Shopping for an art lover can be easier when you focus on how they like to create: sketching, painting, printing, or organizing finished work. These gifts span compact tools and larger workspace upgrades, so you can choose something that suits your recipient and your Secret Santa budget.
12 Secret Santa Gifts for Art Lovers
1. Master Airbrush Cool Runner II Kit
For the Detail-Oriented Maker
Master Airbrush Cool Runner II Kit
- Includes three airbrushes: two dual-action models and one single-action model.
- Comes with a compressor, hose, airbrush holder, and six water-based acrylic colors.
- A quick-start guide and cleaning brushes are included.
Best For: An art lover interested in airbrushing illustrations, models, or mixed-media projects.
2. 18 × 24-Inch Art Portfolio with 24 Pockets
For the Artist Who Saves Every Sketch
18 × 24-Inch Art Portfolio with 24 Pockets
- The 24-pocket portfolio holds up to 48 pages sized 18 × 24 inches.
- Transparent sleeves have black inner inserts for viewing and organizing artwork.
- Rounded corners and a portable folder format suit presentations or storage.
Best For: An artist who wants to organize and carry larger drawings or prints.
3. Pagather 72-Color Dual-Tip Acrylic Markers
For Colorful Craft Sessions
Pagather 72-Color Dual-Tip Acrylic Markers
- The set includes 72 colors with fine and brush tips for detail and broader strokes.
- Markers are described for use on paper, canvas, wood, and other surfaces.
- A portable case and instruction guide come with the set.
Best For: An illustrator or mixed-media artist who likes drawing and decorating varied surfaces.
4. Grabie 50-Color Watercolor Set with Brushes
For Painting Away from the Desk
Grabie 50-Color Watercolor Set with Brushes
- Includes 50 watercolors, five detail brushes, a water brush pen, sponge, and fineliner.
- A watercolor paper pad and pre-printed swatch sheet are included.
- The paints and tools are packed in a tin designed to travel.
Best For: A watercolor painter who wants supplies for portable creative sessions.
5. Rechargeable 16-Inch Cordless Picture Light
For a Favorite Finished Piece
Rechargeable 16-Inch Cordless Picture Light
- The wall-mounted light has a 16-inch bar and adjustable brightness and color temperature.
- A remote offers timer settings and can control multiple lights at once.
- The light bar detaches magnetically for USB-C charging.
Best For: An art lover who displays paintings, prints, or photographs at home.
6. Speedball Deluxe Block Printing Kit
For the Printmaking Curious
Speedball Deluxe Block Printing Kit
- The kit includes linoleum blocks, cutters, a handle, brayer, and bench hook.
- Four water-soluble inks are included: black, red, yellow, and blue.
- Its materials are suited to making prints, cards, and other paper crafts.
Best For: A creative recipient interested in trying linocut or repeatable print designs.
7. Soho Urban Artist Adjustable Travel Easel
For Painting Beyond the Studio
Soho Urban Artist Adjustable Travel Easel
- The aluminum easel adjusts from 24 to 66.14 inches high.
- It holds panels, pads, or canvases between 0.08 and 1.63 inches thick.
- A carry bag is included for transport.
Best For: A painter who works outdoors or needs a portable stand for a canvas.
8. Rechargeable A4 Tracing Light Pad
For Clean Lines and Layered Drawings
Rechargeable A4 Tracing Light Pad
- The A4 pad offers six brightness levels and stepless dimming.
- A built-in stand, top clip, padded case, and USB-C cable are included.
- Suggested uses include tracing, drawing, animation, calligraphy, and sewing projects.
Best For: An illustrator, animator, or calligrapher who transfers or layers drawings.
9. VISWIN Beechwood Tabletop Easel with Drawers
For a Neater Painting Corner
VISWIN Beechwood Tabletop Easel with Drawers
- Three drawers provide space to organize brushes, paints, and other art supplies.
- The painting angle adjusts from 0 to 60 degrees.
- A leather carry handle and metal locks make the easel box portable.
Best For: A painter who wants a compact tabletop setup with built-in storage.
10. Castle Art Supplies 72 Autumn Colored Pencils
For Blending and Color Practice
Castle Art Supplies 72 Autumn Colored Pencils
- The set contains 72 named and numbered wax-based pencils in an autumn palette.
- The product describes the cores as suitable for layering, blending, and burnishing.
- A display tin, color testing chart, coloring sheets, and tutorial are included.
Best For: An illustrator or colorist who enjoys working with colored pencils.
11. Jack Richeson Six-Scoop Ceramic Brush Holder
For a More Useful Paint Station
Jack Richeson Six-Scoop Ceramic Brush Holder
- This glazed white porcelain accessory has six scoops.
- It is described for mixing inks, dyes, and water media.
- Its brush-focused design makes it a compact addition to a painting area.
Best For: A painter who works with water-based media and wants a small studio accessory.
12. 200 Essential Color Cube Cards
For the Color-Theory Enthusiast
200 Essential Color Cube Cards
- The deck contains 200 color cards with numbered swatches on the front.
- The backs list RGB, CMYK, and HEX codes for shades and tints.
- The laminated cards are designed as a portable reference for art and design.
Best For: An artist or designer who enjoys building palettes and comparing color values.
Choosing a Secret Santa Gift for an Art Lover
Start with the way your recipient already spends creative time, if you know. Someone who sketches or draws may appreciate markers, colored pencils, or a light pad for tracing. Watercolor supplies suit a painter who likes portable sessions, while the block printing kit is a more activity-focused choice for someone curious about carving and repeatable designs. If you are less certain about their medium, practical accessories such as a brush holder, portfolio, or color reference deck can support an existing practice without asking them to learn a whole new one.
Think about their working space, too. A tabletop easel with drawers is useful where a full studio setup would be impractical. The adjustable travel easel fits a different need: painting or displaying work at varying heights and carrying the stand along. A picture light is a home display gift for someone who enjoys living with art on the wall. These are ordinary, useful creative tools, so the recipient does not need Christmas-themed supplies to enjoy them.
Match the Gift to Your Budget
Secret Santa limits vary, so first check the agreed spending range. Small studio accessories and the color card deck are compact gifts. Marker and pencil sets offer a broad palette in one package, while the watercolor set combines paints with several useful tools. Larger equipment such as an easel, light pad, airbrush kit, or portfolio may suit a more generous group limit or a recipient you know well. Product details here do not establish current prices; use the group’s budget and current listing to decide whether an item fits.
A higher item count does not automatically make a better gift. Consider whether your recipient will use the supplies and has somewhere to store them. A focused accessory can feel thoughtful when it solves a real need, while a multi-part kit can be appealing when it gives them a clear new activity to explore.
Consider Compatibility and Personalization
Art supplies depend on preferred materials. Before choosing specialized equipment, see whether the recipient works with watercolor, acrylic markers, airbrushing, printmaking, or colored pencils. The products also have practical formats to consider: the portfolio is for 18 × 24-inch pages, the tracing light pad is A4, and the tabletop easel is designed for a desk or portable setup. The picture light is a wall-mounted display item, so it makes most sense for someone with artwork they want to illuminate.
Personalization can come from the way you present a practical gift. Add a short note naming the kind of project you thought they might enjoy, or pair the item with a handmade card if that fits your own budget. Avoid guessing at a very specific color preference or technique when you do not know it; a versatile tool or organizing accessory is often easier to match to an unfamiliar artist.
Timing and Last-Minute Decisions
For a Christmas exchange, decide early enough to check the current listing’s delivery estimate and whether the item is available in the needed format. Those details can change, so do not rely on a general promise about arrival. If you are shopping close to the exchange, choose based on what you can confirm at checkout and consider a compact, easy-to-wrap item. Keep the recipient’s interests in mind even when time is short: a useful brush holder, color reference deck, or pencil set can still feel personal when it connects to how they create.
When uncertain, favor a gift that supports the recipient’s existing habits and fits their workspace. That small bit of thought makes a Secret Santa pick for an art lover more useful well after Christmas.