I was in London over the summer and while there I visited the London Graphics Centre. This is one of my all-time favourite art shops. So I wanted to share more about it and also what I bought while I was there.

ABOUT LONDON GRAPHICS

London Graphics Centre is just a few minutes walk away from Covent Garden tube station. It’s actually on the same corner as the stage door for the Cambridge Theatre. So if you want to meet the actors in Matilda and buy art supplies at the same time this is the place to go.

The actual store is huge and split over two levels. The bottom level has more stationery and gift type items. They stock a huge range of notebooks, from brands such as Moleskine, Leuchtturm and MD Paper. They also sell more specialised items like Pantone colour guides along with Pantone branded mugs and other ephemera.

The second floor is more the sorts of items you would expect to find in an art shop. Sketchbooks, paint, canvas etc. One of the things I love about this shop is their stock is a little more specialised for graphics. They have specialist papers for inkjet and laser printers. High-quality presentation books, smaller items like lightboxes and scalpels.

Even when I’m not in London I buy a lot of my art supplies from them because they are a decent price and you get good customer service.

WHAT I BOUGHT

Of course. I was on holiday so I had to buy a notebook to mark the occasion. London Graphics has a huge range of notebooks to choose from. I would have bought the Field Notes Three Missions set if I hadn’t already bought it. Would have saved me a lot in postage too. Instead, I picked up the Spiral Ring Notebook from MD Paper.

This notebook has a slightly strange design. It’s an A5 slim size, meaning its around the same size as the Traveller’s Journal. Inside it has the same high-quality MD paper. From what I’ve read this paper works great with fountain pens.

I also picked up a package of Cyanotype paper. Cyanotype is a photographic process which works by coating paper with a special chemical that reacts to light. You can cover the paper with items and leave it out in the sun, the chemical will only wash off in places that haven’t been exposed to light. Cyanotype is something which I’ve been wanting to try for a long time. But I didn’t want to buy lots of strong chemicals. This pack seems to be an easier way to start.

MORE LIKE THIS: Experimenting With Cyanotype At Art School

I then bought a number of pens to try out for hand lettering. Recently I found that I prefer a much thinner nibbed pen for hand lettering. So I bought a few Japanese pens with a very small brush nib. The Pigma pen is one I’ve already tried and I know I like. I was also interested in trying the Tombow pen. I have a number of the dual brush tipped markers. Hopefully, this other pen will be just as enjoyable to use.

FINALLY

I don’t know if it’s too much to say London Graphics is the best art shop in London. But it’s certainly the only I like most. If you’re in the Covent Garden area it’s a must visit. I go pretty much every time I’m in London. And it’s not too far away from the Muji store in Covent Garden too.