Christmas Gifts for Artists
Gift shopping can be difficult no matter who the recipient: every person has his or her own interests and style, and it might be a bit daunting walking into a store not knowing where to start. But what if the person you are shopping for is an artist? In which case, you might consider changing your shopping starting point altogether. Instead of immediately going to the electronics stores or department stores, you can start at the framer's or head to an arts and crafts store; think works of art to hang on walls, or art supplies (which all artists constantly need!).
Need more help with the process? There are many different types of artists one could shop for, so starting from there is helpful: for instance, an illustrator 
for a cartoon company may want different things than a freshman at an art school. Let's begin.
Beginning Artists
- Portfolios : Every artist from the very beginning needs a good portfolio to properly store his or her work.
- Beginner's books: Beginner's books for drawing ,photography ,sculpting , or painting will help your artist get started.
- Drawing Mannequins: If you can't afford to hire out a live human model, then invest in a small wooden mannequin ; it will be immeasurably useful.
- Sets of Pencils: A set of colored pencils is usually part of the basics when it comes to art supplies. A set of paint tubes might also be greatly appreciated.
The Studio Artist
Studio artists are your painters, sketchers, sculptors, and any other artists who requires a studio setting to draw and sketch out their work, whether it is for fine art, illustration, cartooning, etc. Whether you are buying for the veteran artist or the student, you can always invest in these items to keep them productive.
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- Work Tables / Drafting Stations : This is where it all goes down, and any artist will tell you that a good work table or desk is extremely helpful. These tables are usually tilted upward at the top; this is much more comfortable than working at a flat table, which may require that sketchers stand in order to gain full access to larger sheets of paper.
- Work Lamps : What good is a fancy table without having light to see what you are doing? Shed some light on the subject with a bright (but not too bright) lamp with an adjustable neck.
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- Paper : Before any final product is created, a first draft must be sketched out. Now, depending on what she or he will use it for, an artist may prefer a specific kind of paper. Here are a few different types you can buy:
- Manila Paper : Ideal for sketching ideas, manila paper is lightweight and tough enough to make for a great sketchbook .
- Charcoal Paper : This is coarser paper that picks up charcoal well.
- Tracing Paper : Use this paper for tracing purposes and also as a barrier between pages in a drawing pad or portfolio .
- Easels : Choose an easel that is sturdy enough to hold a heavy canvas , but will fold up easily for storage.
- For sculptors: If your artist is clay modeling, carving, or casting, supplies will vary, but the basics are a chisel (tooth ,point ,flat ,carbide , etc.), a gouge , a parting tool , a skew ,carving knives ,mallets ,rasps , a modeling clay tool set , and so on.
The Photographer
Photographers also use a studio for work, but the supplies and equipment will be drastically different than those of someone who will only draw or sketch. Where the basics are concerned, a photographer needs:
- Digital Cameras: A digital camera is a very broad term for the hundreds of different types of cameras that are out there. Some major brands to start with are Canon ,Panasonic ,Sony ,Nikon , and Olympus . If you want to go the classic route, get a nice Leica camera, which is great for black and white photos and street photography.
- Waterproof Cameras: In case you are shopping for the deep sea explorer, you can get a waterproof camera like the Canon PowerShot D10 or the Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 .
- Photo Paper: This is typically glossy paper that is printer-friendly (but you can also find matte photo paper ). Photo paper varies in size; you can choose from 2"x3" ,4"x5" , or 8.5"x 11" .
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Accessories
The Digital Artist
Quick Picks
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French Style Full Box Plein Air Easel For painters, it is always a toss-up between wooden easels and aluminum easels, but it all comes down to personal preference. Nonetheless, a wooden easel just looks classic. |
Sanford Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencil Set, 72 Whether your recipient is a painter, animator, illustrator, or graphic artist , he or she will most likely need a good set of pencils to sketch out initial plans. |
Wooden Human Mannequin (Unisex) A good human mannequin is so lightweight yet so useful that it would make a great stocking stuffer. You may want to pair it with a wooden hand mannequin . |
Adobe Photoshop CS5 Photoshop has become extremely popular for both artists and non-artists. Photoshop CS5 is one of the latest versions of, so you can have access to all the latest features. |
Twin Light Architect's Clamp-On Desk Lamp It isn't the most glamorous gift, but it is absolutely one of the most practical and essential. You can guarantee that this is a gift the artist will be using all year round. |
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