A Holiday Gift Guide

Erica Gamet’s got the perfect gift for every geek on your holiday shopping list.

It’s that time once again to compile the list of things to buy yours truly… Er, I mean the gift guide for all the creatives on your holiday shopping list! Whether they’re graphic designers, illustrators, UX/UI designers (or they’re actually just yourself), there is something here for all the creative folks in your life. But seriously, I want so many of these items. [Editor’s note: Many of these gifts have withstood the test of time! But we’ve checked the links as of March 2023, and we’ve removed discontinued products from this post.]

Grids and Guides Notebook

$17 Amazon.com

Artists are just naturally drawn (get it?) to notebooks, and I’m guessing you’re no different. But if different is what you crave, check out the Grids and Guides notebook. Each 6.25″ × 8.75″ notebook comes with an abundance of alternating grid designs throughout its 160 pages.

Sprinkled amongst the grids are full-color graphics depicting human anatomical systems, the color wheel, and a geologic time scale. Whether you use the graphics for scientific purposes or simply for inspiration, the whole caboodle is wrapped up in a neutral gray cloth cover with enough heft to create a sturdy writing surface. (Alternate color covers are available.)

Scanmarker Air Portable Scanner

$119 Scanmarker.com Maybe taking notes by hand isn’t your thing, or maybe you need to grab printed text and get it into your note-taking app. This handy scanner lets you OCR existing text and use that text wherever you keep your notes. The Bluetooth enabled Scanmarker Air reads and sends text to your Mac or Windows computer and iOS

or Android-enabled mobile devices. Here’s a crazy bonus feature: The Scanmarker Air features a text-to-speech technology that will read the copy aloud as you scan. In addition, it can translate between over 40 languages and can even convert the text to audio.

Visualizing the Beatles

$18 Amazon.com This gift idea combines two of my favorite things: The Beatles and infographics! Visualizing the Beatles is an awesome book by John Pring. Even if The Beatles and infographics don’t hold a special place in your heart, you’re still likely to find the visual presentation of the Fab Four’s trajectory an interesting romp. This 288-page book illustrates the Beatles’ history—highlighting their vocals, style, sound, and essence—in a fun-yet-informative visual style. From facts about John, Paul, George, and Ringo’s childhoods to the guitars they used to the evolution of their onstage personas, Visualizing the Beatles presents a chronology in popular infographic style.

Website Card Deck

$19 uxkits.com Sometimes simpler is better. Even when it comes to digital endeavors like website creation. It’s easy to get too caught up in the technical aspect of creating, which can take you out of the core of the design. Enter UX cards for website mapping. This very analog solution lets you visualize UX elements using a deck of cards. These cards feature the elements of a website, such as a blog component, team bios, calendars, product listings, shopping cart, and more. Working with these cards in a team environment becomes a hands-on experience, allowing for easy visualization by all team members.

InDesign Type

$39 Amazon.com

If you use type in InDesign—so, that’s pretty much everyone reading this article—then you need a copy of Nigel French’s latest book. InDesign Type: Professional Typography with Adobe InDesign, now in its 4th edition, is a reference that comes in handy whether you’re an old InDesign pro or just starting out.

Crammed into its 350+ pages are not only good typography practices, but insights on how to get the most out of InDesign’s typographic tools. Part art appreciation, part user manual, Mr. French’s updated book discusses the whys of typography and the hows of InDesign, so that you get the most out of the type in your InDesign creations and look good doing it.

Bobby Compact Anti-Theft Backpack

$110 Amazon.com After loading up on all these nifty gadgets and awesome books, you’ll need a way to tote them all around town safely. The Bobby Compact Anti-Theft Laptop Backpack has you covered in both the safe and stylish departments. The lack of exposed outer pockets and zippers—along with the cut-proof material lining the pack—makes it extra difficult for would-be thieves to grab the goods stowed inside. The Bobby Compact Backpack features small pockets in the straps for items like credit and transit cards and easy access to keys, while the main compartment’s zippers are tucked away under a flap that sits against your body. Add to the safety features the convenience of an integrated rain cover and external USB charger tucked into the straps, and it’s a tech-savvy commuter’s dream bag.

Mug Warmer

$18 Amazon.com Not that we needed an excuse to avoid getting up from our computers, but not having to get up and warm your coffee for the fifth time won’t be one of them with this gadget. Unlike some warmers, this mug warmer isn’t picky about needing a perfectly flat base on the mug, which also makes it suitable for warming bowls of soup or oatmeal.

A glowing blue light lets you know when the device is heating, and the heat automatically turns off when your mug or bowl is removed. The sleek surface keeps ceramic and glass mugs, bottles, and even teapots at 131ºF and sports rubber feet to keep it from sliding around your desk. The modern white styling is so slick that you could mistake it for a white iPhone before you’ve had your first cup of caffeine.

Stocking Stuffers

If you’re like me, you pick up little items throughout the year, and later realize they’d make great stocking stuffers or last-minute party gifts. Here are a few suggestions for your grab bag o’ gifts.

Tattly Temporary Tattoos

$5 and up tattly.com Who doesn’t love tattoos? Especially temporary ones, if you’re indecisive like me. Tattly started out making designs for designers, and now they have hundreds of designs, available in packs, multi-design sheets, and even gift tins.

Across the Univers T-Shirt

$25 progresswear.com Are type puns more your style? I got your back, well, your front anyway. You can shoulder the weights of the Univers for all fellow type-nerds to have a good chuckle at the same time.

Holiday Tags from MOO

$47 and up moo.com Make special gift tags for clients or for under the tree. Start with square business cards, choose up to four standard designs, add rounded corners, and finish off with gold foil to make your gifts truly stand out.

Ampersand Print

$18–80 etsy.com Aaaaand one more thing: a big ol’ ampersand print to liven up your studio walls. Such an unusual character that stands for all the possibilities that “and” can bring. Also, it just makes any space looks artsy. Available from 5″ × 7″ up to 50″ × 70″.

Wrapping It Up

And that’s a wrap on this year’s gift guide! (You didn’t expect me to not make that pun, did you?) Did you find something you like? Or something you’d like to get me? Well, even if you didn’t get me any of these nifty gifties, I still hope you have a wonderful holiday season and that the new year is full of abundant work and non-stop creativity. And also cool new toys. Happy Holidays!

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