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Acrylic paints are highly versatile and can be used on a wide variety of surfaces. Are you planning on painting a canvas? Or do you want to get creative on glass or ceramics? Whatever your aims, the best products will liberate your creativity. However, it can be challenging to select a suitable set if you’re a beginner.
How We Compared Acrylic Paints
To find the right acrylic paints, we considered multiple factors, including:
- Colours
- Volume
- Coverage
- Fast-Drying Formula
- Extras
Our team planned comparison points and specifically looked for products that would cater to all kinds of needs. We spent countless hours researching, consulting customer reviews and comparing features to come up with this list.
Acrylic Paint Reviews
Castle Art Supplies (Editor’s Choice)
This acrylic paint set contains all the colours you’ll need to get started crafting and painting. It includes an impressive 48 different colours. Each comes in an individual 22ml tube, all neatly organised in colour families.
Densely pigmented, you can use the Castle Art Supplies set to create eye-catching works of art. You can easily build up different layers because they are so colourful and quick drying. This set comes with a unique five-step tutorial to help you find inspiration – ideal if you need help getting started painting.
One of the best features of this product is its sturdy presentation box. This also doubles up as a handy way to keep everything organised and facilitates access. All in all, if you are looking to start painting with acrylics, this set is one of the top starter kits around.
Pros:
- 48 colours in 22ml tubes
- Densely pigmented
- Quick drying
- Fold-out tutorial
- Includes a sturdy presentation box
Cons:
- It may be less suitable for advanced artists
- The texture might vary between colours
Mont Marte Signature (Luxury Choice)
Our luxury choice is an excellent acrylic paint set for crafting. These colours are suitable for use on most surfaces, including canvas, wood, fabric and cardboard. Whatever crafting project you need paint for, the likelihood is these can do the job.
Mont Marte Signature acrylic paint dries to a professional-looking semi-matte finish. What’s more, as these colours are fast drying, they make for attractive layering without muddying. They are also easy to apply and fun to use, with good coverage and a creamy texture.
With 12 colours to choose from, you can mix up plenty more shades to suit your needs. Each bottle contains 500ml of paint, so you’ll have plenty of colours to complete even large canvases. This is the set to go for if you need one for larger projects.
Pros:
- 12 colours in 500ml bottles
- Semi-matte finish
- Good coverage
- Fast drying time for layering
- Suitable for most surfaces
Cons:
- The bottle caps could be improved
- It may be a little tricky to blend
Benicci Complete (Best Value)
If you’ve never used acrylic paints before, you should definitely try out our best-value pick. This complete set comes with almost everything you’ll need to get started. As it’s excellent value, it’s a great choice for beginners testing out a new hobby.
This Benicci set features 24 different colours in 12ml tubes, giving you plenty of options and mixing up your own colours. If you don’t already have any equipment for painting with acrylics, this set is excellent as it comes with 12 brushes, a sponge and a mixing knife.
These paints have rich pigments for bright, vibrant colours. As they are fast-drying, you can use them for layering. They are also safe for children with their non-toxic formula. If you want to use them for crafts, they also make a good choice as they are suitable on numerous surfaces.
Pros:
- 24 colours in 12ml tubes
- Rich pigments
- Quick drying
- Suitable for numerous surfaces
- Includes 12 brushes, a sponge, and a mixing knife
Cons:
- The brushes may lose some bristles
- The knife might be a little fragile
Arteza Acrylic Craft (Best Quick Drying)
Our best quick-drying acrylic paint set choice is ideal for children as well as adult beginners and crafters. AP-certified non-toxic, you can let your little one sponge-paint without worry.
This Arteza set is quick to clean up with just soap and water – ideal for those occasional mishaps. Plus, its fast-drying formula makes it easier for children to avoid smudging their creations. This also allows for better colour layering and adding extra details to your images as you paint.
With 20 colours in 60ml bottles, you’ll have plenty of shades and a good quantity of paint to get through. With its professional-looking matte finish, this set is a great all-rounder. It is also suitable for a wide range of surfaces for extra versatility.
Pros:
- 20 colours in 60ml bottles
- Matte finish
- Fast-dry formula
- AP-certified non-toxic
- Easy clean-up
Cons:
- The colours may be a little dull
- The bottles’ seals might be difficult to remove
Artecho Acrylic Paint (Best for Coverage)
Are you looking for a kit with superior coverage? This 18-colour set comes in bottles of 59ml. This gives you a lot of paint – ideal for crafting projects as well as picture painting.
This Artecho selection dries quickly to a shiny gloss finish. Highly mixable, combine the colours to form the hues you need for your creations. High-quality pigments ensure excellent coverage, making this set a good choice for layering different colours.
One of the other advantages of this particular set is its flip-top bottles. Thanks to this feature, it’s really easy to pour your paint out for mixing. Non-toxic, this set is safe for children. Suitable for use on most surfaces, it is an excellent choice for anyone looking to add extra colour to their artistic creations.
Pros:
- 18 colours in 59ml bottles
- Shiny gloss finish
- Highly mixable
- Flip tops for ease of use
- High-quality pigments
Cons:
- The white may not be very bright
- The paints could be too thick for some user’s preferences
Magicfly Acrylic Paint (Best for Versatility)
This acrylic paint set is our most versatile pick. Not only do you get a huge range of colours, but it also has a thick and creamy texture for better coverage on various surfaces.
With 30 different colours, you’ll be spoilt for choice with this Magicfly set. You get 60ml of each colour, and as they glide smoothly and have good pigmentation, a little goes a long way. You can use it on a wide variety of surfaces, making it ideal for craft projects.
This acrylic paint is easy to clean when wet with warm water and soap, which can be really handy if you have any painting mishaps. This set also comes with three brushes to help you start using this product. This option is worth checking out if you are looking for a good acrylic set for various projects.
Pros:
- 30 colours in 60ml bottles
- Easy to clean when wet with water and soap
- Thick texture
- For use on a variety of surfaces
- Includes three paintbrushes
Cons:
- The red paint may be a little too pale
- The paintbrushes might not be of the best quality
Shuttle Art Acrylic Paint Set (Best for Variety)
You can’t go wrong with this pick if you need a good range of shades. This set of acrylic paints boasts a total of 50 different shades. Moreover, it also includes metallic and fluorescent hues to liven up your artistic creations.
You get 60ml of each colour, so you’ll have plenty of paint to get through. Non-toxic, this Shuttle Art set is a great option for children too. Waterproof and fade-resistant, these paints are a good choice for crafts and painting on canvas. You can use them on a wide variety of surfaces, including glass, wood and ceramic.
They are also very easy to mix. Plus, they come in handy squeezable bottles with sealed snap-on caps to help keep them fresh. This paint also dries very quickly, making it easy to use and suitable for layering colours without them running.
Pros:
- 50 colours in 60ml squeezable bottles
- Includes metallic & fluorescent colours
- Non-toxic
- Easy to mix
- Fast drying for better layering
Cons:
- The coverage could be better
- It may need to use several coats
How to Choose Acrylic Paints
There are plenty of different acrylic paints to choose from on the market. But how do you go about selecting the best? Here’s what you should keep an eye out for.
Colours
While you can mix up your own shades, looking for sets with a good range of colours is essential. If you have a specific project in mind or a subject that you’ll be painting, ensure that your set has the right palette for your needs. You’ll want to pick up one with at least 12 colours, although, for more variety, you can find excellent ones with 30 or even 50 different shades.
Volume
You won’t need huge bottles if you’re painting small canvases or miniature figurines; however, you’ll want bigger bottles for large craft projects or if you’re purchasing for children. A 500ml volume is a good size for the latter, and you can pick up little tubes that hold 12 or 22ml for smaller projects.
Coverage
Look out for products with high levels of coverage. You can always water down thick, high-coverage paint. However, if you pick a brand that does not cover well, you’ll need several coats to get a brighter result.
Fast-Drying Formula
Fast-drying formulas are essential if you want to layer colours without bleeding. If your kids are going to be painting, this feature helps to prevent smudges and ruined artwork. Plus, you can also display their artwork almost straight away without it running.
Extras
If you are new to using acrylic paints, you may want to pick up a set that includes some of the following extras.
- Brushes – some sets include a set of brushes so you can get started without the extra outlay.
- Mixing knife – if you want to mix your acrylic paints yourself, a palette knife will help you to be more precise.
- Presentation box – a good choice if you want to offer your paint set as a gift. Presentation boxes can also be a fantastic way to store everything in a neatly organised way.
Summary
If you are still undecided about which acrylic paint set to go for, we recommend our Editor’s Choice, Castle Art Supplies. It consists of 48 different colours, so you’ll have plenty of options. Densely pigmented for great coverage, these paints are fast drying and non-toxic. The included presentation box is sturdy and fantastic for keeping your tubes organised. Plus, you also receive a unique five-step tutorial to help you to get started with your new kit.
Kelly is an expert in consumer product research, which is very important when it comes to finding the most useful and aesthetically pleasing items for your home. This became her passion after finding it very time-consuming to wade through all the product information online.
She has a keen attention to detail which she brings to her articles, Kelly’s goal is to help you find what you need without spending too much time searching for it.