An Artist’s Wish List | Gift Ideas from Big to Small
Gift-giving for artists can be challenging during the holidays. It can be frustrating when loved ones are trying their best, but just don’t seem able to come up with anything creative or meaningful! Luckily, there is always room in our lives for something new. Here are some ideas that could help. As artists, what would you add to the list? What gift-giving words of advice could you share for the well-meaning friends and family this season? Share your wish-list items below!
Gifts for the Artsy Reader
If you’ve been looking for a good art book, it can be hard to know which one is right. My interests range from oil and watercolor techniques all the way through deep explorations into color theory or pigment usage in various media like acrylics! But no matter what type of painter your friend might want (or need) as their gift this year -they’ll find something here worth investing money into because every page has some formative information that will make them better at creating works on canvas, paper, and more. If there’s an artsy reader on your list, they might also be interested in these 5 books.
Deep Color: The Shades that Shape our Souls, by Keith Richter
This is an exciting book for all those color nerds out there! It reveals the power and influence color has over our everyday lives. It features engaging stories, little-known facts, and a deep exploration of the symbolic meaning of individual colors in cultures throughout time and around the world.
Great For:
- Artists of All Media
- Anyone who loves color and pigments
The Oil Painter’s Color Handbook, by Todd M. Casey
This book is like a a comprehensive art class on oil painting, from essential techniques to core painting concepts and fundamental art terms. It’s bound to be a book that artists will come back to over and over!
Great For:
- Oil Painters
- Artists who prefer full classes over learning in bits
Beautiful Landscape Painting Outdoors: Mastering Plein Air, by Michael Chesley Johnson
A comprehensive resource from a renowned outdoor painter and instructor, this book covers all the basis for plein air painting in oil, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, and gouache. It features demos, trouble-shooting guides, fundamental concepts, and essential techniques for beginners and experienced painters.
Great For
- Artists of all media.
- Adventurous artists who love the outdoors.
Make Your Art No Matter What: Moving Beyond Creative Hurdles, by Beth Pickens
Beth Pickens is an experienced creative coach who shares her expertise in helping artists in all disciplines. It covers a wide range of common creative hurdles, from financial concerns, to fears, anxieties, and time constraints
Great For
- Artists of all media.
- Anyone with a creative spirit.
Geoff Kersey’s Pocket Book for Watercolour Artists: Over 100 essential tips to improve your painting
Geoff Kersey is well known in the world of watercolor for his many instructional books and videos. This pocket handbook is designed to help artists out of many common watercolor trouble spots. It features step-by-step demos to help artists improve their techniques and create stronger paintings.
Great For
- Watercolor painters.
- Artists with some experience who need help from time to time.
Studio Gifts for Creative Explorers
It is always exciting to find new ways of being creative and it’s even better when you can do so in your own space! The following items will help make the art studio more functional for anyone. A few handy picks include practical lighting, organization solutions that won’t take up too much floor or table top area (and let us never forget about how important those little moments between projects are), tools suited toward each individual artist style – whether they prefer watercolor painting over acrylics–or vice versa!–as well as anything else we may need while working on our pieces at home. Here are 5 items that could spark ideas for the artist on your list.
About the Brush Rack
This innovative brush rack stores up to 28 brushes in various-sized holes, from ½” diameter to ¾” diameter. It also includes eight hanging/drying slots with foam grips. A clear acrylic base protects against drips.
Easy Assembly | Easy-View Racks | Easy to Clean
Mezzo Artist Rotating Brush Rack
Mezzo Artist Brush and Paint Tube Organizer
Like many artists I know, I have more tubes of paints and brushes than I can keep organized. Organizers like this one frequently catch my eye as a I tell myself that, one day, I’ll create more order in my studio.
Great For
- Artists of all media.
- Artists who store their supplies in random boxes and bags.
Paint Puck Paint Brush Cleaner
This product makes it easier for artists to clean brushes. It’s made from silicon , which makes it gentile on brushes as you scrub to clean them from paint and easy to clean up afterward. Good brushes can be expensive, and cleaning them properly is important for longevity. This products should save money in the long-run by reducing brush costs.
Great For
- Watercolor, Acrylic, and Oil painters
- Artists who spend money on good brushes.
Watercolor Palette by Portable Painter
For painting and sketching on the go, this is a clean and simple solution. This is compact and easy, allowing artists to customize it by loading it with the colors they prefer. I particularly love the reservoirs for holding water!
Great For
- Watercolor painters
- Artists who frequently sketch on the go.
Princeton Catalyst Artist Brush
In addition to traditional brushes, having tools like these to scrape and mold paint can reveal new techniques and effects. Instead of looking for old cards, cardboard, and other random scraps from the trash, these tools provide a range of options all within easy reach.
Great For
- Painters in any media.
- Artists who enjoy experimenting with new tools and techniques.
Artist Accessory Gifts
Sometimes, it’s the little things that make all the difference in my art. Items like these here, a pencil box, eraser, viewfinder – these are items I cherish and can never get enough of. If you’re looking for something small, here are 5 items on my list to help you get started!
Nitram Charcoal Holder
Charcoal holders can feel like a luxury, but in reality, are practical options for getting the most from your charcoal. They allow artists to use charcoal sticks effectively when they’ve worn down to small stumps that are difficult to hold otherwise.
Great For
- Charcoal Artists.
- Artists who enjoy getting the most from their materials.
Tombow Mono Zero Eraser
There are many great erasers out there to choose from, but a specialty eraser like this can really stand out. These erasers are easy to control and designed for precision and detailed work.
Great For
- Graphite and Charcoal Artists.
- Artists who prefer precision in their work.
Art Alternatives Wood Box Pencil Pod
Well-crafted pencil boxes can make for a welcomed luxury over the old plastic bags and cheap containers that many artists, including myself, resort to.
Great For
- All Artists
- The unorganized artist
Portable Phone or Tablet Holder
When using a phone or tablet for a reference image, it’s helpful to have something that’s portable, moveable, and easy to use. Something that can accommodate changing light and a variety of canvas sizes is particularly useful.
Great For
- Artists of all media.
- Artists who use phones or tablets for references.
Drawing Supplies & Drafting Tools
Proportional dividers, value finders, color wheels, and view finders, all in one place? That sounds exciting! While I may have many of these tools already, they wear down or get covered in paint, artists can always use a new set!
Great For
- Artists of all media.
- Artist who lean on tools for precision.
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Meet the Artist
Scott Maier is an artist and a content contributor to artistsnetwork.com. He’s also the author of the instructional art book See, Think, Draw: An Easy Guide for Realistic Drawing and Beyond.
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