austinkleon:

Here are some of my favorite things that make easy gifts that will work for lots of different people:

  1. Journaling kit This is what I carry around with me for journalizing on the road: 

The Steal Like An Artist Journal - The best journal out there. $10. 

PaperMate Flair pens - best overall for drawing, writing, etc. $9/box. Free if you steal them from the supply closet at your office. 

Fine point Sharpie - for blackouts and big thick lines! $5/box or, again, free if you steal them from work.

Washi tape - fun, colorful, removable tape for collaging. $14/set.

safety scissors - TSA will let you on with scissors 4″ blade or less. $2. optional: canvas bag to carry it all in. $10. 2. Ear plugs

Will get you through long flights, noisy hotel rooms, and nights with a loud newborn. Highest cost/benefit ratio ever. $5  3. Palomino Blackwing Pencils My favorite pencil — great for sketching, perfect for making notes in books. Sometimes I like to just sharpen them and sit around and sniff ‘em. Get a whole box and add a sharpener while you’re at it. $30 for both. 4. Aqua Notes I know, I know: they seem totally goofy, but I get a lot of ideas in the shower, and nine out of ten of them are bad, but that one that is good, well, it’s worth having something you can write it down on. $10 5. Pocket notebooks I love Field Notes, but these are small enough that they fit in my shirt and jeans pockets, and they take a beating. I carry one of these everywhere. $10

6. A Daily Planner  Really, any page-a-day planner will do, but this is the notebook I’ve used to keep a daily logbook for the past seven years. My logbooks are invaluable to me—easier to keep than a diary and way more helpful. $16 7. Kitchen Timer Might seem like a stretch, but I think this is one of the most underrated creative tools. Give it to someone and tell them to find 15 minutes a day to do the thing that they love. $10. 8. A great book You can’t go wrong with books. Some books I’ve read in recent years that I think would help a wide range of people: 

Getting Things Done (for folks who struggle with productivity)

Daily Rituals (for folks who struggle with routine)

What It Is (for folks who want to write)

The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction (for folks who want to read more and read better)

100 Essays I Don’t Have Time To Write (for folks struggling with balancing creative work and parenting)

The Sisters Brothers (simply the best novel I’ve read in a long time) For more book recommendations, go here. 9. A great documentary Whenever I’m sort of bummed or in need of some inspiration, I love watching good documentaries about art and artists. Here are some of my favorites:

Los Angeles Plays Itself (for film geeks and Los Angeles friends)

Stories We Tell (for people who tell stories)

Beauty Is Embarrassing (for art geeks and artists with families)

Don’t Look Back (for documentary lovers, Dylan nuts, and music fans)

The Last Waltz (maybe the best concert film ever)

Bill Cunningham New York (for photographers and all artists — “If you don’t take money, they can’t tell you what to do, kid!”) More of my favorite movies and TV shows. 10. The Robin Hood Box Set First you steal, then you share. (Hey, sorry, but they fit perfectly in a stocking!) $14 for both of them. (You could always throw in Newspaper Blackout, for an extra $10.) Happy holidays, y’all! Hope you get everything you want.

A nice list – thanks Austin! :)