Painting is known to relieve stress, enhance creativity growth, and improve memory, among other benefits. If you are looking to begin this year with painting as a hobby or profession, you could be wondering which are the best supplies to use.
When looking to start painting, your most important product will be the paint; and the type of paint you use determines the type of paintings you produce.
There are 3 types of painting you can start this year;
- Acrylic painting
- Water coloring
- Oil painting
This article will discuss acrylic painting, sharing 5 of the best acrylic paints you can purchase, their pros and cons, as well as the essential factors you should keep in mind when buying your paint.
1. Best Overall: Colors by Crafts Acrylic Set 24 Colors
- VIVID COLORS - Our paint set for adults and kids is uniquely crafted to bring out maximum brilliance and color clarity. The rich viscosity also makes mixing easy. Great acrylic paint for canvas painting, halloween decorations, pumpkin painting.
- NON-TOXIC ART SUPPLIES - Formulated with a non-toxic composition, these acrylic paint sets for adults and children are safe for the whole family to use.
- A COMPLETE PAINTING SET - Our acrylic paints have a premium consistency, perfect for blending, layering, and creating texture. Along with your 24-pack of paints, you’ll also receive 3 professional brushes.
- MULTIPURPOSE - Whether you need model art paint, new ceramic paint, or an assortment of wood paint for crafts, this nifty brush and craft paint set can be used for all this and more.
- HAPPY HOLIDAYS - Ideal for beginners or seasoned artists, this canvas painting kit will make a great gift for a crafty Christmas or as extra-special stocking stuffers for kids, adults, heck, just about everyone!
This set of acrylic paints is ideal for artists and painters of all skill levels, from students to professionals. It comprises 24 12ml tubes of different heavy body acrylics that are made with non-toxic German ingredients. They are ASTM D-4236 and EN71-3 (CE) certified, so you never need to doubt your health and safety when painting.
The 24 vibrant colors are ideal for the best of artistic creations, and since they all are water-based, they are easy to clean, and drying is also a breeze. That is not all; you can decide to paint on any surface, the standard paper, wood, canvas, glass, plastic, and even fabrics, among many more surfaces.
You may use each color individually from the tube, but you can also mix several colors to make unique combinations for unique art.
Pros
- 24 different vibrant colors availableASTM D-4236 and EN71-3 (CE) certified
- Water-based to make drying fast
- Easy to clean
- Ideal for all skill levels
- Ideal for all types of painting surfaces
Cons
- The tubes only contain 12mls of paint
2. Arteza Acrylic Paint, Set of 60 Colors/Tubes
- Exciting Selection of Artist-Quality Acrylic Paint Colors: Whether you’re new to acrylic painting or a seasoned artist, colors like White Acrylic, Lemon Yellow, Black Acrylic, Phthalo Blue & Crimson Red will set fire to your imagination.
- Rich, Vivid Pigments: Your premium bulk acrylic paint kit features smooth, highly pigmented color to produce true, consistent shades. Ideal for canvas painting, these acrylic paint colors won’t fade over time.
- Certified Safe & Non-Toxic Acrylic Paints: No need to worry about toxicity with our professional bulk acrylic paints. They’re ACMI-certified safe for your complete peace of mind.
- Craft Paints Designed by Artists: Here at Arteza, we are passionate about creating products that inspire. For us, art is an expression of the human experience. That’s why we work to make our art supplies & drawing supplies accessible to all people
- Art Supplies for Everyone: Arteza was built on providing quality painting, drawing & art supplies for all ages and levels. Find tons of arts & crafts accessories, acrylic paint sets, drawing supplies, and more for all your general needs as an artist.
It does not matter your skill level; this set contains 60 different vibrant and unique colors you can use on your art. These include; crimson red, titanium white, lemon yellow, and phthalo blue, among 57 others.
The 60 tubes contain highly pigmented, high-quality paints, so you can produce consistent shades and unique pieces of art. These paints are ACMI-certified as safe to use, meaning you need not worry about any adverse effects on your health. They are ideal for use by adults and children alike.
The paints also come in a sturdy box, and you can keep this to have your work area organized. Each tube is labeled with all information about the paint inside, which helps you understand how it will perform on your painting surface. You can paint on surfaces like canvas, wood, glass, and even fabric, among others.
Pros
- Set of 60 different vibrant colors
- Packaged in a sturdy box for stress-free storage
- ACMI-certified for safe painting
- Rich pigments and fast drying
- Reputable brand
- High viscosity
- Helpful labeling on each tube
Cons
- You cannot purchase different colors/tubes individually
3. Castle Art Supplies Acrylic Paint Set
- MADE TO MAKE IT EASY Squeeze paint direct for bold impact or simply thin with water for details; strong tubes – no drying or cracking - in easy access paint tube trays within sturdy presentation box.
- UPGRADE YOUR ACRYLICS ARMOURY Wide ranging set of large (22ml) set of 48 artist quality hues arranged in a double row of easy-to-pick color families; great for developing artists and crafters to explore color.
- A JOY TO USE Delight in the sensation of laying down rich, pure pigments with brush or palette knife; quick drying so you can quickly build layers without muddying and achieve eye-catching results on paper, canvas or wood.
- BUILD YOUR SKILLS Unique fold-out tutorial enables you to get to know acrylics by re-creating the stunning St. George and the Dragon box lid illustration in five easy-to-follow steps.
- TESTED, TRUSTED AND GUARANTEED Tested by our studio experts to beat competitors. Trusted by ultimate judges – our 2.5 million customers worldwide; backed by unique money-back-PLUS guarantee.
This set contains 48 highly pigmented, velvety acrylic paints. They are very easy to apply paints that deliver beautiful and long-lasting results for all artists, from students to experts.
The colors are ideal for any painting technique you prefer, like glazing, stippling, dabbing, detailing, and more. You can use it on any surface you wish, from canvas, glass, fabric, paper to wood. All you need are your painting tools, and with this set, you are guaranteed excellent pieces of art to share with the world.
This package also includes a guided tutorial to introduce you to painting with the colors.
Pros
- Different colors to try
- The tubes carry 22mls of paint
- Fast drying
- Ideal for any painting surface
- Well-packaged in aluminum tubes
- Included tutorial
Cons
- List Element
4. Magicfly 30 Colors Acrylic Paint Set
- 【Premium Artist Quality】Colors are more vibrant, thick and creamy. It glides smoothly, easily blends and dries quickly. Conforms to ASTM D4236 and EN71, safe and non-toxic for you and environment.
- 【Wide Usage】It can be brushed, stamped or stenciled, applicable for canvas, paper, wood, stone, ceramic, model.
- 【Fantastic Paint Set】Package includes 30 colors acrylic paint (2 fl oz/60ml each) and 3 brushes, well-packaged by colored box.
- 【Easy Clean up】Remove wet paint with warm water and soap.
- 【Christmas Gift】Magicfly Acrylic Paint set is suitable for many surfaces like canvas, paper, wood, ceramic, which is perfect for painting on all sorts of Christmas crafts. Whether you are an artist, beginner or kids, you can DIY your own Christmas decorations with this set! An ideal gift for birthday, Christmas, Thanksgiving, graduation, or any other special event.
This set of 30 acrylic paints from MagicFly contains 60ml bottles of non-toxic, ASTM D4236 and EN71 certified paints. They are ideal for students, hobbyists and are also great professional grade paints.
The package comes with 30 bottles of paint and an extra 3 brushes to encourage you to paint. You can brush, stamp or stencil with these colors on different painting surfaces like a canvas, standard paper, wood, glass, ceramic, and even stone.
They are easy to clean up if you make a mistake, only requiring you to use water and soap. The thick, creamy, and smoothly gliding paints take minimal time to dry up, leaving you with long-lasting artwork.
Pros
- High pigment acrylic paints in large 60ml bottles
- 30 different colors
- Ideal for student grade painting ad professional-grade painting
- Ideal for many surfaces; like ceramic, stone, and canvas
- Easy to apply
- Easy to clean
- Fast to dry up
- Non-toxic
Cons
- Some colors can appear dull after dying up
- Can have a strong smell
5. Apple Barrel PROMOABI Matte Finish Acrylic Paint Set
- CONVENIENT SIZE & FUN BRIGHT COLORS - This versatile acrylic paint set includes 18 - 2 oz bottles of colorful craft paint. The colors in this kit include: White, Yellow Flame, Bright Yellow, Bright Magenta, Fuchsia, Jack-o-lantern, Flag Red, Purple Iris, Parrot Blue, Bimini Blue, Bright Blue, Too Blue, New Shamrock, Holly Branch, Nutmeg Brown, Melted Chocolate, Pewter Grey, and Black
- MATTE FINISH - Each of these bold and bright colors dries to a brilliant matte finish - perfect for all your arts and crafts!
- EASY & SMOOTH APPLICATION - Use on a variety of surfaces including wood, Styrofoam, plaster, terra cotta, and more. This versatile acrylic paint can easily be brushed, stamped, stenciled or sponged to your projects
- SIMPLE CLEAN UP - Clean up is easy with Apple Barrel acrylic paint. Simply clean up while wet with soap and water. Great acrylic paint set for adults and kids!
- AMERICAN MADE - Apple Barrel is proudly made in the USA
This set of paints from Apple Barrel contains 18 assorted colors that are non-toxic for you. They give off a superior matte finish to your artwork and are ideal for painters of all skill levels.
The colors are formulated for various surfaces such as wood, plastic, stones, plaster, tin, terra cotta, and Styrofoam.
You can use them for stamping, stenciling, brushed paints, or sponging. They dry up fast and are easy to clean with soap and water. You can paint without stress knowing they are made with non-toxic ingredients.
Pros
- Easy to apply
- Easy to clean
- Non-toxicIdeal for sponging, brushing, stenciling, and stamping
- Ideal for different painting surfaces
- 18 vivid colors to paint with
- Matte finishWater-based
- Made in the USA
Cons
- Some paints are thinner than others
Factors To Consider When Choosing the Best Acrylic Paint Set
The first thing to know about acrylic paints is how they differ from other paints, such as watercolors and oil paints. Acrylic paints have an acrylic polymer emulsion blinder, while oil paints contains an oil binder, and watercolor contains a plant-based binder.
When choosing your ideal set, you should consider the following features of your acrylic paint because they can affect how successful your painting can be or how long your artwork can last.
a). Quality
Most acrylic paint brands offer their paints in two grades; student and professional.
The student grade paint is usually less expensive and may not be offered in texture and color variations. However, they are ideal for several kinds of painting, including underpainting and largescale painting.
Professional grade, also known as the artist grade, has the most superior quality and may be costly. They come in a wide variety of colors, their pigments are more saturated, and they have better permanence ratings.
The artist grade set is also more vibrant and contains a smoother consistency for more effortless blending and layering, while the student grade set will have a weaker color strength.
When buying, it is vital to consider your skill level. If you are a student, starting with a set in the student range is ideal since you need more practice, and therefore more paints. Once you learn everything about painting and discover your style, you can then invest in a set of professional paints.
On the other hand, if you are an established artist but on a budget, you can buy individual earth colors from the student range and buy more intense colors from the artist range.
b). Color selection
As a beginner, you may get confused by the vast array of acrylic colors you can buy. However, before you establish yourself as a professional painter, it is best that you buy an inexpensive acrylic paint set as it will come with at least 10 colors. You can then experiment and practice with these until you can perform the vital painting techniques.
As a professional painter, you may need much better quality paints, and you will find that some colors are much more expensive than others. The cheapest are earth colors. Most unique color combinations are often made from cadmium to produce hard to obtain pigments.
When buying, you will find acrylic paints grouped in series from 1 to 7, with 1 often being earth colors, and 7 being the most difficult to obtain pigments, and also the most expensive. Different brands offer different colors, so you can decide which set of colors you want for your next project and buy from them.
c). A paint’s permanence
Also called lightfastness, it is the ability of your artwork’s pigment concentration to resist fading after drying up and exposure to light. If you have decided to buy acrylic paints, then you are sure to make art with a better permanence rating than you would have with watercolors or oil paints.
The ASTM International is an international organization that tests professional paints to determine how pigmented they would be after 20 years. They classify the colors with the following standards;
- ATSM I -Excellent Lightfastness. This means a color is extremely permanent and will maintain excellent pigmentation for more than 20 years. Some manufacturers will also put an AA label on their products to show the strongest permanence.
- ATSM II = Very Good Lightfastness. Also labeled by manufacturers as A or B, these are relatively permanent colors.
- ATSM III = Not Sufficiently Lightfast. This standard can also be labeled C by manufacturers and denotes a pigment concentration that can fail to live up to 20 years. Colors in this class are called fugitive colors.
d). A paint’s consistency or viscosity
As an artist, you should have your preferred paint thickness depending on your painting technique. The following are some of the classifications you should know about.
- Heavy body acrylic paints. These are paints with a buttery consistency that is almost similar to oils. With such a paint, you can retain brushstrokes, and color blending and mixing is also easier.
- Fluid acrylic paints. These paints have a thin consistency that allows you to apply painting techniques such as dry-brushing, water-coloring, and staining, among others.
- Soft acrylic paints. These paints have a consistency that is neither too thick nor too thin, like yogurt. Their consistency allows you to paint with them or to mix with mediums to attain a thicker viscosity.
e). Drying time
Unlike other types of paints, acrylics do not require solvents to accelerate drying. Their formula can adhere to many painting surfaces and dry reasonably faster.
Heavy body acrylics will take a bit longer to dry up compared to soft or fluid acrylics. Another factor that influences drying is the number of layers you paint.
There are a few instances where the fast-drying feature of acrylic paints can be bad for you. For instance, if you are a beginner and yet to master speed, you may have your brushes dry with paint before you are done with your project, or you may have your project drying in patches before you are done. You also could be an established artist trying to replicate an oil painting but find yourself racing against your project’s drying process.
If you face this problem, you may consider using your acrylic paint with retarding medium to slow down the drying process. Alternatively, you can decide to buy the interactive acrylic paints manufactured using a retarding medium for longer drying times.
f). Painting surface
It would be best to determine which surface you want to paint on before buying your best acrylic paint. Doing so helps you determine the type of consistency you need and how many layers of paint you need to apply before it is properly absorbed.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Acrylic Paints
1. Are they waterproof?
Not entirely. When they dry up, acrylic paintings are water-resistant but can still get damaged if the painting surface is not protected with a sealer.
2. Are acrylic paints flammable?
In liquid form, acrylic paints are not flammable. However, they could contain solvents and elements that could be flammable by themselves.
3. Can you mix different colors from different acrylic paint brands?
Yes. You can mix paints from different brands if they match in quality and thickness.
