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Buying art supplies for an artist feels a little like buying perfume for someone else. Get it right and they light up. Get it wrong and it lives in a drawer forever.
Here’s my take: the best gift for an artist is the thing that supports their art, not the thing that tries to choose their art for them. Paper, light, storage and comfort almost never miss. A specific brand of paint they didn’t ask for often does. Shop in that order and you’ll be fine.
Holiday shopping is here, so I’ve sorted everything two ways: by budget first, then by the kind of artist you’re shopping for. Prices move a lot this time of year, so treat every number as “around” and check the link.
If you only do one thing: buy a really good sketchbook (around $30) and pair it with a handwritten note. It’s the safest artist gift there is, because every artist uses paper and almost nobody buys themselves the nice one.
Gifts for artists at a glance
| Budget | Safe pick | Wow pick | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $35 | Strathmore 500 sketchbook | Galeria acrylic set | Anyone |
| $35 to $75 | Tablet stand | Alcohol markers | Digital, illustrators |
| $75 to $200 | Heavy duty easel | Pro watercolor tin | Painters |
| $200 to $350 | Daylight studio lamp | Polychromos 120 | Serious hobbyists |
| $500 and up | Wacom Cintiq 16 | iPad Pro or Steelcase Gesture | The dream gift |
Tiers are approximate and prices change daily during the holidays.
First, figure out which artist they are
Most artists lean toward one way of working. Match the gift to that and you’re halfway there.
Not sure? Look at what’s on their table the next time you visit. Pencils and a sketchbook mean sketcher. A little metal tin and a jar of cloudy water mean watercolorist. A laptop with a stylus nearby means digital.
Sneaky research before you buy
You don’t have to ruin the surprise to get it right. A little quiet detective work goes a long way.
The paper question is the easiest one to slip into conversation. “Do you like smooth paper or the bumpy kind?” sounds like small talk, and the answer tells you exactly which sketchbook to buy.
Safe gifts vs risky gifts
Some gifts land every time. Others depend on preferences you can’t see from the outside.
- good paper
- daylight lighting
- storage drawers
- a comfy chair
- gift card
- a paint brand they don’t use
- a random medium
- cheap sets
- a tablet without checking
If you’re stuck between two ideas, pick the one from the left column. If you already know their favorite brand, the right column turns into a great gift.
Gifts under $35
Small budgets can still feel thoughtful. These are the stocking-stuffer and gift-exchange heroes.
Strathmore 500 Series Hardbound Sketchbook
The Strathmore 500 is a step up from the bargain sketchbook most people buy themselves. The paper is heavier and the binding feels like a real book. Around $30.
- Best for: sketchers, pencil and charcoal artists, anyone who journals with drawings.
- Why I recommend it: paper that handles erasing and layering without pilling.
Winsor and Newton Galeria Acrylic Set
Galeria is a friendly student acrylic with buttery mixing. It’s a great gift for someone curious about painting who hasn’t committed yet. Around $27.
- Best for: beginners, teens, the friend who keeps saying “I want to try painting.”
- Skip it if: they already paint with a professional acrylic line.
Vtopmart Clear Stackable Drawers
Storage is the gift nobody asks for and everybody uses. Clear drawers let them see pencils, tubes and tape at a glance. Around $29.
- Best for: anyone whose supplies live in shoebox piles.
- What I look for: drawers shallow enough that tubes don’t stack three deep.
2 Pack Acrylic Plastic Organizers Bins for Makeup Palettes, Cosmetics, and Beauty Supplies,Ideal for Vanity, Bathroom,Cabinet,Desk Organization
Want to tuck a little book or video course in too? My guide to the best charcoal pencils for beginners makes a great pairing with a new sketchbook.
Gifts from $35 to $75
This tier is where you can buy one thing they’d hesitate to buy for themselves.
Parblo PR100 Tablet Stand
Digital artists often draw hunched over a flat tablet. A sturdy adjustable stand tilts the screen up to a comfortable drawing angle. Around $40.
- Best for: anyone with a pen display or large tablet.
- Skip it if: they draw on an iPad with a folio case they love.
Stable,Adjustable for 10 to 16 Inches Digital Graphics Drawing Monitors Art Tablets Laptops, Compatible with Laptop,iPad Pro,MacBook,Wacom Cintiq 16
Alcohol Markers
A set of alcohol markers is a fun gift for illustrators, card makers and anyone who loves bold, smooth color. Look for dual tips (a fine tip and a brush tip). Alcohol marker set
- Best for: illustrators, comic artists, card makers.
- Skip it if: they’re devoted to watercolor and love visible texture.
The book: Color and Light
James Gurney’s Color and Light is one of the most loved painting books around. It explains how light actually behaves, with gorgeous examples. Beginners and experienced painters both come away with something new.
- Best for: painters in any medium, including digital.
Gifts from $75 to $200
Now we’re into gifts that feel like an upgrade. Choose by artist type here.
U.S. Art Supply Heavy Duty Easel
A sturdy studio easel is the gift that makes a painter feel like a painter. This one is a solid H-frame style that holds larger canvases steady. Around $190.
- Best for: acrylic and oil painters working on canvas.
- Skip it if: they live in a small apartment with no wall space for a tall easel.
Extra Large Adjustable Wood H-Frame Art Easel for Painting with Artist Storage Tray – Tilts Flat, Studio Sturdy Wooden Beech Canvas Holder Stand – Locking Caster...
Not sure which easel style fits their space? Send them to my easel buying guide as part of the gift.
Winsor and Newton Professional Watercolor Travel Tin
Professional-grade watercolor in a compact metal tin, with richer pigment than student sets. This is the watercolor gift people remember. Around $145 to $170.
- Best for: watercolorists ready to graduate from student paint.
- Skip it if: they already have a pro palette they’ve filled themselves. Watercolorists can be very loyal to their own colors.
Gifts from $200 to $350
These are the “you shouldn’t have” gifts. Each one is something an artist will use every single session.
Faber-Castell Polychromos 120 Set
Polychromos are oil-based colored pencils with strong pigment and little wax bloom. The 120 tin is the set colored pencil artists daydream about. Around $295 to $320.
- Best for: colored pencil artists, botanical illustrators, detailed sketchers.
- Skip it if: they’ve never used colored pencils. Start them with a smaller tin.
Tin of 120 Colors – Premium Quality Artist Pencils
Daylight Artist Studio Lamp
Good light changes everything about art. This lamp has a 95+ CRI rating, which means colors look true instead of muddy or yellow, so a painting looks the same under the lamp as it does in daylight. Around $275.
- Best for: anyone who paints or draws in the evening.
- Why I recommend it: it solves the “my colors looked different this morning” problem.
WD 5TB My Passport Ultra
Not glamorous, but if they make digital art or photograph their paintings, a backup drive is a gift that quietly protects years of work. Around $275 for 5TB.
- Best for: digital artists and anyone selling prints from photos of their work.
Blue, Portable External Hard Drive, backup software with defense against ransomware, and password protection, USB-C and USB 3.1 – WDBFTM0050BBL-WESN
Investment pieces worth it
These are the big gifts. They make sense for a few people and are a waste for others, so here’s my honest take on each.
Wacom Cintiq 16 (around $600). A pen display lets them draw right on the screen instead of looking up at a monitor. Worth it if they already draw digitally on a screenless tablet and want the next step. Skip it if they’ve never tried digital art; start with something smaller.
15.4 Full HD Display Graphic Arts Tablet Includes Pro Pen 2 w/ Tilt Response, Graphic Design Animation Display Pad for Mac, PC
Apple iPad Pro 11 (M4), around $930 and up. A portable studio for sketching, painting and planning. Worth it if they want to draw on the couch, on trips and at the table with one device. Skip it if they already have a recent iPad that works fine. Important: the M4 iPad Pro works with the Apple Pencil Pro (around $99), not older Apple Pencils, so budget for both.
Built for Apple Intelligence, Ultra Retina XDR Display, 512GB, 12MP Front/Back Camera, LiDAR Scanner, Wi-Fi 6E, Face ID, All-Day Battery Life Silver
Steelcase Gesture chair (around $1,500). The biggest splurge on this list. It adjusts in many directions, including arms that move with you while you lean in to draw. Worth it if they sit at a desk for hours most days and plan to for years. Skip it if they mostly stand at an easel. The cost-per-use math: $1,500 over 10 years of daily sessions is about 40 cents a day.
Ergonomic Work Chair with Wheels for Carpet – Comfortable – Intuitive-to-Adjust for Desk – 360-Degree Arms – Graphite Gray Fabric
Splitting a big gift with family is a lovely idea for a milestone birthday or a holiday when someone finally commits to their art.
How to wrap a gift for an artist
Make a little kit instead of a single item. It looks generous and it’s ready to use the moment it’s opened.
| Kit | What goes in | Approx. total |
|---|---|---|
| Sketch kit | Sketchbook, graphite set, kneadable eraser, pencil roll | $45 to $60 |
| Watercolor kit | Small pan set, cotton paper pad, water brush | $40 to $70 |
| Painter kit | Acrylic set, 2 brushes, small canvases | $45 to $65 |
| Digital kit | Tablet stand, drawing glove, backup drive | $60 to $320 |
Roll the pencils up in a canvas pencil roll, tie it with twine, and tuck it on top of the sketchbook. That’s the kind of gift that gets photographed before it’s opened.
For more ideas on setting up the space they’ll use these gifts in, see the complete art studio setup guide.
Gifts by artist type, quick list
- The sketcher: Strathmore 500 sketchbook, Polychromos, a pencil roll.
- The watercolorist: Winsor and Newton Professional tin, cotton paper.
- The painter: heavy duty easel, Galeria set, Color and Light.
- The digital artist: Cintiq 16 or iPad Pro, tablet stand, backup drive.
- The studio dreamer: Daylight lamp, clear drawers, a great chair.
The takeaway
The safest gifts for artists support their art without choosing it for them: paper, light, storage and comfort. Do a little sneaky research, match the gift to the kind of artist they are, and save the big splurges for people who’ll use them every week.
Who are you shopping for this year, and what kind of artist are they? Tell me in the comments and I’ll help you pick. And save this to your holiday gifts board so it’s ready when the shopping lists come out.