The Best Artist Gift Ideas Under $12 for 2026

Whoever said making art was an expensive venture didn’t know about these amazing artist gift ideas for under $12!! And just because something is inexpensive doesn’t mean it’s garbage – as a longtime professional artist myself, I know good value when I see it.

So if you’re looking for some fun artist gift ideas for your creative loved one, here are more than a dozen artist gift ideas under $12 that your favorite artist will love. These gift ideas are perfect to give, no matter what time of year it is. And if you need more ideas, just shoot me an email – I absolutely love helping people find gifts their loved ones will be thrilled to get!

These artist gift ideas will be cherished by fine artists, crafters, artist wannabes, and everyone in between. So, grab one or several and make someone’s day!

Please know this post contains sponsored or affiliate links, and that I may earn a small commission on a qualifying purchase at no extra cost to you. All prices are accurate and items are in stock at the time of publication.

For Artists Who Love to Draw

1. This 22 piece drawing set includes black and white charcoal pencils and graphite pencils, charcoal sticks, blending stumps, a sharpener, a kneaded eraser, and a vinyl eraser. Just grab some paper or a sketch book to start drawing immediately!

READ MORE : 20 Gifts Under $20 for Artsy People

2. With this affordable set of three (3) sketchbooks, you’ll be able to sharpen your sketching skills in no time! Each book measures 7.5″ inch” x 5.1″ inch,” and fits easily into your purse, schoolbag or backpack. You can also use these books for a diary, travel journal, poetry work, creative writing, work records, study notes, mood diary, scrapbooks and more!

3. Excellent for adding texture, blending, or softening your pencil and charcoal drawings, this 33-piece set of blending stumps and tortillions will last for many years. The kit even comes with a blending sponge and a pencil extender, plus sandpaper and a kneaded eraser. The set includes a clear plastic pouch to keep everything together.

Artist Gift Ideas for Painters

4. There are 10 stainless steel palette knives in this set! The handles are made of sturdy plastic and the knives themselves are flexible yet sturdy. These knives are erfect for blending paint or doing palette knife painting directly on a surface.

5. This 26-piece acrylic mini-painting set comes with 12 tubes of acrylic paint, a 10-piece brush set, 2 canvas panels to paint on, 1 wooden easel to use when painting and displaying finished masterpieces on, and a small plastic palette for mixing paint. It’s a small yet mighty package for under $12!

6. These water brushes are so easy to use! This 12-piece water brush set comes with six flat brushes and six sharp brushes. Each style has two small, medium, and large brushes. The handle fills with water, and these brushes work well with watercolor, acrylic, tempera, and gouache paints. They’re perfect for kids, students, amateur, and fine artists.

Artist Gift Ideas for Journaling, Scrapbooking, and Mixed Media Creatives

7. This 360-piece vintage scrapbooking paper set comes in six different styles, each with three different sizes. Mix and match, and fill your pages quickly and effortlessly with so many choices. This set is perfect for collage artists, scrapbooking, and journaling aficionados.

8. Mixed media artists will love thisbeautiful floral 20-piece stencil set! Each stencil measures 6″ x 4.7″ and can be used with a variety of materials including spray paint, inks, acrylics, gel mediums, and more. Not into flowers? Check out this set of 16 mandala stencils or this set of 16 texture stencils, or the 20-piece inspirational words and phrases stencil set. All of these are under $12!

9. Just think about what you can create with this 30-color gel pen set! The choices are endless with so many colors to choose from. There are four classic colors, six fluorescent, six pastels, six glitter, and eight metallic colors. The inks are acid-free and non-toxic, and they don’t fade, smear, or skip. They are kid-friendly too!

Artist Gift Ideas for Makers and DIY’ers

10. There are so many things you can make with this 2-part Epoxy Resin kit! The set comes with the basic ingredients you need to start using this crystal clear medium. Pick up a starter kit of basic mold shapes to start making making your own resin jewelry, decoupage, coated cutting boards, geode coasters, and even poured paintings – the options are endless!

11. This one-step Shibori tye-dye kit comes with three colors of dye (sky, gray, and indigo). Just add water and you’re ready to start creating! Great for tye-dye clothing, dishtowels, table napkins, headbands, scarves, pillows, and more.

12. This beautiful tree is actually a diamond painting that measures 12″ x 12″!! The diamond painting kit includes one high definition painting canvas, one point diamond pen, one cube diamond tray, red glue clay, a pen cap, and the colorful round diamonds.

So there are my 12 ideas for the best artist gift ideas under $12. One other favorite that isn’t included in the 12 under $12 is a journal and some cool sticker. I’m adding them because if you’re still stuck, a journal and some stickers will inspire and excite even the most reluctant artist!

There’s Something for Everyone, and Everything is Under $12

It doesn’t matter if you’re a fine artist, hobbyist, newbie maker, or an experienced craftsperson – this 2025 list is sure to ignite a spark of creativity in everyone! These sets will inspire imaginations in everyone, young or old – and make fun yet affordable gifts to give any time of year.

And if you want to see more gift ideas, check out: 20 Gifts Under $20 for Artsy People, 10 Best Kitchen Ideas Under $10, and 20 Best Gift Ideas for Herb Gardeners!

To find out where to purchase or learn more about any of these products, just click on a photo or one of the links above – and if you’re still stumped on what to get your favorite artistic genius, just send me an email. I’m happy to help you find the perfect gift.