Shopping for the creative in your life may pose some challenges. What do they already have? what do they like even? Last Christmas, my dear husband gave me cash in a card to go shop at our local art shop. It was sweet and thoughtful, and I recommend gift cards to local businesses, but it didn’t have the same effect as opening a gift.

So if you’re looking for the extra special gift route, here you are. I’ve linked them mostly from my amazon associate account, but many of these are sold at local businesses as well. Whatever floats your boat!

BOOKS

Feck Perfuction is a wonderful pep talk for someone who needs a pep talk. As creatives, it is so easy to get into our heads about something we’re working on. This book reminds us in the power of making, of getting started even if we have to learn along the way, and that our work is made for sharing. It’s a yummy read that isn’t too heavy, whether you read it in a bubble bath or sitting in a waiting room. I couldn’t recommend it enough.

Another book I stumbled upon may relate more to illustrators and artists. Illustration annual is a collection of beautiful, thoughtful illustrations that inspires from page to page. It really is just a fun book to own and flip through when starting a new project to get some footing.

and if you think they would rather write than read, nothing feels better or more sophisticated than a moleskin journal. Used by artists and poets alike, the soft leather connects you to a long history of creatives. I have several moleskins around my house, all used for different purposes.

Organization

As a creative, you can be organized or disorganized. For my hubby’s sanity, I try to be very, very organized. I keep things like markers, loose pencils, pens and brushes separated into bags like this.

I organize all my paints into an old toolbox that wasn’t being used anymore. It’s quick and easy to find colors and to put things away when I finish a project. This is the same model of the one I have, but anything with drawers would work.

for the ipad user

It took me awhile to fall in love with drawing and working on the iPad but oh man. Now? it goes with me everywhere.

For digital artists, it is arguably the most powerful tool we have.

I have three tools for my iPad that have made my life a bit easier. I recommend them for anyone who regularly draws on their iPad.

The first is a Compass pro iPad stand. I could never really get the right height for drawing while seated at a desk. I like to watch movies while I work, and I wanted something I could work at my kitchen counter with. I saw a version of this at the Adobe Max keynote and spent a full hour finding it.

It’s expensive, but it is heavy duty and comes with a carrying pouch. I love mine, and I even bought one for our class iPad.

Another artist iPad tool is a simple drawing glove. Since the screen is touch sensitive, you can accidentally make marks while working that you don’t find until much later. This helps immensely to keep the stray marks from your work. I know I look pretty silly when I wear it, but it really does help.

And finally, a screen protector that doubles as a texture creator for your IPad screen. I struggled with the gloss of the screen in the beginning, and I love my paperlike screen protector. I will say it took forever to arrive, but it’s been pretty durable. Here is Amazon’s version which is much cheaper and arrives in a few days.

This list would not be complete without mentioning that a skillshare membership is a very fine gift for any creative. experts train you on how to run a business, manage your time, use different technology and stay inspired to create new work. It’s a fantastic, wonderful site that I personally love.

That’s my round up! Merry christmas everyone!

*These are all Amazon affiliate links, but you can find these products in many local shops.