31 Gift Ideas for Graphic Designers
UKGifts is supported by its readers. Should you buy gifts via our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
If you have used a graphic designer and want to give them a gift to thank them, then you may wonder what to get. It can be a tricky thing because they may have very specific arty taste in the items that they normally have. However, we have come to your rescue and put together a list of things which we think will be really appealing to graphic designers. We have picked a big range to suit all different tastes. Hopefully you will be able to find some things on the list that will suit your budget and you feel that they will really like.
31 Presents for Graphic Designers
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
This is a book called ‘How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer’. It is written by Debbie Millman and includes interviews with nineteen designers so you can start to get an understanding of them and their approaches, processes, opinions and thoughts about their own work. It is full of great information with hints and tips that all designers can take on. Designers include Stefan Sagmeister, Michael Beirut, David Carson and Milton Glaser.
This is a notebook which has a black cover and says on it ‘I never dreamed I would be a super cool graphic designer but here I am killing it’. It has a matte cover and is 6 x 9 inches in size. Inside there is bright white paper which is lined so it can be used as a diary, journal, notebook or for lots of other uses as well. With its 120 pages it will last a long time as well.
This is a book called ‘Layout for Graphic Designers: An Introduction’. It is by Gavin Ambrose and Paul Harris and is a guide about how to lay out text and images on a page. It covers both print and online work and has hundreds of examples as well as diagrams and imagery to make the book more fun to read and easier to understand. It is an inspiring book for anyone learning the subject.
This is a fun 10oz mug. It is white with a ‘C’ handle for comfort. It has black text on it which says ‘I’m silently judging your font choice’. It is a fun mug to give and it is suitable for hot and cold beverages and is very useful as well for use at home or in the office. It is microwave and dishwasher safe as well so extremely practical as well as fun.
This is a cute and cuddly teddy bear which is wearing a white long sleeved t-shirt which says ‘The greatest graphic designer ever!’. It is 20 x 20 x 15 cm and is in a seated position. It is a traditional brown colour and has a lovely sewn friendly face which is full of character and very cute at the same time. It is suitable for adults and children over the age of three years of age.
This is a graphic designer survival kit. It is a delightfully small 13 x 18cm organza bag stuffed full of little tiny objects. It has a laminated card attached to it which explains the significance of every item that is included in the bag. Many have a sentimental message so it is a great gift to give to someone that you are close to and that you want to show is appreciated.
This is a mouse mat which has a white background and says ‘hard working graphic designer’ on it with some pictures on as well all in black so that it stands out. The mat is 220mm x 180mm x 5mm in size and is very high quality with an anti slip backing. It has a vibrant print which will not fade as it is printed using the dye sublimation method.
This is a keyring which has two pendants on it. One pendant is a rectangular shape and it says on it ‘I’m silently judging your font choice’. The other one is a small circular pendant which has a shape on it and says ‘oh, crop’ on it. It is made from stainless steel which means that it is shiny and metallic silver in colour and it will not tarnish or rust. It comes in a velvet bag.
This is a pair of colour wheels. They will help any artist or designer learn about colour combinations and what works together. They have lots of information about colours and how to put different colours together and what to avoid doing as well. Even includes a greyscale guide as well. You can spin the wheel to see different colour combinations work together and see what happens when you mix certain colours together.
This is a set of graphic marker pens. There are 60 different colours and they are water based and blendable and do not bleed through paper. The colours are pigmented and therefore vibrant and do not fade. They dry quickly as well and can be used for all sorts of things. They come in a zipped up case in a box so easy to wrap up as a gift.
This is a pair of black socks which has a white picture of someone sitting at a computer and the words ‘Trust me….I’m a graphic designer’ written on the leg part. They are men’s socks and are made from a cotton blend material so they are soft and comfortable. The printing is with white vinyl and so it stands out and the sock is stretchy so it fits feet that are UK size 5-12.
This is ‘The Graphic Design Idea Book : Inspiration from 50 Masters’ by Steven Heller and Gail Anderson. It is an introductory text which is broken into sections about the elements of design using key works by acclaimed designers to illustrate points and to encourage the readers to try out new ideas. It has themes on narrative, colour, illusion, ornament, simplicity and humour. It is easy to understand with professional techniques.
This is the ‘Graphic Design Play Book: An Exploration of Visual Thinking’ by Sophie Cure. It has puzzles and visual challenges to demonstrate things like signage, poster, branding and typography. There are games and activities to make the book lots of fun and the answers pages has explanations and information. There is even die cut templates and coloured pages to help with the activities. An interactive book which will be lots of fun to read and complete.
This is an apron which comes in black or white. On the front of the apron it says ‘Graphic Design’. It has a loop around the neck and ties around the back. It is made from ethically sourced ring spun cotton. It has a regular fit and is one size so most people will be able to fit into it. It is heavyweight so can cope with spills. It is suitable for washing in the washing machine so is easy to keep clean.
This is a black baseball cap which says ‘fear the graphic designer’ on it in white. It is hand printed in the UK. The cap is made from 100% cotton and has a hook and loop adjuster at the back so that you can change the size of the headband and it will be able to fit most adult head sizes. A fun and useful gift for any graphic designer.
This is a book called ‘Mid Century Modern Graphic Design’ by Theo Inglis. It is a book which takes an in-depth look at mid-century graphics. The mid-century look is coming back and so getting a grasp of it could be really useful and some of the designers from then are also influential today so this will be useful as well. Magazines covers, record sleeves, travel posters and books are used to show the style.
This is a set of fine liner pens. They are black pigment liners which come in a selection of different nib sizes. There is a brush nib and 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5. 0.6 and 0.8 sized pin type nibs. They are quick drying and water resistant as well as fade resistant. They can be used for all sorts of things such as writing, sketching and drawing on different types of paper.
This is an artists graphics drawing tablet. It is an XP-Pen Artist 12 and has 6 handy short cut keys and a slim touch pad. It has a 1920 x 1080 HD display and an anti reflective coating on the screen. It comes with a pen which has a unique hexagonal design. It is comfortable to use and there is also a pen holder to keep it and your nibs safe.
This is a Moleskine book which is 19 x 19 cm in size and designed as a sketch album. It has paper inside it which is suitable for pens, pencils, charcoal and fountain pens. Pages are all blank so you can fill them with inspiring drawings and words. It also comes in pocket sized (9 x 14cm) and large (13 x 21cm) options so you can choose which you think will be the best.
This is a brass letter stencil. It is a brass sheet which has been etched with three phrases in three different type faces which use each letter of the alphabet. You can hang it up using the hole in it and it has serrated edges so you can use these as well if you wish. It helps you to produce beautiful lettering in either brown, frankfurter or stencil serif fonts.
This is a special tool which can be used by designers. It is a curved ruler which can be used for drawing curves and other shapes. It works like a pair of compasses but there is no sharp point and you can fold it up to make it really portable. It will not poke a hole in the paper and will not move around the page due to the specially designed base.
This is a flexible ruler that can curve. It can be used to draw regular lines that are in curves. It is made from a PVC material with a metal strip in the middle. It is easy to adjust and shape and there are inches and centimetre markings on it as well. It is 24 inches or 600mm in total length and it is blue and white in colour with black numbers on it.
This is a portable light box. It is A4 in size and it is very thin so 335 x 235mm in size and just 0.47mm thick. It is powered by a USB cable which can be attached to a computer or power bank. It has 3 brightness levels and is flicker free and does not heat up as it is LED light. It can be used to easily trace pictures.
This is a drawing set with a selection of different items included in it. It has 41 items including 12 graphite pencils, 4 pastel pencils, 3 charcoal pencils, 1 woodless graphite pencil, 3 charcoal sticks. 4 willow charcoal sticks, kneaded art eraser, vintl eraser, paper blending stumps, sharpeners, art blade, pencil extender, sandpaper black and A5 sketch pad with a storage case, It is a great starter set for someone taking up drawing or a travel set.
This is a drawing board. It is a white plastic board which is stable, durable and lightweight. It has two parallel rulers with it as well as two corner clips and a set square which is also marked with a protractor. It has a locking action on the parallel straight edge to ensure that you will get really straight lines which you need them. It has an ergonomic design and is useful for anyone that draws as part of their job or hobby.
This is a two pack of multi angle measuring rulers. They are made from an aluminium alloy and are 5mm so will not bend or rust. They can be used for lots of different things and will work on many different surfaces. They will last a really long time and the white measurements, which are engraved, stand out from the glossy back finish so they are easy to see as well.
This is a book called ‘Universal Methods of Design’ by Bruce Hanington and Bella Martin. It is a survey of research and design methods used by today’s top designers so is a great reference guide for any designer. It has 100 of the most widely applicable and effective methods of design which are concisely presented so every designer will use the right method for the particular job that they are doing.
This is a book by Ellen Lupton called ‘Graphic Design – The New Basics’. It is an introductory guide which includes topics on colour, texture, rhythm and balance, hierarchy, layers, grids, visualising data, typography, modes of representation, Gestalt principles and more and there are pages of students and professional work as examples to look at and learn from as well. Includes logs, letterheads, website design and everything else you might need.
This is book called ‘Vintage Graphic Design : Type, Typography, Monograms and Decorative Design from the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries’ by Steven Heller. The examples in the book are gathered from rare and forgotten sources so will not have been seen before and it will help to inspire any designer as this period had so many interesting pieces in it. Includes historic typefaces, gothic designs, filigree borders and cartouches.
This is a set of four table place mats which have a retro design. They are 18 x 12 inches in size and they are slip resistant and stain resistant as well as heat resistant up to 120 degrees Celsius. They feature a white background with a blue sky with clouds, sea with windsurfer, palm trees and a yellow car parked in front. Great for a kitchen or dining room table when a retro feel is required.
This is an aluminium street sign. It is 20 x 10 cms in size and it has a green background with a white border and white writing on which says ‘Graphic Designer Dr’. It is printed using UV resistant inks and is weatherproof which means that it will not rust so is suitable for using outdoors as well as indoors. It has safe rounded corners and drilled holes ready to use to mount it on the wall.
