This post is a bit less science-y than usual, but I figured it was the right time of year for a nerd to weigh in on gifts for artists. We’ll get back to the science next week! So gifts: a great gift provides something the recipient didn’t even know they needed. A new discovery that sparks joy or enables them to expand their horizons. One thing it doesn’t need to be is expensive. The gifts below should delight any watercolor artist, and they all cost less than $50 (which means you might also want to buy them for yourself!)
Brushes: Rosemary & Co. make the most marvelous brushes at truly marvelous prices. Rosemary herself and a small team of employees make the brushes by hand. A gift certificate would please most any painter. Be sure to request a catalog to go with it, so the recipient can see the actual-size photos of every brush. Keep in mind your certificate will also need to cover shipping and import fees from the UK (around $15 per order). My brush pick? A Sienna Mop Size 12 ($47) is a large and beautiful brush that enables very expressive painting and feels luxurious.
This Travel brush set ($18) from Amazon is much better than its low price would lead you to believe. The handles are quality and the brushes are certainly good enough for small plein-air paintings. The price means you don’t need to feel bad if they fall in the sand/ocean/off the cliff while you’re adventuring. I’ve given away a lot of these to people I meet while painting!
Meduims: QOR paint is made by an employee-owned company in upstate New York, and it is some of the most brilliant paint I’ve used, with very little drying shift. The QOR high chroma set includes some less common colors that mix together well enough to paint anything with just the six tubes included, so it’s fun for new and experienced watercolorists. Comes in a nice tin that doubles as a palette. ($33 at Blick or Jerry’s or Amazon)
If you haven’t heard, gouache is having a moment. The Shinhan Professional Designers Gouache set of 12 (15ml tubes) ($40 Blick) will give a great start with the medium and has the fewest fugitive pigments of any set I’ve found.
Give the gift of a new way to experience the medium of watercolor with some new supplies. Daniel Smith Watercolor Ground ($9 at Blick or Jerry’s) is an interesting surface to try. Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils ($26 Blick or Jerry’s for a set of 12 with a water brush) are succulent and fun to use alone or with watercolors or gouache.
Paper: Who doesn’t love a new, blank book? The Legion Mini Aqua Watercolor Pad ($2 at Jerry’s Artorama) is pocket-sized, but full of quality watercolor paper. The NY central eternity 90 sketch book ($4 at Jerry’s Artorama) is both handsome and inexpensive, and would also make a great way to create a book for someone as a gift. An Arches watercolor travel journal ($22 Blick or Jerry’s) is a classic that will never go unused.
Studio Tools: Beautiful, handmade studio tools will be appreciated every time they paint. If you’re a woodworker, one of these brush rests would make a great homemade gift, or purchase this one for $33. Unlike many brush rests, it holds the brushes level so the paint doesn’t run back into the ferrule. I also love this clever wash water bowl/brush rest ($31 – or talk to your local potter). Although I haven’t personally purchased from these Etsy sellers, these items look like what I’d want!
Books: Watercolor Painting: A Comprehensive Approach To Mastering the Medium ($25 on Amazon) is my favorite watercolor book and will be enlightening for both beginning and more advanced painters. A subscription to Watercolor Artist Magazine ($30) provides quarterly issues – and something to look forward to!
Art! No-one appreciates art like an artist! Giving a one-of-a-kind handmade piece of art, no matter how small, can’t help but brighten someone’s day – and every day after that when they see it on their wall. Check out my available prints and small works which make affordable gifts for anyone who loves bright landscape art. Prices start at $20.
Carrie Glessner 