Whether you are new to acrylic painting or just looking for a new set of paints, you might be wondering what the best acrylic paint set options are for 2021. Each year tons of new products are released and sometimes it can be hard to decide whether or not to buy your old favorite or to try something new.
We’re here to recommend some of our favorites!
Best Acrylic Paint Set For Beginners
If you are a beginner, look no further than the Crafts 4 All Acrylic Paint Set. The set comes with 24 non-toxic colors and a bonus of three brushes to get started. With so many colors to choose from, it makes painting fun for a beginner. You won’t need to understand color theory or color mixing to make your first projects.
Key Product Features
- 24 non-toxic colors
- 12 ml tubes
- 3 paintbrushes included in the set
Pros
- No color mixing required
- Included paintbrushes make it easy to get started
- Low price point
Cons
- Small tubes
- Thin consistency
Customer Reviews
“I got this small set because I hadn’t used acrylics before and wanted to check them out. I’m very pleased with this set.” Carlette K
“This set was perfect for first starting out. SO many different colors to choose from.” Adriana M.
Best Professional Acrylic Paint Set
We highly recommend Liquitex Professional Heavy Body Acrylic Paint Set for professionals or distinguishing artists. Liquitex’s professional paints are heavy bodied, resist cracking, and are archival making them the perfect choice for someone who hopes their work will last.
Key Product Features
- 12 colors
- 2 oz tubes
Pros
- 12 colors makes color mixing easy
- Professional-grade
- Archival
- Flexible
- Heavy body
Cons
- Higher price point
Customer Reviews
“I have to say I love the paint, its very viscous and the colors are bright and wonderful.” Chera K.
“I have been painting for years and I have to say this is my favorite brand to use with acrylics.” Jerry B.
Best Outdoor Acrylic Paint Set
For anyone who wants to paint with acrylic outdoors, we recommend the Magicfly Outdoor Acrylic Paint. The set comes with 30 different colors, leaving you with a large variety of paint for your creations. The paint is weather-resistant, non-toxic, and the paint is eco-friendly. You can also check out waterproof acrylic paints here.
Key Product Features
- 30 2 oz paint bottles
- 3 brushes
Pros
- Weather-resistant
- Eco-friendly
- Non-toxic
- Works on many surfaces including glass, rocks, leather, wood and more
Cons
- Inconsistent quality
- Strong odor
Customer Reviews
“These are a good value for the price. However, they are very thick and I have to add water to get it to brush on and cover well.” CherzDesignz
“The paint goes on very well with great coverage.” Marie K.
Best Acrylic Paint Set For Kids
Not all acrylic paints are safe for kids to use. As a result, we recommend Amagoing Paint Set for Kids. This set is non-toxic and comes with a smock to prevent messes on clothing, making it perfect for little ones. It comes with everything your child will need to get started. If you’re making a baby footprint or handprint, check out this guide.
Key Product Features
- 1 tabletop wood easel
- 1 kids art smock
- 6 canvases
- 1 sponge
- 10 paint brushes
- 12 tubes of paint
- 1 mixing chart
- 1 plastic palette
Pros
- Non-toxic
- Large assortment
- Good value
Cons
- Stains surfaces – which may not be ideal for children
- Smock is one-size-fits-all, which may not work for all kids
Customer Reviews
“I purchased this set for my 4 year old son. He loves it so much. It has everything you need for the kids to start painting. And the quality of the paint is very good. A perfect starter kit!” Zhen
“That is a good product, my son love it so much, the color comes out so good!” Allen
Best Acrylic Paint Set For Miniatures
Anyone that paints miniatures knows how important paint quality is. We’ve picked our 2021 favorite – The Army Painter Miniature Painting Kit. The kit has 50 war paints, which is an incredible deal. We’ve written extensively about miniature paint sets here.
Key Product Details
- 1 triangular handled paintbrush
- 39 acrylic model paints
- 5 metallic model paints
- 4 quickshade washes
- 2 effects model paints
Pros
- 50 model paints
- Extra brush included
- Good value
Cons
- Inconsistent quality
- Paint tends to separate
Customer Reviews
“Bright colors, convenient and consistent usage through dropper bottles–what more could a miniature painter wish for?” Frederick L.
“These paints are a great value and very comparable to Citadel paints if you’re painting Warhammer products.” Sean R.
Best Apple Barrel Paint Set
Apple Barrel paints are known amongst hobbyists for having high-quality consistent colors that can be used for a variety of projects. We recommend the Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint Set to get 16 vibrant colors at a great price. It comes with many colors for mixing, including white, black, and brown.
Key Product Features
- 16 2 oz. bottles
Pros
- Great value
- Low price point
- Consistent quality
Cons
- Not for airbrushing
- Not archival
Customer Reviews
“They are of course not top tier paints but they work just fine!” Justina B.
“Lovely selection of colors. Very good coverage.” Jilly V.
Best Liquitex Acrylic Paint Set
Liquitex paints are some of the best for beginners and professionals alike. For beginning artists, Liquitex Basics are an affordable, quality paint. We recommend the Liquitex Basics 48 Tube Acrylic Paint Set for the best value.
Key Product Features
- 48 22 ML tubes of paint
Pros
- Variety of colors
- High quality
- Heavy body paint
Cons
- No black or white paint
- Slightly translucent
Customer Reviews
“I’ve always loved Liquitex Acrylics and was so happy to find a set with such variety of colors!” Username: bboc
“Before I bought these paints, I read all the reviews and most of them seemed pretty positive. And they should be! These paints are wonderful!” Mary B.
FAQs
Acrylic fibers are made from a polymer. In the US, to be labelled an acrylic, it must have at least 85% acrylonitrile monomer.
Acrylic can be painted on most prepared, porous surfaces. Many hobbyists like to paint on wood, glass, rocks, and more. Additionally, many artists use acrylic paint on paper or canvas.
Unlike acrylic paint, which is made of pigment suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion, Oil paint’s base is pigment suspended in oil. While they look pretty similar, they perform very differently. Acrylic paint is rather quick drying and can be painted over. Oil, on the other hand, has a very slow drying time and the layers can be blended to give a unique effect.
There are many acrylic paint brands available throughout the world. Some of the best brands include Utrecht, Grumbacher, Winsor and Newton, and Liquitex.
Acrylic paint can be washed off hands and sometimes solid surfaces after drying. Acrylic paint that gets on clothes, upholstery, and other fabrics are more difficult to remove.
You should use a high-quality varnish made for sealing acrylic paint on any finished work that you hope to protect. Varnish can protect your projects from yellowing, dust, and UV rays.
Acrylic paint is very difficult to get out of fabrics. It’s not impossible to remove the paint if it’s dealt with before the paint dries on the clothing. However, once it dries, it’s significantly harder to remove.
