Presents for Painters: Gift Ideas for Every Painter and Budget
Author: The Art Shed Team Date Posted:22 October 2026
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At Art Shed, Christmas doesn't creep up on us. It arrives all at once. The aisles turn into a rainbow, our warehouse elves are wrapping parcels at record speed, and somebody has found glitter in the staff kitchen again. It's loud, it's chaotic, and it's our favourite time of year.
So if you're looking for presents for painters, but wouldn't know your gouache from your acrylic, you're in very good company. Buying for an artist when you don't paint yourself can feel like shopping in another language, and you shouldn't have to learn it just to buy a Christmas present.
| Quick answer The best presents for painters are the things they rarely buy themselves: an easel, a step-up paint set in the paint they already use, or a quality accessory like a daylight lamp or brush set. For beginner painters, a complete starter kit takes out the guesswork. Still unsure what they paint with? An easel or an Art Shed gift voucher suits everyone. |
Luckily, we've done the detective work. Artists come through our doors every day, and we know the routine: they pick something up, check the price, put it back and give it one last longing look on the way out. We've been keeping track of those moments all year.
Because the best gifts for painters usually aren't the things they need. They're the things they'd love but keep talking themselves out of buying. Our in-house artists have sorted them by paint type, experience and budget, and for every gift we'll tell you who it suits, why it's worth giving and anything to know before you buy.
So grab a cuppa (or an eggnog), and let's find their present.
Jump to: Easels · Watercolour · Oil · Acrylic · Gouache · The painter who has everything · Gift vouchers · FAQs
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Best Presents for Painters at a Glance
| If they... | Our pick | Budget |
|---|---|---|
| paint, but you've no idea with what | Mont Marte Floor Easel w/Tilt, or the Mabef M25 Convertible Lyre Studio Easel to really spoil them | Under $120 / from $380 |
| have only just started | An Art Shed starter kit in their paint | Under $60 |
| paint with watercolour | Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolour Set 24 (Set II) | Under $140 |
| paint with oils | Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Colour Set 10pc | Under $140 |
| paint with acrylics | Mont Marte Dimension Acrylic Paint 36pc | Under $90 |
| paint with gouache | Holbein Acrylic Gouache Set 12, or the viral HIMI Jelly Gouache | Under $80 |
| paint outdoors or on holidays | Mabef M29 Basic Tripod Field Easel | Under $300 |
| seem to have everything | Mabef M112 Wooden Painting Box or a Daylight lamp | From $140 |
| are impossible to buy for | An Art Shed gift voucher | You choose |
What to Buy a Painter When You Don't Paint
You only need two clues: what they paint with, and roughly how long they've been painting. Here's how to find out without giving the game away.
What do they paint with?
The easiest clue is printed on the paint itself. Next time you visit, look at a tube, tin or pot. The label will say watercolour, oil, acrylic or gouache. Snap a photo and you're done. No paint in sight? These clues will get you most of the way.
| What you've noticed | They probably paint with |
|---|---|
| Little tins of solid colour blocks, a jar of water, soft, see-through paintings on paper | Watercolour |
| An oily or solvent smell, paint rags, canvases left drying for days or weeks, thick glossy paint | Oil |
| Tubes of paint, a plastic palette with dried paint they peel off, canvases, paintings that dry within the hour | Acrylic (the most common) |
| Bold, flat, velvety-matte colour, often illustration style, often in a sketchbook | Gouache |
| They paint on holidays, at the beach or in the garden | Any, but think portable |
| No clues at all | Easels, accessories or a voucher work for everyone |
One to watch for: if the label says "water mixable" or "H2O", it's still oil paint that just cleans up with water. Shop the oil section for those painters.
How long have they been painting?
| Level | What you'd notice | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Started in the last year or so, follows online tutorials or a class, works from one basic set | A complete kit, or a bigger set of the paint they already use |
| Intermediate | Paints most weeks, has favourite colours, has outgrown their starter set | A well-known step-up brand or a proper easel |
| Advanced | Sells, exhibits or teaches, mentions brands by name, has a dedicated painting space | Artist-quality paint, a Mabef easel, studio lighting |
Stuck between two levels? The intermediate picks are the safe middle: good enough for a regular painter, friendly enough for a newer one.
Gifts for beginner painters
The most common mistake with a new painter is buying bits that don't belong together: watercolour paint with a canvas (watercolour needs paper), oil brushes for an acrylic painter, or a lovely set of tubes with no brushes at all.
That's why our team put together our own starter kits, one each for watercolour, oil, acrylic and gouache. Everything in the box is matched to one type of paint, so it all works together and there's no second trip to the shops. You'll find each kit at the top of its section: the Art Shed Watercolour Basics Kit, the Art Shed Oil Painting Basics Kit, the Acrylic Paint Beginner Set and the Gouache Starter Kit. For more boxed options, browse our art gift boxes.
Gifts for people who like to paint (just for fun)
Not every painter wants to get serious, and that's half the joy. For the friend who paints on a rainy Sunday or comes home buzzing from a paint and sip night, a starter kit or a big, colourful acrylic set is the right level. If you'd rather paint together, there's an idea for that near the end of this guide.
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Easel Gifts for Painters
A little secret from behind the counter: the easel is the gift most painters want and least often buy. Despite what the movies suggest, plenty of painters work hunched over the kitchen table with a canvas propped against the fruit bowl.
An easel is also the one gift in this guide that doesn't depend on what they paint with. Working upright is kinder on their back, and it lets them step back and see the whole painting, which painters do constantly. The right type depends on their space more than their skill.
| Easel type | Best for | Space needed |
|---|---|---|
| Desk (tabletop) easel | Smaller paintings, small homes, beginners | Sits on a table or desk |
| Studio (floor) easel | Bigger paintings, a regular painting spot | A corner of a room |
| Field easel | Painting outdoors and travel | Folds down to carry |
| Art Shed tip: Watercolour painters need an easel that tilts close to flat, because wet watercolour runs. And if it's a surprise: most easels need a little simple assembly, and because of their size they aren't shipped in discreet packaging. Have it delivered to you, not to them. |
Best Easels for Beginners (under $120)
Our pick: Mont Marte Floor Easel, Studio Easel w/Tilt Beech Wood
Best for: a first proper easel · any paint · painting at home
The Mont Marte Floor Easel, Studio Easel w/Tilt Beech Wood is the easel we point most people to first. It's a classic A-frame in beechwood, the kind you picture when someone says "painter", and it suits artists at every level.
It holds canvases up to about 120cm tall, has a handy shelf for brushes and paints, tilts to suit the way they work and folds flat when the spare room needs to be a spare room again. If you know they paint but have no idea with what, this is the safest easel to put under the tree.
Shop the Mont Marte Floor Easel →
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Mont Marte Signature Desk Easel, Large Tabletop Box Style Beech Wood
Best for: small spaces · painting at the table · keeping supplies together
Two presents in one, and possibly the closest we'll get to convincing an artist to tidy up. The Mont Marte Signature Desk Easel, Large Tabletop Box Style opens into an adjustable tabletop easel and doubles as a storage box, with compartments for supplies, a wooden palette and a carry handle. It takes canvases up to 58cm tall, ideal for painters short on space.
Shop the Mont Marte Signature Desk Easel →
Mont Marte Desk Easel, Medium Traditional Style Beech Wood
Best for: beginners · small paintings · pairing with a starter kit
Not every artist needs a grand studio set-up, especially when they're just starting out. The Mont Marte Desk Easel, Medium Traditional Style is a simple, sturdy introduction to painting upright, with adjustable height and angle, room for canvases up to 62cm tall and a fold-flat design. Pop it under the tree with one of our beginner kits.
Shop the Mont Marte Desk Easel →
Mid-Range Easels for Regular Painters (under $300)
Our pick: Mabef M31 Oil/Watercolour Table Easel
Best for: oil and watercolour painters · painting at a table · a first premium easel
If you want to spoil a painter, an Italian-made Mabef easel is a very good place to start. Mabef makes the wooden easels many painters hope to own one day, and the letter and number (M31) is simply the model name.
The Mabef M31 Oil/Watercolour Table Easel brings that quality to tabletop painting. Lever handles tilt the canvas anywhere from upright for oils to completely flat for watercolour, it takes canvases up to 100cm tall, and a safety mechanism stops it collapsing mid-painting. It's made from oiled, stain-resistant beechwood, so the odd splash wipes away.
Mabef M29 Basic Tripod Field Easel
Best for: outdoor painters · landscapes · travelling artists
For the artist whose camera roll is full of landscapes they're definitely going to paint one day. The Mabef M29 Basic Tripod Field Easel is made in Italy from oiled beechwood, with telescopic legs, a leather strap and a canvas holder that tilts all the way to flat. It takes canvases up to 72cm wide and 115cm tall and suits oils, acrylics, watercolour and pastel. Pair it with a folding stool, and if they travel, see our travel art supplies guide.
Mont Marte Floor Easel, Tilting Studio Easel w/Castor Wheels, Can Lie Flat Beech Wood
Best for: large paintings · a dedicated painting space · any paint
For the artist who sees a giant blank canvas and thinks, "I could go bigger." The Mont Marte Floor Easel, Tilting Studio Easel w/Castor Wheels takes canvases up to a whopping 207cm tall and rolls on four lockable castor wheels. The real selling point is that it tilts completely flat, so it's as useful for watercolour, resin and mixed media as it is for canvas. A seriously impressive studio easel without the premium price tag.
Shop the Mont Marte Tilting Studio Easel →
Winsor & Newton Sketch Field Easel
Best for: travelling artists · quick set-up · outdoor painting
When the perfect afternoon light won't wait, nobody wants to spend twenty minutes assembling an easel. The Winsor & Newton Sketch Field Easel arrives ready to use, with no assembly required. It's made from FSC-approved beechwood with brass-coated fittings and non-slip feet, weighs just 3kg and still takes canvases up to 125cm tall. Grab it, go, paint.
Shop the Winsor & Newton Sketch Field Easel →
Professional Easels (from $380)
Our pick: Mabef M25 Convertible Lyre Studio Easel
Best for: any painter, any paint · the main present · artists who try different styles
If there's a painter in your life who deserves to be thoroughly spoilt, this might be the gift that earns you a few happy tears.
The Mabef M25 Convertible Lyre Studio Easel is named for its classic lyre shape (like the stringed instrument), but the convertible design is what sets it apart. It stands upright for oils and acrylics, angles forward for pastels and folds completely flat for watercolour, so it suits whatever they paint now and whatever they try next. It takes canvases up to 198cm tall, with a flat working surface up to 99cm, all in solid steam-treated beechwood.
The sort of easel they'd admire for years before finally treating themselves.
Mabef M06 Deluxe Tilting Studio Easel
Best for: dedicated artists · professional studios · extra-large canvases
This isn't a casual stocking filler (unless you've got an unusually ambitious stocking). The Mabef M06 Deluxe Tilting Studio Easel supports canvases up to 240cm tall and 30kg, with a secure ratchet holder, an extendable centre pole, a generous supply tray, and castors with levelling bolts to move it and lock it in place. An extraordinary gift for someone who's dedicated years to their craft.
Mabef M48 Smart Folding Studio Easel
Best for: serious painters · compact studios · larger canvases
Proof that a professional easel doesn't have to take over the room. The Mabef M48 Smart Folding Studio Easel is handcrafted in Italy from oiled beechwood and weighs just 5.2kg, yet supports canvases up to 200cm tall (maximum 10kg). Its folding base and sliding mast let it pack away neatly between paintings. All the Mabef quality, with a very practical twist.
Mabef M23 Small Sketch Box Easel
Best for: passionate outdoor painters · landscape artists · a complete portable studio
If their idea of a perfect day is fresh air, a beautiful view and a few hours lost in painting, this could be their dream gift. The Mabef M23 Small Sketch Box Easel is a whole travelling studio: a full standing easel, a folding wooden palette and a four-compartment, tin-lined drawer for supplies, with leather shoulder straps for carrying it into the field. It holds canvases up to 85cm tall and adjusts from upright to completely flat.
Want to compare more models? Our guide to Mabef easels walks through the range, or browse all our easels.
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Gifts for Watercolour Painters
Watercolour is the see-through, paint-on-paper one, loved for landscapes, flowers, painting on the go and, at this time of year, a lot of handmade Christmas cards. Two words worth knowing: pans are small solid cakes of colour that come alive with a wet brush, and tubes are squeezable paint.
Pans are usually the easier gift: compact, long-lasting and perfect for travel. See the full range of watercolour paint sets.
Watercolour Sets for Beginners (under $50)
Our pick: Art Shed Watercolour Basics Kit 25pc
Best for: complete beginners · first-time watercolour painters
They've mentioned wanting to try watercolour, but ask what they need and you'll get a blank stare. Our artists have done the shopping for you.
The Art Shed Watercolour Basics Kit 25pc includes a 12-piece Mont Marte watercolour paint set, an 11-piece brush set in a storage wallet, an A4 watercolour paper pad and a mixing palette, all matched to work together. It arrives gift-boxed and ready to wrap, and it's our favourite way to introduce someone to watercolour without sending either of you down the art supply rabbit hole.
Shop the Watercolour Basics Kit →
Mont Marte Signature Watercolour Full Pan Paint Set 37pc in Tin
Best for: beginners · a first proper paint set · everyday painting
There's something very satisfying about opening a tin of perfectly arranged watercolours. The Mont Marte Signature Watercolour Full Pan Paint Set 37pc has 36 vibrant colours, including silver and gold, in generous full-size pans that are easy to load a brush from. A round brush is included and the metal tin has built-in mixing wells, so it packs up neatly for painting outdoors. Perfect for retiring an old school palette.
Shop the 37pc Watercolour Tin →
Mont Marte Watercolour Half Pan Set 73pc in Tin
Best for: colour collectors · upgrading a small palette · shimmery details
If they've ever insisted two almost identical blues are completely different, they'll love this. The Mont Marte Watercolour Half Pan Set 73pc fits 72 colours into one compact tin, including 50 vibrant shades and 22 metallics, plus a refillable water brush and five mixing wells in the lid. It's one of our Christmas best sellers, made for anyone who believes there's no such thing as too many paints. (We tend to agree.)
Shop the 73pc Watercolour Tin →
Art Spectrum Watercolour Pans Set of 24 Colours with Aqua Brush, Palette & Sea Sponge
Best for: outdoor painters · travel journals · quality watercolour on the go
Art Spectrum is a name worth knowing, and you'll see it a few times in this guide. Founded in Melbourne in the early 1960s, it still makes its artists' paints right here in Melbourne. The Art Spectrum Watercolour Pans Set of 24 is its portable option: 24 colours, a mixing palette, a natural sea sponge for textures and a refillable aqua brush that stores water in its handle, so there's no water jar to carry.
Shop the Art Spectrum Pans Set →
Watercolour Sets for Intermediate Painters (under $140)
Our pick: Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolour Set 24 (Set II)
Best for: watercolour lovers · younger artists · the painter whose basics are sorted
If you've been anywhere near the watercolour side of the internet lately, you'll have noticed Kuretake Gansai Tambi having a moment, especially with younger artists (it's a favourite in our teen girls gift guide too).
These traditional Japanese watercolours come in large pans of rich, creamy colour, and a slightly different binder means they can go on thickly for almost gouache-like coverage or be watered down for soft washes. The Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolour Set 24 (Set II) features softer, more unusual colours than the original 24-colour set, which makes it a clever pick for someone whose everyday palette is already sorted.
Kuretake Gansai Tambi Portable Watercolour Set
Best for: sketchbook artists · painting out and about · Kuretake fans
All the colour of Gansai Tambi in a travel-friendly set. The Kuretake Gansai Tambi Portable Watercolour Set includes 14 richly pigmented pans, a refillable water brush and a fine 0.1mm black ZIG pen for details. Made in Japan, it's a lovely gift for artists who fill sketchbooks with little paintings, illustrations and journal pages.
Shop the Gansai Tambi Portable Set →
Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Sketchers' Pocket Box, 12 Half Pans & Brush
Best for: art students · adult hobbyists · traditional watercolour
Cotman is Winsor & Newton's much-loved everyday watercolour range: dependable quality without professional prices. The Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Sketchers' Pocket Box holds 12 half pans of essential mixing colours, a size 5 brush, a mixing palette in the lid and a clip-on water pan, all in a box small enough for a handbag. Compact enough to carry everywhere, practical enough to use every day.
Sakura Koi Water Colour Pocket Field Sketch Box 36 Colours + Water Brush
Best for: colour-loving travellers · outdoor sketching · painting on location
For the artist who wants to paint anywhere without lugging half their art cupboard along. The Sakura Koi Water Colour Pocket Field Sketch Box packs 36 blendable Japanese watercolours, a 9ml refillable water brush, a detachable mixing palette and two sponges into one little portable studio. Our favourite detail: the lid doubles as a mini easel for postcard-sized paper (up to 19.5 x 13cm).
Shop the Sakura Koi Field Box →
Professional Watercolour Sets (from $170)
Our pick: Art Spectrum Watercolour Box Set 12 x 10ml, Australian Landscape Colours
Best for: Australian landscape painters · nature lovers · experienced watercolour artists
Anyone who's tried painting the Australian bush knows our colours are a little different: dusty eucalyptus greens, rich red earth and almost impossibly blue skies.
The Art Spectrum Watercolour Box Set, Australian Landscape Colours is made for exactly that. It's twelve artist-quality 10ml tubes, made in Australia, in colours inspired by our own backyard, including Pilbara Red, Tasman Blue, Australian Green Gold and Flinders Blue Violet. They're stone-milled with permanent, lightfast pigments, so the colours hold up over time.
A beautiful gift from a local brand that knows there's more to the bush than brown and green. Want to see what these colours can do? Try our guide to mixing iconic Australian colours.
Shop the Australian Landscape Set →
Art Spectrum Watercolour Box Set 12 x 10ml
Best for: dedicated watercolour painters · a versatile mixing palette · upgrading to artist quality
For the painter ready to get serious about colour. The Art Spectrum Watercolour Box Set 12 x 10ml gives them twelve Melbourne-made artists' watercolours in essential mixing colours like Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo Green, Burnt Sienna and Yellow Ochre. Rather than dozens of ready-made shades, it's a carefully balanced palette they can mix almost anything from.
Shop the Art Spectrum Watercolour Set →
Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Half Pan Studio Set 45
Best for: art students · dedicated hobbyists · the ultimate colour collection
If it's good enough for royalty, it's good enough for our Christmas list. Winsor & Newton has been making artists' materials since 1832, received its first Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria in 1841 and still holds one today. The Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Half Pan Studio Set 45 brings that heritage to everyday painting: the full Cotman range in half pans, plus spares of the most popular shades, in a studio box with a removable mixing palette and a size 3 brush. Forty-five pans of colour and a little royal pedigree? That's a rather lovely Christmas present.
Shop the Cotman Studio Set 45 →
Looking for more ideas? Our watercolour gift guide covers brushes, paper and more.
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Gifts for Oil Painters
Oil paint dries slowly, sometimes over days, weeks or months, and painters love it for exactly that reason: they can keep blending and reworking. Traditionally it's thinned with solvents, which is where that familiar studio smell comes from. Water-mixable oils are real oil paints that thin and clean up with water instead, so they're a great choice for painting at home. Browse all our oil paint sets.
Oil Paint Sets for Beginners (under $80)
Our pick: Art Shed Oil Painting Basics Kit 25pc
Best for: first-time oil painters · teens and adults starting out
Starting oils can feel daunting, so we've taken the guesswork out. The Art Shed Oil Painting Basics Kit 25pc is our own ready-made pack, with a 12-piece oil paint set, a hog bristle brush set in a wallet (stiff brushes are the traditional choice for oils) and an A4 canvas pad with 10 sheets.
The canvas pad is a smart touch: sheets feel far less precious than a stretched canvas, so a beginner can practise freely. Everything matches, so they can start painting on Boxing Day.
Shop the Oil Painting Basics Kit →
Mont Marte Paint Set, H2O Water Mixable Oil Paint 36pc x 18ml
Best for: home studios · beginners · painters avoiding solvents
Love the look of oil paintings but not so keen on the turpentine? The Mont Marte H2O Water Mixable Oil Paint Set gives them 36 tubes of real oil paint, with the buttery feel and long blending time oils are known for, but it thins and cleans up with water and dries to a satin finish. Great for someone curious about oils, or an acrylic painter who wants a slower-drying paint without changing their clean-up routine.
Mont Marte Signature Paint Set, Oil Paint 24pc x 12ml
Best for: beginner oil painters · landscapes and portraits · experimenting before investing
For the artist ready to swap fast-drying acrylics for something they can take their time with. The Mont Marte Signature Oil Paint Set 24pc includes 24 tubes with a versatile mix of vibrant colours, earthy tones and useful neutrals, with a smooth, buttery consistency and good coverage. A great-value way to explore oils before investing in individual artist-quality tubes.
Oil Paint Sets for Intermediate Painters (under $140)
Our pick: Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Colour Set 10pc x 21ml
Best for: painters who've outgrown a beginner set · art students · reliable everyday oils
Winton is the range a lot of oil painters learn on, and Winsor & Newton is one of the names artists recognise instantly.
The Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Colour Set 10pc includes ten essential colours in 21ml tubes, with a balance of warm, cool and earthy shades. Made in France, the paint is highly pigmented for strong colour and good coverage, without a professional price tag. A natural next step after a first set, and paint they'll keep reaching for.
Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Paint Seascape Set 5 x 37ml (also Botanic Set)
Best for: painters who already have plenty of paint · adding new colours
Buying paint for someone who already owns enough to stock a small art shop? A specialty set is the answer. The Winsor & Newton Winton Seascape Set adds five generous 37ml tubes of blues, greens and yellows, and the Winton Botanic Set brings floral reds, leafy greens and earthy tones. These colours aren't just for oceans and flowers, either. They're an easy way to add shades they might never have picked for themselves.
Shop the Winton Seascape Set →
Art Spectrum Oil Set 6 x 40ml
Best for: supporting Australian makers · quality-focused painters · traditional oil painting
You don't have to look overseas for beautiful artist-quality oils. The Art Spectrum Oil Set 6 x 40ml features six generous tubes of Melbourne-made artists' oils, including Spectrum Red, Spectrum Blue, Yellow Ochre and Titanium White. Each colour is triple-milled (ground three times) for smooth, consistent paint, with lightfast pigments that keep their colour for years. Our Art Spectrum oil paint guide tells the full story.
Shop the Art Spectrum Oil Set 6 →
Gamblin 1980 Oil Colours Introductory Set, 8 x 37ml with Panel
Best for: acrylic painters exploring oils · solvent-conscious painting · a ready-to-paint gift
For someone curious about oils but put off by all the extra bits and pieces. The Gamblin 1980 Oil Colours Introductory Set includes eight full-size 37ml tubes of American-made oil paint, a Solvent-Free Gel that thins the paint and speeds up drying without traditional solvents, and a primed birch panel to paint on. Add a few oil brushes if they're starting from scratch.
Shop the Gamblin Introductory Set →
Professional Oil Paint Sets (from $150)
Our pick: Art Spectrum Wooden Box Set, 8 x 40ml Oil Paint Tubes & 100ml Refined Linseed Oil
Best for: experienced oil painters · milestone gifts · a little luxury
Some art supplies are made to be used. Others are so beautifully presented you almost don't want to touch them. This one is both.
The Art Spectrum Wooden Box Set holds eight generous 40ml tubes of Australian-made professional oil paint and a 100ml bottle of refined linseed oil (the oil painters mix into paint to adjust its flow and finish), all inside a hinged beechwood case. It's the kind of set an experienced painter admires but rarely justifies buying, and long after the paint is used, that wooden box will still have a home in their studio.
Shop the Art Spectrum Wooden Box Set →
Art Spectrum Oil Set 9 x 40ml
Best for: experienced painters · building a professional palette · paint over packaging
For the artist who'd happily skip the fancy box for another tube of really good paint. The Art Spectrum Oil Set 9 x 40ml features nine generous tubes of Melbourne-made professional oils, from vibrant primaries to earthy neutrals, triple-milled with excellent lightfastness. Perfect for serious painters who'd rather add to their collection than admire the box it came in.
Shop the Art Spectrum Oil Set 9 →
Winsor & Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oil Colour Studio Set 14pc
Best for: oil painters trying water-mixable oils · home studios · easier clean-up
For the oil painter who loves everything about oils except the clean-up. The Winsor & Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oil Colour Studio Set brings together ten 37ml tubes of real oil colour, two round brushes, a 75ml bottle of Artisan Water Mixable Linseed Oil and an instruction leaflet. The paints have the richness and blending time of traditional oils, but thin with water and clean up with soap and water. Best for painters who are open to trying something new.
Want more oil ideas? Our oil painting gift guide goes deeper.
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Gifts for Acrylic Painters
Acrylic is the most popular paint for people who paint at home. It dries fast, cleans up with water and goes on canvas, card, wood and almost anything else. If you've seen canvases around their house, or their Christmas cards arrive hand-painted, there's a good chance this is them. See all our acrylic paint sets.
Acrylic Paint Sets for Beginners (under $70)
Our pick: Acrylic Paint Beginner Set, Painting Starter Kit, 18 Paints 10 Brushes Canvas
Best for: paint and sip converts · curious first-timers · teens discovering painting
Know someone who came home from a paint and sip night convinced they've found their calling? Or a teenager eyeing off the canvas aisle?
The Acrylic Paint Beginner Set is one of our own starter kits, hand-picked by our artists, with 18 tubes of Mont Marte acrylic paint, 10 brushes from broad flats to fine detail tips and three sturdy 5 x 7 inch canvas panels. Three panels means one questionable first attempt doesn't have to end their artistic career. Shopping for a teen? Our teen boys and teen girls guides have more ideas.
Shop the Acrylic Beginner Set →
Mont Marte Signature Paint Set, Acrylic Paint 48pc x 36ml Tubes
Best for: crafty creatives · decorative painting · colour variety
For the creative who doesn't stop at canvas: one weekend it's a wooden ornament, the next it's air-dry clay. The Mont Marte Signature Acrylic Paint Set 48pc gives them 48 colours in 36ml tubes that work across canvas, wood, cardboard, clay and more. It dries quickly to a semi-matte finish, so they can layer details without long waits. Ideal for anyone who'd rather reach for the right shade than mix it.
Mont Marte Signature Paint Set, Acrylic Paint 24pc x 75ml Tubes
Best for: big-canvas painters · art students · painters who go through paint fast
For the painter with half-finished canvases against every wall and a suspiciously empty tube of white. The Mont Marte Signature Acrylic Paint Set 24pc swaps variety for volume: 24 versatile colours in big 75ml tubes, ideal for large backgrounds and regular painting. Fun fact: it holds slightly more paint overall than the 48-colour set above.
Acrylic Paint Sets for Intermediate Painters (under $90)
Our pick: Mont Marte Paint Set, Dimension Acrylic Paint 36pc x 37ml
Best for: texture lovers · palette knife painting · bold, expressive painters
If their paintings have thick, raised brushstrokes you desperately want to touch (but shouldn't), this is the set.
The Mont Marte Dimension Acrylic Paint Set includes 36 generous 37ml tubes of high-viscosity acrylic, which is artist-speak for thick, buttery paint that holds its shape. It's made for building visible texture with brushes and palette knives, keeps its colour strength even when thinned, and dries to a glossy finish that shows off every ridge. A great gift for a painter who's starting to get adventurous.
Shop the Dimension Acrylic Set →
Atelier Interactive Acrylic Paint Set, 12 x 20ml Tubes
Best for: painters who love blending · portrait artists · trying a premium Australian brand
Ever watched an acrylic painter race to blend two colours before they dry? Atelier Interactive, made in Australia, gives them more time: a fine mist of water keeps the paint workable for longer, and the separately sold Unlocking Formula can even re-open touch-dry layers. The Atelier Interactive Acrylic Paint Set, 12 x 20ml includes 12 popular colours with a rich, buttery consistency and satin finish. A great way to try the brand.
Amsterdam Acrylic Paint Set 12 x 20ml Tubes, Urban Landscape (also Landscape)
Best for: cityscape and landscape painters · artists with an established palette
Worried about buying an experienced painter colours they already own? A themed palette mixes things up. The Amsterdam Acrylic Paint Set, Urban Landscape has 12 moody shades like Payne's Grey and Ultramarine Violet Light, made for architecture, shadows and city streets. Prefer mountains to buildings? The Landscape set brings greens, blues and earthy tones. Both come from Royal Talens' highly regarded Amsterdam range.
Shop the Amsterdam Urban Landscape Set →
Amsterdam Acrylic Paint Mixing Set 5 x 120ml
Best for: art students · colour theory fans · painters who mix their own shades
Five tubes might not sound exciting next to 48, but ask an experienced painter what a good mixing palette can do. The Amsterdam Acrylic Paint Mixing Set includes five big 120ml tubes of white, black, yellow, red and blue that mix an impressive range of shades. With 600ml of paint in total, it's for the artist who'd rather mix the perfect green than buy their seventeenth tube of it.
Shop the Amsterdam Mixing Set →
Professional Acrylic Paint Sets (from $80)
Our pick: Golden Explorer Acrylic Paint Set, 14 Colours & Mediums
Best for: curious creatives · experienced acrylic painters · trying new techniques
Some artists collect colours. Others want to know what happens when they mix paint with something that looks suspiciously like jelly. If yours is the second kind, we've found their gift.
The Golden Explorer Acrylic Paint Set is a self-guided workshop in a box from Golden, one of America's most respected acrylic makers. Inside are four kinds of Golden paint (thick Heavy Body, flowing Fluid, slow-drying OPEN and ink-like High Flow), four specialty mediums for everything from raised texture to glossy effects, and a booklet to guide them. Rather than more colours, you're giving them new ways to use them.
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Golden OPEN Acrylic Paint Mixing Set 13pc
Best for: portrait painters · soft blending · artists who love the look of oils
Anyone who's tried a blended portrait in regular acrylics knows the pain of paint drying halfway through a skin tone. Golden OPEN acrylics stay workable much longer, so painters can soften edges and blend like oils. The Golden OPEN Acrylic Paint Mixing Set includes 12 colours (22ml each) and a 30ml OPEN Thinner, in a split-primary palette: a warm and a cool version of each main colour, for cleaner, brighter mixes.
Golden Heavy Body Acrylic Paint Mixing Set 13pc
Best for: confident acrylic painters · expressive brushwork · building their own palette
There's regular acrylic paint, and then there's the kind that makes an artist understand why people get so excited about Golden. The Golden Heavy Body Acrylic Paint Mixing Set brings together 12 professional 22ml colours in the same warm-and-cool mixing palette, with a smooth, buttery body that holds brush and palette knife marks. It also includes 59ml of Gloss Glazing Liquid for building transparent layers.
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Atelier Interactive Acrylic Paint Set, 7 x 80ml Tubes (Basic Colours)
Best for: regular painters · artists who mix their own colours · Australian-made quality
Seven colours may look modest, but for an artist who knows their way around a palette, it's a seriously useful set. The Atelier Interactive Acrylic Paint Set, 7 x 80ml gives them big tubes of the same Australian-made, controlled-drying paint as above, in core mixing colours including Titanium White, Phthalo Green, Burnt Umber and two reds. With 560ml of paint in total, it's a full working palette, not a sampler.
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Want more acrylic ideas? Our acrylic gift guide has plenty more.
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Gifts for Gouache Painters
Gouache (say "gwash") is the bold, flat, velvety-matte paint behind a lot of illustration, and it's having a huge moment right now. Unlike watercolour, it's opaque, so painters can put light colours over dark ones. There are two kinds: traditional gouache re-wets with water after it dries, while acrylic gouache dries water-resistant, so layers stay put. If they paint in a sketchbook or love an illustrated look, start here.
Gouache Sets for Beginners (under $60)
Our pick: Gouache Starter Kit, Beginner Paint 37pc Set
Best for: first-time gouache painters · watercolour or acrylic painters trying something new
Gouache sits somewhere between watercolour and acrylic, which makes it a lovely next step for anyone who already paints with either.
The Gouache Starter Kit is our own 37-piece bundle for trying it properly, with a 24-colour Mont Marte gouache set, an 11-piece brush set in a wallet, an A4 pad of 100% cotton paper and a mixing palette. It arrives in a pre-packed gift box, so a beginner gets a complete set-up instead of a few tubes and a lot of questions.
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HIMI Jelly Cup Gouache Paint Set 18 x 30g - Green, Pink or Yellow Case
Best for: illustrators · sketchbook and journal painters · the set they've seen all over social media
If they spend any time on art social media, they'll know these on sight. The HIMI Jelly Cup Gouache Paint Set 18 x 30g is the original viral jelly gouache: 18 colours in big 30g cups (far more paint than a typical gouache tube), in an airtight, clip-close case. The paint is creamy, opaque and velvety matte, and re-wets with a mist of water whenever they come back to it. Every case holds the same paints, so just pick their favourite colour: green, pink or yellow.
Stocking filler idea: add a HIMI Gouache Spray to keep the cups fresh.
Mont Marte Paint Set, Gouache Paint 24pc x 12ml
Best for: watercolour painters trying gouache · sketchbook artists · painters who already have brushes
For the watercolour painter who wishes their colours had a little more oomph. The Mont Marte Gouache Paint Set 24pc gives them 24 vibrant 12ml tubes with smooth, opaque coverage and a matte finish that re-wets with water. It's the same paint set inside our Gouache Starter Kit, so if they already have brushes and paper, this is the simpler gift.
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Gouache Sets for Intermediate Painters (under $80)
Our pick: Holbein Acrylic Gouache Set 12 x 12ml
Best for: gouache enthusiasts · illustrators · a premium paint upgrade
Holbein is one of those Japanese art brands artists recognise immediately, and its Acrylic Gouache is a favourite with illustrators and designers who love bold, flat colour and crisp detail.
The Holbein Acrylic Gouache Set 12 x 12ml gives them 12 richly pigmented colours with excellent opacity and a smooth matte finish. Because it dries water-resistant, they can layer light over dark without disturbing what's underneath, and the colours look the same wet as dry. An upgrade they'll notice immediately, and probably wish they'd made sooner.
Shop the Holbein Acrylic Gouache Set →
HIMI Twin Cup Jelly Gouache Paint Set 48 x 12g - Green Case
Best for: illustrators · character designers · the HIMI fan who wants every colour
The big Christmas gift for a jelly gouache lover. The HIMI Twin Cup Jelly Gouache Paint Set 48 holds 48 colours in 24 twin cups, from soft pastels and skin tones to jewel brights and deep darks, including 12 soft, muted shades you only get in this set. It's the same creamy, matte, re-wettable HIMI gouache in a compact clip-close case. If they already own the 18-colour set, this is the natural upgrade.
Pebeo Studio Gouache Paint Set 10 x 20ml + Brush
Best for: art students · traditional gouache · larger illustrations
For the painter who uses their paint instead of keeping the tubes pristine. The Pebeo Studio Gouache Paint Set, from the established French brand, includes ten generous 20ml tubes in essential mixing colours and a size 5 hog bristle filbert brush. It's traditional gouache, so colours can be re-wet after drying, handy for reworking details or coming back to a painting later.
Professional Gouache Sets (under $100)
Our pick: Art Spectrum Gouache Set 6 x 22.5ml
Best for: experienced gouache painters · Australian-made quality · a premium upgrade
Six tubes might look small, but quality takes the spotlight here.
The Art Spectrum Gouache Set 6 x 22.5ml is made in Australia, with six generous tubes of professional gouache in essential mixing colours: primary red, blue and yellow, plus yellow ochre, black and white. Triple-milled and exceptionally pigment-rich, it gives brilliant opacity, clean mixing and a velvety finish, and it re-wets with water once dry. For the experienced painter who doesn't need 50 colours, just six really good ones.
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Nicker Painter's Gouache Set 12 x 12ml
Best for: illustrators · graphic artists · painters who love flat, even colour
For the artist who loves crisp edges and blocks of colour so smooth they almost look printed. The Nicker Painter's Gouache Set includes 12 richly pigmented 12ml tubes of professional traditional gouache, loved for its creamy consistency, excellent coverage and even matte finish. A lovely discovery for someone who enjoys exploring specialist brands.
Holbein Artists' Designer Gouache Set 12 x 5ml
Best for: detail-focused illustrators · trying professional gouache
Been eyeing off Holbein but struggling to justify a full professional collection? The Holbein Artists' Designer Gouache Set 12 x 5ml gives them 12 colours in small tubes, so they can experience Holbein's famous pigment strength, opacity and smooth matte finish. Unlike Holbein's Acrylic Gouache, this traditional formula re-wets with water, so dried paint on the palette doesn't go to waste.
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Holbein Artists' Designer Gouache Primary Set 5 x 15ml
Best for: confident colour mixers · designers · colour theory lovers
Some artists want every colour under the sun. Others would rather mix them all themselves, thank you very much. The Holbein Artists' Designer Gouache Primary Set gives them five 15ml tubes of Primary Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black and White, made in Japan with ultra-fine pigments for rich, opaque, velvety colour. It's less about owning 50 shades and more about controlling every one they make.
Shop the Holbein Primary Set →
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Gifts for the Painter Who Has Everything
This is the hardest person on the Christmas list, and the answer usually isn't more paint. It's the things that make painting nicer: better light, somewhere to sit outdoors, a proper home for their kit and fresh brushes. Painters rarely spend their own money on these because there's always a colour they need more, and almost everything here works no matter what they paint with.
Stocking Fillers for Painters (under $30)
Mont Marte Signature Paint Brush Set in Wallet 11pc (Acrylic / Oil / Watercolour)
Best for: any painter · matched to their paint
The Mont Marte Signature Paint Brush Set in Wallet 11pc comes in acrylic, oil and watercolour versions, so match it to their paint. Painters wear brushes out and rarely replace them, which makes fresh ones a stocking filler that gets used straight away.
Art Spectrum Aqua Brush Set of 3, Assorted Flat and Round
Best for: watercolour painters · travellers · sketchbook artists
The Art Spectrum Aqua Brush Set of 3 stores water inside the handle, so there's no water jar to carry or knock over. A clever little gift for anyone who paints outdoors or in a sketchbook.
Art Spectrum Storage Satchel 23 x 33cm
Best for: painters on the move · pairing with a starter kit
The Art Spectrum Storage Satchel is a neat black bag for carrying pencils, pastels, brushes and a small pad to class or out painting. Pairs nicely with any of our starter kits.
Mont Marte Palette, Air Tight Watercolour Palette Large 18 Slot
Best for: watercolour and gouache painters
The Mont Marte Air Tight Watercolour Palette has 18 colour wells, two mixing areas, a removable tray and a lockable airtight lid that stops paint drying out between sessions. Watercolour and gouache painters will use it every time they sit down.
Painting Accessories Under $80
Our pick: Mont Marte Signature Paint Brush Set, Artist Brushes in Easel Wallet 17pc
Best for: any painter, any paint · everyday use
If you don't know what they paint with but want to give them something they'll use every day, start here. The Mont Marte Signature Paint Brush Set in Easel Wallet 17pc holds 17 all-rounder brushes that suit any paint, in a wallet that folds out into a stand to keep them upright while they work. Brushes are the tools painters use hardest and replace least, so a fresh set gets used the very next time they paint.
Mabef Oval Palette, 25 x 35cm / 30 x 40cm
Best for: oil and acrylic painters · a classic painter's gift
The Mabef Oval Palette is the classic painter's palette, made in Italy and shaped for left or right-handed artists. Sturdy enough for daily studio use, easy to wrap and instantly recognisable as a painter's present.
Winsor & Newton Folding Stool
Best for: outdoor painters · small spaces
The Winsor & Newton Folding Stool has a beechwood frame and leather-look seat that folds away for travel and small spaces. Pair it with a field easel and they're set for a day of painting outdoors.
Daylight Smart Go Rechargeable Table Lamp
Best for: evening painters · painting anywhere in the house
Ordinary household light changes how colours look, so a painting finished at night can look quite different the next morning. The Daylight Smart Go Rechargeable Table Lamp helps them see colour more accurately, and because it's compact and rechargeable, it goes wherever they paint.
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Luxury Gifts for Painters (from $140)
Our pick: Mabef M112 Wooden Painting Box, 27 x 41cm
Best for: the painter who has everything · organising their kit · a keepsake gift
The Mabef M112 Wooden Painting Box is Mabef's largest plain painting box, in oiled beech with adjustable dividers and a wooden palette inside. It arrives empty, and that's the point: they fill it their way, bringing order to a kit that's been living in shoe boxes and ice-cream containers.
| Art Shed Tip: make it a Christmas showstopper by filling it before you wrap it, with a paint set from this guide in the paint they use. |
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Mabef M39 Folding Stool with Leather Seat
Best for: outdoor painters · pairing with a Mabef field easel
The Mabef M39 Folding Stool with Leather Seat pairs a leather seat with an oiled Italian beech frame. It weighs about 1kg, holds up to 90kg and folds flat to carry. The perfect partner for a Mabef field easel.
Daylight Easel Go Travel Lamp
Best for: painters with little natural light · desks and benches
The Daylight Easel Go Travel Lamp is bright and powerful, with a shade that adjusts in every direction. It sits on a table, bench or desk and lights the painting rather than the whole room.
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Daylight Artist Studio Floor Lamp 2
Best for: big canvases · home studios
The Daylight Artist Studio Floor Lamp 2 puts a large aluminium shade on a tall tripod stand, made for medium to very large surfaces. The natural partner for a studio easel, and a big upgrade for anyone painting under a single ceiling light.
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Art Gift Vouchers: For When You're Still Not Sure
Some artists have a wishlist longer than their brush collection. Others know exactly which obscure shade of green they've been dreaming about, and good luck guessing which one.
An Art Shed gift voucher lets them choose for themselves, whether that's finally splurging on a professional set or stocking up on old favourites. Vouchers are delivered by email, so they're perfect for last-minute shoppers, and you can print one to tuck into a Christmas card or pop under the tree. They can be used online or in our Moorabbin store.
Buying physical gifts instead? Check our Christmas delivery cut-off dates.
| Quick add: paint and sip kits: If you'd rather give an experience than a thing, our paint and sip kits are made for a painting night at home, including kits for two. Pop one in with a voucher and a bottle of something nice, and you've got a date night, a catch-up with a friend, or the perfect gift for someone who likes to paint just for fun. |
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Gifts for Painters: Frequently Asked Questions
What are good Christmas gifts for painters?
The best Christmas gifts for painters are things they use every time they paint but rarely buy themselves: an easel, a step-up paint set in the paint they already use, a daylight lamp or a quality brush set. For newer painters, a complete starter kit is the safest choice. If you're unsure, an easel or a gift voucher suits any painter.
What is a good gift for someone who likes to paint?
For someone who paints for fun, choose something easy to enjoy straight away: a complete starter kit, a big colourful acrylic set, or a paint and sip kit to share. Find out which paint they use (check a tube label) and buy within that. A tabletop easel is a lovely upgrade for a casual painter who works at the kitchen table.
What do you get a painter who has everything?
Skip the paint and upgrade their set-up. Good lighting, a wooden painting box, a folding stool for painting outdoors or a different type of easel (a field easel for someone who usually paints indoors) all make painting more enjoyable, and they're the things painters tend to put off buying for themselves.
What is a good gift for a beginner painter?
A complete starter kit in one type of paint. Kits include paint, brushes and something to paint on that all work together, so there's no guesswork. If you don't know which paint they're interested in, acrylic is the most common place to start, because it dries quickly and cleans up with water.
Can I buy oil paint for someone who paints with acrylics?
It's best to stick with the paint they already use. Oils and acrylics behave differently and need different brushes, mediums and surfaces, so a new medium can feel like starting over. If they've mentioned wanting to try oils, water-mixable oils are the easiest switch, because they clean up with water just like acrylics.
Are student-quality paints a good present?
Yes. Student ranges such as Winsor & Newton Winton and Cotman are made for regular painting and practice, and many experienced painters use them every day. Artist-quality paints contain more pigment and cost more, so they're best for painters who already know which colours and brands they love.
How much should I spend on a present for a painter?
It depends on how much they paint, not how much you love them. Under $30 buys a great stocking filler, such as brushes or a palette. Under $140 buys a lovely main present, like a quality paint set or a desk easel. From $150 is the territory for someone who paints regularly: studio easels and artist-quality sets.
What are good painting gifts under $50?
Brush sets, aqua brushes, an airtight palette, a storage satchel and most beginner watercolour sets, including the Mont Marte Signature 37-piece tin and the Art Shed Watercolour Basics Kit. Small, useful gifts that every painter goes through.
Do easels come assembled?
Most easels need a little simple assembly when they arrive; the Winsor & Newton Sketch Field Easel needs none. Easels aren't shipped in discreet packaging because of their size, so if it's a surprise, have it delivered to you rather than to them.
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Shop Presents for Painters at Art Shed
You don't need to become an art expert before Christmas. Start with the one or two things you know about them and choose from there. And if all you know is "they paint", an easel or a voucher will never miss.
Every gift in this guide has been hand-picked by the artists on our team, based on what we see painters using, asking about and saving up for all year. If you'd like to see things in person, visit us at Art Shed in Moorabbin. Helping people work out what to buy the painter in their life is one of our favourite parts of the job, even if the only clue you've got is a photo of a paint tube.
Merry Christmas, and happy painting.
Or jump straight to easels, watercolour paint sets, oil paint sets, acrylic paint sets and gift vouchers. Looking for drawing and craft gifts too? Our gift ideas for artists guide has you covered.
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