What is an Art Smock & Why You Should Have One (Revealed!)
Every professional chooses the right type of clothing for their craft, and artists are no exception. While chefs wear aprons when working, artists wear a different kind of clothing, popularly known as an art smock.
Art smocks differ from aprons, although some people do call them “art aprons.” Unlike aprons, however, smocks have many pockets that make it easier to carry your art materials. This article will list some of the advantages of art smocks, why you should always have one around, and show you some of the best art smocks available.
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1. Art Smocks Have Lots of Pockets
Artists carry many tools and brushes around, and even a single pocket will largely simplify their work. Smocks, however, don’t have only one pocket, they have many and not the typical small pockets of regular clothing. Instead, an art smock’s pockets are specifically designed to hold your most-used tools and art supplies while you work, so they are always close at hand.
One of the features that separate art smocks from aprons is the sheer number of pockets. If you think you would benefit from your hands being a little freer while you work, you should get an artist smock with multiple pockets.
A conventional canvas apron with pockets (like the one pictured above from Amazon) is a great choice for an art smock. This apron has ten pockets with varying sizes, so there’s plenty of room to keep the things you always use close by (for example, your favorite paint brush), as well as any items you think you might need later.
2. Art Smocks Keep Your Clothes Clean!
While there may be several ways to remove paint from your clothes if an accidental spill occurs while you’re painting, the best way to remove paints from your clothing is to avoid getting any on your clothes to begin with.
When painting with an art smock, you don’t have to change into some old or ragged clothing to avoid soiling your clothes. Instead, you can paint without restrictions or worries, backed by the fact that you have a piece of protective clothing designed to keep paint away.
In that case, this denim multipurpose smock (Amazon) will work best for you. It’s not only super-resilient to paint, but it also has all the pockets you’ll need to store your art materials while painting. It’s also machine washable and usable in places other than an art studio (a kitchen, for example).
3. Art Smocks are Stylish
Check out a video of any professional artist showing off their art in a studio, and you’ll see they’re all wearing art smocks.
Since most art enthusiasts have attributed the wearing of a smock to artists, the lone act of wearing an art smock will not only protect you from paint or give you more pockets to work with, but it’s also a way to stylishly announce that you’re a professional artist.
You can even choose an art apron or smock that reflects your personality and style. Art smocks are available in many specific colors and designs. Browse any online art store and you’ll see many designs to choose from, ensuring that you can always find an art smock to match both your working and style needs.
There are a ton of smock designs to choose from over on Etsy. Many of these art smocks offer the option to personalize them, as well.
If you’re the type that fancies your name or logo on your clothing, you can custom order an art smock that comes with your design out of the box. Of course, you can always buy a plain art smock and customize it yourself.
4. Art Smocks Are Multipurpose
Although art smocks are designed specifically with the needs of artists in mind, an art smock can be put to good use in a number of other ways.
Most commonly, an art apron can be used in place of a regular kitchen apron. Kitchen aprons don’t typically have an abundance of pockets, so using an art smock offers much more utility. They do, however, tend to be thicker than a regular kitchen apron so you’ll want to keep that in mind.
The garden is another area where an art smock can come in handy. Again, with all of the useful and different-sized pockets, you can load it up with your regular gardening tools. Having all your tools on hand in the garden will save you from running back and forth to the garage or shed.
Finally, an artist’s smock can be quite useful in the garage when working on your car. The thick smock was designed to prevent paint from reaching your clothes, and it will provide the same kind of protection when dealing with oil or solvents.
Just be careful to purchase an art smock with no metal grommets or parts that can scratch your car.
5. Art Smocks Are Essential for Kids While Painting
The number one thing people visualize when they hear the term “art smock” is kids painting in the classroom. Can you imagine what it would look like if your child came home from school after an afternoon of painting artwork without wearing a smock?!
Kids tend to be quite messy, and giving them access to an art project that uses paint or glue makes them even messier. With access to paint, most kids will ensure that their clothes are soiled beyond repair.
That’s where an art smock comes in. Art smocks for kids completely cover their clothing to reduce the chances of them soiling their clothes. They’re designed differently from adult smocks and are more easily washable.
While art smocks work well to protect kids’ clothes from paint, getting them to wear an art smock is another uphill battle. Most kids will be willing to wear it at first, but they usually grow to hate it, and it’s up to the art teacher to convince them to keep wearing it.
If you need art smocks for kids that will be participating in a very messy activity, I recommend this collection of smocks from Zkptops (Amazon). This painting smock is long sleeve and has elastic cuffs!
They’re much better protection than the old thin cotton fabric shirt I had to wear as a kid, and they are more colorful and fun, making the coverup more appealing to children.
If, instead, you’d like to sew a DIY kid’s art smock or bib, take a look at this video below.
