Draw a Gift of Creativity: The Ultimate Art Supplies Gift Guide

Happy early holidays to all creative souls! Whether you’re on a last-minute holiday shopping spree or simply adore collecting art supplies, this guide is tailored just for you. I’ve curated a selection of my all-time favorite art materials, inspiring books, and unique merchandise, all while championing local businesses and independent bookstores.

This Sunday dispatch is a special treat, usually reserved for our Grown-Ups Table members, but today, it’s open to everyone in our creative community of over 20,000! GUT members, don’t miss the exclusive discount code at the end!

Let’s dive straight into the world of creative gifting!

Wear Your Art Passion: DrawTogether Merch

DrawTogether Zip-Ups, Hoodies, and Pins – the perfect way to wear your art love!

DT HAS NEW MERCH! To celebrate DrawTogether’s fresh new logo1, we’ve designed limited edition sweatshirts for 20232. These are incredibly soft, cozy Bella + Canvas sweatshirts, each hand-silkscreened with vibrant colors and 100% made in California. Choose from pullovers for kids or zip-ups for adults. And don’t forget our charming DT club pins to personalize your jacket, backpack, or art supply bag.

Sweatshirts are available for pre-order only until the end of December, making them truly special! Pins will remain available into the new year. Expect shipping in early 2023 – consider them delightful extended holiday gifts. A portion of every purchase supports the DrawTogether Classrooms program, so you can look good and do good simultaneously.

GRAB YOUR DRAW-A-GIFT MERCH FOR THE ARTISTS YOU LOVE!

GUT Members: Your exclusive discount code awaits at the end of this guide!

For the Artist on the Go: Travel Brushes

Case for Making Travel Brushes in matte gold holders, ideal gifts for watercolor artists

I highly recommend Case for Making Travel Brushes. These small, high-quality brushes are perfect for artists who love to draw and paint with watercolor, gouache, ink, or any medium requiring detailed work while traveling. Their matte gold holders ensure safe portability, fitting easily into a pocket or travel art kit. These brushes are a thoughtful gift for any artist who loves to capture inspiration wherever they find it.

Elevate Your Drawing Experience: Blackwing Pencils

Blackwing Pencils Sister Corita Edition, a collaborative gift for drawing enthusiasts

You know my admiration for Blackwing pencils and Sister Corita, and the Corita Art Center. The Blackwing Pencils: Sister Corita edition is an exceptional collaboration. What could be a more perfect gift for someone who loves to draw? These pencils not only offer a superior drawing experience but also support the Corita Art Center in LA with a portion of the proceeds. They’re a gift that inspires creativity and gives back to the art community.

The Perfect Artist Mug: Paint Water vs Coffee

Lolly Lolly Ceramics mugs, unique gifts for artists to differentiate paint water from coffee

I adore these stunning cups/paint water holders from ceramicist Lalese Stamp at Lolly Lolly Ceramics. And I encourage you to explore local ceramic artists in your area for unique art vessels too. An artist can never have too many paint water cups, and this one from Paint water vs coffee will definitely never be mistaken for your coffee! It’s a practical yet beautiful gift for any painter.

Watercolor Field Set for Artistic Explorers

Cotman Watercolor Sketchers Pocket Box, a portable watercolor set for travel and studio art

This watercolor field set is my go-to gift for anyone wanting to draw and paint outdoors. It’s incredibly compact, containing every essential color, a fantastic travel brush, and serves as an excellent starter kit for both studio and plein air painting. Order the Cotman Watercolor Sketchers Pocket Box from our friends at ARCH Art Supplies in SF. It’s a perfect gift to inspire artistic adventures.

Fun and Quality Watercolors for Young Artists

Koh-i-noor Watercolor Wheel, a stacked watercolor set for kids with vibrant pigments

I often get asked, “What’s a good starter set of watercolor paints for kids?” A fantastic starting point is The Koh-i-noor Watercolor Wheel, also available at ARCH. Its stacked, twist-apart design is fun and clever, the colors are vibrant, and children can easily pick up enough pigment for satisfying results. (Because nothing is worse than weak, barely-there watercolors!) This is a gift that encourages kids to draw and paint with joy and real color.

Books by Inspiring DrawTogether Artists

Throughout the past year, the DrawTogether podcast and the GUT have highlighted so many inspiring artists, both contemporary and historical. If you enjoyed learning about them on the podcast or in the GUT, keep the inspiration flowing! Here are wonderful books by or about each of these featured artists:

Maira Kalman: Women Holding Things, Bisa Butler: Portraits, Ross Gay: Inciting Joy and Book of Delights, Yuyi Morales: Dreamers(children’s book), Carson Ellis: What is Love (children’s book, words by Mac Barnett), Tucker Nichols: Crabtree (children’s book, words by Jon Nichols), LoveIs Wise // Alma Thomas: Ablaze with Color (children’s book, words by Jeanne Walker Harvey), Ruth Asawa: A Life Made by Hand (children’s book, pictures and words by Andrea D’Aquino, Diego Rivera: His World and Ours(children’s book, words and pictures by Duncan Tonatiuh). These books make thoughtful and inspiring gifts for anyone wanting to delve deeper into the world of art and drawing.

Unleash Natural Colors: Ink Making Guide

MAKE INK book cover, a guide to natural ink making for artistic exploration

The book MAKE INK, A Forager’s Guide to Natural Inkmaking is not your typical DIY ink guide. Jason Logan of Toronto Ink Company takes you on a profound journey into the natural world and the art of color creation. It encourages us to become “color artist-scientists,” experimenting and making ink from anything around us. It’s a fantastic gift for adventurous artists who love to draw and explore unconventional mediums. Jason also has a kids’ ink-making book coming soon, so this is a great way for grown-ups to get started before the kids join in. Bonus: Pair this book with these dip pens, similar to those used by Ben Shahn for calligraphy. Or simply use sticks – different strokes for different folks!

The Gift of Community: DrawTogether GUT Membership

I consistently hear from many of you about the joy you find in the DT Grown-Ups Table community. Why not share that with someone else? Gifting a GUT subscription gives a creative friend access to weekly lessons, explorations, and assignments, along with participation in group art shares, shows, and discussions. Our community is truly special, making it a unique and enriching gift.

Give a gift subscription

Bonus: DrawTogether and DT GUT are entirely member-supported. (DT is the PBS of drawing!) By purchasing merch, gifting a GUT seat, or grabbing one for yourself, you’re directly supporting the continuation of this creative haven. It’s a gift that keeps on giving, fostering creativity and community.

YOUR ART GIFT RECOMMENDATIONS?

I’ve started a chat for GUT members to share art supply gift recommendations for adults. And now, let’s create a list of recommendations for KIDS in the comments below! What are some fun art supplies, tools, or project kits that your little ones adore and you would recommend as a gift?