The 10 best arty gifts from around the web – all under £20!
What do you buy the artists who has everything? How about an arty apron, a chocolate paintbrush or a mindlessly violent colouring in book? We've search the web for the best, most unique Christmas under £20/$25. All the items listed here are perfect stocking-fillers for the artist or illustrator in your life.
A perennial favourite, this sketchbook is good for everyone from the novice to the professional artist. It gives prompts, asking you to draw things such as a bike, a waffle or a view from an aeroplane, and more complicated things, like RUN DMC, "mistakes" or "feelings." The book is a good way to sharpen your skills or to get your creativity going before you start a bigger project.
02. Moleskine Watercolour Notebook
A Moleskine is always safe bet as a Christmas gift for any creative
A Moleskine is always safe bet as a Christmas gift for any creative. But this one's a little different. The paper here works well with traditional watercolours, water-soluble colour pencils and even crayons, with no deterioration of the paper. The back pocket offers enough room to keep colour charts and viewfinders.
03. Artist Mugs
Never dip your paint brush in your coffee cup again with these brilliant artist mugs
Ever dipped your paint brush in your coffee cup, or, worse, took a swig of dirty paint water? The Coffee Corner's come up with a pair of hand-made mugs that put an end to such mishaps. These 11oz mugs are decorated with high-quality ink, so they won't fade, even if you stick them in the dishwasher.
04. Unwind in the Wilds
This gift set ticks all the boxes for people into art therapy, mindfulness or psychedelic owls
This gift set ticks all the boxes for people into art therapy, mindfulness or psychedelic owls. The Cumberland Pencil Company – the UK team behind the Derwent range – has been making premium pencils for the best part of a century. The set contains 10 Derwent Coloursoft Pencils and an Unwind in the Wilds colouring book, illustrated by Sarah Taylor. The book gives tips on how to use the pencils to correctly layer and blend colour.
05. Art: 365 Days of Masterpieces 2017 Calendar
See 2017 in in style with this gorgeous Metropolitan Museum of Art calendar
The Metropolitan Museum of Art – one of the biggest and best galleries in the world – is winning at calendars this year. There's a piece from its vast collection for every day of the year here. The pages come in a box with a die-cut frame window, which converts into a standing easel.
06. Doodle DIY design apron
This apron comes with a set of coloured pens, which wash out at 40 degrees
This apron comes with a set of coloured pens, which wash out at 40 degrees, so you can redo your sketches, scribbled insults and rude daubings each time you cook. It's advertised for children, but at 60cm long and with an adjustable strap, you should be able to squeeze into it when the junior chef's out the room.
These life-size paintbrushes are made from good quality dark chocolate. Each product is hand finished by award-willing British chocolate gift manufacturer Schokolat and presented in a very nice gift box. Get one for the artist in your life, and one to eat while you're wrapping it up.
08. Pantone PA271 Coffee Maker
Pantone has reworked the iconic stove-top coffee maker and released it in a range of new colours
Pantone has reworked the iconic stove-top coffee maker and released it in a range of new colours. You can get bigger and smaller versions, which make more of less coffee. This model brews six cups of normal-sized espresso – or one cup of deadline-sized espresso. Pantone makes espresso cups to go with it too.
09. Modern Toss: Mindless Violence Colouring Book
Colour illustrations of a man destroying a lamp post and a woman attacking a tree with a baseball bat
Modern Toss offers an alternative to the mindfulness craze: this is the Mindless Violence Colouring Book. Here you can colour illustrations of a man destroying a lamp post, a woman attacking a tree with a baseball bat and a group of suited men fighting over a parking space. More gloriously misanthropic work from the team behind the cult comic.
The best art-themed iPhone cover around comes from CRAFIC, a bunch of Californian craftsman. The team offers a ton phone cases with unique designs. These slim, snap-on cases offers good protection too, covering the back, sides and corners, with a raised lip on the front. This one's available for every iPhone model, from the iPhone 4 onwards.
Note: prices listed are based on exchange rates at time of writing and are subject to change.
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Gary Evans is a journalist with a passion for creative writing. He's recently finished his Masters in creative writing, but when he's not hitting the books, he loves to explore the world of digital art and graphic design. He was previously staff writer on ImagineFX magazine in Bath, but now resides in Sunderland, where he muses on the latest tech and writes poetry.
