Best Gifts for Artists: Creative Ideas for Every Budget

It’s that time of year again when we start making our list of goodies to give or receive. I thought now would be a good time to give you some gift ideas for the artist on your list or maybe a few ideas for art supplies you would like to add to your own list. 

I purposely didn’t include paint in this list since that is usually the first thing someone thinks about when you say “artist”. Established artists usually have a preferred brand or type of paint they like to use but might be open to trying something new. Beginners are still trying to find their perfect paint so are usually happy to try any paint you purchase for them.

This list includes several mediums and price ranges and a few whimsical gifts for when you just can’t decide. If you are just looking for stocking stuffers check out my post on Stocking Stuffers for Artists.

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Gift Ideas for Artists

1. Artist Brushes

Brushes tend to wear out or get damaged over a year of painting. Fresh new brushes are always welcome. There are hundreds of brushes to choose from for watercolours, acrylics, or oils.

A gift of specialty brushes, such as the latest trending brand or these Raphaél Kazan Squirrel Quill Mop Brushes for watercolour, would be a great hit with artists.

Water brushes are also a great gift for artists. They are easy to carry and have water in the brush. Water brushes are great for Plein air painting or travelling. They also make great stocking stuffers.

If you are not sure what to buy, you can purchase an all-purpose brush set that includes brushes for acrylic, oils, and watercolours, like this multipurpose set. Having extra brushes is always a good thing. 😊

2. Gifts for Drawing Artists

Drawing pencils make great gifts for artists. They are perfect for all skill levels and mediums.

Whether the gift is for a graphite artist or someone who wants to sketch out their ideas, good pencils are always welcome.

I have used several different brands, but I keep coming back to this set. They are my favourite drawing pencils.

For more information on the type of drawing pencils to buy, check out this article on the Best Drawing Pencils.

3. Drawing Paper

Good drawing paper can be expensive, so treat the artist on your list (or yourself) to some. The right type of paper can make a difference in the finished quality of work.

There are papers designed for all mediums, such as graphite drawing, colored pencils, and pastels, as well as mixed media paper that can be used for a variety of wet or dry mediums. 

Smooth papers are best for graphite and colored pencils, while pastels require more texture. I like Bristol Vellum for my graphite drawings.

For more information about the best paper for graphite drawing artists, read this article on the Best Paper for Graphite Drawing.

4. The Gift of Knowledge

Encourage the budding artist in your life with the gift of learning. Enroll them (or yourself) in a local art class or one on one lesson from a local artist. 

Creative Bug also has hundreds of classes in painting, drawing, and all sorts of crafts from sewing to embroidery. They offer a Free Trial for new subscribers so you can try them out before you buy.

Skillshare offers hundreds of classes in all types of art-related niches. They often offer special rates and free classes.

You may even find a few classes you are interested in for yourself.

5. Calligraphy Pens and Inks

There are a variety of pens, inks, and brushes available for the calligraphy artist. A beautiful boxed set would make a great gift.

A gift box of calligraphy pen ink would also make a great gift and keep the artist supplied with ink all year.

6. Erasers

I know an eraser is probably not something you would think of as a gift, but I’m talking about electric erasers that are great time savers for artists who draw. Electric erasers are especially good for colored pencil artists and are time savers as well as wrist savers.

Another great gift would be my absolute favourite eraser…the Tombow Mono Eraser. 

It’s small enough to get into the tightest places and is great for adding highlights to hair. It would make a great stocking stuffer or part of a gift basket.

7. Artist Colored Pencils

Most colored pencil artists have their own preference for which brand they use, and many use several brands interchangeably. 

A reasonably priced set of Prismacolor is a good place to start. 

If you have a little more money to spend, you could purchase something a little more expensive, such as Polychromos or Caran d’Ache.

8. Sketching Gifts

A beautiful, quality sketchbook is always a nice gift for an artist or anyone who likes to draw or journal. 

There are a variety of sketchbooks available, from tiny pocket sketchbooks to large hard-covered books to Moleskine and beautiful, ornate sketchbooks. An artist can never have too many sketchbooks in their art supply.

A personalized sketchbook would also be a great gift idea for the artist.

9. Camera and Tripod

If you are looking for a more expensive gift for the artist in your life — or even for yourself —a good DSLR camera and tripod is a great idea.

Artists need to take good pictures of their work for marketing and social media, and a good camera will get the best picture for them. The better the picture quality, the more likely they are to make a sale. A good camera is an investment for an artist’s business.

A good camera is also necessary to take good reference photos so that the artist can get a better view of the detail and colour values in their reference photo.

10. Printer

Having a good printer to produce prints, business cards, advertising, etc., is a great advantage to any artist. A wide-format photo printer would be best to get quality prints at home.

11. Drawing Tablet

An electronic drawing tablet, such as this Wacom tablet, that can connect to your computer is another great gift for anyone interested in digital art or photo editing.

12. Wearables

There are hundreds of websites selling cute artist-themed jewelry, t-shirts, bags, or just about anything else you can think of. 

You can make it a personalized gift or even a gag gift. Etsy is always a good place to check. It’s a great place to find gift ideas for the artist.

13. Gift Cards

Consider a gift card to their favourite art supply store or a gift certificate to Amazon. Artists can use these cards to purchase whatever they need, and you don’t have to worry about getting the right supplies or brands.

A subscription to Amazon Prime might also be a welcome gift for an artist. Shipping sometimes costs a lot, and getting free shipping with Amazon Prime can save an artist a lot of money over the year.

14. Subscription

Photoshop is a great tool for artists to work on composition or enhance photos of their artwork for social media or galleries. Paying for a month or two of Adobe Creative Cloud so they can try all of the wonderful Adobe tools would be a great gift for the artist in your life.

A subscription to an art magazine is a great gift for creative people. Choose their favourite magazine or let them try out one they haven’t read before.

15. Studio Decor

Gifts for the artist’s studio can include lighting, storage, furniture, or just little things to brighten up the studio. A comfortable chair, a small cabinet, or even new studio curtains are all excellent presents for artists.

I love getting unusual items for my studio, and this year, this Dali clock is definitely at the top of my list. It’s the perfect, unique gift for artsy friends.

16. Gift Basket

If you really can’t decide, consider doing a gift basket for your artist friend (or yourself). 

Fill the basket (bin, crate, or whatever you like) with smaller items such as small sketchbooks, pencils, Micron drawing pens, pencil extenders, color wheel, greyscale, chocolate, gift cards, candles, music, chocolate (yes, I know I wrote chocolate twice 😊) and maybe a cool artist’s apron. 

Who doesn’t love getting a basket full of surprises!! 

17. Art Books

Books about art and artists can add to an artist’s reference library and provide many years of instruction, inspiration, and motivation.

While just about everything is available on the Internet, browsing through a physical book over your morning coffee or while having a glass of wine in the evening is not only inspirational but also relaxing.

My post about Books for Artists offers a few ideas for books that make great gifts for painters.

18. Light-box/ Light Pad

A light-box or light pad is basically a glass drawing pad with an LED light. It is used in many crafts to trace patterns or lettering.

Many artists use a lightbox to trace over a reference photo to get a better idea of the details. Lightboxes are also useful when trying to rearrange elements in a design.

19. Buddha Board

A Buddha Board is essentially a drawing pad without paper and ink. You draw an image on the board with a water brush.

Wherever the water touches, it turns black as if you had applied ink. As the water dries, the image disappears, leaving a clean board to draw on again.

It is great for short, quick doodling, provides wonderful stress relief, and is a great way to practice meditative drawing. It is the ideal gift to help an artist relax.

20. Easel

Does the artist on your list need a new easel? Or maybe you do. Depending on your needs and budget, you can buy a few different types: tabletop easels, plein-air easels for painting outdoors, large floor-model easels, and more.

I have a post all about How to Choose the Best Easel. If you need help deciding which one to buy, this would be a great post to read.

Free Printable Gifts for Artists Checklist

I hope you find something on this list to treat the artist in your life (or yourself). I will keep adding to this list whenever I think of more awesome gifts for artists, so check back often.

If you have ever gotten an awesome or really unusual artist gift, tell us about it in the comments below. 

If you have questions, you can leave them in the comments below. You can also join our free Facebook group, Trembeling Art Creative Corner, where you can ask questions, post your work and get to know some fantastic artists from all genres and skill levels. 😊