Practice Paper
I've always advocated buying the best you can afford, but this doesn't mean that every time I draw, I'm using the finest paper. On the contrary, a great deal of my work is done using cheap office paper - you can buy hundreds of sheets of a good, locally made brand for a few dollars, far less per page than even a cheap sketchbook. Drawing exercises, experiments and practice studies can all be done on cheap paper. Occasionally I regret this, when a scribble turns out particularly well, but if I'd been using expensive paper, I might not have drawn so expressively, worried about the cost. I rarely dive straight into using the best paper, but always do a practice sketch first, to improve my chances of getting it right on the good paper. This is particularly important with watercolor paper.
Cheaper Good Paper
Buy good quality paper by the sheet. Work out the price per inch, and investigate different options from your retailer. For example, a large sheet of watercolor paper, carefully cut by hand, will give you as many sheets as an A5 pad, but at almost half the cost. Drawing paper can be bought by the sheet and in large rolls.
Bulk Buying and Alternative Materials
Consider alternatives to your usual choices. Clutch pencils, for example, are quite economical in the longer term, though expensive to intially purchase. Get together with a group of friends and buy materials in bulk - a box of charcoal or ream of paper.
Alternative Sources Beware of overpriced hobby and craft shops, where a hefty markup is charged for the elegant displays. Look for art shops near universities or art schools, dusty corners of stationery shops, and online. Check the prices online before you go shopping, so you know what things are worth. Ask at the newspaper printery for end-rolls of newsprint for life drawing. At a packaging supplier you can get a 1695ft roll of 36 inch wide newsprint, or a box of 800 24 by 36 inch sheets, for around 70 US dollars - that's around 9 cents per sheet.
Do You Really Need It?
Beware the desire to aquire every art material ever produced. Stick to a few and get to know them well, before expanding your repertoire. You don't need a fancy plastic viewfinder, a 'perspective finder', a wooden doll, or elaborate sets of templates. Give potential gift-givers a list of more useful items: the brand, type and size of paper that you like, for example.
Do It Yourself
Make your own tools. Make a paper stump with rolled-up blotting paper, cut viewfinders out of cereal box cardboard. Make a drawing board from a sheet of MDF, or an art folio from an appliance box.
Tuition on a Budget
If you can't afford art classes, there are other ways to learn. The internet is a wonderful resource - you'll find lessons on this website and many others. Set yourself homework, and a regular shedule of study. Use your local library to access a range of art books, finding the best in each.Local art groups are a great way to find support, get feedback and share your enthusiasm for art. Online forums, especially when moderated like the About.com drawing/sketching forum, are a great way to become part of an art community.
