34 of the best gifts for artists to treat someone special

Choosing a present for an artist can be a little daunting if you're not sure what they might like – or what materials they might need. Don't worry! We've found lots of gift ideas for artists to help you find the perfect present.

Whether you're looking for a birthday present or a Christmas gift for the artist in your life, you're bound to find something suitable in our selection of the best gifts for artists of all ages and abilities.

In this guide, we'll look at gift ideas for artists, gifts for artists who draw, gifts for painters and the best gifts for young artists. We've included everything from beautiful watercolour sets to stylish ceramic paint brush holders. There are accessories, artistic materials and much more.

There are some brilliant art gifts for a variety of budgets, so you're bound to find something to suit the artist in your life. When you're choosing gifts for artists, it's a good idea to take their skill level into account. Are they a dedicated artist or someone who likes to try a new hobby? Would they enjoy a novelty present or a more practical gift?

We've found some fun gift ideas for those who like to dabble in creative hobbies as well as suggestions for more enthusiastic artists.

Want more gift ideas for artists? Check out our guides to the best watercolour paints, best acrylic paints, best gouache paint set and best drawing tablets for beginners.

Read on to discover the best gifts for artists in 2023…

34 gift ideas for artists in 2023

1. Daylight Company art and craft lamp

If you have a bigger budget this year, treat the artist in your life to this fantastic artist's lamp from the Daylight Company. It has been specially designed with artists in mind and has some great features. For example, it comes with two clamps so it can be easily attached to a desk or an easel.

The neck of the lamp bends, so you can position the light exactly where you need it. There are also three different brightness settings to choose from. The lamp is designed to mimic natural light, so it will help you to paint or draw accurately.

This daylight lamp would make a great addition to any art room and can be easily stashed away when not in use.

See our roundup of the best Daylight craft lamps for more.

2. Derwent Inktense metallic paint travel set

Make your artwork truly shine with this beautiful metallic paint set. This would make a wonderful present for a keen watercolour painter who already has an ordinary watercolour paint set.

Derwent has a great reputation for producing high quality art supplies and this set will last a long time with proper care. These shimmering paints come in twelve highly reflective shades and the set even comes with a handy water brush for painting on the go.

This would also be a fun gift for any young artists in your life. They will love adding the sparkling colours to their paintings!

3. Skillshare art classes

Skillshare is a website and app offering a huge range of online courses, including a huge selection of art classes. There are tutorials covering everything from the basics of acrylic painting to illustration and watercolour techniques. Each class is presented by an experienced artist, so you're bound to pick up some great tips!

While Skillshare doesn't offer gift cards at the present time, you could still sign up for a subscription on behalf of someone else and set up a login for them.

• Subscribe to Skillshare

4. Artist at work print

This monochrome print would be a great gift to brighten up a study or an art room. Featuring botanical leaf and flower designs, it has a charming folk art-inspired style. It comes in a range of sizes, so you can choose the right one for your favourite artist.

• Buy the artist at work print from Etsy

5. Eat sleep art sweatshirt

This comfy sweater would make a lovely gift for the artist in your life. It has a chunky black slogan and a soft lining – perfect for relaxation or to wear while you're getting creative. This design comes in a range of sizes for both men and women.

• Buy the eat sleep art sweatshirt from Etsy

6. DIY kintsugi kit

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold lacquer to create something more beautiful than the original. It showcases the object's flaws instead of hiding them away – with stunning results! This kit comes with everything you need to try kintsugi techniques at home.

You can use the kit to repair any broken ceramics you want to fix or you can choose a bowl to mend (available in 12 colours). You can also add on a ceramic heart if you want more materials to practice on.

• Buy the DIY kintsugi kit from Etsy

7. Watercolour biscuit kit

Know someone who likes art and baking? This fun watercolour biscuit kit will allow them to combine both of their passions! It comes with everything you need to create your own artistic biscuits.

• Buy the watercolour biscuit kit from Not On The High Street

8. Cyanotype printing kit

Cyanotype printing is a fun technique which allows you to create beautiful prints using photosensitive paper and your choice of objects (natural items such as leaves and feathers are particularly effective). Use the kit to produce your own vivid blue prints for your home! This would be a great activity to do with children under adult supervision.

If you're going to gift any of these products make sure you check out our how to do furoshiki wrapping and our suminagashi gift wrap tutorial to wrap them up prettily!

• Buy the cyanotype printing kit from Etsy

9. Paint by numbers kit

Paint by numbers isn't just for kids! Using a paint by numbers kit is a great way to create a vibrant piece of artwork for your home. This is a good choice for an aspiring painter to help build their confidence – or for someone who uses painting for relaxation.

We love this bright Amalfi sunset design created by Rhi James, which is just one of a selection of stunning designs by this talented artists. If you get into this fun pastime, take a look at our pick of the best paint by numbers kits for adults.

• Buy the Amalfi Sunset kit from Etsy

10. Premium linocut kit

Do you know someone who is always looking for a new creative hobby to try? This linocut set is ideal for someone who likes to try new things and develop their creative skills. This starter kit comes with everything you need to get into lino printing, including carving tools, lino, ink, a brayer (ink roller) and a step-by-step printing guide.

If you're looking for more lino printing supplies, take a look at our lino printing for beginners guide.

• Buy the premium linocut kit from Etsy

11. Pinafore apron

This stylish pinafore apron made from light linen fabric is comfortable and will protect your clothes from paint. This is available in a range of beautiful colours and would make a great gift for a painter. Child sizes and custom sizes are also available.

• Buy the pinafore apron from Etsy

12. Daler Rowney System 3 screen printing set

Screen printing is an addictive hobby and can be used to print your own designs onto paper and fabric. This excellent screen printing kit contains everything you need to produce your own stunning prints, including a printing screen, inks, a squeegee, screen block and step-by-step instructions to help you get started.

• Buy the Daler Rowney System 3 screen printing set from Cass Art

13. Ultimate Modern Calligraphy set

This modern calligraphy set contains everything you need to master this creative hobby including a dip pen, two nibs, black calligraphy ink, a quick guide to help you get started and access to downloadable worksheets. The worksheets include lots of tips and tutorials to help you get started.

If you're giving this set to a vegan, you can choose a vegan ink option when placing your order.

• Buy the Ultimate Modern Calligraphy set from Not On The High Street

14. Abstract air dry clay kit

Air dry clay can be very therapeutic to work with and it's a great way to get in touch with your creative side, especially if you're new to art. You don't need a kiln to produce your own fabulous clay makes!

This fantastic air dry clay set comes with everything you'll need to make your own abstract art creations, including clay, paints, tools and metallic gilding sheets.

• Buy the Abstract air dry clay set from Not On The High Street

15. Mabef artist's easel

An easel is an incredibly useful gift for any artist, especially those who enjoy drawing and painting. This well-made easel has been constructed from oiled beech wood and is adjustable. This is a wonderful gift for artists who paint.

• Buy the Mabef artist's easel from SSA

16. Three month art box

This is an ideal present for someone who wants to learn how to paint. The lucky recipient will receive a box in the post every month over the three month period. Each box contains four beautiful projects to paint, including all of the materials and instructions they'll need to develop their painting skills.

The kit also includes links to video tutorials to make the whole process really easy.

• Buy the Three month art box from Not On The High Street

Gifts for artists who draw

17. Canvas pencil roll

These canvas pencil rolls are a great way to store your drawing pencils. They have handy pocket holes to secure the pencils and are fastened with a study cord. These pencil rolls are available in a range of sizes – the smallest will store 12 pencils and the largest will hold 72.

• Buy the canvas pencil roll from Etsy

18. You Will Be Able to Draw By the End of This Book by Jake Spicer

This book would be a great gift for an amateur artist who wants to improve their drawing skills. Jake Spicer's book guides you through a series of exercises which become progressively more difficult as you move through the book. Jake is a professional artist and author who shares lots of expert tips to help you become a better sketcher. Each exercise has a helpful estimated completion time so you can choose the ones that fit your schedule. If you're looking for more book recommendations, read our best drawing books guide.

19. One Sketch A Day journal

Make drawing a regular part of your day with this fabulous visual journal. This journal will make you more observant in your daily life and encourages you to record your impressions of the world around you.

• Buy the One Sketch A Day journal from Not On The High Street

20. Coloured pencil holder

Looking for gifts for artists who draw? This wooden coloured pencil holder is a fantastic gift for a keen sketcher. They can set it up so that all of their pencils are on display and easy to find during a drawing session. No more rummaging through a pencil case to find the right pencil! It also contains a small tray where you can store an eraser or a pencil sharpener.

• Buy the coloured pencil holder from Etsy

21. Faber-Castell Polychromos artist pencils gift box

This smart little gift box is an ideal gift for an artist who loves to work with coloured pencils. These lovely pencils blend smoothly to create professional-looking pencil drawings. They're also lightfast so the colours won't fade over time. Any artist would be delighted to receive this high-quality drawing set. Looking for more coloured pencils to buy? Check out our best colouring pencils recommendations.

• Buy the Faber-Castell Polychromos artist pencils gift box from Cass Art

22. Leather sketchbook cover

If you're looking for gifts for artists who draw, this leather sketchbook cover would make a wonderful treat for a special occasion. It's extremely practical for those who like to sketch when they're out and about, with slots for your pens or pencils and little pockets to hold any accessories (or some spending money!).

• Buy the leather sketchbook cover from Etsy

Gifts for painters

23. Paint brush rest

This attractive brush rest is a useful gift for any painter – rest your brushes on it while you're painting to help keep your surfaces clean and tidy. It includes a hole at one end so that it can be used as an incense burner too. These brush rests are available in three gorgeous colours: earth blue, cadmium red or soft white.

• Buy a paint brush rest from Etsy

24. Paint water and not paint water cup set

When you're painting, it's easy to absentmindedly dip your paintbrush into your drink instead of your paint water. We've all done it! Make mix-ups a thing of the past with this funny cup set. This set doesn't have handles, so the no paint water cup is best used for cold drinks.

• Buy the paint water and not paint water cup set from Etsy

25. Ceramic paint brush holder

This beautiful hand-crafted ceramic brush is a great choice if you're looking for gifts for painters. These lovingly crafted pots are a fantastic addition to any art stash and they're bound to be treasured for years to come. These brush holders are available in a selection of colours including sandstone, pacific blue and moss green.

• Buy the ceramic paint brush holder from Etsy

26. Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolour paint set

This Winsor & Newton watercolour set is a great option for an enthusiastic painter who wants to upgrade their materials. Although this isn't professional standard, the quality of the paints is still exceptional. This set also includes a brush, putty rubber and pencil as an added bonus.

If they're looking for something to paint with their new set, show them our best watercolor painting ideas.

27. Devon seascape painting kit

This scenic painting kit is suitable for beginners or someone who wants to develop their painting skills. Artist Victoria Oblensky will teach you how to paint your own Devon beach seascape at home. This painting kit contains the materials you need to create your own landscape painting, step-by-step instructions and access to a video tutorial. If this kit isn't for you check out our best Bob Ross painting kits.

• Buy the Devon seascape painting kit from Etsy

28. Wooden paint brush holder

This wooden paint brush holder is both durable and beautifully crafted. It has slots to hold your paint brushes so they are ready whenever you need them. It can also be personalised with a name or a special message for your loved one.

• Buy the wooden paint brush holder from Etsy

29. Leather paint brush roll

Protect paint brushes by wrapping them up in a handmade leather brush roll. This is very useful for anyone who needs to travel with their brushes, or enjoys keeping their art materials in good order. These brush rolls can also be personalised for the recipient to make this an even more thoughtful gift.

• Buy the leather paint brush roll from Etsy

30. Winsor and Newton professional watercolour bamboo box

Winsor and Newton are known for their high quality paints and this set from SAA is no exception. The paints are presented in a sleek bamboo case and the set includes brushes, paper and other useful accessories.

• Buy the Winsor and Newton professional watercolour bamboo box from SAA

Gifts for young artists

31. Faber Castell Connector Pen suitcase

If you're looking for art gifts for kids then this set from Faber Castell is a fun option. It includes 40 high quality Connector pens, 6 Connector clips (these can be used to clip the pens together to make pen structures!) and a little passport filled with art tips and techniques. It comes in a cute metal suitcase tin to keep everything together.

32. Block printing for kids set

This Essdee block printing set is a great way to introduce children to printing without using any sharp tools. They'll enjoy pressing their designs into the foam blocks and using the roller to make their first printed designs!

• Buy the Essdee block printing for kids set from Cass Art

33. Faber Castell colouring pencils

This set contains 60 colouring pencils in an impressive array of shades, including neon and metallic pencils. Children can use these pencils to colour in colouring books or create their own multicoloured drawings.

34. Daler Rowney Simply Complete art set

This set contains everything a budding artist could possibly wish for! There's everything from acrylic paints to watercolours and oil pastels – it even includes a canvas and easel. Daler Rowney is known for producing excellent quality supplies for artists and this set is fantastic value for money because it comes with so many items. This art set is suitable for a new artist or a very creative child.

• Buy the Daler Rowney Simply Complete art set from Cass Art

Choosing the best gifts for artists

When it comes to choosing art gifts, it's always a good idea to keep the person you're buying for in mind. People who are new to art will have different needs to more experienced artists and may still be trying to figure out what they enjoy. If you're buying for a beginner, give them the opportunity to try something new and discover their artistic passions.

An art gift can also be a fantastic way to encourage children to pursue a creative hobby, whether you give them a fun art kit or a set of pens in rainbow shades.

Enthusiastic artists may already have all of the art materials they need, but would appreciate a new easel or a stylish paint pot for their art space. Alternatively, they may like to upgrade their existing supplies or try out an online course.

What ever you chose, you're bound to find a special treat for the artist in your life!

Transform your painting style with an easel

If you spend a lot of time on your art, you may find that you get a sore back from hunching over a table. An easel can transform the way you paint and make longer painting sessions much more comfortable.

Many easels are designed to be portable, so you can head outdoors and enjoy painting in the fresh air too! Discover the right easel for you with our pick of the best art easels.