https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y25DK3J?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share I bought this one for myself. There are others out there, but for that price, I seemed like a great deal at the time.
She did just start painting miniatures, but I'm not sure what would be a good gift for that.
Ooooh I love mini painting. What are the useful tools and resources, hmmm.
For army painting I'd say an airbrush compressor with a tank, with an the acompanying cheap gravity-fed dual action airbrush with a .5mm nozel to start. If you look em up on amazon, 'air brush tank' you'll see a tonne of sets all looking the same (they are, just with different airbrush) for around $150. Depends what you mean by 'just started' though, I wouldn't dive in to this on week 1. 6 months in maybe.
For painting normally, and for someone who just started what are the 'game changing' items. Ok so: - Wet pallete, such as the one from army painter. It keeps your paints fresh and moist and easy to work with for ages $25 or #35 with more refills. I'd go the $35
You want your brushes to last ages right, well that's why we use brush soap. Treating your brushes with [master's brush soap for ($10)[https://www.amazon.com/General-Pencil-105-BP-Masters-Preserver/dp/B0027AEANE/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=master%27s+brush+soap&qid=1636524979&qsid=139-0808896-2360434&sr=82&sres=B0027AEANE%2CB0049UZ8Z4%2CB001TNR7VM%2CB00F38YVQS%2CB009OP2M1M%2CB001E22PME%2CB004BPPL40%2CB085HHBP5C%2CB0009RRT9Y%2CB01GR2LOYU%2CB07L2QJPVJ%2CB08RNBRQYM%2CB075L8LCTG%2CB0027A79I2%2CB01BSB56OY%2CB000CC91GK%2CB00178WGHY%2CB01MS41HK6%2CB087RH77GX%2CB0028FQ0TK] as seen in this vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeDwTY7C9xs
This brush cleaner meanwhile: https://www.thesydneyartstore.com.au/product-group/1379-incredible-brush-cleaner-250ml/category/125-cleaners is how you get into her good books after she spills paint on some clothes, which will happen. A couple of drops of this, rub it in, a couple more, rub it in, a couple more, into the washing machine, then the dryer if ya have one. This will remove 90% of it in one cycle. 10US. It can also help rescue really far gone natural hair brushes, but it's 50/50 chance. If you get to this point, it's likely already dead.
A painting handle also really helps, makes minis easier to hold with the balance being in the wrist and forearm, not the finger which makes your hands sooooo much steadier. Well worth it.
Anything else they try to sell ya is unncessary imo. Eventually you might want a lightbox, and a good natural light. But those are down the line, no other accessories needed.
I'm assuming the basic gear, snips, glue, mouldline scraping tool...