Watercolor paint sets serve both budding artists and seasoned professionals alike. They offer a vast spectrum of colors and are renowned for their vibrant hues, seamless blendability, and long-lasting performance. To say they are an essential for your artist toolkit is an understatement. Watercolor paints carry the power to evoke an artist’s creativity and bring their vision to life on canvas
This post will review the best watercolor paint sets of 2024, focusing on key aspects such as color variety, pigment quality, and the inclusion of additional tools. Standing at the top of our list is the U.S. Art Supply Watercolor Paint Set. It’s an inclusive bundle that comes with 20 pieces to get your creative juices flowing. Of course, there are four other sets that are also worth checking out, so keep reading to learn more.
U.S. Art Supply’s 20-piece Watercolor Paint Set empowers you to explore a variety of artistic techniques, with a cold press surface watercolor paper pad for painting and a hardbound cover sketchbook for the preservation of your sketches and drawings. Also included is a spiral-bound sketch pad, perfect for spontaneous doodles and fast sketches.
The included 15-piece multi-purpose brush set comprises 11 short handle brushes including #1 to #5 Pony Round and bristle round brushes as well as 1/2 inch bristle flat, and 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch pony flat brushes. For a change in grip and stroke, the set also includes four long handle brushes. We love that this pack caters to artists across all skill levels, making it a thoughtful and practical gift for anyone with a love for art.
This ARTEZA Watercolor Paint Set crafts brilliant landscapes with a stunning collection of 12 earth-toned hues. This set empowers you to mix and paint with precision, thanks to the included refillable water brush and swatch page. Its lightweight and portable feature design transforms any location into your personal art studio. Plus, the sturdy metal case is durable, optimizes your bag space, and even doubles as a palette.
We really like that the detachable half-pans enable easy arrangement. The set also works with water effortlessly and applies smoothly. Rewetting the nature colors adds depth to your creations, stirring up an exciting watercolor adventure. Designed by artists, for artists, ARTEZA caters to all user skill levels, offering a variety of painting, drawing, and art supplies. We think this watercolor set promises a fun and engaging painting journey for all.
The Nicpro Watercolor Paint Set comes brimming with value, inviting artists to unleash their creativity immediately. It includes 48 vivid paint cakes, eight synthetic squirrel brushes, a watercolor pen, a 25-sheet watercolor paper pad, two art sponges, and an instruction manual. This set bursts with rich and bold colors, offering an extensive palette that ranges from primary shades to more diverse hues. The colors blend effortlessly and dry quickly, maintaining their brightness without fading.
The standout feature of this set is its high-grade, non-toxic paints, making it a safe choice for art students and artists alike. Each paint passes ASTM standards, positioning it as an ideal gift The set also includes superior synthetic squirrel brushes that have impressive absorption and elasticity. Secured with high-quality aluminum crimped ferrules, these brushes promise durability, ensuring they won’t loosen or fall apart. We were impressed by how well this compact, travel-friendly set caters to users of all skill levels, igniting the joy of watercolor painting for beginners and experienced artists alike.
Norberg & Linden’s Watercolor Paint Set comes packed with a spectrum of 36 vibrant paints ready to transform blank pages into captivating masterpieces. The set contains a comprehensive range of colors, including all the primary ones, to enable artists to mix and create any shade they desire. Each paint cake within the set is water-soluble for effortless blending and layering. This makes it an ideal starter kit for watercolor painting.
The set includes six varying brush sizes that empower artists to paint with precision and achieve a wide array of effects. The 5.5 x 8.5 watercolor paper storage, along with a 12-page pad, provides a reliable platform for artists to express their creativity. The entire set comes packed in a lightweight plastic case that ensures the paints’ safekeeping and offers easy portability for artists on the go. We think this is a great set for anyone looking to try our watercolors without spending a lot of money.
The Gunsamg Watercolor Paint Set offers an exceptional array of 120 colors, empowering artists to ignite their creativity with an extraordinary spectrum of hues. This versatile set includes 66 premium shades, 12 vibrant fluorescent colors, six trendy macron hues, and 36 metallic colors, all beautifully arranged in a compact, portable box. The robust pigments in this set offer superior permanence, ensuring your art withstands the test of time with their ASTM-D4236-rated lightfastness.
Each pigment color produces vibrant and intense results, adding depth to your artwork. The watercolors also mix seamlessly, creating an endless palette of possibilities, while their quick drying time and high transparency make them suitable for a wide array of techniques. Safe for artists of all ages, these paints are non-toxic and odor-free. It includes a palette, three hook line pens, a 350GSM watercolor paper pad, and a pencil, providing all you need in one convenient package. Presented in a classy, magnetic tin, we think this colorful set makes a perfect gift for a wide variety of ages and skill levels.
Whether you’re embarking on a new painting journey or just seeking an upgrade to your current set, finding the perfect watercolor paint set can be a daunting task. To help you navigate through the large array of options, here’s a guide that touches on essential factors you should consider to make your selection process a breeze.
The heart of any watercolor paint set lies in the quality of its pigments. High-quality pigments deliver vibrant and long-lasting colors. They infuse life into your artwork, keeping it fresh and vivid even after years. Be wary of sets that promise a high number of colors but compromise on pigment quality. Reading product reviews and ratings can also be helpful in learning the true pigment quality of a watercolor set.
Determining the desired transparency level of your watercolor paint set can significantly improve your painting experience. Transparent colors allow the underlying white paper to shine through, lending a luminous effect to your painting. On the other hand, opaque colors are bold and cover underlying layers well. Think about your painting style and subject matter to decide the level of transparency you need.
The permanence rating of a watercolor paint set refers to the color’s lightfastness or resistance to fading when exposed to light. A set with a high permanence rating ensures your artwork retains its original colors even after prolonged exposure to light. While shopping, make sure to check the permanence rating for each color in the set, as this can greatly affect the longevity of your art pieces.
Think about how the colors in your set mix together. Colors that mix well enhance your color palette, allowing you to create a broad spectrum of hues with just a few basic shades. Some watercolor sets are notorious for producing muddy colors when mixed. Avoid such sets and look for those that enable you to create a myriad of colors through mixing.
Consistency plays a pivotal role in how the paint behaves on paper. A good watercolor set produces a smooth, buttery consistency that’s easy to work with. It shouldn’t be too runny, as this could lead to uncontrollable spreads on the paper, nor too thick that it becomes difficult to achieve a smooth wash. When selecting your set, look for one that can deliver consistent paint consistency.
If you love painting outdoors or while traveling, consider the packaging and portability of your watercolor paint set. A compact, lightweight set with a sturdy metal case is perfect for on-the-go artists. Some art sets even come with built-in mixing palettes and compartments to carry brushes, making them an all-in-one painting solution.
Typically, a watercolor paint set includes a selection of different colored paints, usually in a compact case. Some sets also include brushes, mixing palettes, and even paper.
To use the watercolor paint set, you need to wet your brush with water and then dip it into the paint. You can then apply the paint to your paper. You can also mix colors on a palette to create new shades.
It's important to clean your brushes after each use to prevent the paint from drying and damaging the bristles. It's also advisable to keep the paint set closed when not in use to prevent the paints from drying out.
Watercolor paper is the best choice since it's heavy enough to absorb the water without warping. It also has a textured surface that holds the paint well.
Most watercolor paints are non-toxic, but it's a good idea to check the packaging for more specific information.
While watercolors don't expire, the longevity and quality of the paints in your watercolor set depend on how often you use them and how well you take care of them.
If the colors in your watercolor paint set aren't turning out as vibrant as you'd like, try using less water. The less water you use, the more vibrant your colors will be.
At Art Life Today, our passion for arts and crafts is at the heart of everything we do. We understand that the right tools and materials can make all the difference in your creative projects, so we take our responsibility as reviewers seriously. Our goal is to help you discover the best products that will inspire your creativity and bring your artistic visions to life.