Top Ten Gift Ideas for the Student Artist

Let's face it: artists usually aren't the richest people in the world and art supplies err on the expensive side. Don't know what to get for someone? Don't know what to say when someone asks what you want? Here are a few ideas to get you started…

Top Ten Gift Ideas:

Before I begin, I'd just like to note that prices I've given are the listed prices for the items; it's entirely possible that the price you'll pay at an art store is much cheaper.

1. Prismacolor Colored Pencils

These tend to be more expensive than, say, Crayola brand, but the purchase is well worth it. Prismacolo pencils are top-notch and won't leave those annoying streaky lines that are practically billboards pointing to low quality pencils. In addition, Prismacolor leads are thick, soft, light-resistant, easy to blend, and waterproof. They are what every colored pencil artist dreams of, which unfortunately comes at a rather high price for most people. A set of twenty-four pencils is about $33.

2. Faber-Castell Polychromos Hard Pastels

As far as pastels go, these are some of the best. They have a huge color selection-120 different colors, to be exact. Faber-Castell Pastels are ideal for both more precise line work as well as covering larger areas with brilliant color. You can usually find a set of twelve for around $21.

3. Conte Compressed Charcoal

Conte Compressed Charcoal is perfect for sketching. It is smooth, does not crumble, and is rich in color and texture while at the time not greasy. Most charcoals are known for leaving a layer of black dust everywhere, and while I can't guarantee that any brand will be completely mess-free, Conte Compressed tends to be a little easier to clean up than softer charcoals. You really should be choosing charcoal based on what suits your style, but this is merely further incentive that tends to appeal to parents or roommates. A twelve-set generally costs around $21.

4. Golden Artist Acrylics-Heavy Body Acrylic Colors

This line of acrylic paints is excellent for use with palette knives; the paints are smooth and buttery while remaining permanent and resistant to fading. Unlike cheaper brands, Golden Artist adds no fillers or dyes. While there are many other excellent brands to choose from, stay away from the cheaper "student- quality" paints. Sometimes these cheaper acrylics have so much water and a complete lack of substance that I wonder why they don't just sell them as watercolors. Thin acrylics are just frustrating to work with-get a gift that someone will appreciate. Golden Artist Acrylics are about $45 for a set of six colors.

5. Rotring Calligraphy Pens

These are nicely-balanced pens that aren't too expensive and make a nice addition to any artist's repertoire. They carry ink nicely and are easy to clean. A set with several different nibs will cost around $16 to $25.

6. Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Brush Pens

Everyone appreciates a nice, quality set of pens. These pens are ideal for almost anyone-from graphic artists to architects. These brushes contain India Ink, which is waterproof and acid free, without the danger of an open ink bottle on your desk just waiting to be spilled. Faber-Castell even has a special set of pens, various shades of blacks and grays, just for Manga artists. A set of eight is around $15, while the 48-set gift box is around $130.

7. Shiva Oil Paintstiks

Paintstiks are fingerpaint, acrylics, and oil pastels all in one. They come in sticks and apply like paint, thought it's usually much easier to spread and blend with your fingers than with a brush. A whole spectrum of colors can be achieved with few colors; in fact, basic sets don't even come with black, encouraging artists to blend and mix to their hearts' content. Paintstiks are fun to use and capable of producing quality artwork. Great for both the casual artist as well as the advanced artist, you can't go wrong with Paintstiks. A set of six colors (red, blue, green, yellow, white, and brown) is about $29.

8. Adobe Photoshop

Computer art deserves at least a little mention, so here you go. Photoshop is absolutely the best image-editing software out there. Prices vary, where the student editions are less expensive than the full versions. Only the hard core Photoshop users will be able to tell the difference between the student and the full versions, though.

9. Copic Markers

Copic Markers are not for the faint of wallet. They are incredibly expensive, but I have yet to hear anything negative about them, aside from the price. Copic Markers are used by professional artists and designers to achieve a crisp picture of the same quality one would get with a computer-edited image. It's impossible to describe exactly what the markers are capable of, but anyone who has used them will agree that they are well worth the price tag, especially if you don't want to sacrifice the hand-drawn look to a computer edited quality. A twelve set is generally around $70. Again, not a good pick if you're on a budget.

10. Pink Pearl Erasers

Certainly, don't make this your only gift, but I can't say how much most of use depend on our Pink Pearls, or how often we misplace them. This is a cute idea for a stocking- stuffer, and should set you back no more than a dollar.