For designers who prefer more traditional methods and, quite literally, like to get their hands dirty, this gorgeous oil colour set is an inspired gift idea. A beautiful box made from bamboo, an environmentally friendly source, which includes eight 37ml tubes of Artists' Oil colour and various other accessories is sure to put a smile on any artist's face.
Manga artists everywhere will want this Intuos Manga pen tablet from Wacom. An ergonomic, pressure-sensitive pen allows the precision and effects of traditional brushes, markers and pens. Sketch, draw, and paint manga digitally, bringing beautiful characters and this colourful world to life with precision and detail.
If you thought Lego was just for kids, then think again. The little toy brick maker cater for all ages and interests, which includes a number of architecture sets. Respecting historic design, Lego has iconic buildings such as Farnsworth House (above), Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, The White House, Big Ben and many more.
3D printing is just about in the reach of anyone who wants to try it out nowadays. The Makerbot Digitizer is a 3D scanner, enabling you to quickly scan objects and then modify them (using 3D software such as ZBrush) before printing them on a Replicator. It's awe-inspiring stuff. And imagine the fun you'd have on Christmas Day.
John Alvin was an American cinematic artist, responsible for some of the most iconic movie posters of the last 40 years, including Beauty and the Beast, The Goonies, Blazing Saddles, Jurassic Park, and Star Wars Celebration posters. This hardback book collects Alvin's finest work, as well previously unseen comprehensives and in progress sketches – a beautiful gift for any movie poster fan.
Whilst still intended for developers and not a consumer bit of kit, it's not going to be long before this amazon piece of technology hits the masses. The Oculus Rift is a next-generation virtual reality headset designed for immersive gaming, bringing you a stereoscopic 3D view with depth, scale and parallax.
We know a few designers that'd like to get there hands on one of these bad boys, and it's no real surprise why. Not only does this amazing device enable you to control your computer via your hands, but an excellent developer programme means you can start creating incredible motion controlled apps. Just take a look at airspace.leapmotion.com to see what's possible.
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This is a great gift for anyone heading down the graphic design path. Make Your Own Luck - A DIY Attitude to Graphic Design & Illustration is informative guide from aspiring artist Kate Moross, which offers all manner of invaluable insider tips on how to make it in the highly competitive field.
Going from art school student to a designer for the likes of Nike, Topshop and Google, Moross has a wealth of knowledge, much of which she discusses here. Chapters include how to thrive in art school, developing your own style, how to self-promote, collaboration with other artists, how to deal with "copycats", and when to consider working for free.
Chris Thornley - aka RAID71 - must have been a good boy this year as he's after one of Wacom's sublime Cintiq Companions. Merging the accuracy of a Cintiq tablet with the performance of a Windows 8 tablet, it's a product that enables any creative pro to take their work with them, wherever they go.
In the competitive and thriving design industry, it's important to keep your finger on the pulse. So for all the latest news and design inspiration, why not buy a loved one the gift of a subscription to Computer Arts for Christmas. Just select Computer Arts – or whichever great magazine you want to give – and we'll organise a free eCard, plus you can select the date that you want the subscription to start.
For more Christmas gift ideas, head over to our sister site TechRadar (if you're in the United States, head here).
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