Holiday Gift Guide for Artists: My 8 Favorite Art Supplies

Just in time for the holidays, I wanted to put together a gift guide for finding the perfect present for the artist or creative in your life, or let’s be honest, yourself. These are some of my favorite art supplies that are either high-quality supplies, specialty items, or collections/packs of markers and paints to inspire creativity. Even for beginner artists or those who may not consider themselves professionals, the quality of your materials can unlock your creativity. Plus there’s always that marker set or sketchbook we daydream about, but never actually get around to buying for ourselves.

1. For smooth lines and dark mark-making

The simplicity of a box of pencils may not seem like much, but these pencils glide like butter on the page. They’re great for sketching, lettering, and illustrations and are tipped with an eraser that actually works with no smearing. You can fill areas with black easily, yet they will still help you achieve fine lines if fully sharpened. I never thought I could fall in love with a pencil, but here we are. That’s why this makes such a great gift — artists will be impressed that you’re so tuned in that you picked these pencils out, or so grateful that you discovered a new favorite tool for them. 

2. A painter’s sketchbook that’s timeless and sturdy

There are many reasons to love a Moleskine journal or sketchbook and the watercolor album is no exception.

• The paper is thick enough to hold paint, watercolors, and ink, but smooth enough for drawing. 
• The simple black cover looks good on display or on a bookshelf. This is an upgrade pick for a sketchbook, something an artist might not treat themself to, but would love to receive as a gift.
• There are multiple sizes available, I like the 5” x 8.25” as a portable option since it’s large enough to work on, but small enough for travel or the 8.25” x 11.75” is another great option with more room to work with.

3. A set of gouache paint with more colors than the rainbow

If you’re not familiar with gouache, it’s a type of watercolor paint that’s opaque. Since it’s a watercolor, it can be reactivated by wetting dried paint with water and is one of my favorite mediums to work with. It can be intimidating to work with if you’ve never used it before, and higher-quality gouache paint tubes come with a higher price tag. That’s where the Arteza paint set comes in. While there are a few colors in the pack that are more translucent, a majority of the paints are highly pigmented, rivaling more expensive brands. With so many colors to choose from, it’s perfect for experimenting and getting familiar with the medium. And at this price-point there’s not much risk involved if you decide gouache isn’t for you or the person your gifting.

4. Paint markers with too many uses to count

Posca paints are extremely satisfying to draw with. You get the benefits of smooth and full coverage of paint with the precision of a marker. This pack in standard colors is great introduction into Posca paints. And they can be used on so many different surfaces beyond paper: shoes, canvas, glass, paper, metals, etc.

5. Blendable markers for drawing and lettering on the go

One of my favorite things about the Tombow dual brush pens are the wide variety of colors. And their 8-marker packs come in versatile color palettes. With a larger tip and fine-pointed tip you can write and draw in many different styles. These are also one of my favorites because they’re easy to travel with and draw on the go because they’re portable and dry so much quicker than paint. 

6. A watercolor paint set for beginners 

Winsor & Newton is a classic brand for a reason and this small watercolor set is testament as to why. I’ve had this small watercolor palette for at least 4 years and am just now starting to run out of one of the colors. The watercolors are highly pigmented and despite the size, it comes with all the base colors you need to mix almost any other color. 

7. A brush pen for dramatic ink details, illustration, or calligraphy

The Pentel pocket brush creates sweeping black lines with the movement and appearance of a brush and the coverage of a marker. What I really love is how simple it is to get a painterly ink appearance with less of the mess — preparation and cleanup — than using ink in a palette or inkwell with a brush. There’s less set up and the pen is portable. Bold ink illustrations are just a few marks away.

8. A year’s worth of learning art and design skills

At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, the online learning platform Skillshare revived my long-lost art career. I graduated from college with an art degree, and while I learned a lot, I lost my way with art for a while, thinking I wasn’t “artsy” enough to pursue it. A coworker told me about Skillshare one day when I was starting to incorporate my design skills into my non-designer job and it changed everything. Real working artists and designers offer valuable lessons from their own firsthand experiences. They cover everything from art and design basics to running a creative business or pricing your artwork ethically and profitably. While those are the classes I gravitate towards, there are so many more including video production, podcasting, marketing, painting, sewing, cooking, and so much more. I even started teaching classes of my own on the site, because I loved it so much. Plus what better way to get you or your artist friend going than with some classes to go with their new art supplies! You can buy an annual subscription and if you use this link you’ll get the first month of Skillshare for free.