35 Best Gifts for Digital Artists in 2024
Have a digital artist in your life and need to find a gift for them? There are so many options out there these days and finding that perfect fit can be pretty hard to do sometimes. Whether it’s for a holiday, birthday, or just because you love them, these ideas are sure to please.
As a professional digital artist and a professor who teaches digital art students, I have some unique insights into what artists are looking for. I’ll arrange these ideas based on category with a range of choices in each so you can whittle it down based on budget and your artist’s needs and desires.
Here are my personal picks for the best gifts for digital artists
The world of digital art is constantly changing. From AI technology to 3D printers and amazing art drawing tablets, it can be a little overwhelming to find something that the digital artist in your life will love while staying in your budget. I’ll do my best to make it easier for you, but first, you have to really know something about the person you’re buying for. What kind of equipment do they already have? What gear do they use regularly? What kind of art do they make? Knowing the answers to these questions should give you some guidance.
Note: Prices are at the time of writing and may change – follow the links for the most current prices.
Books for Artists
If you’re looking for book ideas, check out my post all about books for artists!
iPads and Accessories
Almost every young digital artist I know is using ProCreate in their workflow now. It is just so powerful and so fun to use. ProCreate is a digital drawing and painting app that’s available on Apple iPad only. This software is probably the number one reason to choose an iPad over other types of digital tablets out there. iPad Pros are incredibly powerful and will last a while while giving your artist a large beautiful screen to make all their creations on.
Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch
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$1,394.96
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch
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$1,094.99
Now, let’s talk about accessories! Of course, you’ll need to include the Apple Pencil. It really should just come with the iPad IMHO, but unfortunately, it doesn’t, so make sure and add this to the cart if you purchase an iPad Pro. And, If the artist in your life happens to be a student or anyone who types a fair amount, consider the Magic Keyboard as a nice accessory. Last, but not least, a good artist glove/drawing glove will let that artist in your life draw on iPads and other tablets with ease. Sometimes, without the glove, touching the tablet with other parts of your hand when drawing can cause errors, smudges, accidental erasing, and other not-fun problems. Wearing this drawing glove will fix all of those issues and this is one of the least expensive gifts for digital artists.
Apple Pencil 2
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$119.00
Magic Keyboard for
11-inch Ipad Pro
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$229.00
Mixoo Artists Gloves 2 Pack
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$7.79
To get your special artist up and running with ProCreate, you might consider buying them classes from the ProCreate School.
Procreate School
Browse the Class Options
Computers and Accessories
As I mentioned in my article about the best laptops for artists – for a digital artist, a powerful computer is one of the best and most essential tools. Yes, they’re expensive, and no, they don’t last forever, but they do allow us to create amazing things that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.
Apple Macintosh – Great for 2D and Video Artists
For artists that make 2D work, 2D animation, motion graphics, or video work, you just can’t beat a Mac. For my money, I would definitely go with a Macbook Pro laptop. They cost a little more than their Macbook Air little cousins, but the power, sturdiness, and longevity make it worth the cost. The MacBook Pro’s most recent version comes in two sizes, 14.2” and 16.2”. I always recommend getting the biggest, baddest, fastest computer you can afford. It will last you so much longer, and make you so much happier. Don’t skimp on storage space and RAM. 512 GB minimum on the storage (hard drive) space, and at least 16 GB of RAM will be needed for most digital artists today. Get more if you can afford it. Also, check out the new iMac, as well as the Mac Mini + Apple Studio Display for great desktop options.
16.2″ MacBook Pro M3 Pro
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$2499.00
14.2″ MacBook Pro M3 Pro
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$1,999.00
14.2″ MacBook Pro M3
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$1,599.00
iMac All-in-One Desktop Computer with M3
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$1,699.00
Mac Mini Desktop Computer M2
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$624.81
Apple Studio Display 27
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$1,484.01
Windows Gaming PCs – Great for 3D Artists
For artists working in 3D space or gaming, you most definitely should consider a PC with a high-end NVIDIA Graphics Card. Any gaming machine with the latest NVIDIA cards should do, but here are a few suggestions.
HP OMEN Gaming PC
with NVIDIA RTX 4090
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$4,499.00
Alienware Aurora R15 Gaming
with NVIDIA RTX 4080
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$3,149.99
Alienware Aurora R15 Gaming
with NVIDIA RTX 4070
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$2,799.99
PC Accessories
And, of course, with that PC, you’re special artist will need a monitor! I recommend getting a large monitor and I love this LG 27” display. It’s the one I have on my desk right now!
Some of the computers above come with keyboards and mice, but there are many many more available out there. Here are a couple of pairings I love.
LG UltraFine UHD 27 Inch Monitor 4K
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$363.49
Trueque Wireless Keyboard and Mouse – LED Color Lights
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$49.00
Cimetech Black Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo
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$29.99
Wacom Digital Screen Drawing Tablets
Wacom is pretty much the industry standard for drawing tablets that hook up to computers (not a stand-alone device like an iPad is). I’ve been using Wacom’s tablets for more than 20 years and I’ve had a few different types from tiny to large, and from wired to wireless.
Here is a selection that has screens included – so you can see what you’re drawing right under the pencil. They are pretty phenomenal.
Wacom Cintiq Pro 27″ Creative Pen Display
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$3,499.95
Wacom Cintiq Pro 16″ Creative Pen and Touch Display
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$1,530.99
Wacom One HD 13.3″ Creative Pen Display
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$298.82
And this selection is without screens in a few different sizes and prices. With these, it takes some getting used to, but you draw on the tablet while looking at your monitor. This is the type I’ve used for 20 years as a medical illustrator to do all of my drawings.
Wacom Intuos Pro Large
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$402.14
Wacom Intuos Medium
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$119.95
One by Wacom Medium
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$77.45
Inkjet Color Printers
There are so many printers out there now, but EPSON has always been my favorite. I personally own two – a 17” wide EPSON 3800, and a 44” wide EPSON 9800. Both are well out of production now, but still working hard for me. I’ll include a selection of EPSON printers here that I would recommend for artists wanting to produce their own professional-quality prints in a variety of sizes and qualities.
The EPSON EcoTank Photo ET-8500 All-In-One is a good starter printer for a reasonable price that also gives you scanning and copying options. This one uses dye-based inks, so they won’t last forever, but they will look incredible. It prints up to 8.5×11 sheets
For true archival prints (that means they last for around 100 years without fading), the Medium format Epson SureColor P700 13-Inch or the SureColor P900 17-Inch are a great choice that will last a long long time.
EPSON EcoTank Photo ET-850
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$549.99
Epson SureColor P700 13-Inch
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$829.00
Epson SureColor P900 17-Inch
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$1,249.00
Desks
For a digital artist, a terrific studio setup just makes working that much more enjoyable. I personally dig working at a sit-to-stand desk. You can get them in electric or hand-crank models. The FlexiSpot electric sit-to-stand desk has terrific ratings and looks like a phenomenal product.
Electric desks https://amzn.to/3Si1nMc
FLEXISPOT Electric Standing Desk Whole Piece 48 x 30 – White
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$179.99
FLEXISPOT Electric Standing Desk Whole Piece 48 x 30 – Black
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$199.99
Chairs
Like a good desk, a great chair can keep your artist feeling comfortable for long hours deep in the state of flow. Here are a couple of ideas for chairs. I have the Herman Mille Aeron Chair myself, and it is just so amazingly comfortable. Read the reviews – it is a best seller for good reason. A comfy chair makes one of the best gifts for digital artists.
SecretLab makes some incredible gaming chairs designed for long hours of playing your favorite games with friends. I’m sure they would also make amazing work chairs.
Title
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$789.00
Secretlab Titan Evo
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$589.00
Room Lighting
One thing to add that special ambiance to any digital artist’s studio space is colorful room lighting. Whether for digital content creation and recorded videos or just for personal taste, a little special lighting can go a long way. I like Govee products myself and I have my own studio space outfitted with their lighting systems.
Govee RGBIC Floor Lamp
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$149.99
Govee RGBIC TV Light Bars, 15“
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$39.99
Govee Smart Light Bulbs
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$29.99
Software Subscriptions
One of the nicest gifts you could give an artist who already has a computer and all they need to create amazing artwork is a software subscription. A fine example is a subscription to the Adobe software suite. Even if they already have a subscription, you could offer to pay for a year. At about $20 a month for students, and $55 for non-students, it really adds up and I know they’ll appreciate it, making this a terrific gift for digital artists.
Adobe CC Subscription
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$54.99
What’s different about gifts for digital artists vs other artists?
Let’s face it, being an artist is expensive no matter what kind of art you make. I think a lot of people really don’t understand how much art supplies cost. Digital Artists have it even harder because just to get started making work, they need expensive up-to-date technology that is always evolving. Software companies make new versions every year and those versions tend to require more and more computing power, which means you’ll eventually need a new computer or iPad to run the latest version.
Whatever you can afford, the digital artist in your life will absolutely appreciate your generosity.
How I made decisions for the best gifts for digital artists recommendations.
I’ve been making digital art from 2D to 3D, still images to moving images, and even working with medical image data like CT and MRI scans for 20 years. I’ve been teaching art and design students for 14 years. During that time, I’ve helped countless art students make choices about which computer would be best for them, which tablet to purchase, and what kinds of printers they might want to use. I’m using the same process here for you.
Doing research about what is currently out there, I considered a few things:
- Cost: What is the most I could get for the least price?
- Power: What are the fastest processors and graphics cards available and what are the various software requirements for optimal performance?
- Minimum needs: What is the least I could get by with and still meet the minimum software needs?
- Quality: I only looked at machines that I know are good quality and have good reputations. Apple and Dell (makers of Alienware) have longstanding reputations, particularly in education settings, as tried and true companies. I purchase Govee lights myself, and I’m sitting in a Herman Miller chair right now.
- Design: I only recommend things that I think are designed well.
Wrapping Up (just like your gift!)
When you buy new technology, it is a big deal. It can be really expensive and it’s a financial commitment. But, these items do so much for us! As a digital artist and educator, I don’t know where I would be if I didn’t have the best equipment I could possibly afford to work on. A great machine and a comfortable work area will save you time and headaches and will allow you to do the work you want to do and be happy doing it.
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