Gift Ideas for Artsy Teens: Quality Art Supplies Every Artist Will Appreciate
Christmas is coming and Black Friday Sales are here, so it’s a great time to prepare and grab some good deals. As an artist myself, I can say that oftentimes people are stumped as to what to get an artsy person as a gift, and often will get something that leans more towards eccentric and less towards practical. Although quirky gifts have their place, the best gifts I’ve received have always been very practical, high quality art supplies that either I couldn’t afford myself or was so grateful to receive as a gift. One year my husband bought me a high end charcoal set and it was one of the best gifts I’ve ever received. These gifts could be really for any age artist, but it’s specifically geared shopping for teens because they can be an enigma. For teens who love art, even if they are at a beginner level, it will still mean a lot to them to receive a gift that says, “I see what you are passionate about, I support you, work hard and make something beautiful.”
In my personal opinion, I would avoid large bulk sales like this one , because you are not going to get great quality of anything, and you aren’t really saving money because there are a bunch of filler items, like cheap crayons that you could buy for a dollar at any Walmart. These are the best gifts I’ve found on Amazon, and most of them have great Black Friday deals to snag this week! The Amazon links are affiliate links, so I receive a small commission if you click on it and make a purchase from Amazon.
Fine Liner Pens
These micropens are extremely high quality and ideal for any artist doing line art, drawing, sketching, calligraphy, architecture/blueprint drawings, wood art, and more. They come in different widths and the small ones are SUPER small for fine detail – you won’t find Sharpie Art Pens with this fine a point. I love my set of these and they last a long time. They are on sale right now for a phenomenal price and I will probably buy a set myself.
Sharpie Art Pens
These pens are wonderful for a wide variety of sketching, high level coloring, doodling, underlining and highlighting, journaling, and more.
Prismacolor Colored Pencils
These colored pencils are really superior to your typical crayola colored pencil. They are the real deal when it comes to sketching and art and a dedicated teen artist will know the quality when they see it. Right now they are offering a Black Friday deal on amazon so be sure to scoop some up!
Scrapbook Paper
Not just for scrapbookers – I use cute scrapbook paper for everything from little preschool projects to covering plain notebooks to make them look fancy to writing quotes on them to hang up on my wall. I recommend going with quality over quantity here, because every paper connoisseur will appreciate the aesthetic appeal, rather than getting the best bang for your buck but nothing really special.
You can also check Hobby Lobby, they often have great deals and some really cute paper.
Watercolor Paint sET
Watercolors can range in quality, so it’s important to look for something that is at the skill level of the artist you are shopping for. This set of 50 watercolors is great for beginners, come with five brushes, and if you buy it now you save over $20 with a Black Friday deal on Amazon! There is also this pocket sized set, which is great for traveling and for those who are ambitious to mix their own colors. You can also get them this high quality watercolor pad by Strathmore, which comes in different sizes.
Charcoal Pencil Set
Personally, charcoal is my favorite medium to work with. I enjoy being able to work with the grayscale and really blend the drawing into shape on the page. If you are looking for a high quality complete set, this is the one I recommen by Faber-Castel. It is made in Germany and comes with a variety of charcoal sticks and pencils, a blender, an eraser, and a metal case.
This larger set is also on sale for Black Friday for a great price, or if you are looking for something small and simple, this one is a good option.
Looking for Artsy Gifts for Younger Kids? Check out this Arts and Crafts Christmas Gift List for Kids
Complete sketch Set
A beginner artist would love this complete set of sketchpads, pencils, and other materials to work with. If you are looking for something to buy in bulk, this is a good bet. It isn’t anything name brand, but the volume of materials is a good buy, and it’s on sale for Black Friday!
Oil Pastels
This is a good quality set of oil pastels for a beginner or intermediate artist. The set comes at a reasonable price and is more than sufficient to make some nice pieces of art. It comes with 48 colors. I wouldn’t recommend buying anything of lower quality than this, as cheap pastels are crumbly and no good.
There is this high quality pastel set by Sennelier which is really nice if you are looking for something high end for a more intermediate/professional artist who is involved in pastel drawing. It comes with 36 colors.
Drawing Mannequin
I think of this as a gift where anyone who is involved in art will be thankful, even if they already have one of these, and if they don’t have one yet, it’s the kind of thing that is nice to be received as a gift and not something you think of to buy for yourself because you’re too busy stocking up on paper and supplies.
This 10″ drawing mannequin seems to be the best quality on Amazon.
Moleskine Notebook
For every creative person, whether an artist, poet, architect, or designer, there is a moleskine notebook to suit your needs. These are the only notebooks my husband uses and has used over the last ten years. They are very durable, high quality, and enjoyable to carry around. They have so many options, just double check to make sure you are getting the correct size, cover, and interior (lined/dotted/agenda/blank)
Moleskine Cahier (Set of three thin softcover notebooks)
Cute Artist socks
You don’t always have to get your artist art supplies – if you want to get something unique, these socks are a cute way to show you support their artistic journey. These art socks have famous paintings depicted on them including The Scream, The Birth of Venus, Mona Lisa, and more. Plus they are on super sale right now for Black Friday for under $10 for 4-5 pairs, which is a really reasonable price for socks!
And finally, if you aren’t sure what to get, you can always get a gift card to somewhere artsy like Michael’s or JOANNE
Read Next: S.T.E.A.M. Gift Ideas