Guides

Day three of the holidays the kids will say "I'm bored". Beat them to it: 14 air-dry clay projects ages 4 to 14, from pinch pots to full diorama scenes, mostly under $20.

Sometimes you want to read about a technique, sometimes you just want to watch someone do it. 5 of Mont Marte's best pouring tutorials in one binge — plus the supplies to recreate each.

Brush aisle paralysis is real. Plain-English guide to flats, rounds, filberts, taklon vs sable, and the 2-brush starter set under $5 that handles 90% of beginner work.

9 hand-picked craft picks under $20 NZ. Perfect for school holiday top-ups, classroom budgets, or "treat yourself" snack-sized art purchases. Free NZ shipping when you stack to $75.

Soft vs oil pastels, blending tricks, surface choices, and why every NZ beginner should own a 24-piece Mont Marte set. Plus 5 techniques and a 10-minute first project.

Quick answer for NZ parents: The best school holiday crafts for kids (ages 5-12) use cheap, simple supplies: washable acrylic paint, mini canvases, air-dry clay, paper plates, and coloured card. Top rainy-day picks: handprint art, pebble painting, DIY bookmarks, clay...

Quick answer for NZ beginners: Acrylic paint pouring needs just 4 things: pouring paint (or regular acrylic mixed with flow medium), a canvas (round or square), silicone oil drops (for cells), and mixing cups. Mix paint 1:1 with pouring medium,...