GreatArt (Gerstaecker): Europe's Largest Art Supply Retailer

GreatArt, the international brand of German art supply giant Gerstaecker, is Europe's largest dedicated art materials retailer with a catalog of over 80,000 products spanning every major art discipline. Founded in 1955 in Germany, the company has expanded across Europe through both physical retail locations and a comprehensive online platform that serves artists in the UK, France, Spain, Italy, and beyond.

The scale of GreatArt's operation delivers tangible benefits to artists: competitive pricing driven by enormous purchasing power, access to European art brands that are difficult to source elsewhere, and a depth of inventory in specialized categories—printmaking, sculpture, gilding, restoration—that generalist retailers cannot match.

European Brand Access

GreatArt's European heritage gives it unparalleled access to continental art supply manufacturers. Brands like Schmincke, Lascaux, Caran d'Ache, Hahnemühle, Fabriano, and Sennelier are stocked in comprehensive depth, often with product lines and color ranges that UK and US retailers carry only partially. For artists who work with European materials—or who want to explore alternatives to the Anglo-American brands that dominate most art supply stores—GreatArt is an essential discovery resource.

German watercolor manufacturer Schmincke, for example, produces the Horadam Aquarell range that many professional watercolorists consider the finest available anywhere. While UK retailers may stock a selection of the most popular Horadam colors, GreatArt carries the complete range including specialty colors, limited editions, and formats that are otherwise difficult to obtain outside Germany. This depth of stocking applies across dozens of European manufacturers, giving GreatArt customers access to the full breadth of each brand's offerings rather than a curated subset.

The 80,000 Product Catalog

The sheer scale of GreatArt's inventory—over 80,000 individual products—reflects a commitment to serving every artistic discipline at every skill level. The catalog encompasses painting (oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, tempera, encaustic), drawing (graphite, charcoal, pastel, colored pencil, ink), printmaking (relief, intaglio, screen printing, lithography), sculpture (clay, plaster, armature, casting), textile arts, gilding, restoration, and dozens of specialized niches that smaller retailers cannot economically support.

For artists working in specialized or niche disciplines, this breadth of inventory is transformative. A gilder can find leaf, adhesive, burnishing tools, and specialty supplies in one place. A printmaker can source inks, papers, rollers, presses, and etching supplies from a single retailer. A restorer can obtain the specific pigments, varnishes, and consolidation materials their work requires. This specialist depth—maintained alongside comprehensive general art supply coverage—is what distinguishes GreatArt from smaller, more generalized competitors.

Competitive Pricing and Student Discounts

GreatArt's enormous purchasing volume translates directly into competitive pricing that benefits individual artists and institutions alike. The company regularly offers prices below those available from smaller specialty retailers, and their student discount program provides additional savings for art students who present valid student identification. For educational institutions purchasing supplies in bulk, GreatArt offers institutional pricing and dedicated account management that streamline procurement.

The company also runs seasonal sales, clearance events, and promotional campaigns that provide opportunities for significant additional savings. Their email newsletter highlights current promotions, and the website features a dedicated sales section where discounted products are easy to find and browse.

Free Shipping and European-Wide Delivery

GreatArt offers free shipping on orders over €59 (or the local currency equivalent), with delivery available across the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other European countries. The company's logistics infrastructure—centered on its German warehouse operations—ensures reliable delivery times throughout its coverage area. For artists ordering heavy or bulky items like canvases, easels, or large quantities of paint, the free shipping threshold represents meaningful savings that further enhance GreatArt's value proposition.

Online Experience and Customer Support

The GreatArt website provides a well-organized browsing experience with detailed product descriptions, technical specifications, and customer reviews that help artists make informed purchasing decisions. Search and filtering tools allow customers to narrow results by brand, medium, price range, and other relevant criteria. The website is available in multiple languages—English, German, French, Spanish, and Italian—reflecting the company's pan-European customer base.

Customer support is available through phone, email, and live chat, with knowledgeable staff who can assist with product questions, order issues, and recommendations. The support team's familiarity with the breadth of the catalog means they can help customers find specific products, suggest alternatives, and provide the kind of informed guidance that distinguishes a specialty art retailer from a general online marketplace.

Physical Retail Locations

In addition to its dominant online presence, GreatArt operates physical retail stores in several European cities, including its flagship German locations. These stores provide artists with the opportunity to see, touch, and test products before purchasing—an important consideration for materials like paints, papers, and brushes where tactile qualities significantly influence the purchasing decision. The physical stores also serve as pickup points for online orders, providing convenient collection options for customers who prefer not to wait for delivery.

The Bottom Line

GreatArt offers the most comprehensive art supply selection available in Europe, backed by competitive pricing and the logistical capabilities of a continent-spanning retail operation. With over 80,000 products, unmatched access to European art brands, free shipping on qualifying orders, and nearly seven decades of serving the art community, GreatArt is the definitive destination for European artists seeking breadth of selection, specialist materials, and genuine value.