10 Gifts to Get Your Creative Friends
Everyone has that one friend who is artsy, has a runaway passion – and quickly picks up new art forms. Knowing their hobbies doesn’t always make it easy to pick a gift, considering that you just never know what junk (or priceless accessories) they have lying around. With luck, our list of 10 creative gifts for the art-inclined will give you some variety to choose from, and maybe give an idea of what you haven’t considered yet.
1. Drawing Board
You can never go wrong with a drawing board, unless there’s nowhere to put it. This is an amazing gift because of the ambitious projects that it lets you tackle. A highly-functional drawing board should be possible to rotate and fix at different angles. The surface area should also match the traditional formats that your friend works with (e.g. sketches, schematics, A4 pages, etc.).
2. Paint kit
A custom paint by number kit is a spectacular choice for people just getting into painting or those who have never tried it before. If you pick a design attuned to your friend’s interests or tastes, they should appreciate the personalized approach – and the activity itself shouldn’t be too demanding for them. Another thing to keep in mind is that your friend might not have the right paint supplies at home, so it could be smart to get a kit that includes these – or buy them separately and package up together.
3. Speakers
Music can be a wonderful source of inspiration, or just speak to the mood of an artist. This is why getting your friend a good set of speakers/sound system can make their hobby time much more comfortable. After all, headphones aren’t suitable for all situations and may needlessly eliminate background noise. The most convenient modern speakers are battery-powered – with a connection via Bluetooth.
4. Organizer
An organizer can mean several different things, but usually refers to a holster of some sort that contains multiple compartments, writing resources, instruments – and other useful stuff. You can choose one that’s more compact and fits under your arm, or one more elaborate that sits on a desk and features multiple shelves. The main consideration will be whether your friend will benefit from a mobile or stationary solution.
5. A complete painting
If you want to spare your friend the burden of creating their own painting, you can gift them one that’s already complete. For example, you can commission a painting from an artist, paint one yourself, or buy an existing piece. Keep in mind that original paintings can be quite expensive, while recreations and digital prints are more accessible. Just make sure that the painting isn’t too big to fit on the walls of your friend’s building.
6. Custom jewelry
Buying jewelry is a bit of a touchy subject because guessing what a person might like to wear is much harder than finding something that just fulfills a function. Still, if you do go this route, it could be great to get your friend something personalized – like a pendant that references an inside joke or a set of cufflinks with their favorite color/animal.
7. Graphic tablet
A very useful gadget for anyone that likes to draw, providing them with a self-cleaning and replenishing station for making their ideas take shape and save them digitally. Besides price, the specs to pay attention to when choosing a graphic tablet are size (A5/A4/other), precision level (e.g. 4096 or 8192), and functional keys present on the frame.
8. Camera
While most friends wouldn’t cough up the formidable sum needed for a professional photo camera, there are multiple other formats and types available. For example, 35mm film cameras have become a bit of a collector’s item, while action cameras have become the go-to choice for travelers and athletes. You can also look into buying a 360-degree camera for very interesting and hilarious film scenarios or an instant camera for pictures that can be quickly printed.
9. Kinetic sand
A unique type of sand that clumps together, allowing you to make shapes that would never hold with the kind of sand you find in most places. This product (or clay, as another option) is a great pick for anyone who likes working with sand or creating sculptures. Plus, it can be a super satisfying stress reliever.
10. Certificates
Not every gift has to be physical – nowadays, it has become very popular to give gift certificates for events or activities. This might be a ticket to a favorite band’s concert, or an appointment to go horseback riding. One activity that might be particularly interesting to creative people is a cooking master class, where someone can work with dozens of ingredients and create their own edible masterpiece.