21 Gifts for Creative People They Will LOVE! (Gift Guide)
Choosing the right gift can go a long way toward making someone feel really special. If the person receiving the gift is a particularly creative-minded person, then you’ll need to up your game by finding a unique and artistic present they will enjoy. While that can be tough to do, I’ve come to the rescue by creating a list of gift options any creative person is sure to love!
In addition to listing the gifts below, I’ll get into why each of these items would make a perfect gift for a creative person. Each of the selected gifts comes from either Amazon or Etsy, so you know you’ll be shopping from a reliable source.
(This article may contain affiliate links and I may earn a commission if you make a purchase)
Here are 21 incredible ideas for gifts for creative people:
1. Bullet Dotted Grid Journal (Amazon)
Creative people love being able to customize, and there’s nothing as customizable as a dotted notebook, like the RETTACY Bullet Dotted Grid Journal.
This 256-page dotted notebook can be converted into an art book, bullet journal, writing ideas notebook, or hybrid one. Your artist friend can even set it up so that different pages or sections can be set aside for different purposes.
The dots aren’t noticeable and offer more freedom and opportunities for creativity than a ruled notebook would. The dots also offer some structure, giving artists a guideline for straight lines and sections, unlike the blankness of a completely unruled notebook.
2. Sakura Pigma Micron Ink Pen Set (Amazon)
Micron pens have been a staple in the stationery kits of artists and creative people everywhere since they were invented. These pens have archival quality ink that can last a long time. Sakura Pigma micron pens have a following among the artists and journalists of the world for their excellent quality.
The ink alone is dark, waterproof, chemical-resistant, and doesn’t fade over time. The Micron pens can be used across the fields of art, illustration, archival, and even regular old writing.
They’re excellent tools for precision drawings and outlines and come in a wide range of nibs. They’re also fairly inexpensive for how specialized they are and can be used easily by just about anybody on most kinds of paper.
3. Prismacolor Colored Pencil Set (Amazon)
With vivid colors that last ages and ease of use, color (or colored) pencils are a favorite among creatives of all ages. There’s a wide range of colored pencils available in the market for students and beginners to professionals. So you’ll be able to find just the right one to give to the creative person in your life, no matter their skill level.
There are color pencils of different types; regular, water-soluble, and pastel. While the regular ones are pretty fantastic on their own, the water-soluble ones let people do precise work with watercolors and the pastel ones on pastel-based artwork.
This set of 36 colored pencils from Prismacolor not only has a wide selection of colors it also boasts a box that becomes an easel, making it a wonderfully multi-functional gift.
4. Waxed Canvas Apron (Etsy)
There’s no contesting the fact that being creative can involve getting a bit messy. Whether the creative person in your life works with paint, clay, or even wood, an apron is pretty necessary to keep from getting messy.
A waxed canvas apron is easy to clean, breathable, durable, and waterproof. This is an apron that’s meant to last a long time and is made of perfectly natural fibers. It also looks very good to meet the aesthetic needs of the person you’re buying it for. What’s more, CF Monogram will let you personalize the apron! This is an incredibly thoughtful gift for any artsy person.
5. Double Sided Magnetic Dry Erase White Board Set (Amazon)
When it comes to jotting down ideas quickly or making a quick note, nothing beats the convenience and accessibility of a whiteboard. The blank whiteboard encourages thinking and is a great space to work and rework concepts.
Since it can be easily cleaned, people can develop and work on their concepts and easily erase any ideas that may not be working.
Whiteboards are also a great tool for organizing information and tracking project progress, which is great for creative people.
This Double-Sided Magnetic Dry Erase Whiteboard Set comes with markers, eraser caps, and is also portable (depending on what size you get ) so your creative friend can carry it wherever they go.
6. Pantone Formula Guide Set and Color Book (Amazon)
The Pantone Formula Guide Set and Color Book is a designer’s bible for a lot of reasons.
This portable guide has fan decks filled with over 2000 color samples that can inspire and be used to reproduce color consistently across mediums. This is vital for the creative industries, especially when it comes to reproduction.
The Pantone colors are represented along with their numbers so they can be recreated digitally and with their ink formulations, so they can be recreated in print. The Pantone book is the ultimate creative gift for any artist.
7. Arteza Art Portfolio Case (Amazon)
No matter what kind of art someone works in, they always need a portfolio case. A good portfolio case is also a great way to store artwork if the person you’re gifting is more of a hobbyist than a serious artist.
The Arteza Art Portfolio Case offers a lot of freedom for creatives to take their work around and show it while keeping the art inside safe from the elements and free from sticking or tearing accidentally.
8. Vintage A5 Leather Organizer and Travel Journal (Amazon)
Any kind of travel is often a great source of inspiration, especially for creative people. Having a travel journal and organizer offers them the freedom to jot down ideas or sketches as they come.
A travel journal also offers the opportunity to record the journey itself, whether through words or pictures. This rich-looking leather organizer looks beautifully vintage and is refillable, with a zippered compartment for notes. Having the journal tucked away in a handy organizer ensures that everything necessary – pens, papers, and journals are all in one place, and you don’t have to go digging in your bag.
9. Large Chalkboard Contact Paper Roll (Amazon)
The chalkboard aesthetic is a favorite among creatives. While an actual chalkboard might be cumbersome, this chalkboard contact paper can be easily applied anywhere and used in several ways.
The large roll of contact paper can be used to convert an entire wall or door into a chalkboard, creating a large space to express their creativity. The vinyl can also make labels, easy to clean to-do lists, or monthly planners. There are no limits with chalkboard vinyl!
10. Industrial Dimmable Desk Lamp (Amazon)
Creatives are known for getting lost in their work and working late into the night on their projects. Light is pretty essential for detailed work, and working in dim light can hurt their eyes, so lamps are a great gift idea.
All sorts of table lamps are available – from novelty-shaped lamps that would tickle their curiosity to charming vintage lamps. This Industrial Dimmable Desk Lamp has a minimalist vintage style that would suit just about any decor. More importantly, it’s dimmable so the amount of light can be controlled. What’s more, the creative in your life can use it to charge their electronics as well!
11. A3 Artist Drawing Board (Amazon)
Sitting hunched over their desks is a pretty classic pose for most creatives but not the greatest for their backs.
A tabletop drawing board is a great option for those creatives who have a regular desk. Drawing boards come in a wide range of sizes, but tabletop ones like this one are A3 sized.
These boards let creatives draw or even type easily since most tabletop drawing boards can also be used as laptop tables. The boards can be fixed at multiple angles and raised to a comfortable level. This ability to adjust the angle and height makes it easier to work on and keep them free of pain!
12. Bamboo Desktop Organizer (Amazon)
With all the stationery – papers, pens, pencils, colored pencils, brushes – littering their desk, desktop organizers are a much-needed accessory for creatives.
It’s easy to get lost in trying to find the right tool rather than actively doing the work. Help the creative people in your life avoid procrastination by gifting them this beautiful bamboo desktop organizer that’ll keep their desks clutter-free and their tools handy for whenever they need them.
13. Japanese Washi Origami Paper (Amazon)
Origami, the art of paper folding, has been practiced for hundreds of years. It’s not only fun for people of all ages and skillsets, but it is also a very meditative activity. People can keep their hands busy, and their minds focused, making it a great gift for someone with artistic tendencies.
Origami is also a great way to express creativity and think about different ways to represent the same thing. It challenges the mind and lets people develop fine motor skills.
Origami paper comes in different grades, so you can pick depending on how advanced you think the creative person in your life is at the art. This set of 500 Japanese Washi Origami paper sheets is great for beginners and people familiar with paper folding.
14. Coffee Gift Box Set (Etsy)
Coffee is the lifeblood of creatives- from early mornings to late nights – if the creative person in your life is a coffee drinker, then nothing could be a better gift. This great Coffee Gift Box Set offers a French Press coffee maker and an assortment of eight different types of coffee to choose from.
The coffee is fresh and from the best coffee-growing regions like Colombia, Ethiopia, and Guatemala.
15. TruffleHunter Real Black Truffle Potato Chips (Amazon)
Creative projects are hungry work, and creative people may not always have the ability to step away from their desks when hunger strikes. Hunger and creative inspiration might come at the same time, and the work has to come first.
Snacks are a great gift for creatives, and you can decide based on what the person would like.
Gourmet granola bars and trail mixes are a great idea for healthy snacks, but for a truly indulgent gift, get the creative in your life this delicious pack of Black Truffle Potato Chips. Seasoned with black truffle powder, these chips are the ultimate potato chip snack!
16. JUSTUP Small Table Clock (Amazon)
It’s easy to get engrossed in a creative project and lose track of time. Phones aren’t a great way to keep time with creative projects, which could get damaged by the art tools.
Table clocks are a great gift that will help creative people keep track of time. Like the lamps, you can find a wide range of styles, from modern styles, novelty styles, and vintage analog clocks.
The JUSTUP Small Table Clock is beautifully designed, with a classic, vintage look that makes every desk look incredible. It even has a night light function which can be activated with a button for those all-nighters that creatives love to put in.
17. DarrellStanding Leather Pencil Case (Etsy)
Organizing creative tools is always a hard task. Pencils need to be protected from breakage and kept together with all their accessories.
One of the best ways to keep pencils and related materials organized is by using a pencil case like DarrellStanding’s leather pencil case on Etsy. These cases have lots of slots for many pencils and pens, and can also be rolled up and tucked away neatly. You can even make one yourself and customize it to the person you’re gifting! Just the thing for your favorite artist.
18. Fuumuui Oil Paint Hog Bristle Brushes (Amazon)
If the creative person in your life works with acrylics or oil paints, then this set of Fuumuui Oil Paint Hog Bristle Brushes is a fantastic gift for any artistic person.
Historically, animal fibers have been used for a long time in paint brushes because they’re flexible, long-lasting, and hold paint really well. Hog’s hair in particular has a defined tapering shape that makes it particularly suited for use in paintbrushes.
The tapered ends of hog’s hair brushes split even further into fine filaments which allow the brush to pick up more paint than other material, and distribute it more evenly.
19. 400 Pieces Kawaii Style Box Stickers (Amazon)
Stickers are fun no matter how old you are, and especially for creatives who might want to use stickers to personalize their projects and everything else.
Sticker packs like this incredible 400 pieces set have a wide range of uses, and not just themed ones. Stickers can be used on letters, envelopes, packaging and products, and anywhere else!
The sheer amount of stickers helps support the creativity of the person you’re gifting, so they can have access to even more varieties of stickers to express themselves.
20. Beats Studio3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones (Amazon)
Sometimes you just need to sit down and work undisturbed with some background music or white noise.
Good quality noise-canceling headphones like this incredible pair by Beats can help the creative people in your life stay focused on their work, even though construction is happening next door or the neighbor’s dog is loudly barking outside.
These headphones have 22 hours of listening time and are compatible with ioS and Android devices. In addition, they can be charged in 10 minutes flat, for the impatient creatives in your life!
21. MyArtscape Graphite Transfer Paper (Amazon)
Carbon paper is old school, but graphite transfer paper like this set of 10 sheets by MyArtscape is a great alternative to transfer images from one medium to another, especially for glass painting or wood carving. It’s also useful for transferring sketches onto canvas for painting.
Unlike carbon paper, graphite transfer paper is wax-free and easily erased once you’re done using the outlines. Graphite transfer paper is a great, inexpensive, and unique gift for the creative people in your life!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this artistic gift guide and found some truly wonderful ideas for the creative individual in your life. Each one of these items would make great birthday or Christmas gifts that a crafty person is sure to love.
