It’s the first question in thinking about Christmas gifts for artists: what medium does your artist choose? Are we plotting gifts for artists who draw? Are we covering gifts for artists who paint? If the answer doesn’t jump out, a family member will know.

Even for a 5-year-old artist, there are favorites with art supplies. Crayons or pastels? Colored pencils or markers? For the grownup artists, they likely have a go-to brand for their acrylic paints or lush watercolors. For kiddos, observe what they’ve been using at home (or ask), because favorites tend to go in phases. (Or think on gift sets that combine a few different tools.) For grownup artists, try snooping around their art supplies to find out what they already use — then add to the stash.

Think about ways to make it easier for your artist to create while on vacation or simply on-the-move during their everyday. You can discover everything from kits to cases to fabric rolls for brushes — there are even mini paint sets that are smaller than a box of mints.

For the teenage-and-older group, consider gifts for artists that open them up to the artistic community where they live. Head to the local museum for ideas — the gift shop might even include gifts made by a local artist. Some of the best gifts for artists are experiences — like a museum membership pass.

Find out what artistic style rocks their boat (a peek around their Pinterest should help). If your grown artist seems to live in black-white-and-neon color palettes, you can look for gifts in home décor and accessories with that color palette. Your best bet is a smart hashtag on Instagram to find some indie label online (like #indigodye for artists who love that inky blue effect in textiles.)

If you’re brooding over finding the right gifts for artists, think outside-the-box. Feed your artist’s imagination with an experience gift that gets her or him out of the house — maybe even exploring somewhere with awe-inspiring views.

Your artist has her specific art. But artists love to create. And she’d probably find it fun to play around with a new-to-her art medium (especially if she’s been gifted all the materials.) You can peek at her social media to see if there’s a certain genre she seems into these days — like watercolor, calligraphy, or printmaking.  

These guides sketch out great inspiration:

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7 Tips For Gracefully Landing the Best Gifts For Dancers