The best gifts for artists, ranked
15 picks · one clear winner · updated September 2026
The best gift for artists is the Buddha Board The Original Buddha Board Art Set ($30–50): a water board that lets them paint with a brush and water, then watch the image fade as it dries. If that is not right, the Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Sketchers Pocket Set ($20–25) is next. Under $25, get the Arches Aquarelle Watercolor Travel Pad ($20–25).
- Picks
- 15
- Price range
- Under $10 to $50–75
- Under $25
- 10
- Under $50
- 14
No. 1Buddha Board The Original Buddha Board Art Set
A water board that lets them paint with a brush and water, then watch the image fade as it dries. It is a mess-free way to practice letting go of attachment to each piece, which suits an artist who gets stuck on perfection.
Skip it if they need a permanent record of them work or prefer working with actual paint.
Also in Today and 5 other gift guides
Links go to Amazon. We may earn a commission; it does not change what you pay.
Gifts for artists under $25
The cheapest gifts on this page that still made the cut.
No. 2
No. 3
No. 4
No. 5
No. 9
No. 10Gifts for artists under $50
The strongest picks at fifty dollars or less.
The full ranking
No. 1Buddha Board The Original Buddha Board Art Set
A water board that lets them paint with a brush and water, then watch the image fade as it dries. It is a mess-free way to practice letting go of attachment to each piece, which suits an artist who gets stuck on perfection.
Skip it if they need a permanent record of them work or prefer working with actual paint.
No. 2Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Sketchers' Pocket Set
A pocket-sized box of twelve student-grade watercolor half pans that goes anywhere a sketchbook goes. It suits a beginner stepping up from craft paints, or anyone who wants to paint outdoors without carrying a studio.
Skip it if they already paint with artist-grade watercolors or want strong, opaque color, this will feel like a step back.
No. 3Arches Aquarelle Watercolor Travel Pad
A travel pad of heavy 100% cotton cold-press watercolor paper, a real step up from student pads for washes and layering. It suits a keen watercolorist who paints on the go or has not yet tried cotton paper.
Skip it if they paint smooth, hard-edged detail, the hot-press version of this pad suits better.
No. 4Posca PC-5M Water-Based Acrylic Paint Markers
Paint pens that draw opaque color on nearly any surface—rocks, glass, canvas, wood—so the artist can move from paper to found objects. Medium tip gives enough control for outlining and coloring without swapping tools.
Not for someone who prefers traditional brush painting.
No. 5The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win
A blunt, short book about the inner resistance that stops creative work, written for anyone who has ever avoided the studio. It names the enemy and gives a kick, and it is small enough to read in an afternoon.
Not for an artist who is already prolific and not blocked.
No. 6MoMA Now: Highlights from The Museum of Modern Art
A thick, illustrated tour of 375 works from MoMA's collection, giving any artist a wide view of modern art in one volume. It is the kind of book to leave on the coffee table and open at random.
Skip it if the artist already has a shelf of museum catalogs and wants something new.
No. 7Paint Brush Rinse Cup
A rinse cup with a silicone lid that holds the brush on top and a scrubber at the bottom, so the paint keeps flowing and the brush stays clean. It is the kind of small tool that any painter uses daily and would never think to buy themselves.
Skip it if the artist only sketches and never paints with brushes.
No. 8Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black
A serious survey of black art from 1963 to 1983, tied to the Tate show, that gives any artist a deeper sense of what art can do in a time of upheaval. The essays and reproductions make it a book to keep on the studio shelf, not just flip through once.
Skip it if the artist prefers contemporary work only and has no interest in recent history.
No. 9Not Paint Water" Tumbler
An insulated tumbler that says “not paint water” so the painter can keep their drink separate, and actually and it—even on the mindless studio table. It keeps the coffee hot while they work and serves as an inside joke for any artists.
Skip it if they never use a mug or are not a fan of novelty text.
No. 108 Rainbow Colored Pencils
Eight pencils that lay down a rainbow in a single stroke, so an artist can shade a sunset without switching tools. The thick core survives heavy hands, and the color variety fits kids and adults who doodle.
Not for anyone who needs professional-grade lightfast pigments.
No. 11Animal Kingdom: Color Me, Draw Me' Adult Coloring Book
An adult coloring book with intricate animal illustrations by Millie Marotta, printed on thick paper. It is for an artist who wants a relaxing, detailed project that does not require drawing from scratch.
Skip it if they prefer blank pages or find coloring too structured.
No. 12The Woobles Crochet Kit for Beginners
A video-guided crochet kit that builds a small penguin, so an artist who never tried crochet can make something real. The kit includes all the tools and yarn, so nothing else is required.
Skip it if they already have a craft practice and want a complex project.
No. 13Extraordinary Things to Cut Out and Collage
A fat book of images to cut up, with tips on collage, so an artist can make something right away without a blank page. The pages are meant to be destroyed, which takes the pressure off and keeps hands busy.
Skip it if the artist is a purist who never works with found imagery.
No. 14The Unemployed Philosophers Guild It's Hard to Get a Handle
A porcelain tea cup decorated with portraits of 65 modern artists, a fun nod for an art lover who knows their history. It's a daily-use item that sparks conversation and shows off their passion.
Skip it if they don't drink tea or coffee and prefer something more practical.
No. 15Create Your Own Comic Book
A blank comic book with template pages for an aspiring cartoonist to fill in. It gives them a ready-made format to start drawing stories without needing to set up panels.
Skip it if they prefer free-form sketching or have no interest in comics.
Nothing in that price band here. Try another.
How to choose a gift for artists
Prices on this page run from under $10 to $50–75; 10 of the 15 picks are under $25. Start from the price band you have in mind, then read the note under each pick: it says who the thing is really for and who should skip it. Where the evidence behind a pick is thin we say so, and at the same price we take the one more guides agree on.
Where this list comes from: we start from the gifts that 7 published gift guides (Today, Doodlewash, Glamour among them) put forward for artists, check each one against the maker's own details and its current listing, and write our own note on who it suits and who should skip it. Anything with a poor record among buyers is out. Commission never touches the order. Price bands come from the prices the guides recorded, checked against Amazon on September 6, 2026; the retailer page is the truth on the day. The full method.
Quick answers
Best gifts for artists?
The Buddha Board The Original Buddha Board Art Set ($30–50) is the best gift for artists in our ranking: a water board that lets them paint with a brush and water, then watch the image fade as it dries. Runners-up: Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Sketchers Pocket Set ($20–25), Arches Aquarelle Watercolor Travel Pad ($20–25).
Best Christmas gifts for artists?
Start with the Buddha Board The Original Buddha Board Art Set ($30–50), our No. 1 gift for artists, then Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Sketchers Pocket Set ($20–25), Arches Aquarelle Watercolor Travel Pad ($20–25).
Best tech gifts for new artists?
For a new artist, go for things that make the first year easier. From this ranking: Buddha Board The Original Buddha Board Art Set ($30–50), Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Sketchers Pocket Set ($20–25), Arches Aquarelle Watercolor Travel Pad ($20–25).
