Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts for Getting Creative

This year I've written several new gift guides like those for busy moms (Link), ocean lovers (Link), and besties (Link). These guides feature mostly Calling It Something products along with highlighted products from other makers (I love spreading the small business love). This guide is a little different because it's not about what I make but about what I use. These are some of my favorite art supplies and inspiration, perfect for the artist or budding creative in your life. Solo or bundled together, they will make a great and thoughtful gift.

Note: I may receive a tiny commission on the links below at no cost to you.

Digital Art Supplies

As a busy mom, I love that I can pick up my iPad anytime and start creating. I can get interrupted and come back to what I'm doing without ever making a mess. There are so many cool things that you can do with just an iPad and Apple pencil.

1. Lisa Bardot taught me how to draw on my iPad with her fabulous videos on YouTube, and now she has a book! The book takes you through how to draw on your iPad with Procreate using built-in brushes. She also takes you through drawing basics in several different styles. (Link)

2. If you don't have an iPad and Apple Pencil, you might want to start there. There are lots of different price points for iPads, just make sure that the one you choose is compatible with an Apple Pencil. I just bought this iPad and Apple Pencil so that my kids can draw with me (iPad Link & Apple Pencil Link). It's a great option and affordable (at least as far as Apple products go). I dream of a higher-end iPad with more processing power like this one (iPad Link & Apple Pencil Link).

3. One of the best and most affordable apps for drawing on your iPad is Procreate. It's a steal for an app that doesn't have surprise fees or ads later on. (Link)

4. I've already mentioned Lisa Bardot, but she is worth mentioning again. Besides her free resources, such as YouTube videos and Making Art Everyday daily prompts, she has a subscription club where she has exclusive digital brushes and a library of video lessons as well as live virtual lessons, meetups, and art advice sessions each month. Art Makers Club is a wonderful community for everyone, whether you are new to digital drawing or have been doing it for a while. (Link)

5. If you are looking to take your drawing game on your computer to the next level, I recommend a Wacom Tablet. This is a newer version of the one I have that allows you to control your cursor with a "pen" instead of a mouse. This has made drawing and other tasks on my computer so much easier. (Link)

Painting Art Supplies (Watercolor, Acrylic, and more)

As amazing as digital art can be, there is something about analog. There are things that I can do with a paintbrush that I haven't figured out digitally (and vice versa). These are some of my favorite supplies for coming up with my colorful creations.

1. I love how solid acrylic paint is. While you can water it down to give it a more transparent feel, this is all about bold blocks of color. This set of mini tubes would provide a new artist with a large palette to play with as they decide on their favorites. (Link)

2. I would be remiss if I didn't include my favorite color acrylic paint (neon pink!). I have this same set of fluorescent colors in mini tubes. (Link)

3. This travel watercolor set has the basics and more and can be taken on the road to paint wherever you find inspiration. (Link)

4. And if you are looking for bright, fluorescent watercolors, this set really packs a punch. I'm obsessed with every color! (Link)

5. This watercolor palette from Kristy Rice features a unique combination of colors that I love. The pop of the neon yellow with the earthiness of the forest green, the warmth of the fuchsia with the richness of the teal. My paintings are always more dynamic when I paint with this palette. (Link)

6. Given the different shapes and sizes of paint brushes, there are almost as many brush options as there are paint color options. This set of round brushes is affordable and is a great starting point. The same listing also has a flat-tipped set. (Link)

7. You need something to paint on! You can go the canvas board or canvas route. I often use watercolor paper because most of my work is scanned and put into repeat patterns digitally. I like to use thicker paper because it can handle more water and paint without warping. Look for 300gsm or 140lb like this one by Canson (Link). If you want to be fancy, the watercolor pads by Arches are so nice (Link). I've also had luck with Amazon Basics for an even more affordable option (Link).

1. If painting with a paintbrush seems scary, maybe start with paint pens. Entire works of art can be created with paint pens or they can be used to add details to your traditionally painted design. Posca (Link) is the leader in paint pens.

2. I have to give a shout out to Life of Colour brush tip paint pens (Link), which are now available on Amazon. They are unlike any other paint pens. My mom even used them to paint/draw a mural of Neverland on my nephew's nursery wall. For more color options, check out their website and order from Australia, but I think they are worth it (Link).

3. I have recently fallen in love with Sharpie's creative markers. These water-based acrylic markers can write on so many surfaces with ease and still stand out. (Link)

4. Another way to add details to your paintings is gelly roll pens. I remember these from high school, and now I use them to make my designs pop. The fluorescent set is obviously a favorite of mine. (Link)

5. One more pen to include in the cart this holiday is a black waterproof pen for outlines and details in your watercolors. (Link)

6. Painting-related books on my shelves at home include The Joy of Watercolor by Emma Block (Link) and The Bright Book by Jessi Raulet (Link). I also added Ana Bianchi's Color Curious book this year, which talks about color and inspiration and gives color palette examples to try (Link).

Coloring Art Supplies

If painting is not the vibe you're going for and you want something more low-key creative, then coloring is perfect. It's creative and can be elevated with fancier supplies than when you were a kid, but it doesn't take any new skills past what you learned in grade school to get started.

1. Water-based markers are the closest to what you had as a kid. This set is dual-tipped with a brush tip on one end and a fine tip on the other. (Link)

2. Alcohol markers are better at blending and creating streak-free blocks of color, though they tend to bleed through thinner paper. This dual-tipped set has amazing reviews. (Link)

3. If you want a more subtle color and don't want to worry about bleeding through the paper, color pencils are for you. Prismacolor is known for its colored pencils. (Link)

4. To complete a coloring gift, include a coloring book like this one with fun phrases and cute designs (I know the artist!) (Link) or this one with beautiful, detailed designs (Link).

Art Supplies for Kids (or for your inner child)

For those on your holiday shopping list that fall into a younger generation (or are just young at heart), I have some of my favorite art supplies for kids. Though I am serious about them not just being for kids. I happily color along with my kids using their super duper easy clean Crayolas, and a print I have for sale on Minted was made using my kids' paint sticks. (Link)

1. I don't want to be surprised by a mess that can't be cleaned up, so I'm a big fan of Crayola's Ultra-Clean Washable line. The markers (Link) clean up with barely a drop of water, and they have fine line markers too (Link). The crayons (Link) are also great.

2. I didn't know about paint sticks until I had kids, but they are kind of magical. The ones we started out with are about the size of a glue stick with a variety of colors. I originally fell in love with the neon pink and peach in this set (Link). Then I found slimmer ones that allow for slightly more detailed work (Link).

3. I used Crayola's air-dry clay this summer with my kids and was pleasantly surprised. It was easy to use, and I love what we all created with it. Once it had dried, we painted our creations with acrylic paints. (Link)

4. I met Tara from Rad and Happy at Alt Summit a couple of years ago, and I love her drawings. I've bought her printable coloring sheets before, and they were a hit! Rad and Happy does a monthly printable coloring sheet subscription. This is a great gift for a creative kid or even for a teacher. (Link)

5. If the kid you are shopping for is as prolific as my daughter (and not that picky), I recommend going to the Dollar Tree and buying several coloring books to accompany the gift of coloring supplies. My daughter also loves the ream of paper my mother gives her each year.

6. Putting kid art on your walls makes your little artist feel so fancy. Putting holes all over your wall and buying different frame sizes does not feel fancy. This woodlook washi tape was my perfect solution for kid art that gets changed more frequently. It gives the vibe of a wooden frame without the investment and nail holes. (Link)

Crafting Favorites

I think crafting is an art form. And this is Calling It Something after all... and sometimes we call it crafting! These are some of my favorite items for creativity that might not fall into the other categories.

1. I love some sparkle in my art and often find ways to incorporate gold leaf (or silver leaf or copper leaf) into my paper mache pieces. This kit has the materials you need to get started. (Link)

2. I was introduced to bejeweling and bling at Alt Summit by Tisa Jackson. Check her out here. It's a whole new world since I added bling in elementary school! What blew my mind was specific glue for adhering bling... Beacon Gem Tac (Link)... and the wax pencils (Link). It made everything about 1000x easier.

3. I love washi tape! There is something about the colorful tape that makes me happy (and makes me want to hide it from my daughter). Both my daughter and I use it to hang up quick artwork on the wall. I use it for gift tags and in collage works and to seal envelopes. I couldn't pick just one favorite, so here are a few fun ones. (Link) (Link) (Link)

4. These printable shrinky dink sheets are the secret behind my impromptu earrings. I design something on my ipad (you can also draw directly on the sheets), print it out, and shrink the design into a hard plastic in the oven. (Link)

5. Give the gift of collage or paper craft with a bundle of fun paper (Link), a bottle of Mod Podge (Link) or Elmer's Craft Bond (Link), and a pair of scissors (Link).

6. The perfect book to accompany a colorful crafting bundle is Lucia Mallea's Big Book of Happy Crafts. All her projects are so fun and colorful. (Link)

7. Paper Mache Today by Sheila McGraw is where I learned about paper mache. It's from the 90s and was my mom's book, but I think it still holds up. It gives a primer on how to paper mache and has a variety of paper mache projects from small to large. (Link)

Happy Shopping!