33 Gift Ideas for Artists

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give

For us artists, our tools are of such importance that being gifted with anything that would lend a hand for the creation of our art is heaven to us. Any new ideas that make the use of materials easier lifts our hearts. As the market is constantly offering new and advanced tools for artists, I thought it to be a good idea to collect them just for the joy of it. I hope you feel as much excitement as I am. 


I don't always make recommendations regarding the sources of gifts, as prices and options change too often. But if I did, you can click on the image to be directed to the seller. But check those items out for yourself to get the best deals. 

No money is received from any of the products, this is purely for enjoyment.

Hovel Brass Pencil Sharpener   001

What a beauty. This sharpener has a unique way of sharpening by allowing to achieve any point from long to flat without breaking. The blades can be changed in seconds without any tools. This box comes with 10 carbon steel blades, and it has a lifetime guarantee. It is pricey but what a nice gift. 

Giant Pencil Holder   002

The variety of pencil holders is sheer endless. So, I will list just a few of them. But don't you just love this iconic and recognisable pencil Holder? Made from rubber wood and stainless steel. Available in different kinds of wood from light to dark. Only available from overseas. 

Curved Pencil Holder   003

This gorgeous curved pencil holder is available in 24, 36, 48 and 72 sizes with a storage for accessories such as pencils and erasers. 

Bras Ruler   004

The Stria Folding Ruler by Makers Cabinet is a high-quality folding ruler made of brass with a hard-wearing brushed finish. It has a dovetail hinge and tactile feedback at 45-degree increments. You can also order a leather sheath with it at Jackson's.  

Half Circle Pencil Holder   005

Handmade wooden coloured pencil holder by James Oehlson on Etzy.  Made from solid woods such as Purpleheart, Walnut, Wenge, Ash, Pecan, or Maple, and Baltic Birch Plywood. They hold each 12 Crayola or similar branded colored pencils. I like that you can buy to the amount you need and place them visually pleasing as you like.  James has a range of other options for these holders.

Framed Prints   006

Prints of any sort are a neat idea for artists. You can either buy them at places like Etsy or why not attempt to make one yourself and frame it. 

Vitruvian Man Wall Art   007

This wall art is available in two sizes, 47×47 cm or 85×85 cm. It made manually from black coated steel. Etsy offers several options of the Vitruvian man by Leonardo da Vinci. The Vitruvian man is available as jewellery and prints in all sorts of variations. This example is from Unal Dogan of Elegartch available on Etsy.

Artist Definition Frame   008

This transparent glass print can be ordered in various sizes. Made from acrylic glass with black PVC frame. A simple but catching idea for a gift. Etsy has a number of different design options for the definition of an artist, so shop around before you buy. 

Door Hanger   009

Such a sweet little gift idea. This is definitely something to try out for yourself. 

Artist Drawing Glove   010

We all know the problem of smudging your work when working with pastel or graphite pencils. This is a sweet gift for an artist to prevent such mess. It is available for men, women, and kids.  Another great idea, to use it as a craft project from one of your existing gloves you don't need anymore. Otherwise, there are various options on Etsy.

Iris Drawing Compass   011

This gorgeous looking Iris is more than a nice decoration. It is a rotary compass tool used to draw and measure circles with a unique moving aperture. Made from a solid brass body and corrosion-resistant stainless spring steel leaves. Circles can be scaled to a specified size between Ø3-70mm and comes with a wooden base. Available from Jackson's 

Artist Sketchbook   012

Available in sizes A6-A4, this personalised leather or wooden sketchbook is a great idea. You will keep this forever.

Artist Apron   013

If using an apron, then why not a sort of this kind? This particular one can be ordered on Redbubble with loads of other options. From Frida Kahlo to Vincent Van Gogh, the only problem is choosing one. 

Palette Necklace   014

Necklaces for artists are in all form and shapes in specifically palettes are fashionable these days. This example is handmade from glass and wood. It is made to order. 

Wrist Watercolour Palette   015

This cute portable wrist beechwood palette has 3 wells for colours and is such a cute gift for an artist. It is available in many colours. 

Portable Studio Box   016

This absolutely gorgeous portable studio box can be ordered in either walnut or maple. You also can add a personalised quote or just your name to it. It is quite costly, so a higher end market item, but you have to agree it is special. It has all sort of useful accessories and a brush holder made of leather on the other side.  

Pencil Ring   017

Beautifully designed silver pencil ring that is fully adjustable. Available by Levi Justice Studio at Etsy.  It can be worn on both index or middle finger. There also is another version depicting a brush from the same designer. 

Drawing Artist Ring   018

This one is on my personal wish list. Made by Mark Poulin from sterling silver and vitreous enamel a beautiful gift for artists and illustrators. Mark produces all sorts of wording on his handmade rings and also uses light blue and green colours. Orders can be made from Etsy. 

Leather Sketchbook   019

This is the cutest A7 size watercolour sketchbook made from upcycled reclaimed leather available in many colours and an option of either Fabriano or Arches paper. Designed and created by Louise from Bohemian Raspberry Art. Available on Etsy. 

Historical Action Figures   020

We all know the usual wooden mannequin, but these action  figures are something different. They are costly but will be kept for life. From the Vitruvian Man to The Thinker, nothing is impossible anymore. They are available on Amazon. 

Adjustable Circular Ruler   021

Now this is something new, an adjustable circular ruler. Sturdy plastic, strong yet flexible for circular drawing or cutting arcs and curves, available from Koala Tools. 

Colour Wheel Enamel Pin   022

A sturdy meme pin that spins. It is roughly about 9-10 cm. Imagine, I as a teacher,  using this for my colour mixing classes. One item for my wishlist. 

Travel Watercolour Brushes   023

I just love those foldable brushes. For as long as I can think, storage for brushes have been a problem. In particular when buying rather expensive brushes you want to keep for a long time. Most brush holder will eventually harm  the hair and traumatise its shape.  With this handy pocket, you get 3 brushes that are fully protected. 

Leather Sketchpad   024

There are loads of personalised leather sketchpad, and every artist should have at least one in their lives. I've got mine the first time from the Gold Coast Art School as a present with my name and date of birth. You will keep this for life. This one is from the Mureli Workshop on Etsy and comes in A5 and A4. 

Palette Wall Art   025

Something for us girls artists made by Fatih from Maroon Wall Art Decor, also available on Etsy. I love it and is on my favourite list. There are two sizes, 50cm x 40cm and 70cm x 55cm in black, gold and white. It is made from steel / metal. 

Frida Bookmark   026

This vintage bronze bookmark of Frida is individually hand made by an artist, Jenny Bennett in Victoria. She also has a lot of other book mark options including a picture of yourself or someone you love or admire. She is represented at Etsy. She also creates necklaces and other stuff. 

Botanical Tea Towel   027

Artistic teach towels are a nice gift. There are a number of companies where we as artists can print our paintings on a variety of merchandise, such as wallets, tea towels and notebooks. This one is from Julie McEnerny of Not Just Tea Towels on Etsy. 

Resin Palette   028

Ocean Resin Paint Palette by Michelle Tracey is an original ocean-inspired resin artwork. Created to last a lifetime with high-quality lightfast and archival Artist’s grade materials. It has a D-Ring on the back for hanging and is signed on the back. Tracy also does stunning resin Australia shapes that are available on Etsy.

Portfolio Canvas Backpack   029

There are a variety of bags for artists. This one is a great heavy duty backpack for artists with multi-function storage pockets for stretched canvas, canvas panels, paint brushes, drawing pad, pens, pencils, sketching papers, and other art supplies. Overall dimension: 66cm x 49.5cm. Available in different colours on Amazon.

Puzzle for Artists   030

What a personalised gift! There is a variety of puzzles with different kinds of surfaces from drawing to painting to go for. I know my mother in law  or my grand daughter would love a puzzle that I have painted myself.  Maybe an option for bringing to your art class to work it out. 

Artist Street Sign   031

EzStreetSigns.com is an American crew who creates artistic street signs. You can add "Fine Artist" to the name of the drive or do something completely different. The signs are made of premium aluminium that will stand the test of time. Also available on Etsy. 

Colour Chart Fan Deck   032

I love to browse interesting colours to see what colours harmonise with one another. These fan decks are as varied as can be and so are their prices. I like this one "Magic Palette - Colour Matching Guide" from the Colour Wheel Company as it has comparison windows with each colour.

Pencil Holder Unit   033

Here we have a whole unit to place pencils of any sort. Some are made from very thin wood as an assembly pack, which makes them very affordable. Others are made from hardwood and are more expensive. 

Rotation Pencil Holder   034

This is another handy pencil holder for coloured pencils that can be rotated 360 degrees. There are so many choices that it is almost hard to decide which ones I like the most.