The Best 2022 Holiday Gifts Under $25 for Artists and Art Lovers

FOR ARTISTS

A water pot for a plein-air painter
For the plein-air watercolorist, consider gifting this collapsible container. Simply push down to create a flat disk, or pull out for a secure 12-ounce water pot. Made of grippy silicone, the cup is nonslip on most surfaces and has a scalloped edge designed to hold your brush.

Purchase: Faber-Castell Clic & Go Water Pot, $6.34 on Blick

. . . and a pocket viewfinder
We love how stripped down yet flexible this viewcatcher is. Just 3 1/2 inches square, it features a window opening whose size you can adjust by smoothly sliding a panel. Markings along the side help you set compositions for common canvases sizes such as 8 by 12 inches and 11 by 14 inches; simply flip the square horizontally or vertically to suit your work surface. The sliding panel features a small hole you can use to see true color, particularly since the entire finder is a neutral gray. Made of a durable plastic, this viewfinder will last you years.

Buy: Color Wheel Artist’s View Catcher, $11.50 on Amazon

Sparkly watercolors
We love both the look and the performance of these traditional Japanese watercolors, which are dried in convenient pans. Surprise a budding or established painter with a set of slightly unconventional colors—perfect for adding subtle shimmer to everything from sketches to special cards.

Purchase: Gansai Tambi Watercolors in Pearl or Starry, Set of Six, $15.24 on Blick.

A bamboo brush roll
Silver Brush’s simple bamboo roll allows airflow to help your brushes dry while protecting them from damage. With 10 brush slots, this is a good, compact option for travel. If you know what medium your giftee works in, consider adding a couple of paintbrushes.

Purchase: Silver Brush Natural Bamboo Brush Mat, $6.99 on Blick

A sturdy pencil box
Keep fragile supplies like charcoal and pastels safe with this hinged pencil box designed for artists. Yes, it’s made of plastic, but it’s durable and lightweight, and features foam inserts to keep points intact during transit. Plus, it’s translucent, so you always know what’s inside. The interior is divided into three sections to boost organization and reduce jostling around.

Purchase: ArtBin Pencil Box, $6.06 on Blick

A secure pencil sharpener
The only thing worse than a pencil sharpener without a container for shavings is one whose container doesn’t stay attached to the sharpener, resulting in spilled pencil dust and shavings. Kum’s 3-inch-tall glass container securely screws onto the high-carbon steel sharpener and stays there, even if tossed into your bag.

Purchase: Kum Glass Pencil Sharpener, $9.05 on Blick

Erase unwanted marks in tight areas
The narrow build of Tombow’s super-skinny white block eraser makes it a breeze to remove fine pencil lines or marks in small areas. The plastic material won’t damage your paper, and doesn’t require a lot of pressure to erase cleanly. It’s great for everyday writing and fine art-making that involves  subtractive line work. Each eraser is encased in a protective paper sleeve that keeps the eraser clean and in good form.

Purchase: Tombow Mono Smart Eraser, $2.05 on Blick 

Heavyweight paper for drawing on the go
This is an excellent sketchbook for its quality and price. Maruman Croquis papers are compatible with colored pencil, pastels, crayons, charcoal, and more, and come spiral-bound within a wraparound outer cover. This is the heaviest paper in their Croquis line and really prevents bleedthrough, even with inky tools like fountain pens or markers.

Purchase: Maruman Premium Quality Drawing Pad and Book, $6.41 on Amazon

FOR KIDS

Clay that doesn’t require a kiln
Air-dry clay comes ready to mold and doesn’t require firing, making it an accessible choice for artists who want to create quick models, as well as an ideal medium for children’s art projects. This clay is soft and malleable and air-dries, with little shrinkage and cracking, to a hard white surface that you can paint. It comes in 4-, 8-, and 16- ounce packages.

Purchase: Creative Paperclay, $2.91–$8.74 on Blick 

Easy-peasy monoprinting

Gelli offers great all-ages kits for gelatin monoprinting. This starter set comes with  a ready-to-use gel plate, acrylic paint, a smooth-rolling brayer, paper, and supplies to create shapes and textures. The gel plates are easy to wash for reuse and can showcase a decent amount of texture.

Purchase: Gelli Arts Gel Printmaking Starter Kit, $25 on Walmart

A low-tech stocking stuffer
A great gift for both photography enthusiasts and the photo-curious, this DIY kit takes you through the steps of making and using a paper pinhole camera. It includes nearly everything you need—just throw in a roll or two of 35mm film so it’s ready to use once constructed.

Purchase: Kikkerland Pinhole Camera Solargraphy Kit, $12.50 on Kikkerland

Color the designs of a self-taught artist
This coloring book features the fantastic figures of the Cuban artist Misleidys Francisca Castillo Pedroso, who is represented by Christian Berst. For years, Misleidys has covered the walls of her home near Havana with cut-out and taped-together paintings of muscular, bodybuilder-like characters. Customize your own characters with the replicas in this book, while supporting a great contemporary art nonprofit in Kentucky.

Purchase: The Misleidys Francisca Castillo Pedroso Coloring Book, $10 on Institute 193

Vibrant, erasable pens that actually erase
These brightly colored pens lay down marks that you can erase without leaving any residue. This is thanks to their special thermo-sensitive ink, which turns clear when exposed to increased temperature—in other words, the friction created by erasing. Each features a 0.7-millimeter nib and a rounded rubber end that you have to use to make the ink disappear; a regular eraser, unfortunately, won’t do the trick. Note that if you write and then erase a message on paper, freezing that sheet will make the ink reappear. Go wild with secret messages with this set of 12 markers in assorted colors.

Purchase: FriXion Colors Erasable Marker Pens, $15.36 on Amazon  

FOR WRITERS AND NOTEMAKERS

A Hamelin notebook
For a great notebook, look no further than this graph-ruled notebook from Hamelin. Designed in France and made in Spain, it’s a favorite of many artists, designers, and writers. We love the hard, durable cover and double-wire binding which can withstand being tossed in bags and backpacks, the thick paper that actually prevents bleeding, and the customizable sticker tabs to keep things neat. Choose from seven different colors, two sizes, and one- or three-subject versions.

Purchase: Hamelin Hardcover Notebooks, $10.79 on Hamelin

An under-$30 fountain pen
For a sophisticated writing experience without the hefty price tag, look no further than this fountain pen from Pilot. The Explorer is designed for travel, as it doesn’t require an ink well; it comes with its own ink cartridge that is easy to load with little mess—and it’s refillable. The resin barrel is nicely balanced and comfortable to grip, and the ink flows smoothly and consistently. Choose from a fine or medium stainless steel nib, and from 12 colors.

Purchase: Pilot Explorer Fountain Pen, $23.50 on Amazon

Fine-tipped pens in striking color
These long-beloved pens are useful for writing and drawing, and are available in many colors. Each features a lightweight barrel design that’s comfortable to grip and a sharp, 0.3-millimeter tip—a fine point that isn’t too micro. The water-based and acid-free ink lays down very smoothly without requiring much pressure and doesn’t bleed on most papers. Buy pens in individual colors or sets of up to 10, including a set of 10 dark, sophisticated colors for those who want color, but not too much.

Purchase: Marvy Uchida LePen Fine Line Markers and Sets, $1.78–$15.02 on Blick

FOR THE STUDIO AND HOME

Art-themed tree ornaments
Cody Foster & Co makes nontraditional tree decorations, including ornaments in the shape of Picasso paintings, watercolor kits, and more. Each ornament is made of blown glass and hand-painted.

Purchase: Cody Foster & Co Glass Ornaments, Detroit Institute of Arts Shop

A compact boxcutter
This handy little cutter makes quick work of tape and corrugated cardboard. The fiberglass body is a circle that flips open to reveal a ceramic blade, which lasts longer than steel counterparts, and closes to fully hide this sharp edge when not in use. Make 2023 the year you stop using keys (or worse, knives) to open packages.

Purchase: Midori Ceramic Carton Cutter, $16 on Omoi Zakka

Colorful binding clips
Office supply addicts know that using fun organizational tools make staying orderly easier. These retro-looking plastic bulldog clips are from Penco, a design-minded Japanese stationer inspired by midcentury American office supplies. Available in 10 colors, they can be reused endlessly for papers, packages, and bags.

Purchase: Penco Plastic Clips, $4.00 on Hightide LA

Kanaya keyboard brush 
A computer key brush can help keep your keyboard free of dust or crumbs, and this is a beautiful one that will make sweeping—whether you do it daily or weekly—a joy. Made by the longstanding brush company Kanaya Brush, it features a natural wood handle and synthetic fibers that can access those tough-to-reach spaces without damaging your keys.

Purchase: Kanaya Keyboard Brush, $14 on Omoi Zakka

Nonstick all-purpose scissors
These Japanese-made, stainless steel scissors cut cleanly through sticky materials like tape thanks to their fluorine-coated blades. Their blades are ultra-sharp and durable, and their symmetrical design makes them comfortable for both right- and left-handed users.

Purchase: Allex All-Purpose Scissors, $11.80 on Amazon

A pocket-size cutting tool
This handy knife, which measures a bit over three inches long, can be added to your keyring or belt loop for quick access. It features a retractable steel blade that can be pushed out two lengths—one for precision slicing and one for larger tasks—that is satisfyingly sharp and easy to switch out. Lighter than a regular penknife, this tool is handy for cutting string, opening boxes, sharpening pencils, and much much more.

Purchase: PENCO Pocket Utility Knife, $16 on Omoi Zakka 

For neatly cut washi tape
Washi tape is very easy to tear with your hands, but it looks better with neat edges. A boon to washi enthusiasts, this tiny device clips onto any roll of washi tape with a 10 to 15mm width, and features sharp microblades that can cleanly cut off whatever length of tape you desire.

Purchase: Kokuyo Washi Tape Cutter, $6 on Paper Plant Co.

BOOKS

A guide to safer oil painting
This book offers an introduction to oil paintings through the materials of the medium, with an eco-friendly bent. Written by seasoned painter Kimberly Brooks, it explores the possibilities of solvent-free oil painting and discusses, in clear language, ways to make your own mediums and build a workstation that is kinder to the health of artists and the environment. Suitable for beginners and veteran artists, it provides a solid groundwork to painting with oils.

Purchase: The New Oil Painting: Your Essential Guide to Materials and Safe Practices, $12.69 on Amazon

The only book on knitting you need
The late Elizabeth Zimmermann, a revered knitting teacher and designer, published this user-friendly book in 1971, and it remains one of the best knitting guides you can get. Packed with clear instructions for basic stitches, solutions to common knitting problems, designs for all kinds of knits, guidance on how to knit and fit knitted garments without a pattern, and lots of practical advice, it will inform and inspire.

Purchase: Knitting Without Tears: Basic Techniques and Easy-to-Follow Directions for Garments to Fit All Sizes, $12.99 on Amazon