Art Supplies & Packaging list for NZ Artists

This one is for my fellow kiwi artists! If you're just starting out or struggling to find art or packaging suppliers in New Zealand I've compiled a small list of all my favourites.

Paint and paper
You can't go past Gordon Harris for art supplies especially if you live rurally or in a small town like I do. They ship NZ wide and have a great range. I use Hahnemühle Harmony 300gsm cold pressed for all my portraits. It has a nice texture and is a quality paper for a good price. For paints I use Winsor & Newton watercolours and Gordon Harris have a great range. I haven't mentioned brushes or pens as I get these locally. 

Backing boards and clear bags
Shardlows is great for artist backing boards, really thick solid cardboard that keeps your artwork flat in the post. For clear bags check out your local $2 or bargain shop first. For bigger sizes I use Endemic World or Conservation Supplies.

Packaging
I struggled to find suitable packaging that wasn't insanely expensive in NZ until I found r3pack. They have 'paper' courier bags which are more like a thin cardboard, perfect for sending prints or originals. I usually add a piece of box cardboard inside the courier bag for extra strength (or you can buy their cushioned version).

Labels and business cards
It's not a New Zealand based company but I use Vistaprint for all my labels for the simple reason that they will redo any printing for free if it turns out not quite how you wanted. Often it's hard with colour tones and contrast to figure out how the product will look in real life vs seeing it on a screen so having a supplier who will do a reprint is invaluable. The quality is good too!

Hope this helps some artists new to selling in NZ, take your time finding the perfect suppliers for you, it can really make a difference to your profit margins!