Shopping for an artist? Pro artist Amy Shulke offers tips and gift ideas, the best art supplies she’s tried this year. | VanillaArts.com | Christmas presents and birthday gifts for artists, coloring, sketching, and drawing.
 
 

Best of the Year!

We’re here to provide no-nonsense, practical yet wonderful gift ideas which won’t gather dust in someone’s studio.

Amy shares the best art supplies of 2023

Perfect for artists who draw, sketch, color, or watercolor.

 

BEST GIFTS FOR ARTISTS AND ART STUDENTS

We’ve published artist gift guides every year since 2017. On this page, we’ve combined 16 previous lists into one master list. All links are current as of October 2022— we annually update links and remove discontinued products.

Shopping for an artist? Pro artist Amy Shulke offers tips and gift ideas, the best art supplies she’s tried this year. | VanillaArts.com | Christmas presents and birthday gifts for artists, coloring, sketching, and drawing.
 

Gifts for Copic Marker Fans

I always tell family members, the thing your marker artist wants most:

More Copic Markers!

Copic Markers come in 358 colors. All 358 markers need 358 refills. Your artist will spend years building a collection.

But you don’t know which colors they need or want.

Play it safe. Get a gift certificate.

Violeta-Ink.com is my favorite online resource for Copic Markers and refills. They have great customer service and prompt shipping.

Or purchase an Amazon Gift card which can be used at DickBlick.com. Blick is my 2nd favorite marker retailer, a great art store with a long established history.

 

All links are to Amazon unless otherwise indicated.

Gifts for Copic Marker Artists & Students

X-Press It Blending Card

X-P-I Blending Card is highly recommended for all students, especially beginners. Ink stays wet on the surface of X-P-I paper longer than other cardstocks. Extra wet-time allows for better blending.

Sketching Pens and Paper

After much testing, my top notebook so far is this one from Stillman and Birn. Try pairing this with these Copic multiliners. Most fine pen brands are NOT safe for use with alcohol markers so these Copic-safe pens are an important tool. They come in a variety of colors, as well as some fun sets. The most popular sizes are 0.5mm and 0.3mm.

Marker-Friendly Journals

Until they make a journal with one of the cardstocks listed before, I won’t be fully satisfied with any marker journal. The Canson Journal is pretty good. It doesn’t blend as well as X-Press It but they’re better than the average journals with thin, easy-to-bleed paper.

Stonehenge Kraft Paper

Stonehenge Kraft is great for drawing and colored pencils, also works great with Copic & colored pencil projects. You can view my Marker Painting classes on Kraft Paper here.

 

Copic Multiliner SP

Copic colorers use fine line pens on many projects. Copic SP Multiliners are refillable with replaceable nibs. Long term, the SP pen is a better value than the disposable Multiliners. If you want a less expensive alternative I would recommend these disposable Multiliners.

Lavender Multiliners

Here’s something your special person may not own - Copic Multiliner Lavender. Lavender is a big deal. The set of four is a great value but honestly, they’ll use the 0.5 or the slightly thinner 0.3 more than the others. Stick them in a stocking or wrap 'em as a standalone gift.

Copic N Gray set

Colorers tend to purchase pretty colors first. The Neutral gray markers can save money because you can use a gray UNDERNEATH another color to darken it. One gray marker can help replicate many colors your artist may be missing. The Sketching Grays set is a great starter assortment.

Copic Gasenfude

Here’s another pen your Copic lover may not have. And if they draw, they will absolutely love this one. The Copic Gasenfude (gas-en-foo-day) is a dense black pen with a very responsive brush nib. They're fun to play with and essential for creating modern calligraphy writing.

 

Colorful Technical Pen Set

Because Copic Markers are large, we often switch to small fineline pens for tiny details. Staedtler Triplus are hands-down my favorite COPIC SAFE detail pens. Most of my students already have the 20 color set, but for just a little extra money, you can upgrade them to a larger set.

Tombow Mini-Markers

Tombow has a line of Copic compatible thin markers which fit in between giant Copics and tiny fineline pens. These Mini-Markers are great for filling small areas with precision. Because they’re cheaper than Copics, they can supplement a growing collection.

OLO Dual-Tip Markers

Art markers have always been expensive, and sadly most are a waste of money. OLO however, is an intelligent artist grade marker! They’re refillable and their 2-part design allows for customization. I recommend a small set to give your artist a taste of OLO. Even if they’re not a marker artist, everyone needs a few colorful markers.

Opaque Paint Pens

Alcohol markers have one major drawback— they’re transparent which makes it hard to hide mistakes or add last minute details. I’ve been teaching techniques for years with a tint-able white paint pen, now we finally have a selection of brush pens in a wide array of colors. There is also a set of fine-tipped pens for smaller details.

 

Unusual White Markers

Copic comes in 358 colors but none of them are white. The White Uniball Signo is required for my classes, but I’d like to recommend the Faber Castell White Pen, the White POSCA Paint Marker, and the Kuretake ZIG White Brush Pen. Frankly, I like these BETTER than the common ball point pens favored by hobby colorers. And of course, a really cool storage bag.

Metallic Pens

Copics are beautiful but they don't make white or metallics. The Uniball Signo white is part of the required kit for my classes, and the silver and gold are basically liquid metal. If you’re already buying the Kuretake White pen, why not tack on the gold and silver version! Another great metallic pen is the Faber Castell felt tip pen, which is also available in copper.

Digital Pocket Scale

I recommend refilling your Copics by weight rather than guessing. This is my favorite Digital Scale which insures the correct weight for your Markers. It’s portable, lightweight and very affordable!! Read more: Refill Your Markers for better blending and The Secret to Smoother Blending.

Copic Marker Care & Refill Kit

Are you ready to assemble the best Copic gift ever? Let’s make a Copic Care Kit with all the tools they need to keep Copics in tip-top condition: a set of Copic Replacement Super Brush Nibs, as well as a set of Copic Replacement Medium Broad Nibs. They’ll also need a Copic Nib Changing Tool, and Copic Safety Tweezers to keep from damaging their fresh marker tips.

 

Copic Colorless Solvent

This is not a romantic Valentine's Day gift, but every Copic fan would love a full size bottle of Copic Colorless Blender. And while I'm at it, my favorite way to use Blending Solution is with a Ranger Detail Nib Water Brush. Put both items together in a pretty little bag and you've made a nice little gift.

Economy Pens, Luxury Feel

I’m a big fan of Copic Multiliners but I have a tendency to leave pens laying on coffee house tables and park benches. It hurts to lose a $12 pen! These fineline pens are Copic safe, dense black, and feel good in the hand.

The Copic Wallet

There are lots of wallet and bag options but I think the Copic Wallet is ideal for suitcase travel. The Copic version stands up nicely and keeps the caps easily visible for quick color grabbing. They come in several sizes but the 36 version will hold a good selection for the road.

Copic Marker Storage Bag

Most artists buy Copic Markers in small sets or single colors which means storage quickly becomes a problem. For beginners, full storage is bulky and the excess storage holes can make a very nice collection seem inadequate. I recommend smaller storage bags such as this sturdy 120 slot Copic Marker Storage Bag they’ll use for years to come.

 

Copic Ink Storage

Ikea’s Raskog cart is perfect for the studio or craft room. They hold more than you expect and are super sturdy. For refill inserts, I highly recommend Our Gray Barn at Etsy. I’m showing the refill insert here but they also make inserts for each style of Copic Marker.

The Hex Chart

Sandy Allnock's Hex Chart is an essential tool that every Copic colorer should own. It’s not an inventory list, instead, this chart shows the relationship between Copic colors and maps blending combinations and substitutions. Purchase & download at SandyAllnock.com.

Amazing Color Palette Advice

Free videos and even standard online classes teach students to rely on recommended color-blending combinations. As a result, even advanced students often have difficulty picking color palettes for projects. Sarah Renae Clarke has created a wonderful digital resource called the Color Catalog. There are currently 2 editions with a special Copic adaptation coming soon.

Inspiring Copic Marker Tutorials

Beginner Copic artists tend to all visit the same websites, this leads to coloring that looks the same as everyone else’s. Encourage some out of the box thinking with this excellent book. It’s not the same ol’ blending combination technique and could open their minds to the world of artistry and creativity they’re currently missing.

 

The Color Cube

Some artists have a knack for choosing colors that work well together. It’s easy for them. But what about everyone else? The Color Cube by Sarah Renae Clarke makes color selection easy and fun! With 250 color palettes as handy cards to help build your confidence in choosing colors that look good.

Mini 3-D Color wheel

I teach color theory classes and while color wheels are pretty, they’re just not practical. This Kolormondo mini globe on the otherhand— I almost cried when I saw it. First, it’s not expensive. Second, it looks great sitting on a desk. And third, it’s incredibly helpful to hold a dimensional model of desaturation, a concept which is always confusing to beginners but also some pros. Also available on Amazon.

 
 
 

Gifts for Colored Pencil Fans

Mid Tone Paper

When people think paper, everyone thinks white. Mid-tone paper is a great alternative to white and it's perfect training for the brain.Give them a pack of great paper in beautiful mid tones. Stonehenge paper is one of my absolute favorites and the pearl grey colored paper is to-die-for. Please bury me with a pad of Pearl. I love it, love it, love it!!!

Quality Hot Press Paper

When students ask for colored pencil paper suggestions, I always recommend this paper. Fabriano Artistico is amazing for pencil. Yes, I know it’s watercolor paper, trust me, it works. Make sure it's HOT PRESS! "Cold Press" and "Rough" are too bumpy for use with colored pencils. I recommend 140 lb. paper for colored pencils. 300 lb. paper is overkill for a colored pencil.

Great Journals

Every artist loves a good journal but colored pencil people are a wee bit picky. The paper can’t be too rough or too smooth. I really like the Stillman and Birn series of journals. Nice heavy paper and they come in your choice of hard or soft cover, spiral bound or book bound. I love the Beta and Delta versions (look at the top of the label to see which Greek letter it carries).

Prismacolor Premier Pencils

Go look at what colored pencil brand your artist is using. Prismacolor Premier? Caran d'Ache Luminance? Faber-Castell Polychromos? Holbein? If you see any other brand, do them a favor and upgrade them to artist quality pencils. I recommend Prismacolor Premiers for beginners and intermediates. More info here.

 

Luminance Starter Set

This idea is only for intermediate to advanced pencil artists. Luminance pencils are a high quality artist grade pencil and my preferred brand for professional applications. Pricey but worth every penny in my estimation but the price should be taken into consideration. It's probably unwise to invest in a set of these pencils if your recipient is only using them for coloring books.

Archival Colored Pencils

Derwent is known for high quality art supplies so I was very interested when they introduced a line of lightfast pencils. And wow, several of these pencils have worked their way into my other collections, replacing colors I love with a Lightfast version of the same color. They’re available in sets and open stock.

Blackwing Volumes Pencils

Blackwing pencils are a treat for any artist. This is a true drawing pencil designed for people who take graphite drawings seriously. Their limited edition sets are clever. This is copper, my favorite metal but I also received a Beatles set for my birthday with lyrics on each pencil. While you’re at it grab this spinning pencil caddy so your artist can keep them within arms reach!

Cretacolor Sketching Set

I’m not usually a fan of assorted kits but the Urban Sketching Set is an exception. I don’t have this set but I own and use every pen and pencil in it. The Sanguine is my favorite oil pencil for gesture drawing. Every artist needs a drawer of useful pencils, and this set is a good sample of Cretacolor’s best products.

 

White Drawing Pencil

This Chinese White Drawing Pencil is a potent and practically opaque white. The white pencils in other sets are notoriously bad and all pencil artists supplement with other brands of white. Like all good artist grade pencils, this is totally compatible with other brands. Great as a stand alone gift or but honestly, I buy these by the dozen!

Ferris Wheel Press Fountain Pens and Inks

Ink is where sketchers get to play with color and there’s no better brand with better colors than Ferris Wheel Press. If we’re talking gifts, they’re simply amazing. FWP’s packaging is jaw-drop beautiful. Every box and bottle is its own little work of art. They come in large bottles as well as sample sets with three inks per theme. I’ll link to their basic fountain pen as well. I recommend the F (fine) nib.

Colored Pencil Case

Art pencils are fragile. Dropped, bumped, and abused pencils can not be properly sharpened. Colored pencil wallets protect them from damage. What you spend on a wallet will save your pencil lover double that cost over the long term. I own seven of these in faux leather and canvas several are more than a decade old. They’re durable, sturdy, and protective.

Artist Drawers

These shallow drawers are ideal for a large collection of pencils— if your artist has the space. Drawers are much better than stacks of zipper cases or manufacturer's boxes and the avalanche that happens when reaching for one. Best part: each drawer is fully removable. Pull out only the drawers needed for any project.

 

Best Pencil Sharpener Ever!

Artists are picky about sharpeners. For years, I’ve recommended the Kum 2 Step for graphite but especially colored pencils. It’s a great sharpener… but it’s a TWO step sharpener. This Blackwing sharpener creates the same point in ONE step. It sounds silly but removing one step reduces the chances of breakage and it’s so much faster!

Kum 2 Step Sharpener

Even though it’s no longer my #1, I still truly love this pencil sharpener. A super sharp point is essential to precision coloring. This long point sharpener is a two stage process. Blade #1 removes wood, blade #2 sharpens the lead. Extra blades are included so this sharpener will last a long time. Still a great and affordable sharpener!

Electric Pencil Sharpener

If there’s one thing all pencil people need (besides pencils) it’s a high quality pencil sharpener. The sharpener that I use far more than any other is a heavy duty sharpener which accepts all my pencils from fat to super slim. It gives a wonderfully long point and there’s a stop guard to prevent over-sharpening (which wastes pencil lead).

Pencil Caps

To go with the Pencil Extenders, here's a set of Pencil Caps. Yes, caps for pencils. I have both the plastic and aluminum type of caps. The only reason to justify spending more on aluminum variety is that they're adjustable and will fit larger diameter pencils. The plastic variety fit Prismacolor pencils quite nicely. By the way, I also have that sharpener. It’s not very good.

 

Pencil Extenders

The entire length of a colored pencil is usable but once a pencil is down to 3 inches, it’s hard to control and painful to the hands. Pencil Extenders add length to pencil stubs, restoring control and preventing sore fingers. Plus they save money by helping you milk every last drop of use from every pencil. Buy a set rather than a single extender because we tend to have several short pencils all at once.

Ceramic Blade

Like other pencil artists, I use a sgraffito (scraping) technique to make fine, detailed lines. Blades are also good for scraping off color for mistake correction. So the Slice tool is now my best friend. It has a tiny point, which makes it perfect for pencil work (we never use the whole blade). Because it’s ceramic, it cuts when you want it to but you won’t poke a hole in your hand if you reach for it wrong.

Assorted Erasers

Erasers aren’t glamorous but every pencil lover's ears perk up when someone mentions a new brand of eraser. Let’s make them an eraser kit, here’s what to include: White Plastic Eraser and this black 18 Eraser. Then this tiny pen style eraser and finally some Poster Putty (yes, this is used as an eraser, read more here). Zipper pouch shown is discontinued.

SumoGrip Electric Eraser

Electric or battery powered erasers combine the gentleness of a non-abrasive white eraser with spinning action for more complete erasure. The SumoGrip cordless eraser is a more expensive model but with a more ergonomic handle and quiet motor I find that it’s well worth the cost. Comes with several replacement erasers AND extra collets. Refill packs also available.

 

Fixative and Sealant

If one more student asks which brand of hairspray to use on colored pencil… Argh! Pencil projects should be sealed with fixative, not hairspray to prevent light damage and oxidization. I use two types: if I'm going to set the work aside for a days, I spray with a light coat of Workable Fixative. It's a temporary coating. At the end, my art receives 2 to 3 coats of Lascaux Fixativ sealant. Both are matte, non yellowing, and Lascaux is archival.

Not Yo’ Mamma’s Vacuum

Because I work with pencils, I always have a fine layer of pencil dust, shavings, and little bits of eraser rubbings over everything. I do have a drafting brush but honestly, it just moves the debris from my desk to the floor where I then track it around. So I went shopping for a mini vacuum. This one has a brush attachment, perfect for loosening pencil dust from corners and crevices.

Small Dusting Brushes

Colored pencils shed a small amount of colorful dust as we color. Sadly, a lot of projects are damaged by trying to brush away pencil debris with the side of a hand. Hake brushes (ha-kay) are soft and fit nicely into the hand. They're perfect for dusting off projects cleanly without transferring color. For on the go, this Mod Podge brush is super compact and just as soft.

The Ultimate Guide to Colored Pencil

For beginners, I really like Gary Greene's Ultimate Guide to Colored Pencil. Greene breaks down stroke techniques and with clear instructions.. If your pencil artist has moved from coloring books to digital stamps, I'd recommend this book as a great introduction to more advanced coloring.

 

Colored Pencil Painting Bible

I'm often torn about art books. The useful books are usually dry technique descriptions with poor quality photos. Meanwhile beautiful books are skimp on the process details. The Colored Pencil Painting Bible straddles both worlds. If your artist wants to drool, this is a feast for the eyes. If they want to learn, there’s plenty of written process detail here.

Essential Magazine Subscriptions

Magazines are important. They inspire and instruct in bite sized chunks rather than long chapters. Even the ads are useful because they don’t run art supply ads on TV and I don’t see them online much either. Colored Pencil Magazine is my favorite. I drool and redrool over the artwork within. Color Magazine is also excellent. A subscription to both will make your colored pencil person smile. 

 
 
 

Gifts for Watercolorists

Round Travel Brush

Every artist has a favorite brush style but for all around painting, you can’t beat the versatile round, especially with a sharp point. This travel brush in a size 8 is big enough to cover wider spaces but pointed enough for details. You’ll get added bonus points because this brush is from a brand your artist has long wanted to try.

Black Velvet Brushes

Here's my suggestion for a mid-grade set. I teach with Black Velvet brushes. They're not kolinsky but they sure come close! These brushes feel great in the hand, they're not too long nor too short. Most importantly, they’re super durable! This is a good assortment of useful sizes. The 12 for backgrounds, the 8 for general duty, and the 4 for detail. 

Travel Brushes & Paint

This is the mid-price brand I recommend to students but in a fun travel version of their larger brushes. It’s pricey but I do give you a range of gifts on this list.

If you want something relatively inexpensive to go with the brushes, Colorsheets are vibrant color that’s easy to pack and they’re quick to dry in the field.

Brush Box

When you see an artist's studio in the movies, they show jars stuffed to the gills with paintbrushes. But in real life, artists protect unused brushes in drawers or boxes. This plastic brush box is my favorite for studio use and for travel due to the foam spacers which allow bristles to dry without being squished or flattened. Brushes are expensive, help your artist protect their investments!

 

Ceramic Palette

For a studio, you can’t beat the feel and durability of a ceramic palette. Most palettes are plastic which works find but mixing paint on ceramic is such an “aahhhhh” feeling. This heavy duty white palette was made to stand the test of time and I love the plastic dust-cover for keeping my paints clean between uses.

Travel Palette

If your artist takes watercolor classes, they’ll want something bigger than the tiny palette but smaller than the ceramic palettes I’ve suggested. This sturdy plastic palette is perfect for car travel thanks to the air-tight/water-tight seal on the lid. Your artist can toss it on the car seat without fear of paint leaking out. I have several and even use them in the studio!

Tiny Travel Palette

Tiny tools make the cutest gifts and despite the size, this palette will be one of your artist’s favorite travel tools. These palettes are world renowned for being top-of-the-line. They're enamel coated and the magnetic pans are removable. Yes, an empty palette sounds strange to non-painters but your artist will be thrilled to fill it with their favorite colors!

Mini Palette

I’ll be honest, I bought this miniature pallete on a whim when it was still on Kickstarter but I’ve carried it everywhere since then. Beautifully designed, incredible quality, oh so useful! Your artist will love it. And if they already have one, they’ll happily fill the second palette with more colors. Plus it has a llama on it. Seriously. Get it.

 

Quality Paint Sets

Look, I know some of you really want to buy paint for your artists, but bad watercolor paint makes us sad, and for a student could make learning harder. If you really want to buy your artist a nice set, look to Daniel Smith. They know how to make well rounded sets good for florals or landscapes, as well as balanced water tone and earth tone sets all at a reasonable price.

M.Graham Watercolor Tubes

If I had to choose one brand of paint only, it would be M.Graham. It has a silky feel from the tube and rehydrates extremely well. If they already have this set or just like to experiment, I’d recommend the Quinacridone set for beautiful reds and golds, or the Cobalt Mix for stunning cool tones.

QoR Watercolors

If you’re looking for an introductory set for your artist, I can highly recommend the QoR set of 12. QoR is synthetic and formulated to be both vibrant and easy, and this set gives you a good range of color choices for a reasonable price.

Metallic Watercolor

I’ve tried several metallic watercolors and the FineTec set are the best, by a longshot. These colors are highly pigmented and true to color. This is artist grade metallic watercolor. There are other colors available, but I think this is the best starter version. Bonus, add in this black watercolor paper which lets the metallics really shine!

 

Daniel Smith Paint Samples

Watercolor is expensive, and the average artist can use 20+ colors, so it adds up fast. Watercolor dots are a small squish of real paint which can be rehydrated for use… and a dot goes a long way! A dot collection is like inviting your artist to a buffet; they can try a little bit of everything. The little quotes on this set make a very sweet gift.

Etchr Watercolor Journal

You’re talking to Miss Picky-Picky now. I’ll use colored pencil in a lot of journals, but I’m less forgiving about watercolor journals. I’m so picky that I used to make my own journals. I really like the Etchr journals, maybe not the cover but the paper is great. Before you investigate further: good watercolor journals are not cheap. Quality watercolor paper is expensive, and some journals are luxury purchases.

Etcher Accordion Journal

Everything you love about the Etcher Journal, but now in accordion form. How cool is that! The accordion style can either be used like a regular sketchbook, or you can unfold the pages completely for one continuous drawing. This journal comes in two sizes, both are perfect for travel. And now your artist can capture that beautiful landscape without running off the page!

Aquaboard

Chances are, your watercolor lover paints on paper. Because it's watercolor and watercolor only sticks to paper, right? Wrong. Ampersand Aquabord is quickly becoming one of my favorite surfaces to paint on. It's particle board that has been given a magical coating which absorbs watercolor quite nicely. The colors stay slightly more vibrant on Aquabord, plus the hard backing means absolutely no buckling or warping. Ever.

 

Drawing Pencils

Okay, let me apologize to all my students. I’ve banned these pencils from my COLORED PENCIL classes, but I use them all the time in watercolor. I don’t like using with graphite on watercolor paper. It’s gray, it smudges, and you can see the lines under the paint. Col-Erase pencils are actually pretty good drawing pencils. They don’t smear and they erase (kinda). If you choose the right color, you don’t have to erase; they just blend right in!

Watercolor Pencils

More and more colored pencil artists are mixing media, meaning they add marker or watercolor to their pencil projects. Caran D'ache Museum Aquarelle Pencil Set is my favorite brand of watercolor pencils. They’re easy to use and melt better than any other brand I’ve tried. This set is well worth the price, but if you’re looking for something less expensive here is a slightly smaller set.

Water Soluble Pencils

If your artist likes to draw or paint in art journals, especially outdoors or when travelling, they’ll be thrilled with a set of water soluble pencils. These are firm enough for sketching and with a simple waterbrush, they can activate their lines, turning them into beautiful and generously pigmented watercolor. These pencils come in a tin which isn’t terribly convenient on location. I’ve included a pencil case in a matching size.

Watermedia

Inktense are misunderstood They’re not watercolor, they’re ink that acts like watercolor. The cool thing about Inktense is that once it dries, it won’t re-melt or lift. That’s a nice feature in watercolor where we often layer and layer and layer. Your artist person will also like Graphitint pencils. Again, they’re not watercolor. These are neutral colors of water-soluable graphite. You sketch and then melt with water. A really cool product!

 

Waterproof Ink

I enjoy laying down an illustration in pen and ink before I add watercolor. For this I use the Lamy Safari Pen with a converter cartridge inside so that I can customize the ink I use. Black ink is fine, but Noodler's Lexington Gray is my go-to for general sketches, and when I need a softer outline I switch to Noodler's La Reine Mauve. I recommend shopping around for two different colors of pen for either colored ink, eliminating "awww, darn it!" moments.

Tiny Wash Bucket

This travel water bucket has travelled across the country with me. It seals tight with a rubber gasket and two clips allowing me to take rinse water to the park or even to the backyard. It never leaks, is super fast to dry, and the stainless steel never stains. I was skeptical because of the low price but man, for an economy tool, this is worth it’s weight in gold!

Ruling Pen

So here's one of those old-school tools that artists still use today. A Ruling Pen is how we make super straight lines using watercolor paint. You dip the Ruling Pen into a puddle of watercolor paint and the paint is held in the space between the two blades. If you want to adjust the line width just twist the screw. From there on out, the pen works exactly like the quill pens that Thomas Jefferson once used. Dip and draw, dip and draw, dip and draw.

Artist’s Bridge

There's nothing worse than dragging your arm though wet paint but with watercolor, it's especially tragic. Some smears you can never fix. That's why I use an artists bridge, it keeps my arms elevated above the project and my wrists off the paper. I also recommend bridges for Copic and colored pencil artists as a way to prevent students from pressing too hard. A universal tool!

 

Magazine Subscription

This magazine is my choice for watercolor magazines, it's the only subscription I never bat an eye over renewing. You can't beat regular delivery of bite sized bits of technique, inspiration, and advertisements. Yes, advertisements are useful. You won't see ads for new art supplies on television- the only way to find out that some new products exist is to see them in magazines.

 
 
 
 

Storage solutions for every artist

Archival Storage Box

Copic ink is NOT lightfast. Your Copic fan needs a safe Storage Box to keep all their finished artwork. Plus, to be honest, we tend to doodle a lot. Your person will appreciate having a storage place other than the cork board, the walls, on the desk, in the desk, and all over the floor. I’d give them two boxes, one for the keepers and one for the mediocres.

Portfolio Book

Copic inks are not archival. Copic and colored pencil art needs protection from dirt, damage, and the fading effects of light. I love the Itoya portfolio books. It's easy to slide projects into the open-ended sleeves. Sure, they could use an office folder but a book adds a sense of value and importance.

Artist’s Travel Pouch

The inventor of this case is a serious Copic fan who loves to sketch and color. He designed this leather pouch to be useful for Copics and many other drawing tools. Pencils slide into loops on the outside leaving room for Copics to fit inside. This is something every artist will use for years in a variety of ways. Add this marker-friendly journal to make a lovely gift.

Desktop Carousel

The Storage Desktop Carousel is sold in Michaels craft stores as an off the shelf purchase. At 14" around it does require some desk space but it holds a ton of stuff!! Vanilla School. manager Lisa recommends having one for Copic and supplies with the other for colored pencils and accessories.

 

Travel Tote

The Everything Mary Deluxe Papercraft Organizer lasts forever. I purchased mine in 2016 and it still looks new. The handles are long enough to clear anything stored inside, it never tips, and has organizer pockets for every sized object. This bag is popular for a reason!

Best Re-Inker Storage

Many of my classes and courses use Distress Ink Pads and we use bottles of refill ink to keep the pads nice and juicy. But there are over 60 colors and the matching storage containers only hold 12 bottles… which is why I love this sturdy plastic box which holds 77 bottles! It feels great to have all my colors in one spot, they’ll never tip or leak, and they’re foam cushioned for travel (or when I inevitably drop the box).

Hard Sided Supply Tote

Most artists and crafters have a soft sided bag for travelling with supplies, but around the house I’ve found that I really prefer a hard sided tote. I have 3 of these and I use each to hold materials for my current project. I prefer this one because it’s deep and the spaces are more versatile. More sections usually means less flexibility.

Ikea Storage Units

Ikea has come to Amazon which is pretty darned cool because you can ship the super heavy boxes directly to your artist rather than lugging them to the Christmas party. We all love the Raskog Cart, but the Helmer drawers (shown right) are also amazingly sturdy. I also love my Alex units (shown left) for large flat project storage but I’ve had to reinforce the drawers with this kit.

 

Miscellaneous Art Supplies

Best Mechanical Pencil

I’ve been a longtime fan of the Pentel Twist Erase mechanical pencil. By longtime, I mean decades! This year, I stumbled across the amazing Kuru Toga pencil which feels great in the hand and rotates the lead as you use it. The rotation is key, the lead keeps a point rather than wearing a dull angle, making for incredibly consistent lines. Refills can be bought here.

Sketching in Color

Since I was on a pencil kick, I tried the colored lead frequently sold with my new rotating mechanical pencil. Little did I know how much fun sketching in Mint or Lavender would be! And yes, I bought more rotating mechanical pencils, in matching colors to the leads, so I didn’t have to switch out the colors constantly. I may have an addiction… but it’s a fun one.

Kuretake Fude Pens

Fude (foo-day) means “bend” and that’s what this nib does. With varying pressure you can achieve any line thickness, it’s like calligraphy but for those who draw. If your artist is an illustrator, comic artist, marker artist, or urban sketcher, they will love this gift. This pen is mostly safe for use with Copic Markers but test to be sure. Some paper can allow minor smearing.

Hand Warmer

I guarantee this item will not be on any other art list but it’s my most-used find of the year. This is a rechargeable handwarmer, it’s palm sized and incredibly comforting. I have two and one is always in my pocket, even in the summer. Hand stress is real and it’s more common than you’d think. I love it. Please bury me with one. Your artist friend will appreciate it too.

 

Cork Backed Ruler

If I could be Santa and leave one present in the studio of all my students, it would be a cork backed ruler. For artists who use pens, markers, or ink in general, a cork backed ruler is essential. The cork elevates the ruler to prevent ink from bleeding under and leaving smear marks when you move it. I’d recommend both a 6 inch and a 12 inch.

Best Artist’s Tape

For years, I’ve put drafting tape on all my class supply lists. I use it daily. I even have a special weighted dispenser for it. But then my family wanders into the studio and my expensive drafting tape looks exactly like masking tape, so they end up using several dollars worth and complain when it’s not sticky enough. Uh, it’s not masking tape. It’s low-adhesive on purpose. This year I found green drafting tape and now everyone knows not to touch it.

Colorful Novelties

If all you know is that your special person “is an artist” but you don’t know exactly what they do… (no shame in that)… try an art themed gift instead of blowing a home run buying the wrong art supply. An artist can always use zipper bags, cases, and tote bags. We’re always looking for things to put our things in. This vintage color wheel line of products are guaranteed to make your artist smile.

Pantone Postcards

The Pantone Postcard Challenge is trendy with younger artists. Every postcard presents a new color challenge to the artist. They draw and paint over the color square, choosing a theme to highlight the featured color. It’s harder than you think! Add a bottle of this special gesso— they’ll need to prepare the postcard before painting.

 

Slanted Coloring Board

I’ve seen notable improvements in the quality of student work when they move from a flat table or desk to a slanted surface. I love this portable slanted board and the surface is easy to clean with rubbing alcohol. It’s magnetic, so I’ve added a link for handy magnets to keep projects from sliding.

Wooden Sphere Easel

I love my sphere easel. I use it for watercolor and colored pencil projects, but especially watercolor. The reason I went with a sphere easel over a standard easel is the range of adjustments possible on a sphere. I usually work with just a tiny tilt to my project, and this allows infinite micro adjustments. This is a hidden gem in the art world, and you'll get extra street cred by gifting someone with something new and incredibly useful!

Best Light-board

I use a light-board to trace my messy sketches onto clean paper for finalized ink drawings. My students use light-boards to trace line art onto art paper which is too thick to feed through their printer. Light pads are a useful tool, especially the modern thin ones. The new model is cordless! Now I can plug it in overnight when I’m not using it. It’s the same lightweight, super smooth board, just cord free!

Glass Mat

If your artist is a papercrafter of any kind, or works with wet stuff like paint, ink, or sticky mediums, they will all appreciate a glass mat. It’s not a cutting board, it’s for working with anything wet. It can be a paint palette, an ink smoosher, or just an easy-clean work surface. Shown here is the Tim Holtz original size mat, but it’s pretty big, so read the size before you buy. Here’s the travel version with a padded bag. Here’s the We R Memory Keeper’s version which is square.

 
 
Shopping for an artist? Pro artist Amy Shulke offers tips and gift ideas, the best art supplies she’s tried this year. | VanillaArts.com | Christmas presents and birthday gifts for artists, coloring, sketching, and drawing.
Shopping for an artist? Pro artist Amy Shulke offers tips and gift ideas, the best art supplies she’s tried this year. | VanillaArts.com | Christmas presents and birthday gifts for artists, coloring, sketching, and drawing.