The Ultimate List of Gifts for Graphic Designers: Top 19 Ideas

In the United States, there are now about 266,300 graphic designers. Between 2016 and 2026, the graphic designer job market is expected to increase by 4.2 percent. So If you have friends, most likely graphic designer is one of them.

The median salary for this position is around $50,000 per year in the US. But sometimes this profession is more than a single discipline and can be utilized in many roles: from brand identity & marketing design to data visualization & infographic design.

So you can expect that the salary of your graphic design friend may be much higher. E.g., a digital designer earns $92,389 per year on average, and a product designer makes $119,921 per year on average.

So naturally, they are not only some of the most creative people out there. But sometimes they also can buy anything they want. But that doesn’t mean they don’t want gifts!

This list includes gifts for graphic designers in any price range. Whether you’re looking to spend $5 or $500, this list has gifts for every budget (and suits all tastes too).

Do you have a particular question about choosing the best gift for a graphic designer? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the black arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page. 

Set of Pantone notebooks

I love set of 10 notebooks in 10 different Pantone colors. Each notebook has a sturdy cover and grid-dot interior pages and is bound with a black elastic band. The notebooks come in a cardboard slipcase that has the color code for each notebook printed on it. These are great little books to keep by your computer or carry around with you when you need to take notes but don’t want to lug around your whole bag. They’re also very classy and would look great on any desktop as an office decoration. But keep in mind that these are small and only measure 4″ x 5.5″.

Compact Color Label Printer

If your graphic designer friend has that entrepreneurial spark, then might be a great gift idea. It uses ZINK Zero Ink Technology to deliver rich, vivid full color without ever requiring ink. All the colors needed for high-quality photo printing are embedded in the adhesive-backed ZINK paper. It has built-in designing software. But there’s no need to limit yourself with it – with this device, it’s possible to connect to Wi-Fi and grab any design you’ve created on your computer to print. Developing and printing labels can be a good side hustle. To make things even easier, you can use free tools like this name tag maker to automate the design creation.

Personalized light

This sleek and colorful LED light is the perfect gift for your office, bedroom, or home. Personalize it with any name you fancy – it’s a great way to stake your claim on the best side of the bed! 

Noise-canceling headphones

With the world’s best noise cancellation, headphones deliver superior sound quality for music, movies, and TV shows. They are lightweight and comfortable to wear, so you can listen (and create!) for hours without fatigue.

 Set of Water-Based Paint Markers

are the ultimate versatility for any creative person. They are available in a wide range of colors and sizes, including brush nibs, providing artists with an efficient tool for creating stunning works of art.

The Posca paint marker is ideal for any surface, including wood, metal, glass, plastic, stone, and more. They are designed to be permanent yet water-based, so they can be removed easily from non-porous surfaces.

Paint markers are quick drying, which makes them perfect for use on the go. The nibs are made from stainless steel, and the ink is water-based, making it suitable for indoor use and outside. 

Mechanical Pencil with Built-in Sharpener

According to its users, is one of the best quality pencils for drawing and sketching. This is a true classic, a very well-made mechanical pencil with a built-in sharpener. The lead advance knob is located on the side of the barrel, making it easy to advance the lead without removing your hand from your work area. It has an internal push button that moves the lead when pressed, no need to touch the tip of the pencil with your fingers. The sharpener is conveniently located inside of the cap, which simply screws and unscrews from the holder.

3D art coloring kit

These 3-D art kits are the perfect way to spark your graphic designer’s imagination. Using six double-sided markers (one tip for precision and one for painting), budding illustrators liven up an animal-filled forest or the portraits of some not-so-scary monsters with a brilliant palette of hues. Artists then break the fourth wall by slipping on the set’s 3-D glasses and bringing their fantastical color-by-numbers masterpieces to life. While it might seem like something a kid will enjoy, let’s face it, some adults will have lots of fun with this set too.

Essential oils for creativity

essential oils mix claims to make your creative juices flow. So if you wish to help your graphic designer to wake up their senses with this energizing and uplifting blend of citrus and spice aromas – go ahead and go with this set. This is the perfect inspirational essential oil for anyone looking to get more out of their day.

Fresh Spice Pods Sets

With this set, any kitchen will stay neat and organized.

And you can toss just the perfect amount of flavor into your dish any time. The pods are made from recyclable aluminum, so they’re eco-friendly too. Each cup contains just half a teaspoon of spice, so you can experiment with new flavors without wasting money on spices you don’t use often. The ingredients are sourced from small-scale merchants who work with expert farmers around the world. And have I mentioned that they look incredible too?

Full Pantone Guide

Pantone guide is the ultimate color tool for graphic designers and marketing professionals. Quickly select, communicate, and compare colors with 294 new, trend, and market-relevant colors for a total of 2,161 spot colors. The guide can be used while designing logos and branding, marketing materials, and other graphics applications. This has been an essential reference since 1963, providing professionals the ability to compare colors and ensure color accuracy.

Personalized keyring

What if you could distill down the very essence of your friend – their complex personality, timeless hairstyle, and on-point fashion sense? And transform it into an iconic mini-figure? Give this item to your loved ones so they can carry a little lookalike of you with them at all times, or make one for each of your housemates, so they stop ‘borrowing’ your keys. Your friends (especially designers!) will love it!

Architecture Building Kit

It’s constructed from durable, lightweight cardboard and plastic and designed to be assembled without glue or tape. That’s why this model offers an open-ended design experience that encourages creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Something that any graphic designer is feeding of. This kit also includes various people, pets, trees, and more to enhance the fun.

External drive

There’s never enough hard drive space for a true digital artist. disk is the smallest I have seen for an external 5 Tb drive, making it easier to carry around and store. It’s also a very good bang for a buck. It is fast and easy to use on any PC or Mac computer (after tweaking) with an available USB 3.0 port (USB 2.0 compatible). The disk runs slower than an SSD. But at 5400 rpm, it’s still lightning-quick to access files stored anywhere from 1 TB to 5 TB, all without requiring any other power source beyond your computer device itself. In terms of capacity size, this is one of the best values I’ve found for an external hard drive.

Apple Pencil Tip

IPad is one of the easiest and versatile tools for graphic designers. And even well-established artists (those who created anything from Marvel comics to Playstation games) appreciate this tool. So there are good chances that your friends working in the same field might use it too. In that case, a set of spare Apple pencil tips will always come handy. seems to be a great bang for a buck.

Lap desk

Let’s be honest, most of us spend a lot of our time in front of a screen. So why laze on the couch when you can work more comfortably and still get things done? 

This quality desk with a mouse pad is perfect for those on the go. This product is crafted with engineered wood board and has dual cushions for comfort. It also features an integrated mouse pad positioned above function keys. It helps to reduce wrist fatigue. It also features two-panel desk space, accommodating up to 17″ laptops (up to 14″ if you are using it along with the mouse pad).

Magnetic Gel Pen Set