Guide To Great Holiday Giving For All Kinds of Artists

Are you ready for the rush? It happens every year at this time, as everyone is getting ready for the holidays, the pressure is on to find that perfect gift for that someone special. The hunt is usually even more difficult for those of you who are shopping for that unique artist in your life. Well, this year, I would like to make some practical suggestions that might just make your task a little easier. 

What to Get for An Artist This Holiday

There are many types of artists out there and it’s not always just about the medium. It really has to do with their artistic personalities, level of experience, daily artistic rituals, and even the amount of studio space they have. You may not know what kind of artist your artist is, but I bet you can figure it out just by visiting their habitat (studio) and observing!

What you will find is there are beginners, professionals, part timers, skechers, full timers, acrylic, oil, pastel, watercolor artists, and more. There are as many different kinds of artists as there is art stuff, and artists just love getting art stuff, especially during the Holidays!

So, after much thought, research, and observation, but, mostly just my own opinion as an artist, here are my Holiday Gift Giving Ideas for all of those special artist types in your life!

The “Let’s Go Viral” artist- This artist likes the latest cool thing going! The highly unusual and neat ideas that everyone else is into, too! They usually travel in packs and have painting parties with their friends. They buy in bulk and create in bulk, as well.  They can be found surfing Pinterest and may have shops on Etsy.com!

Product Recommendations: Artful Fiber Pak, Pinata Alcohol Inks

The “Newbie” artist- This artist, for lack of a better word, is a beginner. They have admired other artists all their lives and now have decided that they would like to try that too!

Product Recommendations: The beginner feels comfortable with sets that include everything they need to get started. American Journey Beginner 12 set , Liquitex Complete Classic Studio Acrylic set, Royal and Langnickel Regis Oil Color Brush Paint Set

The “Right Stuff” artist- This artist is a pro and art is more than just a career for them, it’s a passion. They already knows about quality and value in art materials. That is why they tend to go for the best!

Product Recommendations: Gamblin’s Deluxe Oil Painting System, Copic Refillable Markers, Cheap Joe’s Canvas Print Rack

The “Part Time” artist- This artist is no amateur when it comes to painting, however, they really don’t get to do it full time. They have taken workshops and have a lot of experience under their belt. They want value, quality, and products with a great reputation for longevity.

Product Recommendations:  Winsor & Newton Pro Watercolor Tin, Winsor & Newton Pro Oil Tin, Winsor & Newton Pro Acrylic Tin

The “Lab Rat” artist- This artist likes to experiment and get down and dirty when it comes to making art. They love new products, unusual techniques, and the messier the better!

Product Recommendations: ArtGraf Water Soluble Graphite Set, Princeton Catalyst Tools

The “Give Me a Creative Break” artist- The occasional artist is one that is very busy with life and work and turns to art when they are bored or stressed and just need an Artistic Holiday!

Product Recommendations: Interactive Acrylics 12 Color Set, Bob Ross Master Oil Set

The “Green Freak” artist-    This artist is a champion for the environment, meaning they recycle, reuse, re-purpose, and rarely throw any art materials away! They may seem like pack rats, however, they know that natural resources have to be protected! They are very conscious of how careful manufacturers are in producing their art materials and will buy accordingly.

Product Recommendations: TerraSkin Rock Paper, Strathmore Sugar Cane Greeting Cards

The “Do It Yourselfer!” artist- This artist believes in getting their money’s worth and is not afraid of doing it their selves if it is productively cheaper! They will build picture frames and their own cut mats to control quality of  the final product and its cost. They usually produce a lot of art and attend shows and fairs.

Product Recommendations: Logan’s 350-1 Compact Elite, Logan’s Frame Shop in a Box Elite, Cheap Joe’s Acetate Envelopes.

The “Fly by the seat of your pants” artist- This is the art rebel, who knows exactly what he/she wants and how to get it. They are always on the go and drawing a crowd. T-shirt artists, sign/license plate artists, freehand artists. The boardwalk /carnival goers will recognize these with ease!

Product Recommendations: Iwata Neo Airbrush Sets, Createx Airbrush Paints, Iwata Deluxe Airbrush System, PITT White Artists’ Pen.

The “No studio space” artist- This artist paints out of a suitcase, cabinet, or even a cardboard box and they can usually only set up their studio on the kitchen table after the dishes are washed and the kids are in bed. Enter the all- in- one storage and studio furniture pieces. There is something for any size space!

Product Recommendations: The Beechwood Table easel, Joe Miller Signature Taboret, Artbin Tote Express.

The “Everything in its place” artist- This is the artist that all artists wish they could be. The clean freak and super organized artist in which there is a place for everything and everything is in its place. They work harder at keeping their studios clean than they do at making art. But it only looks that way because they know how to organize and they have the right tools!

Product Recommendations: ArtBin Solutions Cabinet , Masters Artist Survival Kit

The “Wide Open Spaces” artist- This artist may live out of a suitcase, in a camper, or a motor home, and eat along the road,  but like a turtle, they usually carry their studios with them! They just have a better variety of views, bigger front yards and more neighbors, that’s all!

Product Recommendations: Winsor and Newton Oil Suitcase Set, Winsor and Newton Watercolor Suitcase Set, Lil Joe Table Easel.

The “Pondering” artist- This artist is the daydreamer, the fresh thinker, the doodler. They prefer materials that allow them to quickly think out loud or draw out loud, as it would seem, fore they are constantly in search for the next big idea! They are rightly the keepers of the proverbial “Drawing Board” and thus, crave the tools of the trade.

Product Recommendations:  Conte’ Sketching Box Set, Copic Refillable Marker Sets, Copic Refillable Multiliners.

The “The High Tech or Contemplative” artist- These are artists that want to see their ideas before they paint them. Normally, they would do this with their mind’s eye, but with today’s technology, they can see all of  their possibilities on the big screen. They are computer savvy and collect all of the latest, state of the art gadgets and toys, however, they put them to good use to make their art production easier!

Product Recommendations: LED300 Digital Art Projector, Sensu Brush and Stylus, Artograph Light Pad

The “Multitasking” artist- This artist just loves when art materials can do many things, giving you more possibilities for your money! They don’t mind making a bit of an investment in their art stuff because they know how to get the most out of it!

Product Recommendations: Artgraf Water Soluble Graphite Set, Pan Pastels, Arches Oil Paper, Catalyst Tools, American Journey Watercolor Sticks.

The “Scrap Book Freak” artist- This artist loves markers, inks, stamps, paper, and accessories. They also have lots of stuff and needs lots of storage because they keep every scrap of material they can!

Product Recommendations: Prismacolor Markers, Art Bin Tote Express

The “Never Enough Time” artist- This artist has to make time to paint, therefore, they like quick techniques, fast drying materials, and projects they can complete in one sitting. They also like supplies that can be set up and put away in a flash!

Product Recommendations: Dr. Ph. Martin’s Hydrus Set 1 with Free  Masking Fluid and Janet Nunn DVD, Prismacolor 75th Anniversary Colored Pencil Set.

The “More For My Money!” artist- This artist wants  the best quality for the best value! Their not cheap, they just simply want to get what they pay for!

Product Recommendations:  Winsor and Newton Introductory Watercolor Tube Set,  Copic Refillable Markers, Winsor and Newton Series 7 Gift Set, American Journey Voyager 18 set

The “I care to send the very best” artist- This artist likes to share their art in a big way! So giving original art greeting cards is the Absolute Best Gift! Friends and family will most likely frame the artistic offerings and selfishly keep them for themselves!

Product Recommendations: Strathmore Sugar Cane Greeting Cards, Cheap Joe’s Gem Finders, Goof Proof Greeting Card Set, Copic Refillable Markers, Copic Refillable Multiliners. Prismacolor 75th Anniversary Colored Pencil Set, PITT White Artists’ Pen.

The “Back Road” artist- Otherwise, identified as the Plein Air painter, this artist keeps a small and complete, portable studio in their car, camper, back pack, or purse. They are ready to pull over on the side of the road or into someone’s driveway or backyard, just for the chance to capture a beautiful sunset! They should be required to have bumper stickers that say “I brake for a chance to paint!”

Product Recommendations: The Newly Designed Van Gogh Field Box, Guerilla Painter 6×8 Thumbox, The Joe Miller Signature Watercolor Travel Set, Cheap Joe’s portfolios, Art Bin Tote Express.

The “Workshop” artist- Disguised as a somewhat normal artist, this artist makes frequent, uncontrolled stops at their local and not so local art galleries, art schools, and other art workshop venues to receive instruction from our nation’s top professional artists. They invest heavily in art materials at their instructor’s will. And will keep several bags packed by the door, in order, to exit gracefully at a moment’s notice when their Workshop Wait List number is called!

Product Recommendations: Art Bin Tote Express, Cheap Joe’s Workshop Bucket, The American Journey Combo Brush Set, Cheap Joe’s Portfolios.

The “Seemingly Hard To Please” artist- There is a little of this artist in all of us. The difficult, picky, and hard to please artist, but believe me, there is probably a very good reason for our indecisiveness. We might have everything we need at the moment (if that is at all possible and the keyword here is “moment”), we could have just placed an order ourselves, we might be in between ideas or mediums, we might even have a creative block. But, in any case, we definitely want the art stuff!

Product Recommendations: The Cheap Joe’s Gift Card 

 

Now, technically, your artist can be one or many of these types and that just gives you more great options! Don’t be afraid to ask your artist for their Cheap Joe’s Wish List where they have stored all of the wonderful things they have been wishing for all year long! Believe me! They want you to see it!

A Few Tips Just For Artist Gift Givers

Buying for several artists like in a painting group can get quite expensive in a hurry. Why not buy several small items in bulk and put together small gift bags, baskets, or cups.  Things like plastic erasers, kneaded erasers, sketching pencils, sharpeners, Uggly brushes, masking pickups, paper cutters, water bottles, pipettes,  and more would fill up their stocking in no time!! In most cases, the more you buy, the cheaper each item is. Everyone just loves getting something they can use all year long!

Making original art for your family and friends is a great way to celebrate the season! Take a picture of the artwork, have the photo printed in bulk on glossy paper, and mount the photos to blank greeting cards. Voilà! The recipient will often frame the art to enjoy all year ’round! This gift is just pennies per card! You can also print a variety of artwork and present them with a collection of greeting cards to send or frame!

Another great idea is to create small landscapes and still life paintings on mini canvas boards. Available  in many sizes including 2″ x 4″ which makes a great magnet or create a mini masterpiece by adding a simple cord for hanging! Instant Art!