencils, hole punches) to the larger, more expensive items (art desks, light boxes, and workstations).
On the left side of the front page, they have a list of the Acme Supply products with a link to each product (I always wondered where the Wile E. Coyote bought his Acme products).
That is it for the front page. Very simply laid out and easy to use.
I clicked on the "Animation Paper" link.
Animation Paper
They have 3 different brands of animation paper: Finch, MoHawk, and Gilclear. All three types are offered pre-punched in either the Acme style punch or Round Peg punched. They offered each brand with 500 sheets per ream at prices ranging from $16.95 to $29.95.
WOW. I was excited at these prices. Even their most expensive paper (the Gilclear) was cheaper than what we had been paying at the school (the school sold their pre-punched animation paper for $40.00 a ream).
I decided to purchase the middle of the road paper (MoHawk) for $19.95 per ream. I ordered the Acme punched as that is what his school used (the Acme punched is 2 rectangular holes on each end and one round hole in the center).
Check Out
Check out was simple. I had to put in my zip code for them to compute the shipping charges. I filled out my name and address and credit card information. I checked the "YES" button to ship the item to the same address as the billing address. Shipping charges were 9.78 for UPS Ground. So the cost of the paper plus shipping was still less than buying it at the school.
I was given a tracking number so that I could track my package from their office in Temecula, CA all the way to my front door.
Arrival of Paper
I know that the arrival of paper shouldn't excite me, but it doesn't take much .... the paper arrived, as promised, before Christmas and I was able to wrap it and place it under the tree. I was all happy.
2nd Time Around
Since it takes hundreds of drawings to make a few minutes of cartoon, my son went through that ream of paper very quickly, and was also drawing with little nubs of pencils. I went back to Cartoonsupplies.com.
I discovered that they were now offering a "student animation paper" for $8.95 per ream (500 sheets), punched. I ordered 2 reams of the student paper.
I clicked on the animation pencils link and found that they carried the Tombow Animation Pencils imported from Japan. Their site says that these pencils are rare to find are are used by the Warner Brothers animators. They also carry color erase pencils and pencil holders. I ordered a set of the Tombow pencils at $11.95 per dozen.
This time, however, I wanted these items shipped to my son's address in Tampa. It was very easy to make that change ... uncheck the "ship to same address" box and type in my son's address in the fields provided. Simple enough. Again I was given a tracking number and tracked the package each day until....
Approximately one week later I receive a call from my son.... "THANKS MOM FOR THE SUPPLIES! I REALLY needed those pencils!"
Cringe Time
I had purchased a light box for my son while I was in Tampa. I paid $149 for his portable, lap top, light box. I cringed when I saw the same light box on Cartoonsupplies.com for $59.95. I wanted to cry. But I didn't. I just cringed.
Summary
The cartoon supplies dot com web site was started by animators, who, I suppose, had to scrounge around when they were in college to find the supplies they needed. I think it is a wonderful web store that deserves recognition and thanks for helping other young animators to attain their goals by supplying low cost, quality tools while in school.
I have no negative comments about this store.
Thank you Cartoonsupplies folks.
Thank you Epinions folks for reading.
Thank you George for adding this online store to the database.
Patricia
Recommended
Yes
Rating:  [5 of 5 Stars!] |
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