Perfect Holiday Gifts for Artists: Creative Ideas for Every Budget
Every artist I know is a supply hoarder. Supplies are always an excellent present :)
Thoughtful Gifts
I don’t always nail it, but I try and think of thoughtful gifts for family and friends. If my brain is too tired, I’ll get a gift card. But isn’t it more fun if you can find something you think your loved one will appreciate?
I will cut right to it and supply some ideas and links to help you think of something creative for your artist friend or loved one. No one has time for filler information during this time of year, so let’s break these gift ideas down by price point. Starting with…
Stocking Stuffers- Cheap Gifts for the Artist- Less than $20
Shopping for artists can be tricky because they may have a preferred brand for their medium- if you know their main medium. However, you can avoid this by giving general supplies. Here is a list of ideas and some links. The Amazon and Blick links are affiliate links. If you use them I receive a tiny amount, which is most helpful for an artist with an expensive passion :) The other links are affiliate free links.
Faber-Castell Pitt Matte Graphite Pencils in Metal Tin—Most artists use pencils at some stage in their creative process, and I can tell you from experience that these are fantastic. This set has 6 pencils and costs $12.87. I like them because they are matte which means they aren’t as shiny when you apply them to paper using hard pressure.
Faber-Castell Kneaded Erasers— This four-pack is a great stocker stuffer and costs about $6.
Square Sketchbook— An artist can never have too many sketchbooks. I recommend you get one that looks a little nicer as a gift. There are tons of options and sizes. This one is 8 x 8 inches and costs $13.
A5 Sketchbook— Here is another option. This brand offers different orientations and sizes of the same sketchbook. The medium book costs $15.
You can also find interesting-looking sketchbooks in places like Hobby Lobby, Michaels, or a bookstore- sometimes on sale.
Artist Palette Earrings— These earrings are adorable and cost $12.75. If your gift recipient isn’t a painter you can search for another type of earring showcasing their favorite art and see what you can find (see the next example). I have also located some higher-end artist earrings here.
Van Gogh Novelty Earrings— I’m only putting Van Gogh earrings as an example because he is one of my favorite artists, but you could search up any famous artist and probably find some earrings made based on their work. Etsy would be a great place to do a focused search. Anyway, these cuties are $15. If you search on art museum websites you can find higher quality versions of specific, famous artists.
Colored pencil/Watercolor Pencil/Pen Storage—This storage container is great for organizing supplies and costs just under $20. I love these containers. I own two for organizing my colored pencils. They are great because you can group pencils by color, which makes them easier to find when creating.
Travel Case for Colored Pencils or Water Color Pencils— If your artist travels with pencils, this is a great option. It holds 72 pencils, comes in lots of colors/patterns, and costs about $10.
National Gallery of Art Engagement Calendar— How fun is this calendar? I just found it online. $17
Art Socks—So cute! $15
Art Books- I will list a few that I have personally enjoyed:
Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking, by David Bales and Ted Orland— I love this book. Love it! It tells you to make art and stop worrying so much, and that you only get better at art by producing art. It was a good kick in the pants for yours truly. $9
The Secret Lives of Color, by Kassia St. Clair—This book is cool. It tells the history of 75 color origins. Each color is shown next to its story. $14
The Painted Word, by Tom Wolfe— This book tells Wolfe’s take on the art world and how it is that some artists became famous. I thought it was fantastic and very funny. $13
Another option would be to purchase a tutorial book in the medium that your artist practices. This page references colored pencil tutorials starting at about $13.
Or find a book on your artist’s favorite artist. This is an Andrew Wyeth book. It costs $19.
There are also tons of inspirational books out there that are geared towards artists. Those are also a good option. Like the Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron. People love that book. I would say it’s geared more towards writers, but it has valid thoughts and practices for all artists. I enjoyed it, and some people swear by it to unleash creativity. It’s only $6!
Under the Tree- Gifts from $20- $60
These gifts cost a bit more. You could purchase more upscale versions of the gifts I listed in the previous section or check out the ideas I have below.
Van Gogh Sweatshirt with Art on It— This idea is a little more personal. You need to know what artist the gift recipient will appreciate. Of course, I am showing you a Van Gogh example, which costs about $32. You also need to know your artist’s size. But I think this is a fun idea for a gift. You can search out any artist you want, and I’m sure you will find an array of sweatshirts, t-shirts, or even scarves. The latter of which might be an excellent choice if you are unsure of someone’s size.
If you are interested in a higher quality item, try searching for the gift stores of art museums.
More Expensive jewelry- Yes, this is a Van Gogh option— These are $56, but if you sign up for a 10% discount, you could get a few dollars off. Again, just search for whatever artist you are looking for and the type of jewelry you want. Let’s say you want some J.M.W. Turner earrings. Well, here they are for $21. It’s that easy :) I’m betting you could also find more ideas on museum gift store websites, as well.
Art History Books, such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Masterpiece Paintings, for $40. There are tons of these types of books available. You could search for a specific period, artist, or art movement and you will find many options.
Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel Pencils— If you know that your artist is a pastelist, these pencils are fantastic and only $40 for a set of 24 in a tin.
Stabilo Carb-Othello Pastel Pencils— This set of 60 comes in around $54. These are a tad softer than the Pitts and they come in a beautiful range of colors.
Patreon Gift Subscription—If you know that your artist wants to follow some tutorials online, you could gift them a subscription through Patreon. For example, Emma Colbert is offering this as a gift option this year. Her prices start at $5 a month. You could buy someone a set amount of months for any particular artist.
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, 36 Pack— For the colored pencil artist in your life. I love these pencils. Yes, they break easier nowadays, but I still think they are worth it.
Unison half-stick sets of 8— These are my favorite soft pastels, but they are pricey. However, you could purchase an 8-stick set for $25.
Blick is having a holiday sale. Check out their huge website for supplies if you know a little about what your friend or loved one might enjoy. This is my favorite art supply website. They offer fast shipping, and if you have an issue with your order their customer service is fantastic.
Art Prints— You could purchase a print, frame, or canvas as a gift. Many websites offer this service. Here are a few: art.com, allposters.com, greatbigcanvas.com, and art-prints-on-demand.com
High Roller Giver- Above $60
I’m keeping this section brief because the more you spend, the more you should know about what the artist wants or needs. It would be a tragedy to spend so much on a gift that isn’t appreciated. But… here are a few ideas.
Lessons with an Art Instructor. If you know that the recipient adores an accomplished artist who offers lessons, this would be a fantastic gift. Sometimes artists offer workshops that last a few days over a weekend. That would be another idea in the same vein. I have seen workshops running from $300 to $500, so this is not an option for a person with a tight budget.
H-Frame Easel- These are available at a range of price points, but this one isn’t too shabby at $150. H-frame easels are a tad more sturdy and very handy for us artists.
A larger set of supplies such as this Unison set for a soft pastelist: 120- half stick assorted set at $262. They do have smaller sets, I’m just linking to my favorite set (because it has a wide range of hues).
Faber-Castell Polychromos Artist Colored Pencils Set 120- I love this set of colored pencils. These are oil-based pencils that can be mixed with other colored pencils. $180. Again, you could purchase a smaller set of these pencils for less money.
Trip to a museum- This isn’t necessarily an expensive gift, but it might be a fun option. Offer to take your friend or loved one to a museum for a day. You could offer to drive and pay for the museum fee (if there is one), and lunch. If you want to give them something to unwrap, you could purchase a T-shirt from the museum, a magnet, or a scarf. Search up the museum’s gift shop to see what they have online.
Conclusion
I hope my blog got your brain thinking about potentially exciting gifts for the artist in your life. If you have any other ideas, leave them in the comments below. Merry Christmas and happy shopping :)
