Skip to main content
Pickspry
Buying guideArt Supplies section

Best acrylic paint set for beginners and artists: top picks

An acrylic paint set provides fast-drying, water-soluble paint that works on canvas, wood, paper and most surfaces. Pigment concentration, color count, tube size, whether the set is student or artist grade and lightfastness ratings determine the value of a set.

By Pickspry EditorialUpdated 4 picks

The short answer

Liquitex BASICS 48-Tube Acrylic Paint Set at $40 is the best acrylic paint set for most beginners and hobbyists: the student-grade formula uses a high pigment load for a student paint, the 48-color range covers all primary, secondary and tertiary colors and the 0.74 oz tubes provide enough paint per color to complete multiple full canvases.

Product buttons open Amazon search results. As an Amazon Associate, Pickspry earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Learn more

Quick picks

How we chose

Acrylic paint sets are evaluated by grade level (student vs artist), pigment concentration, tube count, tube size in ounces, color range, lightfastness ratings where published, drying time and price. Specs from manufacturer product pages. We did not test these products.

The picks, in detail

4 picks reviewed
01
Best acrylic set for beginners
Liquitex Liquitex BASICS 48-Tube Acrylic Paint Set

Liquitex BASICS 48-Tube Acrylic Paint Set

Brand: Liquitex

Best for

Beginning painters and art students who want a comprehensive color range in a student-grade formula with better-than-average pigment load for the price, where Liquitex BASICS provides consistency across the 48 colors that cheaper sets do not maintain.

Skip if

Professional-level archival lightfastness is required for finished artwork meant to last decades. Liquitex BASICS is a student-grade paint. For archival work, Liquitex Professional Heavy Body or Golden Heavy Body at a higher price provide confirmed lightfastness ratings.

Check price on Amazon

Liquitex BASICS uses a polymer emulsion base with higher pigment concentration than most student-grade acrylics, allowing the colors to perform closer to artist-grade paints at a student price point. The 48-color range includes the full primary and secondary spectrum plus earth tones, neutral grays and metallic colors.

The soft-body consistency blends and layers consistently across the color range. Drying time for thin layers is 10 to 20 minutes. The paints are water-soluble when wet and permanent when dry.

At $40 for 48 tubes, Liquitex BASICS provides 83 cents per tube, the best price-per-color value in this guide for a consistent quality level.

Specifications

Specifications for Liquitex BASICS 48-Tube Acrylic Paint Set
Tubes48 tubes
Tube size0.74 oz (22 ml) each
GradeStudent
Price$40

Specs from Liquitex BASICS, 48-tube acrylic set Amazon search

02
Best artist-grade acrylic set
Golden Golden Heavy Body Acrylic 6-Color Set

Golden Heavy Body Acrylic 6-Color Set

Brand: Golden

Best for

Experienced painters who want professional artist-grade acrylics with confirmed lightfastness ratings, heavy-body consistency suitable for impasto techniques and single-pigment formulations for predictable color mixing.

Skip if

A large color range is needed at a low cost. Golden Heavy Body at $38 provides only 6 colors (though the 6 colors cover the full color wheel), while Liquitex BASICS at $40 provides 48 colors. For beginners exploring color, the Liquitex set provides more immediate options.

Check price on Amazon

Golden Heavy Body acrylics use the highest pigment load of any acrylic in the Golden line, producing a thick, buttery consistency suitable for impasto and palette knife work. The single-pigment formulations (where possible) provide more predictable mixing behavior than multi-pigment paints.

Golden publishes lightfastness ratings for each color; the 6-color introductory set selects colors with the highest lightfastness ratings. The heavy body consistency holds brush marks and peaks without slumping.

At $38 for 6 large-format artist-grade tubes, Golden is the professional reference standard for acrylic painters.

Specifications

Specifications for Golden Heavy Body Acrylic 6-Color Set
Tubes6 tubes
Tube size2 oz (59 ml) each
GradeArtist
Price$38

Specs from Golden Heavy Body, acrylic set Amazon search

03
Best budget acrylic set for children
Artist's Loft Artist's Loft Acrylic Paint Set 36 Colors

Artist's Loft Acrylic Paint Set 36 Colors

Brand: Artist's Loft

Best for

Children, casual crafters and budget-oriented beginners who want a broad color selection for general craft projects, school work and exploratory painting where archival quality is not a requirement.

Skip if

Color accuracy or pigment consistency is important. Artist's Loft is a craft-grade paint at a craft-store price point. The pigment load is lower than Liquitex BASICS, and color shifting from wet to dry is more pronounced. For artwork intended to develop technique, Liquitex BASICS at $40 provides meaningfully better consistency.

Check price on Amazon

Artist's Loft acrylic paints use a lower-concentration pigment formula compared to student-grade paints, which results in some transparency in colors that should be opaque and visible color shift from wet to dry on dark surfaces. The trade-off is a very accessible price.

The 36-color range covers the same primary and secondary spectrum as premium sets. For craft projects, decorative painting and general use where finished artwork will not be displayed long-term, Artist's Loft provides sufficient coverage.

At $20 for 36 tubes, Artist's Loft is the lowest cost-per-tube option at 56 cents per color for general-purpose crafting.

Specifications

Specifications for Artist's Loft Acrylic Paint Set 36 Colors
Tubes36 tubes
Tube size0.74 oz (22 ml) each
GradeCraft
Price$20

Specs from Artist's Loft, acrylic paint set Amazon search

04
Best acrylic set for intermediate painters
Winsor and Newton Winsor and Newton Galeria Acrylic 10-Color Set

Winsor and Newton Galeria Acrylic 10-Color Set

Brand: Winsor and Newton

Best for

Intermediate painters who want better-than-BASICS pigment quality in a trusted professional brand at a student price, where Winsor and Newton Galeria bridges the gap between craft-grade and full artist-grade acrylics.

Skip if

A large color count is needed in the starting set. Winsor and Newton Galeria at $35 provides 10 colors, not the 36 or 48 of the budget sets. The 10 colors are carefully chosen to cover the full mixing range, but painters who prefer a pre-mixed range of secondary and tertiary colors should choose the Liquitex 48-color set instead.

Check price on Amazon

Winsor and Newton Galeria uses a mid-range pigment load that performs above most student-grade paints without reaching the full concentration of artist-grade Heavy Body formulas. The Galeria line is designed to be intermixable with Winsor and Newton Professional acrylics for painters transitioning between grades.

The 10-color set includes titanium white, ivory black, primary cyan, primary magenta, primary yellow, cadmium red hue, ultramarine, viridian hue, burnt sienna and yellow ochre, providing full-spectrum mixing capability.

At $35 for 10 tubes, Winsor and Newton Galeria provides $3.50 per tube for a quality level above Liquitex BASICS in individual tube performance.

Specifications

Specifications for Winsor and Newton Galeria Acrylic 10-Color Set
Tubes10 tubes
Tube size0.67 oz (20 ml) each
GradeStudent (upper level)
Price$35

Specs from Winsor Newton Galeria, acrylic paint set Amazon search

Acrylic paint set comparison

Model Tubes Size each Grade Price
Liquitex BASICS 48-Tube 48 0.74 oz Student $40
Golden Heavy Body 6-Color 6 2 oz Artist $38
Artist's Loft 36-Color 36 0.74 oz Craft $20
Winsor Newton Galeria 10-Color 10 0.67 oz Student+ $35

Compare the picks

Side by side comparison of every pick
Specification
Liquitex Liquitex BASICS 48-Tube Acrylic Paint Set
Liquitex BASICS 48-Tube Acrylic Paint Set
Golden Golden Heavy Body Acrylic 6-Color Set
Golden Heavy Body Acrylic 6-Color Set
Artist's Loft Artist's Loft Acrylic Paint Set 36 Colors
Artist's Loft Acrylic Paint Set 36 Colors
Winsor and Newton Winsor and Newton Galeria Acrylic 10-Color Set
Winsor and Newton Galeria Acrylic 10-Color Set
Our verdictBest acrylic set for beginnersBest artist-grade acrylic setBest budget acrylic set for childrenBest acrylic set for intermediate painters
Tubes48 tubes6 tubes36 tubes10 tubes
Tube size0.74 oz (22 ml) each2 oz (59 ml) each0.74 oz (22 ml) each0.67 oz (20 ml) each
GradeStudentArtistCraftStudent (upper level)
Price$40$38$20$35
BuyCheck priceCheck priceCheck priceCheck price

Questions people ask

What surfaces can I use acrylic paint on?

Acrylic paint adheres to most non-oily, non-waxy surfaces including canvas, wood panels, paper, cardboard, fabric, metal and glass (with a primer). For best adhesion on canvas, use a gessoed canvas that provides a slightly textured tooth for the paint to grip. Raw canvas without gesso absorbs the paint unevenly and produces duller color. For wood, a coat of gesso primer prevents the paint from soaking into the grain. For glass and metal, use a glass and tile medium or a metal primer to improve adhesion, as acrylic on smooth non-porous surfaces can chip or peel over time. Avoid painting on oily or silicone-contaminated surfaces, as acrylic will not bond.

Student grade vs artist grade acrylic paint: what is the difference?

Student-grade acrylics use lower pigment concentration and often use less expensive pigment substitutes to reduce cost. The result is paints that may be slightly transparent, less vivid or less consistent across different colors. Artist-grade acrylics use maximum pigment concentration, often single-pigment formulations, and higher-quality pigments with confirmed lightfastness ratings. The practical difference shows most clearly in color mixing (student grades can produce muddier mixes), transparency of colors that should be opaque, and long-term lightfastness. For beginners learning technique, student-grade is appropriate. For finished artwork intended for display or sale, artist-grade provides confirmed archival performance.

How do I clean acrylic paint brushes?

Rinse brushes immediately after use while the paint is still wet. Acrylic paint becomes permanent once dry, and dried paint in brush bristles cannot be removed with water. Rinse with warm (not hot) water and work paint out from the ferrule toward the tip, never bending bristles against their natural direction. Use a brush soap or mild dish soap for thorough cleaning, working the soap into the bristles at the ferrule where paint accumulates. Rinse until the rinse water runs clear. Reshape bristles and store brushes lying flat or bristle-side-up. Do not store brushes with bristles resting on the bottom of a container, as this bends the bristles permanently out of shape.

Keep reading

  • Buying guide

    Best sketchbook for drawing and art: top picks on Amazon

    A sketchbook provides paper weight, tooth and size suited for a specific medium and use. Paper weight in pounds (lb) determines how well paper handles wet media without buckling, tooth determines how pencil and charcoal adhere, and paper acid content determines archival quality.

    4 picks · 5 sourcesUpdated September 28, 2026

  • Buying guide

    Best colored pencils for art and drawing: top picks on Amazon

    Colored pencils vary by core hardness, pigment concentration, lightfastness rating, blendability and whether the wax or oil-based binder determines layering behavior. Artist-grade pencils have higher pigment loads than student-grade sets and produce richer, more blendable color.

    4 picks · 5 sourcesUpdated September 28, 2026

  • Buying guide

    Best watercolor set for beginners and artists: top picks on Amazon

    A watercolor set provides transparent, water-soluble pigment in pan or tube form. Pigment quality, transparency rating, lightfastness, pan count, tube size and whether the set is student or artist grade determine how the paint performs on paper and how long finished artwork will last.

    4 picks · 5 sourcesUpdated September 28, 2026

  • Buying guide

    Best paint brushes for art and painting: top picks on Amazon

    Paint brushes vary by bristle material (natural vs synthetic), shape (round, flat, fan, filbert), size number and ferrule construction. The medium being used (watercolor, acrylic, oil) determines which bristle stiffness and shape combination produces the best results.

    4 picks · 5 sourcesUpdated September 28, 2026