5 Creative Gifts Artists Will Treasure

Artists and designers have great taste and passionate opinions — wonderful traits that make them intimidating to buy gifts for. 

The good news is your artistic loved one is probably one of the easiest people on your list to please. Why? Because they appreciate creativity more than brand names or price tags. 

Gift Ideas for Artists That Are Sure to Delight

A good rule of thumb when buying gifts for artists is to give them something meaningful, but don’t overthink it. A dose of inspiration or an item with a handmade touch will surely make them feel seen and loved. 

To help you get started, we came up with five gift ideas for the highly creative people in your life.

Subscribe them to a creative journal or magazine

Does your friend love to knit? Gift them a subscription to a fiber arts magazine. Is your cousin a photographer? She’d probably love getting monthly motivation from a photography journal. Whatever their artistic medium, there’s an online or print publication that caters to their passion. 

And if a subscription is out of your price range, check to see if you can buy a couple back issues. Previous issues are just as valuable a resource, especially when they’re hard to find!

Give them a tarot deck for daily inspiration

Tarot has become a popular, mainstream tool for self reflection. And artists love to use it to stimulate their creative process with fresh words, images, and insights.

There are countless versions of tarot cards out there, from custom, limited-edition artist prints to mass-produced decks you can buy at a novelty store. The key is to find one that with a theme that speaks to your creative loved one. 

Do they love Greek mythology? Find one that features the ancient gods. Obsessed with impressionism? Look for a Monet-themed deck.

 Get sentimental with a DIY roll case

A timeless gift for painters, illustrators, and other visual artists is a roll case, or artist’s roll, to hold their pens and brushes. These handy organizers make it easy to paint on the go and also protect art supplies from wear and tear.

There are many tutorials and patterns available online showing you how to make an artist’s roll out of fabric, canvas, or (faux) leather. Or you can purchase a plain roll case and personalize it with patches, embroidery, paint — anything goes!

Thrill them with a local museum membership.

Just like a magazine subscription, a museum membership gives artists access to inspiration again and again. It’s the perfect gift for the artist who’s always learning, and for the artist who feels guilty treating themselves to the price of admission.

Check out the museums in your area, including the niche and unique options. If your loved one already has an art museum membership, a natural history museum, sculpture garden, insectarium, or fashion archives might pique their curiosity and satisfy their offbeat interests.

Give them creative freedom with Viviva Colorsheets.

Viviva Colorsheets are not just for watercolor artists. Painters, illustrators, fashion designers, architects, book artists, and all types of creative spirits use their colorsheets every day to capture what they see and imagine.

The supersaturated watercolor sheets make it convenient to paint and sketch from anywhere, so you can put brush to paper the moment inspiration strikes. Add in a personalized wooden case etched with your loved one’s name and these vivid watercolor sets make a fail-proof gift for artists of all kinds.