The Best Acrylic Paints Reviewed

Michael Daly
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If you are planning to get a starter paint set for a beginner, a gift for a young artist in your family or just buy a few tubes of paint for your own artistic and creative work – you MUST be checking this article out.

A good paint set should have:

  • Easy to handle
  • Easy to mix
  • Goes on smooth
  • Dries fast
  • Stays moist
  • Makes for a good hand painting experience

The good news is, there are various good quality paints in the market.

Each of them has the qualities that are above and some have extra features which we'll be covering real quick.

We've spent time on the internet digging up info and reading reviews from thousands of customers before finally detailing the 10 best acrylic paints you can buy today so you can get the best deal.

Let's take a quick look!

NameCategoryProduct
Liquitex BASICS 48 Tube Acrylic Paint SetBest OverallLiquitex BASICS 48 Tube Acrylic Paint Set
CONDA 11 Piece Stainless Steel Spatula Palette Knife Professional Palette Knife Painting Wood HandleBudget PickCONDA 11 Piece Stainless Steel Spatula Palette Knife Professional Palette Knife Painting Wood Handle
ARTEZA Acrylic PaintUpgrade PickARTEZA Acrylic Paint

1. Liquitex BASICS 48 Tube Acrylic Paint Set

Our rating: 9 / 10

Liquitex BASICS 48 Tube Acrylic Paint Set

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Assorted Colors, Case of 24.

If you're just getting into using acrylics, we love Liquitex's Basic acrylic paint set. This set is the perfect way to explore the different possibilities when using acrylic paints, and you get a great variety in colors.

This set includes 24 tubes of paint in a variety of colors and consist of 5 acrylic colors (3118, 3129, 3130, 3131, and 3132) and 19 others. They feel slightly thicker than some other brands of paint, which can make them a little more difficult to get a wide flow out of the tube. It’s best for brushing or pouring, but not so much for airbrushing.

2. Winsor & Newton 2190517 Galeria Acrylic Paint 10 Tube Set,

Our rating: 9 / 10

Winsor & Newton 2190517 Galeria Acrylic Paint 10 Tube Set,

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Pros:

  • Good quality
  • Fast drying
  • Affordable
  • Wide range of colors
  • Reasonable size
  • Durable
  • Light in weight
  • Perfect for artists with different skill levels
  • Great for students

Cons:

  • Less flexible
  • Not suitable for heavy use

As an artist, having a wide array of colors is important. Winsor & Newton Galeria contains ten tubes which makes it an excellent choice for beginners, and is an affordable addition to the artistic tools. It has a bright shade variety giving a platform to the new artists. Colors indicate on the tube can be relied upon.

3. Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Acrylic Paint Classic Set

Our rating: 9 / 10

Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Acrylic Paint Classic Set

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Pros:

  • Medium-bodied formula
  • Dries to a semi-opaque finish with a smooth surface
  • Paints are highly mixable
  • Highly pigmented

Cons:

  • Thinners required to work with these paints
  • Can be difficult to clean

The Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Paints is a high quality, professional-grade, high-intensity acrylic paint. This acrylic paint is a little different from your average acrylic paint.

It has a medium-weight body that offers great flow and coverage and is ideal for acrylic painting techniques. The paints are perfect for beginners and beginner to intermediate painters.

Liquitex Professional is ideal for any kind of paint application that can be completed with acrylic paint. This includes airbrush, craft, fine arts, hobby, illustration, mixed media, mural, and theatrical painting. You simply can't go wrong with a set of these high quality paints.

4. Castle Art Supplies Acrylic Paint Set

Our rating: 9 / 10

Castle Art Supplies Acrylic Paint Set

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Pros:

  • Heavy-duty 22ml tubes
  • Sleek packaging
  • Eye-catching color selection
  • Smooth, creamy texture
  • Non-toxic and environmental friendly
  • Water mixes well to create lighter colors
  • Great for mixed media techniques

Cons:

  • I found it to be a little thick in consistency, so it can be tricky to work with
  • Most colors don’t have a rich amount of pigment, so they will require several layers of paint
  • I found that the paint began to fade easily, especially when painted on glass
  • In some cases, colors stained the fingers

With any paint purchase, it’s extremely important to read the instructions and have a little time to try it out on a plate or other small object before trying it on your larger pieces. I found this to be the case with this set of paints. On my first project, I painted a glass vase, and then I noticed the paint had begun to fade by the next day. Next, I painted some Christmas items for my tree, and they were stained with the color. After a little research, I realized that I could use Mod Podge to seal the paint on glass and still maintain my brilliant colors.

5. ARTEZA Acrylic Paint

Our rating: 8 / 10

ARTEZA Acrylic Paint

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Pros:

  • Made in the USA
  • Non-toxic
  • Rich pigmentation
  • Great for sketch artists
  • Nice variety of colors
  • Long shelf life
  • Good price
  • Careful attention to quality control

Sketching, and Art class, Supplied in 6 Trays.

We love to paint here at the Top 10 Reviews headquarters, and we also have a passion for supplies. We have tested out a lot of the best acrylic paints and have found that the Arteza brand to be the best.

The paint comes in 60 colors with 40 of them having their own containers and 20 featuring a color and being in a larger container along with others.

6. Grumbacher Academy Acrylic Paint

Our rating: 8 / 10

Grumbacher Academy Acrylic Paint

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Acrylic paints can be thick or thin, glossy or matte, and designed for any paint application. This set offers you six of the most frequently used colors with a bonus white. You’ll be able to mix the colors together and create new shades.

There are also limitless possibilities for what you can do with the paints. This set is great for beginners or for those looking for some basic colors, but it’s also ideal for professionals. Grumbacher is a trusted brand that has been around for a long time.

If we had to pick a favorite color from this pack, it would be the yellow. It’s vivid and looks fantastic on a variety of objects, including paper and fabric.

7. CONDA 11 Piece Stainless Steel Spatula Palette Knife Professional Palette Knife Painting Wood Handle

Our rating: 8 / 10

CONDA 11 Piece Stainless Steel Spatula Palette Knife Professional Palette Knife Painting Wood Handle

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Pros:

  • Ergonomic handle
  • Precise control
  • Stainless steel
  • Long-lasting
  • Easy to clean and maintain

If you’re a professional painter, you might be interested in high-quality artist palettes, like the Conder Palette. It comes in an 11-piece set with a convenient and sturdy storage box. All the paint holders are made from wood, which gives them an attractive finish.

Each palette is made of high-grade stainless steel, so you can put that palette knife to good use without worrying that it will easily rust. The palettes are also good to go in the dishwasher, which is a great convenience.

These palettes can be taken anywhere you need them since they fold up and are easy to store in their convenient carrying case.

8. Principal Professional 6 Piece Heavy Body Acrylic Set

Our rating: 8 / 10

Principal Professional 6 Piece Heavy Body Acrylic Set

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Pros:

  • Great for artists of all experience levels
  • Paint goes on smooth
  • Covers well
  • Available in sets according to your budget
  • Perfect for home use or classroom

The Principal Set is one of the best acrylic paints evaluated for our review. This set comes in a variety of sets based on how many colors you’re looking for. The set comes with 24 paints in different colors. You’ll also get 6 brushes, a palette, a clean-up tray and a handmade wood box.

In fact, this is a great set for beginners as well as expert artists. The paint is made using heavy-bodied formulas that’s thick but still creamy for maximum coverage, and it’s designed to mix easily and dry quickly.

The paint can be purchased in set value packs according to the size of your budget as well as the number of paints you require. They’re perfect for almost any canvas.

9. M. Graham 5 Color Acrylic Set

Our rating: 8 / 10

M. Graham 5 Color Acrylic Set

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Pros:

  • Made in Oklahoma
  • Budget-friendly
  • Includes 6 basic colors
  • Includes a bonus color
  • Features a non-slip tray
  • Can be purchased in sets with multiple extra acrylic colors

The brand of these paint is M. Graham and they are 100% acrylic paints which are solvent-free.

The pots are 5 ml and they have a beautiful range of 28 colors. Many reviewers mention that they love the M.Graham brand of paints. The paints are large and not muddled up in a little jar.

Many of the paints are one fluid ounce. You’re getting a lot of paint in these small little pots. The M. Graham acrylics paint are the best you can get for the money. Even if you opted not to buy the bonus color, the 6 colors in this package would be wonderful.

Conclusion

Before making the decision of what type or brand of acrylic paints you should buy, it is important to consider a few factors. For instance, are you looking for an economical option, lasting quality, or have your focus on fun and affordability? There are lots of different choices on the market, but we found that the best acrylic paints overall are the economical to budget-friendly and won’t break the bank. These are the ones we suggest picking up.

Our Recommendation

NameCategoryProduct
Liquitex BASICS 48 Tube Acrylic Paint SetBest OverallLiquitex BASICS 48 Tube Acrylic Paint Set
CONDA 11 Piece Stainless Steel Spatula Palette Knife Professional Palette Knife Painting Wood HandleBudget PickCONDA 11 Piece Stainless Steel Spatula Palette Knife Professional Palette Knife Painting Wood Handle
ARTEZA Acrylic PaintUpgrade PickARTEZA Acrylic Paint