Daniel Smith

Rude and inconsiderate people in the store. Several phone calls to reach the framing folks and it was either went into voice mail or the calls were dropped. A few calls were picked up and no one spoke. One person in particular, Mackie, picked up the phone and the line went blank.
An in person visit is no better as they really do not care about helping you.
Will take my projects elsewhere!

I’ve been shopping here for over 20 years. I’ve overlooked the ridiculous pricing. I’ve forgiven the less than friendly staff. But today is the end. Today, the rude, hostile, mean, jerky, scowling «human» who was going to ring us up ruined Daniel smith for me forever. She really is, quite possibly, the most terrible person I’ve ever met.
I’m sure other parents have felt the glaring eyes of DS employees when they see your kid. Daniel Smith isn’t exactly welcoming to anyone who isn’t a snooty patooty «artist», let alone anyone under the age of 19. Until today, I’d roll my eyes at their clear disdain for artistic youths. But the she-​beast today went waaaaaaay too far. She aggressively (and physically) scolded my son for doing absolutely nothing wrong. Really. He was just standing next to me writing his initials on a piece of scrap paper with the junky ballpoint pen chained to the checkout counter. She yanked the pen out of his hand and chewed him out. He cried. I told her to back off. We left our basket full of supplies on the counter and walked out, never to return to that den of kid-​hating punks again.
They lost my business… and the business of the 500+ artists I hang out and work with. Adiós, jerks.

Lots of variety and very little wasted space in this store that is definitely tucked away off of 1^st Ave S (turn on Dakota and then turn right immediately, don’t go over the 1^st Ave Bridge!).
They have everything, typically nicer-​end supplies and their own brands. Employees range from *very* helpful, polite and gracious to over-​helpful and interrupt-​y. But all nice.
Prices here are higher than at Artist & Craftsman across town in the U District but they have unannounced sales, as they did today, which took some of the sticker shock down. And they have a cool little elevator thing in the back with sheets of fine papers in it.
Hours are convenient though last I checked the hours on their Unilocal page are inaccurate on the weekends so double check before you make a trip early or late.
Yay art!

This is a great art store with a wide variety of products, but what makes it special is the staff. Everyone you talk with here seems to be the Friendliest Person In The Known Universe. They’re all knowledgeable and super-​helpful. Easy parking, and the store is dog-​friendly!

I really love both the Seattle and Redmond stores. Staff is extremely well informed and helpful. I have been asked if I needed something immediately upon walking into each of the stores many different times I have visited, but not in an intrusive way. There is a wider diversity of products in the Seattle store (as expected, given the size).

My review is based solely on the service I have received from this company. I believe they have a fantastic product, but their customer service is very lacking. Two months after placing an order I still have not received it. I have called and emailed multiple times and still nothing…

I don’t know anything about art. Seriously, zero. I guess there are different types of paints even (semi-​exaggeration).
My mom was in town visiting from IL. Ever since Daniel Smith quit sending out their catalog she has been unable to get her favorite watercolor paints, which is a real bummer. Of course, being a good son, I tagged along for a trip post-​brunch.
Again, since I can’t comment on paint quality /​anything cultured or artsy, I will leave this review at the staff being amazing. Maybe it’s because we got there before things really picked up on a Saturday morning. Maybe it’s that they knew my mom was the real deal. Maybe they were all already drunk and friendly in anticipation of the Seahawks game that afternoon. Regardless, they walked the perfect balance between being overbearingsalespersonfromhell and showing off cool new products.
I will definitely be back.

I found myself in SoDo at a reasonable hour last Saturday and decided to aimlessly wander around about with my husband.
We were on our way over the bridge headed South towards I-​5 when I noticed the looming sign that said «Daniel Smith» «Art Supplies» «Open to the Public Everyday».
So free time was really the excuse for stopping by that day. Oh, that’s right, and an impulsive need to buy as many art supplies as I can.
The building is tucked away almost under the bridge, and parking is incredibly strange with a few spots crammed together against the front of the building and a slew of spots that were all filled underneath the bridge.
The building itself is in a converted warehouse, which is not surprising for the area. It was dimly lit, airy, and very well stocked. It is filled to the brim with a variety of paints, papers, canvases, as well as variety of other mediums. With the standard COPIC marker display right behind the checkout counter.
We were greeted after we had been in the store for a little while by the nicest woman with short, dark-​brown hair. She explained that they make all of their paints on the premises (how very fun!) and then pointed out quite a few sales that weren’t advertised for back to school (notebooks and pads primarily).
When we made a loop to check out the goods, and were on our way over, the saleswoman came over to say goodbye, as well as to tell us in confidence that they also have a Groupon floating about!
It was a wonderful experience all around. If I am in the market for locally made paints (which I will be very soon) then I will be coming back, and advise that you do too (possibly with Groupon in Hand!).

Re: Online ordering — customer service review:
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*Products = 5 stars (I buy printmaking materials — paper, relief inks, linoleum…)
*Customer service = 2 (as another person put it, their staff is «underwhelming»)
***Average feelings = 31/​2***
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Dear customer service,
I get the distinct feeling that no one cares on your end so maybe this will fall on deaf ears but I hope not.
Twice now when I have ordered from you shipping has been a pain in the butt. Your products are amazing so I keep ordering but this may change if I keep facing this irritation.
1. Last time, I paid for expedited shipping and the order came in twice as long as promised (not including weekends or holiday). Why did I pay so much extra for my items to arrive speedily if it did not happen? When I called the man on the other end couldn’t care less that I was unhappy with this.
2. Just now, while I was working I received a call to be charged more for shipping because of an oversized item. Why wasn’t I charged this in the first place? I am working from a strict budget and would have re-​figured my purchase. Again the guy gave me a «whatever» response. Either I want to pay it or not… what is that?
I am used to better communication and customer service from the companies I order from. I really hope you will make this right. I think this is not good for your reputation. Luckily, your products are of excellent quality. I hope your shipping and customer service can rise to meet the same expectations.

This review is for their custom framing department.
The custom framing here is expensive and a little misleading. I recently ordered a custom frame to find out that, no, the frame price doesn’t include plexi (or regular glass), or mat board, or backing… and you have to assemble it yourself. And make sure you have some wood glue on hand! Oh, and you should probably buy a $ 40 tool to install the clips to hold the art in, because it doesn’t come with that either. I spent around $ 150 (not including the Special Tool) for a standard sized large frame only to have a very DIY experience.

rachel helped me over the phone and got everything right. they have the highest quality products, and you can get a free catelog. if you get on their email newsletter, you willl get discounts periodically. i got the kind of customer service i had to go online and praise. it is so nice to be treated like a valued customer and a friend, not just respect but upbeat and helpful.

I was helped by Justin again, third time in a row! Justin is very helpful and knowledgeable about the products in the store, great employee! Most of the time I will just shop online but I like to shop in the store when items are on sale or clearance. I am a regular and longtime customer I like Daniel Smith Art Supplies!
J’ai été aidé par Justin, troisième fois d’affilée ! Justin est très utile et bien informés sur les produits en magasin, employé de grande ! La plupart du temps je vais juste boutique en ligne, mais j’aime faire du shopping dans le magasin lorsque des éléments sont sur la vente ou de la marge. Je suis un client régulier et de longue date, j’aime Daniel Smith Art Supplies !

Somewhat hidden by the 1^st Avenue Bridge that traverses over the railroad tracks, Daniel Smith is a hidden gem in the SODO industrial area. I didn’t really need any art supplies, but because the selection was excellent, I picked up a bunch of stuff anyway. Hey, I don’t blow money on dirt bikes or boats, so I feel I can indulge in extravagant art supplies from time to time.
At Daniel Smith, I saw a display of wax sticks in a panoply of colors. I wasn’t sure how I was going to use a wax stick, but bought one because I liked its butterscotch color. OK, someone might argue that a wax stick is nothing but a glorified Crayola crayon, but Crayola doesn’t produce this butterscotch color as one of their crayons, even in those 64 crayon boxes that were the status symbol to have in grade school.
Since Daniel Smith is easy to get to (and find parking at), and because I found prices competitive with Blick, I will definitely be back. Nice helpful staff too.

This review is long overdue. I am not an artist, so I can’t comment on all the art supplies, but Daniel Smith’s framing is top notch. Seriously, the women in this department are amazing, and I will never take my stuff anywhere else.
They’ve got a huge selection of frames, mats, glass, etc. They’ve also got a great eye, so don’t worry if you’re not quite sure what would look best.
With all the items I’ve taken in to be framed, only one came out not quite right. When I brought the frame back and explained my issue, they fixed the whole thing in just a few days. And best of all, they fixed it for free.
Turn around time is usually a few weeks, and they are always good about calling you when your frame is ready.
Apparently they do all the framing for the Seattle Public Libraries, so that is a pretty good vote of confidence right there.
If you’ve never been to Daniel Smith before, know that it is a little tricky to find (especially if you are using your GPS). Just keep your eyes peeled for their humongous sign. Parking is easy because it’s SODO!

Bought a Groupon to use here and went in to check out the place. Let’s summarize and say that I’ll ask Groupon for a refund and never go back to this place again!
I had picked out some items and went to the register area. A cashier was busy helping someone and as I waited, an employee took the person behind me in line. A big deal? Only when she told me she was too busy helping someone else when she was done ringing out the person that had been behind me in line. Guess who left empty handed? Yeah, that’s me.
Thanks, Daniel Smith, for a lesson in how to treat a customer like garbage. You suck!

I’ve been going to Daniel Smith for years, but it’s a mixed bag for sure.
What’s good there? Paint. They make great paint. And if you want expensive art paper, like Arches 300lb press, it’s a good place to go because they don’t let clients handle the paper, so it’s always clean and in good shape. Kudos for that.
What’s bad? Their customer support has gone way downhill. Lots of staff turnover.
Why the bad review and two stars? I recently ordered some Canson colored paper online, all of which was «in stock». In fact, it was not. A week later I got a partial shipment. I called but was told that some of it was on back order. No indication when it would come in. The person on the phone sounded short with me. I followed up with an email asking when I could expect the remainder of the order. The reply was «August sometime». The attitude was «we don’t have it now, take it or leave it».
Six weeks later the order was completed after three partial shipments. Really? Six weeks? In the mean time I went to Dick Blick and Bellevue Art and Frame and picked up what I needed.
I used to order stretcher bars from them too, hundreds of dollars at at time. One day I went in and they had changed stretcher bar vendors and the bevel was different, so I ended up with over $ 1000 of stretcher bars in odd sizes that I could no long use. I cut some of them up and used portions of them as best I could, but I ended up throwing hundreds of dollars worth of stretcher bars in the fireplace. I was told they couldn’t do anything for me.
I’ve always tried to support local businesses, but they’re really making it difficult.

I can rarely afford to actually shop there, I just dig for sales like all the other starving artists. It has pretty low traffic for it’s size, probably because it’s really hard to find. It’s almost under a bridge.
I recall most Daniel Smiths have good customer service.

Quite a selection of fine art supplies but the staff works on commission. It’s not so much a pressure selling situation, people just don’t leave you alone.

I have been doing business with Daniel Smith for the last 30 years. In the last 5 years or so, their delivery service has gone downhill with many mistakes being made especially when several items are ordered.
This last order really takes the cake for me! I will never shop with them again! A rather unmindful sales person, named Gail was the one who took my order for a 50 yard roll of portrait linen canvas at around $ 2000+. I was mailed 32 yards and 18 yards are being backordered. This is not what I was led to believe I was ordering. I wanted a 50 yard intact roll of linen canvas. Having two separate rolls of linen basically short changes me yardage which is not fair. Dick Blick has the same amount of linen in a 50 yard roll at $ 500 less. I should have shopped with them instead, but I definitely will now. This is so unacceptable!

A moderately large warehouse with a great selection of self branded paints, brushes, canvasses, and specialty papers.
Lacking in selection, particularly in portfolios. For a painter, this is nearly idyllic. For a draftsman, business type, not a good choice.
The spacey staff was friendly but not wholly unengaged.
Nice to see a local stalwart brick and mortar location succeeding.