If you’re buying a gift for someone who draws, or wants to start drawing as a hobby, skip the cheapest starter kits. A few good tools are worth far more than a box full of Chinese crap.
Who am I to recommend these items? I’m KevinHayler, and I’ve been a professional graphite artist for over 20 years and drawing all my life. This is an example of my art, created with many of the tools I’ve listed here.
One caveat, I live in the UK and we don’t have access to the same supplies as the States, or at least they are harder to obtain locally. For that reason I’ve listed the equivilant North Americans are more likely to find. You guys are the biggest audience.
The quality is just as good.
The key to producing good results, is to choose a top brand and stick with them. Simple as that.
So with that said, these are the best art supplies for anyone serious about drawing. Each one is reliable, affordable, and something I use or would recommend to anyone learning to draw.
Disclaimer: When you buy something via my affiliate links I earn from qualifying purchases and sometimes earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. I am an Amazon Associate among others. I only recommend trusted sites.
Best Drawing Pencils for Beginners
Faber-Castell 9000 Series Graphite Pencils
These are professional-grade pencils used by many working artists around the world. The graphite is smooth, clean, and consistent, and the wooden casing sharpens perfectly every time. You can get fine lines, soft shading, and deep tones all with the same brand.
These are a top brand and the reason I suggest the Faber-Castell 9000 series is because they are sold almost everywhere. Finding replacements is easy. That’s important. There is nothing more frustrating than having to buy a whole set to replace one pencil.
Replacements are sold individually, either online, or your local art store, so the artist never needs to buy a whole set again.
For a gift, I suggest buying the full range for a beginner. That gives the artist every grade from hard to soft, so they can experiment and find their favorites. We all have our preferences and the only way to discover the best, is to play with them.
These pencils are affordable and practical. If you want a gift that every artist will use and appreciate, this is it.
Best Easel for Drawing
Meeden Classic French Box Easel
A French box easel is a solid choice for anyone who draws or paints. It’s sturdy, practical, and works just as well indoors as it does outside. The Meeden version isn’t the most expensive or flashy, but it’s good enough for the job and built to last.
The easel is made from beechwood and has a hinged lid that opens into an adjustable drawing support. A center bar holds your board or canvas firmly in place, and the angle can be changed easily with two lockable stays. The legs fold out for stability and can be adjusted for uneven ground.
There’s a storage drawer under the box with compartments for pencils, brushes, and paper. It slides out from the front, so your tools are always close to hand. When packed up, the easel folds into a neat box you can carry with a shoulder strap.
Fully loaded, it weighs about 15 to 20 pounds, which makes it portable without being flimsy. The design is balanced and secure, so it won’t wobble or tip while you work.
If you want to buy a thoughtful gift that’s useful and long-lasting, this is a great pick. The Meeden French Box Easel gives an artist everything they need in one compact setup.
Best Mechanical Pencils for Drawing
Pentel P200 Mechanical Pencil Series
If you want to give a precision tool that every artist will use, get the Pentel P200 series. It’s the best value mechanical pencil on the market, used by professionals for detailed work and loved by beginners for its reliability.
I’ve used these pencils for years to create fine, controlled drawings, and they’ve never let me down.
The P200 series has a lightweight barrel that feels balanced and comfortable even during long sessions. The mechanism is smooth and dependable, feeding the lead with each click of the button.
It comes in four gauges—0.3mm, 0.5mm, 0.7mm, and 0.9mm—so you can cover everything from delicate detail to firm sketch lines.
The Pentel P200 isn’t flashy, and it doesn’t need to be. It’s a simple, well-made tool that does its job perfectly. It’s affordable, widely available, and built to last. If you want to buy a gift that an artist will appreciate and use for years, this is the one to choose.
Each pencil comes preloaded with HB leads, and the spares sit inside the barrel. Replacements are easy to find and cheap to buy. The built-in eraser is small, but the real value is in the clearing pin it hides, it keeps the pencil working perfectly even after heavy use.
Best Paper for Drawing
Strathmore 400 Series Drawing Pad
If you’re buying paper for someone who draws, choose the Strathmore 400 Series. It’s one of the best all-round papers for graphite drawing. The surface has just enough tooth to grab the pencil while still allowing for smooth, detailed work.
The heavier pad is 100lb (163gsm) and the standard version is 80lb (130gsm). Both are acid-free, durable, and have a pleasant off-white tone that gives drawings a softer look than stark white paper.
Choose gum-bound sketchpads rather than spiral-bound, it’s easier to remove paper cleanly without tearing the edges.
Each pad has a firm backing board, so it’s ready to use straight from the block. The paper can take erasing, blending, and multiple layers without breaking down, which makes it ideal for graphite, charcoal, or colored pencil.
Strathmore pads are easy to find in the USA, though slightly harder to source in the UK. You can still get them on Amazon without much trouble. For any artist who loves to draw, this is a dependable, high-quality gift that will be used and appreciated.
Best Pastel Pencils for Artists
Pastel pencils are perfect for artists who prefer using pencils but want the look and feel of paint. They offer rich color, soft blending, and direct control without the fuss of brushes, water, or mess. If you love drawing more than painting, this is your way to paint with pencils.
Caran d’Ache pastel pencils are the best choice if you want a full professional range. With 84 colors, they offer the widest selection available, giving you every tone you could need for portraits, wildlife, or landscapes.
The pigments are soft, vibrant, and creamy, and they blend beautifully on tinted paper.
They don’t sharpen well in a standard sharpener, so use a blade and fine sandpaper to keep the points crisp. They’re expensive, no denying that, but worth every penny for their quality and range.
These are the kind of pencils most artists dream of owning but rarely buy for themselves.
If you want to spoil an artist with something special, this is the one to get. The Caran d’Ache pastel pencil set is a luxury gift that delivers pure color and pure joy.
Best Erasers for Artists
Erasers might seem like small gifts, but every artist needs good ones. They’re the quiet essentials that make a real difference. Think of them as perfect stocking fillers—practical, affordable, and always useful.
Every drawing kit should have these three erasers or similar – choose a top brand:
1. Kneadable Eraser
Soft, flexible, and clean. A kneadable eraser lifts graphite gently without damaging the paper. You can mold it into any shape to pick out highlights or tidy fine details. It never leaves crumbs and lasts a long time.
2. Tombow Mono Eraser Pen
This is the precision tool every artist loves. The Tombow Mono is a pencil-shaped eraser that lets you erase tiny areas without touching anything else. It’s ideal for whiskers, reflections, or fine lines that need sharp control.
3. Battery Eraser
A battery eraser removes graphite fast and cleanly. It’s perfect for strong highlights, fur texture, and bright reflections in eyes or metal. A light touch is all it takes. It’s fun to use and surprisingly addictive once you try it.
None of these are luxury items, but they’re essentials that make drawing smoother and more enjoyable. Add them to any artist’s stocking, and they’ll be genuinely appreciated.
Best Art Courses For All Levels
If you want to give a meaningful gift that helps an artist grow, a Proko course is a brilliant choice. It’s a professional art platform that offers high-quality lessons taught by some of the best artists online. There’s something for everyone, from beginners learning the basics to experienced artists developing advanced skills.
The courses are beautifully filmed, easy to follow, and packed with practical information. Each one includes lifetime access, so the artist can learn at their own pace and return to lessons whenever they need a refresher.
Proko’s instructors include respected artists like Dorian Iten, Stephen Bauman, and Aaron Blaise. They teach everything from figure and portrait drawing to light, color, and digital painting. The quality of teaching is excellent, and it feels personal, like being in a private workshop.
As a Christmas gift, a Proko course stands out. It’s thoughtful, inspiring, and genuinely useful. If you want to give an artist something that will last far longer than a box of supplies, this is it.
Gifts for Artists: Final Thoughts
Good art supplies don’t have to be expensive. Compared with paint or digital gear, drawing materials are affordable and last for ages. Buying cheap brands might save a few pounds/dollars now, but it costs more in frustration later.
The tools I’ve listed are all reliable, well-made, and worth every penny.
Any artist would be happy to receive them, especially beginners starting out. These gifts are practical, thoughtful, and show that you understand what makes drawing enjoyable. They’re the kind of presents that get used and appreciated.
If you’d like to read my reviews from previous posts, read these:
- Best Drawing Pencils For Beginners
- Best Easel For Drawing and Painting: How to Choose
- Best Erasers for Drawing: The 9 Eraser Types for Artists
- Best Mechanical Drawing Pencils For Artists
- Best Pastel Pencils For Beginners: 7 Top Brands Review
- What is The Best Paper for Graphite Pencil Drawing?
- Are Proko Courses Worth It?
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Hi, I’m Kevin Hayler
I’ve been selling my wildlife art and traveling the world for over 20 years, and if that sounds too good to be true, I’ve done it all without social media, art school, or galleries!
I can show you how to do it. You’ll find a wealth of info on my site, about selling art, drawing tips, lifestyle, reviews, travel, my portfolio, and more. Enjoy