Ultimate Gift Guide For Digital Artists
If you’ve ever explored the world of digital artists, you’ll know that calling them ‘hardworking’ hardly does justice to their dedication. Not only must they constantly hone their skills to succeed, but the cost of essential tools can be daunting, leaving some teetering on the brink of financial strain (and that’s only a slight exaggeration). Art can be a pricey pursuit. So, if you’re looking to support a digital artist friend, our ultimate gift guide is here to help.
In this carefully curated list, you’ll discover more than 40 practical gifts – ranging from hardware and software to apps, books, and courses – that make perfect presents for a digital artist. These thoughtful choices are designed to enhance their skills, provide new perspectives, boost productivity, and offer comfort as they create.
The Art of Loish
$20.49
The Art of Loish unveils the captivating journey of Lois van Baarle, a renowned Dutch freelance animator and illustrator. Since her graduation in 2009, Loish has gained a massive online following, and this book marks her first foray into publishing. It explores her inspirations, early works, and distinctive style, packed with useful tips and techniques she uses in her daily art. This book is a treasure for fans and artists alike, providing a detailed look into her artistic process.
Steal Like an Artist
$10.90
Steal Like an Artist is an enlightening book that provides ten transformative principles to foster creativity in the digital age. It encourages readers to embrace influence, remix, and reimagine ideas, guiding them towards discovering their artistic voice and life’s work. The book blends practical life advice with the courage to take creative risks, inspiring readers to be bold in their work and imagination.
Beginner’s Guide to Sketching
$42.46
Beginner’s Guide to Sketching delves into the essential skill of sketching for concept artists. Offering advice from renowned artists such as Rovina Cai and Justin Gerard, this guide teaches fundamental techniques. It includes warm-up exercises, tips, and master projects that take artists from initial concepts to finished scenes, making it an ideal resource for artists at all levels.
Beginner’s Guide to Digital Painting in Photoshop
$29.40
Beginner’s Guide to Digital Painting in Photoshop: Characters is a comprehensive guide for artists keen on mastering digital character creation. Featuring insights from experts like Charlie Bowater and Derek Stenning, it covers everything from posing and costumes to emotions and moods. With step-by-step tutorials, this guide is invaluable for both beginners and seasoned artists looking to refine their character design skills.
The Designer’s Dictionary of Color
$18.59
The Designer’s Dictionary of Color by Sean Adams is a comprehensive guide that delves into 30 essential colors in art and graphic design. Arranged by spectrum, it offers in-depth charts, a range of color variations, and palette options for each hue. The book explores the historical and cultural significance of each color, showcasing its use in various artistic and practical applications. This resource is invaluable for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of color in different contexts.
Wacom Intuos CTL4100
$39.85
The Wacom Intuos CTL4100 is a compact graphics drawing tablet renowned for its control and precision. Compatible with all software, it’s suitable for a variety of digital creative tasks like drawing, photo/video editing, and design work. Utilizing Wacom’s leading pen technology, it provides a natural drawing experience. The tablet also includes access to creative software and online training, adding great value for both professional designers and hobbyists.
Wacom Intuos Pro PTH460K0A
$226.75
Ideal for image editing, illustration, and design, the Wacom Intuos Pro PTH460K0A is a precision graphics tablet featuring the ultra-responsive Wacom Pro Pen 2. Its compact Bluetooth design, touch gestures, and programmable buttons enable a personalized and efficient workflow. Additional features like a Touch Ring and customizable Express Keys add to its functionality, making it a valuable tool for creative professionals.
Wacom Cintiq Pro
1,299.95
The Wacom Cintiq Pro is a premium digital drawing tablet offering an immersive and natural pen experience. It boasts 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity and almost lag-free tracking on a 16-inch 4K LCD display with exceptional color accuracy. Designed to mimic the feel of drawing on paper, the etched glass screen reduces glare and reflections, and it includes convenient features like multi-touch gestures, on-screen controls, and ExpressKeys.
HUION KAMVAS 13 Drawing Tablet
$239.00
The HUION KAMVAS 13 is not just a drawing tablet, but a portable canvas for creatives. Its 13.3-inch full-laminated HD display provides a realistic drawing experience with vibrant colors and minimal parallax. Enhanced with Huion PenTec3.0 technology, the responsive pen offers 8192 pressure levels and tilt recognition for accurate strokes. Compatible with multiple operating systems and Android devices, it features 8 customizable hot-keys and a sleek design, perfect for graphic design and remote learning.
Wacom Cintiq 22
1,249.95
Wacom Cintiq 22 is an ergonomically designed tablet perfect for creative beginners. It features an HD LCD display with uniform brightness, high resolution, and accurate color quality. The Pro Pen 2 offers 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity and near-lag-free tracking, ensuring a natural drawing feel. With relaxed parallax and customizable switches, it enhances control and comfort for new artists.
Drawing Glove
$14.99
The Drawing Tablet Glove is an essential accessory for digital artists, offering compatibility with graphic tablets, iPads, and paper sketching. Its two-finger design with palm rejection prevents unintended touches, while the smudge guard feature keeps your screen clean. Made of premium Lycra and nylon, it ensures breathability and smooth movement. The pack includes two ambidextrous gloves, each 7.8 inches long and 3 inches wide, providing a comfortable and uninterrupted drawing experience.
Wacom Bamboo Ink Plus Smart Stylus
$59.99
The Wacom Bamboo Ink Plus Smart Stylus enhances your digital annotating, sketching, and drawing experience. It provides seamless access to Windows Ink Workspace, supports natural tilt for precise strokes, and responds to the lightest touch. The stylus package includes different nibs, a charging cable, and its original box, making it a versatile choice for digital artists and note-takers.
Adonit Pro 4
$29.99
Experience precision like never before with the Adonit Pro 4 stylus. Its unique single-piece design ensures exceptional accuracy. The stylus is equipped with a Soft Touch Precision Disc, made from PET material to prevent scratches on touchscreens. For added convenience, it features a sleek pen clip for easy attachment to clothing or bags. The Adonit Pro 4 also stands out with its lightweight aluminum body and copper twist cap, providing both superior texture and grip.
Pogo
$19.95
For those using 3D touch iPhones, iPads, or trackpads, the Pogo stylus is an essential tool. It is distinguished by its expertly crafted body and easily replaceable tips. Ideal for signing documents, creating art, or writing notes, the Pogo stylus is a versatile accessory for daily use.
Rechargeable A4 LED Light Pad
$49.99
Discover the convenience of wireless artistry with the Rechargeable A4 LED Light Pad. Chargeable in just 2 hours for 4-6 hours of use, it’s an artist’s ally for prolonged projects. The ergonomic stand ensures comfortable work angles, and the padded carrying case protects it during travel. Featuring 6 brightness levels for precise lighting control, this package includes a Type-C cable, a shoulder strap, tracing artworks, tracing paper, and a user manual, making it a thoughtful gift for creative minds.
Apple iPad Pro
Starts from: $799.00
The Apple iPad Pro boasts a stunning 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, offering unmatched brightness and dynamic range. It’s ideal for HDR photo and video editing, as well as enjoying movies and TV shows, thanks to its impressive 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. With 1000 nits of full-screen brightness and a peak of 1600 nits, the iPad Pro also features advanced technologies like P3 wide color, True Tone, and ProMotion. Additionally, it includes Reference Mode, making it perfect for color-critical work.
Apple Pencil
$129.00
Redefine your creative process with the Apple Pencil. Designed to feel both intuitive and magical, it offers pixel-perfect precision, low latency, and supports tilt sensitivity and palm rejection. The Apple Pencil is incredibly user-friendly, ensuring you’re always ready when inspiration strikes
Logitech 910-004442 Wireless Mouse
$36.99
The Logitech 910-004442 Wireless Mouse adds a playful and vibrant touch to any workspace. Perfect for those who love to express their unique style, it offers a reliable wireless range of 10 meters and a long-lasting 12-month battery life. This mouse combines practicality with a fun, creative flair, brightening up your desk with its colorful design.
Butouch Digital Painting Stylus
$249
The Butouch Professional Digital Painting Brush Stylus by SILSTAR bridges the gap between traditional and digital art. Compatible with various touchscreen devices and requiring no charging or batteries, it’s ideal for artists on the move. The innovative bristle design ensures smooth interaction with screens, offering a mess-free digital painting experience. Perfect for professional artists or as an engaging activity for kids, the Butouch Stylus is a hassle-free tool backed by a satisfaction guarantee.
Adobe Photoshop Shortcuts Keyboard Cover
$16.99
The Adobe Photoshop Shortcuts Keyboard Cover is an essential accessory for Photoshop CS users, designed to streamline your workflow. Crafted by XSKN, known for their high-quality silicone skins, this cover is heat-molded for a perfect fit and hand-painted with silicone paint for durability and washability. It features a comfortable lower key height for extended typing sessions, providing that organic cashmere feel while enhancing your Photoshop efficiency.
TENDTOP Bluetooth Keypad for iPad
$33.99
Elevate your digital artistry with the T TENDTOP Bluetooth Keypad, specifically tailored for Procreate on iPad and graphic tablets. Offering over 20 shortcuts, this wireless keyboard makes functions like cutting, copying, and brush adjustment a breeze. Its ergonomic, ultra-thin design ensures comfort during use, while the robust Bluetooth 5.1 connection keeps you wirelessly in control. A single 2-hour charge powers the device for over 84 hours, making it a fantastic tool for artists seeking to boost their creative productivity.
Sabrent 4 Port USB Hub
$22.99
Experience seamless connectivity with Sabrent’s 4 Port USB Hub, a stylish and functional accessory especially for Apple enthusiasts. This hub effortlessly integrates four USB 3.0 ports into your existing setup, supporting a range of transfer speeds. Its Apple-style design beautifully matches Mac Pro, iMac, and MacBook, making it a chic addition. Easy to install with plug-n-play functionality, it works well with Windows, Mac, and Linux systems, offering a convenient way to enhance your device’s connectivity.
HUE Animation Studio
$69.95
HUE Animation Studio provides a complete stop motion animation experience, perfect for educational and creative activities. The kit includes the HUE HD USB camera with an integrated microphone, stop motion software, a 64-page animation book, a mini stage, and other accessories. Recommended by teachers and validated by STEM.org, it’s a fantastic tool for children as young as 7 to create animations, making it ideal for homeschooling or classroom use.
Toshiba Canvio Basics 2TB
$59.78
The Toshiba Canvio Basics 2TB is a sleek, matte-finished external hard drive designed for hassle-free use. Its plug-and-play capability requires no extra software, making it ideal for expanding storage on PCs and other compatible devices quickly. It supports USB 3.0 and 2.0, operates without an external AC power cord, and comes pre-formatted for Windows, with Mac users requiring reformatting.
Tracing Light Box
$19.99
The Tracing Light Box is a slim, lightweight tool ideal for various creative tasks. Only 5mm thick and USB-powered, it’s highly portable and offers even, flicker-free illumination. The brightness is easily adjustable with a touch sensor switch, making it perfect for artists on the go. Remember to remove the protective film before use for optimal clarity.
Adobe Photoshop
Starts from: $22.99/mo
Transform your digital imagery with Adobe Photoshop, the go-to software for image editing and manipulation. This tool is a favorite among photographers, graphic designers, and artists, thanks to its robust features. It enables detailed photo editing, digital painting creation, and sophisticated design work, complete with layers, filters, brushes, and 3D modeling capabilities. A must-have for creative professionals seeking to push the boundaries of their art.
230+ Bold Graphics Pack
$29.00
Unleash your creativity with the 230+ Bold Graphics Super Pack, a diverse and extensive collection of over 230 vector geometric designs. This pack includes everything from sleek linear style abstracts and exotic jungle animals to minimalist shapes and dynamic transitions. Ideal for various creative endeavors like wall art, posters, greeting cards, logos, or social media content, these graphics offer full stroke editability for perfect customization. Compatible with vector editing software such as Adobe Illustrator, this pack is a must-have for creators seeking to add a contemporary flair to their projects.
Osmo Pocket 3
$519
Experience cinematic magic in your pocket with the Osmo Pocket 3. This compact imaging powerhouse features a 1-inch CMOS sensor, delivering stunningly clear and detailed visuals. Its 2-inch rotatable touchscreen and swift autofocus cater to both horizontal and vertical shooting needs. Record in 4K at 120fps, stabilized by a three-axis mechanical system for smooth, dynamic captures. With 10-Bit D-Log M, HLG color enhancements, and Glamour Effects 2.0, the Pocket 3 effortlessly brings a professional touch to your on-the-go filming adventures.
Adobe Illustrator
Starts from: $22.99/mo
Bring your graphic designs, logos, and illustrations to life with Adobe Illustrator, a top choice for vector graphics. This software excels in precision and control, allowing designers to produce detailed and vibrant visuals. Its capabilities extend to advanced typography, rich color palettes, and versatile drawing tools, making it a cornerstone for branding, print, and digital media projects.
Painter 2023
$214.00
Unleash your artistic potential with Painter 2023, a digital art software tailor-made for Mac users. It features a premium blank canvas and photo-art tools, along with renowned Natural-Media™ emulation and digital art brushes. Customize brushes, textures, and media to your heart’s content, perfect for artists who value versatility. Plus, new subscribers receive 285 free brushes and a Creative Photo Bundle, enhancing your creative journey.
Painter Essentials 8
$39.99
Discover the joy of digital painting with Painter Essentials 8, a user-friendly software designed for beginners on Mac. With its intuitive interface and top-rated brushes, it’s ideal for newcomers to the art world. Enjoy rapid painting speeds and a wealth of learning resources, complemented by Apple’s advanced AI capabilities. It’s the perfect starting point for aspiring artists.
Poser 13
$249.95
Step into the director’s chair with Poser 13, a digital platform that gives you complete control over 3D figures for your rendering or animation projects. It features an extensive library exceeding 5 GB, allowing effortless integration of 3D content into your scenes. Ideal for 3D human figure modeling, Poser simplifies the creation of 3D animations and images, supported by an extensive range of third-party digital content.
Procreate
$19.99
Explore the realms of 2D animation with Procreate Dreams, an innovative app designed to spark your creativity. Whether it’s expressive videos, captivating storytelling, or animation, this tool provides a comprehensive platform for editing, animating, and creating. Its user-friendly interface and advanced features make it an excellent choice for those looking to bring their imaginative concepts to life with flair and sophistication.
The Secret Lives of Color Book
$8.80
Kassia St. Clair’s ‘The Secret Lives of Color’ is a fascinating journey through the stories behind colors. This beautifully designed multi-hued hardcover spans 320 pages, making it a perfect size for color enthusiasts. Printed on durable paperboard with a wipe-clean surface, it invites readers to explore the hidden narratives that have influenced our visual world. A delightful read for those fascinated by the cultural and historical aspects of colors.
Inspire Pro
$12.99
Discover the art of digital creativity with Inspire Pro, exclusively available on the App Store for iPad. This app offers a fast, realistic experience in painting, drawing, and sketching, thanks to its innovative Sorcery™ painting engine. With 64-bit color precision and impressive speed, it caters to both budding artists and seasoned professionals. Inspire Pro features both wet and dry brush effects and an intuitive interface, making it a standout choice for digital illustration.
ArtStudio for iPad
£4.99
ArtStudio for iPad revolutionizes the way you sketch, paint, and edit photos. Its latest version comes completely redesigned with a user-friendly interface and a robust graphics engine, streamlining your creative process. Known for its advanced drawing algorithms, ArtStudio ensures precision and speed, redefining the digital art experience for artists of all levels.
ImagineFX Magazine
Starts from: $9.99/mo
Dive into the world of art with ImagineFX Magazine, a global showcase of exceptional artwork. This magazine caters to art lovers and features work from both industry veterans and emerging talents in digital and traditional art. Each issue focuses on a key aspect of the art industry, ranging from movie concept art to the latest trends. ImagineFX is also packed with workshops and tutorials for all skill levels, covering everything from anatomy to composition, making it an invaluable resource for learning and inspiration.
3D Artist
Starts from: $9.99/mo
3D Artist magazine is a must-read for 3D software enthusiasts, filled with expert advice and stunning imagery. Every issue is packed with professional insights, tutorials, and features from top artists in TV, architecture, film, and more. Its unique ‘Workspace’ section offers a glimpse into a 3D career, with university course information, career advice, and freelance tips, making it an essential read for aspiring 3D professionals.
Nix Mini 3
$97
Meet the Nix Mini 3, a game-changer in color sensing technology. This compact sensor captures colors with incredible precision, featuring a 300%+ improvement in resolution. Ideal for designers and color enthusiasts, it offers instant compatibility with over 200,000 paint brands and supports various color standards like RGB, HEX, CMYK, Pantone, RAL, and NCS. With no need for calibration, the Nix Mini 3 is an indispensable tool for anyone passionate about color matching and design.
Computer Arts
Starts from: $9.99/mo
For digital creatives, Computer Arts is the leading magazine, packed with skills and advice to enhance your design abilities. It covers a wide range of topics including illustration, graphic design, typography, and web design. Each issue is a treasure trove of workshops focused on branding, character design, and mobile design, along with advanced software tips for tools like Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator.
The Gnomon Workshop
Starts from: $54.00/mo
The Gnomon Workshop offers unparalleled training for visual effects artists, concept designers, sculptors, and comic book illustrators. With a subscription, gain unlimited access to over 300 tutorials and more than 1000 hours of training. Covering a broad spectrum of topics, these tutorials are available without any viewing limits, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience.
SkillShare Subscription
Starts from: $32.00/mo
SkillShare brings a world of learning to your fingertips with its vast online community. Specializing in illustration, design, photography, video, and freelancing, it connects eager learners with top-notch teachers and practical classes. This platform is a hub of inspiration and progression in various creative disciplines, perfect for those looking to expand their skills and explore new hobbies.
12″ Wooden Male Figure
$10.99
The 12″ Wooden Male Figure is a versatile artist’s model featuring flexible joints for posing. Crafted from durable hardwood, it’s an essential tool for artists, animators, and photographers. Beyond its practical use, it also serves as an attractive desk toy or home decoration. This figure aids artists in achieving accurate scale and proportions, making it an ideal gift or artistic accessory.
3Doodler 3D Pen
$69.99
Explore the world of 3D art with the 3Doodler 3D Pen. This innovative tool extrudes heated plastic that hardens instantly, enabling 3D drawing either freehand or with stencils. Perfect for a range of creative projects, from art and repairs to designing wearable items and building models, this pen adds a new dimension to your artistic endeavors.
IDRAW Comics Sketchbook
$29.00
The IDRAW Comics Sketchbook is an indispensable resource for anyone involved in comic book illustration, page layout, and storytelling. This unique sketchbook blends essential industry reference materials with a traditional sketchbook format, making it a must-have guide for comic artists aspiring to refine their craft.
1000 Colors Jigsaw Puzzle
$55.95
The “1000 Colors Jigsaw Puzzle” by Clemens Habicht presents a delightful and unique challenge. Each puzzle piece represents a different color, coming together to form a stunning CMYK spectrum. Designed for intuitive and relaxing assembly, the puzzle is made with high-quality pieces and minimal dust, offering a soothing, yet engaging experience for puzzle enthusiasts.
Bellroy A5 Work Folio
$219.00
The Bellroy A5 Work Folio is the perfect companion for professionals on the move. Designed to neatly organize your A5 notebook, pens, gadgets, and more, it features specialized pockets for phones, e-readers, small tablets, hard drives, and up to 6 cards. Made from high-quality LWG leather and backed by a 3-year warranty, this folio measures 9 x 6.7 x 0.8 inches, offering a blend of durability and practicality for your everyday needs.