It’s coming up to that time of year when we’re all panicking about the presents that we haven’t bought yet and the ideas we’ve been out of for several Christmasses past.
Whilst gift giving should be a great pleasure (always better to do so than to receive, hey?), if you’ve got someone in your life that’s particularly difficult to buy for, then the festive season can quite quickly turn into quite the chore.
And amongst the most discerning gift-receivers in the world? Why, it’s the aesthete in your life, of course, whose eye for detail, nuance and nicety is razor sharp and, let’s face it, sometimes a little judgemental.
You wouldn’t have it any other way. But nobody wants to be judged on their taste, or how well they know their Monet from their Manet. So, if you need a little help when it comes to a gift suitable for an art connoisseur, then we’ve got your back; here are 5 IDEAL Christmas gifts for your arty friend.
A Workshop Day
Creating a piece of art together is the perfect way to spend a day of quality time. There are lots of options for making artwork and you can tailor it entirely to your friend.
Making pottery together is a popular choice, from classes where beginners can learn how to throw down on the wheel to more advanced sessions aimed at those who’ve used clay before. Or, there are workshops just a couple of hours long where you can paint a piece of pottery that’s already been made for you. Check out Time Out’s rundown of the best pottery classes in London for more on that.
If your friend is into beautiful jewellery – hey, who isn’t? – then you could try a casting workshop where you can learn how to make a mold to pour molten silver or pewter into. These kinds of workshops are fascinating because you can both learn something that’s totally new to you. Some workshops charge by the weight of the piece that you create, whilst others use less expensive metals to keep prices low, so be sure to choose the right one for your budget.
A Beautiful Game
If you’re going to be spending plenty of time with your friend during the holiday season then sometimes a gift that you can both enjoy is a good idea. Playing a game together is a good way to break up the mince-pie-eating monotony of that all too familiar no-man’s-land between Christmas and the New Year, so why not choose an arty one?
There’s no doubt that plenty of games are arty nowadays, as long as you pick the right kind. Board games are an obvious choice with titles like Fresco and Pastiche putting art right at the centre of the game.
Video games from a small group of indie designers can be a great choice as well, with point-and-click story titles often putting beautiful illustrations before everything else. Some of the most visually striking include LittleBigPlanet 2, Journey, and Child of Eden.
Exhibition Tickets
For friends who are art students, lecturers or just have particular artists that they absolutely love, there might be no better present than an exhibition ticket.
Keep an eye out for any of the names that they mention and do a quick Google search to see if there are any shows on at the moment. Some shows are free to enter, with many exhibitions (even those of famous names) not clocking in at much over a tenner. All that means you’ll have plenty of time left over on the day to have a nice lunch together or a drink somewhere fancy beforehand.
In London, as we’re sure you already know, the majority of museums and art galleries in London are free to enter, with restrictions only existing on select exhibitions. So, that’s a month of the V&A, the Science Museum, Design Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Tate, the National Gallery and so many more. Result!
Read: Virtual tours around 10 amazing European museums
A Work Of Art
If you’ve made it to the end of this list and still haven’t spotted a present that your friend would love, then maybe the obvious answer is an actual piece of art. Think carefully about the spaces that they have in their home and choose something accordingly.
They might love a dark painting with vivid reds and inky blues for the living space, but it might not be the right piece of art for the office. If you’re fortunate enough to be a gifted artist yourself then you could even make them something. Homemade gifts are one of the most thoughtful presents that you can give, so why not spoil them this festive season?
And with that, our easel is calling us. Have a great, artistic Christmas!