Welcome to the fifth gift guide in the Ultimate Gift Guide series for geeks! This guide is dedicated to art geeks and if you missed the introduction post here’s a reminder of what an art geek is:

They’re your paint splattered, paint brush in their hair, sketch book carrying friend, family member or co-worker who likes to visit galleries and museums. People tend to expect artists to be passionate and energetic with a wacky personal style but that is not always the case. A lot of artists are very private about their work. If they’re lucky your art geek has managed to find a job in a related field, but that isn’t always the case so your art geek could quite easily be stuck in a completely different field.

Art isn’t just limited to traditional arts now; there’s a growing field of graphic art and design too so look out for people who have an interest in web design too. Art is a passion, and art geeks aren’t always artists themselves; their passion may be art history or theory.

Although ‘The Arts’ as an umbrella term also includes music, theatre and dance, for the purpose of this guide I will be focusing on artists and designers.

The aim of this guide is to introduce you to a variety of online stores that offer some fantastic products for art geeks. I’ll be highlighting some of my favourite products and I’ll also be providing you with links to some additional gift guides for art geeks. By the end of this article you will be confidently armed with a wealth of information to go forth and buy an amazing present for art geek in your life!

Handmade gifts are not only an amazing, and beautiful way to show someone you care for them, they’re also unique. In the gaming world handmade items are especially precious to us because they are created by fellow fans who share the same passion we do. It is very hard to find gaming items in stores sometimes and that means there is a thriving market for handmade gaming products online.

I could dedicate an entire series of guides just to what is available on some of these sites so I have chosen instead to provide a list of sites and let you browse them at your own discretion.

Etsy

Etsy is handmade heaven and you may find yourself losing several hours browsing there, so if you’re short on time go in with a plan. You can find literally everything there including things you haven’t even considered. It is also an international site so you have access to creators from all over the globe.

Store Envy

Another great handmade site that has a vast range of handmade goods for sale by creators.

Folksy

Folksy is the British etsy, so to speak; it’s described as the “the home of British craft”. They have some fantastic items available that you probably won’t find anywhere else.

Similar to handmade gifts are online stores where artists sell prints of their artwork and designs. These unique designs can then be bought as prints, stickers or printed on a range of products such as t-shirts, notebooks and even clocks! This can lead to you finding the quirky gift for just the right person.

Like the handmade sites above there are numerous incredible items and artists listed, so here are some sites to get you started:

Redbubble

Products designed by independent artists that are then printed and manufactured on quality products. Each artist decides which products they want their design featured on, so not every design can be placed on a mug, for example. The variety of products, especially when it comes to clothing, makes this a great option for gifts as there is something for everyone’s style.

Society6

If you’re looking for quality design and fine art then Society6 is the place to go. There’s graceful typography, detailed art depicting characters and everything in between – and they’re available on every product imaginable. There’s apparel, furniture, home decor, art prints, stationery and my personal favourite – bags. Finding decent geeky bags isn’t easy and here is an entire site full of beautiful designs.

TeeFury

As the name suggests Teefury focuses on apparel, namely t-shirts, tank tops and hoodies. They have a wide range of designs created by individual designers, which they’ve also grouped into specific collections to help you find exactly what you’re looking for – something really useful for gift hunting!

Qwertee

Qwertee has a different setup than the other sites on this list. Designs are only up for a limited time so you have to be quick to get your hands on the ones you want. The great thing about this is that it means there’s always something new and fresh, and you get some incredible gaming designs. It is a t-shirt only site catering for adults.

A subscription box is a box of products that gets delivered each month, and you can choose to sign up for a subscription for 1 month, 3 months or more. Subscription boxes make fantastic gifts because they include a range of different products, often exclusive ones for a great price. Most boxes offer a variety of products so these are idea if you’re not sure what your geek/nerd likes. You can either choose to order an actual box or buy them a subscription/gift card which they can then choose to use when they wish.

Here are my recommendations for some great boxes:

• Adults and Crafts Crate – The perfect gift for anyone who loves to create, this subscription box comes with a curated craft kit to create something amazing.
• Paletteful Packs – A monthly box filled to the brim with art supplies, it comes in a variety of options so it’s a great box for art geeks of any skill level.
• Art Crate – For art geeks who love art but aren’t necessarily crafty themselves this box is a great idea. Each month a selection of art prints are sent out, chosen by a personal curator to fit the recipient’s taste and style. Being a fan of art can be expensive and this is a much more affordable way to find new art.
• ArtSnacks – The aim of this subscription box is to ” inspire people through the discovery of amazing art materials” and each box contains high-quality and exclusive art supplies. This is a good choice for someone who is serious about their art, or in an art profession.
• The Art Kit Ltd. – A mixed media art kit in a quarterly box, The Art Kit Ltd. contains supplies and a unique project ideal for anyone who likes to experiment with their art.
• YarnYAY! by Vickie Howell – Got a knitter or crochet fan to buy for? Then this is the box for them. It’s packed with gorgeous yarn, knitting and crochet goodies every month.
• Craft in Style Box – We all know that person who’s addicted to pinterest, especially when it comes to finding new craft and DIY ideas. This is the box for them; a box filled with everything they need to make stylish pinterest DIY goods every month.
• Knit in a Box – A subscription box filled with knitting goodies for baby themed patterns.
• Inspirations Club – One for the sewers and costume makers, this box comes with a selection of fabrics, ribbons and buttons.

There aren’t many shops that offer a great selection of products for geeks/nerds in the real world, so the best place to shop for your geek is online if there isn’t a small local store that you know about. If there is a local store don’t be afraid to go in and ask for help finding that perfect gift; like me they’re there to help and will be happy to share their geeky knowledge with you 🙂

This list is a mixture of UK and US stores.

Gallery Shops

A great place to start is the gift shop for your local gallery. They work with local artists and designers, as well as offering unique gifts from the exhibits they curate and you can find something beautiful for all types of art fans in these shops. Most have an online gift shop so even if you’re far away from your art geek’s favourite gallery you can look for a gift. There’s the Musée d’Orsay, the Tate Gallery, Museo del Prado, The Metropolitian Museum of Art and the Kelvingrove Art Gallery to name a few.

Other unique ideas for art geeks are memberships to their favourite institution.

Not on the High Street

Not on the High Street is a great place to find art prints for art geeks. They have a broad selection in a range of styles, and many of them offer personalisation options too.

For artists on the go or art students consider this Personalised Artisans Pencil Case so that wherever they go they can always have supplies with them if inspiration strikes.

If you want to give your art geek a gift they will never forget then check out Not on the High Street’s Art & Craft Experiences. There is quite literally something for everyone, and some of them are extraordinary. Take this One Day Glassblowing Lesson For One for instance, an unforgettable gift for someone who is always eager to learn new things.

Chatty Feet

Chatty Feet is home to a whole bunch of funky socks and that includes some fantastic artists from all periods. If you’re looking for a quirky gift for an art geek or just something a little fun for a stocking then this is a great place to look.

Present Indicative

Present Indicative has a lot of unique gifts for geeks, and for art geeks it has some brilliantly quirky gifts. They have a great selection of mugs, including this Go Away I’m Designing Mug which any designer in your life will approve of.

Then there’s the art inspired jewellery which ranged from the interesting to the down right eccentric. You definitely won’t find anything boring here; just take this Paint Brush Pendant for instance.

Today is Art

Today is Art is home to the Art History Heroes collection of action figures and this year they also launched their first board game The Grand Museum of Art. A great idea for art geeks who are also gamers!

Art Gifts.com

This treasure trove of art gifts is absolutely magical and has so many gift options that are beautiful and inspiring. I completely fell in love with some of their jewellery options, which includes an artist palette range. One of the pieces in that collection is this lovely Amber and Enamel Silver Palette Necklace.

There are also jewellery pieces inspired by some of the great Masters, and one that caught my eye was this stunning Opal Tree of Life Necklace inspired by the painting by Gustav Klimt.

One thing that is difficult to find is clothing dedicated to art geeks. You can find items featuring art using the links under handmade sites and unique designs listed above, however, for anything general art related or art geeks there isn’t much around. Thankfully Art Gifts has you’re back! They have some great products available including this t-shirt featuring Degas’ Ballet Lessons.

Cass Art

Cass Art is a huge UK art and crafts supply store that literally had everything you could ask for and sometimes the best gift you can get an art geek is supplies. If you’re not sure what to get them trying asking their nearest and dearest, and they can check to see what brands/items they like to use. Otherwise putting together a hamper of supplies is also a great idea as a lot of artists and crafters are always on the look out for something new to try!

The Works

The Works is a discount store in the UK but it is absolutely fantastic for arts and crafts supplies that are affordable and good quality.

The Knitting Gift Shop

A gift shop dedicated to knitting, this shop offers a range of gifts for knitters of all levels and also offers luxury knitting hampers which are a great substitute for a traditional hamper for an art geek that loves to knit!

The point of these guides are to help guide you to find gifts and that is why I’ve not heavily suggested my own gift ideas. I also wanted to provide you with some variety and alternate opinions so here are a selection of fabulous gift guides to give you some inspiration:

• Museums Association (UK)
• Individual Galleries
• Etsy
• Not on the High Street
• Uncommon Goods
• The Unemployed Philosophers Guild
• Cass Art
• Art Gallery.co.uk

Wait a sec, she said don’t buy gift cards?! Well, I kind of did. I said don’t default to gift cards. I want to give you all the options and one of them is giving you a list of useful gift cards to get for geeks rather than just getting them an Amazon one or a general shopping one like Love2shop.

Most of the places I’ve already mentioned have gift card options, but here’s a quick and easy list for you:

• Perfect Gift Ideas for the Artist in Your Life – This is a wonderful guide from Shihori from the perspective of a fellow artist.
• 50 Bullet Journal Gift Ideas For Bujo Lovers – Bullet Journaling has become increasingly popular and if your art geek is a fan then this is gift guide from Diary of a Journal Planner is just right for you.
• Ultimate Gift Guide for Art Journaling – Art Journaling is a practise that a lot of artists use, and even if your art geek doesn’t use one this guide from MK Designs gives you some great ideas of the sort of supplies that any artist would find useful.
• 32 Gift Ideas for an Artist! – This incredible guide by Hazel of Fox and Hazel covers every type of art lover there is, and is a fantastic place to find that perfect gift.
• Best gifts for artists – the ultimate Christmas guide – From Coco Gigi Design this guide features some cute and quirky items that offer something a little bit different.
• Holiday Gift Guide for Creatives: 30+ Ideas for the Artist in Your Life – The great thing about this guide by Amy Latta Creations is that it’s divided into price ranges so as you can see if you’re on a budget there’s nothing to stop you getting an amazing gift for the art lover in your life.

If you’re still well and truly stuck for ideas for the geek in your life or want some advice then let me know! Either leave me a comment or drop me message on Facebook or Twitter and I’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

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