Holiday season is right around the corner, and two months is just enough time to buy gifts before the shelves of stores go bare. You have a friend, or maybe a family member, who’s an artist, and you want to know what to get them.
Here’s a list of five possible gifts, for any budget. I’ll be specifying what kind of artists each gift is good for, so don’t worry if you don’t know the first thing about art.
1. Tablet
This is the priciest item on the list, but if the artist you have in mind is frequent user of digital mediums, they’ll love this! Art tablets come in all shapes and sizes, and are wonderful for a variety of uses.
For the more casual digital user, perhaps one just getting into digital art, the Wacom Intuos Draw is great for those that are getting into the swing of things. At about $80 US, it’s one of the cheaper tablet options.
At a higher price, the Wacom Intuos Pro is a good option for those who are already accustomed to using the computer to make art. It’s about $300 to $400 US, but it’s robust and good quality.
You don’t have to limit yourself to brand new. See if you can find any second hand tablets online, or ask around your community to see if anyone has a tablet that they don’t use anymore and would be willing to sell.
If the artist you have in mind already has a tablet that they love to bits, you could get them refill nibs for their pen. The nibs of the pens that are used with tablets wear out over time, and replacements are usually needed quickly.
Make sure you know what model their pen is, because if you get refills for the wrong product, the nibs probably won’t fit inside the pen.
2. Sketchbooks
This may seem like a boring gift. Perhaps you thought of this and then decided that the artist in your life probably has enough sketchbooks or will be receiving a truckload from other friends and family members during the holidays.
As an artist, let me tell you something. There’s no such thing as too many sketchbooks.
I’ll say it again for the people in the back. There is no such thing as having too many sketchbooks.
The amazing thing about sketchbooks is that there are so many different kinds, making this a versatile gift that’s great for any kind of artist. There are some with pages for mixed mediums, wonderful for alcohol based markers, charcoals, pencils, pastels, etc.
There are some with canvas paper inside for painters, and they are especially useful for experimenting with colors and brushes without having to use a framed canvas, as those can get rather pricey.
Not only are there a bunch of different medium choices, there are also size choices. Some sketchbooks are small enough to fit inside of a pocket, great for sketching on the fly when traveling or people watching. Other sketchbooks can cover an entire desk.
With lots of choices (and lots of price options), you’ll be sure to find a sketchbook that’ll suit your budget and the artist’s needs.
3. Paint
Perhaps the painter in your life has been looking at some colors for a piece, but hasn’t bought any yet; or maybe they’re running low on a certain hue, but haven’t picked up any more to refill their stash.
Paint makes a great gift for the holidays, but it can be a bit of a tough thing to buy. The first thing you need to know is what kind of paint. It could be acrylic, oil, or maybe water color.
And some brands may not work well for the style of art the receiver does. Not too mention the plethora of color options that are available.
If you are getting paint for an artist, ask them what paint they want before purchasing any. Or if you don’t want to spoil the surprise, check their paint stash and see which brand they seem to like best. You can’t go wrong with buying black or white paints, as those get used up very quickly when mixing colors.
4. Gift Card
This is a good way to play it safe. A gift card to a local art shop or craft supply store will be sure to have something that they’ll like, even if you don’t know what that something is.
And the best thing is that gift cards are perfect for any budget!
5. Art Books
Books about art, or that contain art, are a great way to inspire the soul. Ask the receiver who their favorite artists are, and see if any of them have any art books published.
Or you can check local art shops and craft supply stores and see if they have any art guides or collection books for sale.
Do you have questions about the specifics of different gift possibilities? Leave me a comment, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Cozy Rebekah 