What to get an amateur artist?!

[getmeout12]

My BIL (who only like the finer things in life....) has started painting, watercolour and oil.

I am looking for a secret Santa gift for 100 euro or so. Any ideas?!

I’d go with canvases. He’ll probably already know which brand of paint, etc he likes, but I’d imagine that a budding artist can never have enough canvases.

Or brushes? An art shop will be able to tell you which brand are the best on the market.

Or books on his favourite artists or Art history. Maybe tickets to any significant art exhibitions or talks.

an easel? Or a seat? Something he can use if he’s painting outside?

Or storage? Something to either carry his art or his paints in if he’s painting outside?

Definitely not canvases. I’d buy caran d'ache watercolour pencils and a couple of fine sable bushes.

A set of the really nice oil pastels, Rubens or sennelier. A really nice box for brushes, pencils etc. Jackson's voucher. An online course, I can recommend Will Kemp art school and think he may have a sale on if you're quick.

Sketchbooks, paint and brushes can be personal,sketchbooks could be also of course but I think less so from experience

I topped up my watercolour offerings last year and it’s the one medium where quality makes the biggest difference!

Recommend Daniel smith tube watercolour and ceramic palette and ceramic mixing trays.

You don’t need a huge set. You buy core colours - warm yellow, cool yellow, warm blue, cool blue and warm red and cool red, cool brown and warm brown (burnt umber and sienna). That is all!

You mix the colours in the palette and when they dry you can rewet for the same colour. It turns the tubes into a rewettable custom pan palette.

Other essentials could be a stretching board and excellent weight watercolour paper. But these are more disposables. If he hasn’t got those watercolours I would absolutely want to be the one who gifted those. They will change their art for ever.

Daniel Smith watercolors. Pricey and awesome.

As an amateur artist myself you cam never have too many paints or brushes! Big tubes of the essential colours always appreciated, cadmium red, cadmium yellow, ultramarine.

Have a look at Cass Art. I bought the artist in my life some very expensive coloured pencils; they were already a bargain but by the time the Black Friday code was added they were half the price of other retailers. Still north of £100, but a gift for a lifetime. Either that or tokens, shows you’ve still thought about him but then he can select what he needs.

A5 sketch pad and some watercolour pencils.

https://www.jacksonsart.com/brands/jackson-s/jackson-s-accessories/jackson-s-ceramic-palette-no-28-5x7-in-and-lid

https://www.jacksonsart.com/brands/jackson-s/jackson-s-accessories/jackson-s-ceramic-stackable-palette-set-of-5-round-pallets-3in-diameter

https://www.jacksonsart.com/daniel-smith-watercolour-paint-essentials-set-5ml-set-of-6

And then a couple of singles for burnt umber and sienna.

Thanks for all the replies.

I'd bought this last night in a bit of a panic. Are we saying this is a no no and better to go with some of the options above?

https://www.cassart.co.uk/winsor-newton-artists-oil-colour-bamboo-wooden-box--c/?utmcampaign=CasssArt--UK--EN--Shopping--PMAX--CategoryA&gaddsource=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIo3AjrriggMVgZSDBx0oHgFYEAQYASABEgInXPDDBwE

Bookmarking as this is a great idea for my daughter's Christmas present.

Sorry for the zombie but I need to bookmark this. Thanks a lot.