As we celebrate another year coming to a close, I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite gifts for the artists in your life. From a distance, these items are simply pigments and tools, but really they are so much more. These gifts inspire. Opening a bottle of gold paint and dipping your brush into it for the first time, watching it sparkle on the bristles and suddenly having the urge to paint a sky full of stars! These simple tools can open up someone’s entire world that exists inside their head.

Below is a list of some of my personal favorites. I’ve included a corresponding $$$$ to identify their cost. These items are great to give on their own or together.

PAINTS

Schmincke Watercolor Box Set 12 Half Pans $$

Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor 36 Set $

Prima Watercolor Confections: Shimmering Colors $

Winsor & Newton Pocket Box Watercolor Set $

Schmincke Watercolor 8 Half Pan Set $$$

Schmincke Watercolor Wooden Box 24 Tube Set $$$$

Schmincke Watercolor Wooden Box 12 Half Pan Set $$$

GOLD PAINT

Schmincke Aqua Bronze Pale Gold $ (my favorite to use with watercolor)

Golden Iridescent Gold Deep  $

Roberson Metallic Ink $

Sennelier Gold Painting Stick $

BRUSHES

Escoda Angular $$

Princeton Mini Brush – Angular $

Escoda Brush Set $$$$

Escoda Brush Set $$$

PAPER

Arches Aquarelle Watercolor Pad, Hot Press $$

Arches Watercolor Roll, Hot Press 44.5″ x 10 yards $$$$

Strathmore Bristol Vellum Paper $

PALETTES

Wooden Oval Palette Medium/Large $

Wooden Oval Palette Set $

Clear Acrylic Palette $

BOOKS & TOOLS

Artist’s Color Wheel $

Adjustable Hand Models $$

How Artists See Book Series $$

The Story of Art Book $$

The Dot Book $

9 Heads: A Guide to Drawing Fashion $$$