Gifts Ideas for Artists: Budget and Small Art Gifts

Take finger painting to the next level with a brush that slips on the end of your finger like a thimble would. The various colors are different sizes (small, medium, large, extra large), so you ought to find at least one that fits. Having a brush on all five fingers will certainly test your dexterity! The bristles of the finger brush are synthetic; they come to a sharp point so you can paint quite fine lines if you don't press too hard.

Forget carrying a brush and a separate container for water, just carry a waterbrush! You can use it with watercolors and water-soluble pencils, and it's really handy for sketching or doing outdoor studies, as well as back in the studio.
• How to Use a Water Brush

A brush pen is like a waterbrush that's filled with ink. I've got a black one (Pentel Color Brush) which I use instead of a pen when planning composition or sketching (and then 'color in' using my waterbrush and small watercolor set), but brush pens come in a multitude of colors. (Refills are available.)

You wouldn't drop a sweet wrapper on the pavement, so don't do the same with pencil shavings when you're out sketching on location. Yes, you could argue it's biodegradable, but it's still litter really. Rather take it home with you by using a pocket-sized pencil sharpener that collects its shavings.

How many stumpy bits of graphite pencil or color pencil are lurking in the bottom of your art box? Never struggle and get frustrated with a too-short piece of pencil again, or feel you're wasting it by throwing it out. Stick it into this pencil lengthener and it's instantly transformed into a pencil that's a reasonable length for using easily.

Keep all your brushes together in a brush tube. It's got a lid so you can close it up when you're transporting your brushes anywhere and, back in the studio, you can leave the lid off so any damp brushes can dry.

One disadvantage is that if you've got a tube in your daypack, it tends to rattle when you're walking around unless you've got it jam-packed with brushes or put a small piece of cloth in it. If this is likely to annoy you, rather get a brush roll.

Transport your brushes by inserting the handles into the various slots, then rolling the whole thing up, and tying it up.

Giving a hand-painted gift is far more personal than any ready-made card, and is really a gift in itself. This set of blank cards and envelopes enables you to paint your own cards, whether for birthdays or festive occasions. Don't forget to paint the envelopes too!

Paper palettes mean you never have to spend time cleaning up your palette after a painting session, you simply rip off the top layer and throw it away. I find one particularly useful when painting on location, where cleaning a palette is less practical; instead I can quickly fold up the sheet from the paper palette (with the paint on the inside so it doesn't get everywhere), slip it back inside the palette and transport it home for disposal.

Save any leftover paint or specially mixed colors for use on another day by scraping it into a small, air-tight plastic containers. Or even squeeze out your paints directly into the containers and work from these rather than a palette; tidying up will be easy because you just snap on the lids and you're done.