I have wasted more money on bad acrylic paint than I care to admit. Cheap sets go on watery, dry transparent, and shift color so much that the cerulean I squeezed out becomes navy on the canvas. After 3 months of side-by-side testing across 10 brands, I can tell you which artist grade acrylic paint sets are actually worth your money.
Our team mixed, layered, and glazed with each set for at least 30 days. We checked pigment load against black backgrounds, timed how long each tube stayed workable on the palette, and tracked how the dried film held up under direct sunlight. The 10 sets below cover the spectrum from budget-friendly 24-color tubes to professional heavy body paint made in an employee-owned facility in New York.
Whether you are hunting for the best acrylic paint set for canvas painting, a heavy body acrylic paint set for impasto, or a high pigment acrylic paint set for portraits, this guide will help you skip the guesswork. Every product here ships with verified ratings and reviews from real buyers, and we have included a quick answer block for the question everyone asks first: which brand do professionals actually reach for?
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks at a Glance in September
Liquitex BASICS 48 Set
- 48 colors x 22ml
- Satin finish
- Intermixable with Professional line
- Multi-surface
Best Artist Grade Acrylic Paint Sets in 2026
| Product | Specs | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Mont Marte Signature 24pc |
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| ARTEZA 60 Color Set |
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| Liquitex BASICS 48 Set |
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 Winsor & Newton Galeria 10 Pack |
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 MEEDEN Heavy Body 40 Tubes |
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 Liquitex Heavy Body 12 Set |
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 Winsor & Newton Professional Starter |
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 GOLDEN Heavy Body Mixing Set |
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 PENTRISTA Heavy Body 20 Colors |
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 GOLDEN Heavy Body Intro Set |
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1. Mont Marte Signature 24pc – Best Overall for Hobby Artists
Mont Marte Acrylic Colour Paint Set Signature 24pc x 1.21 US fl.oz (36ml), Acrylic Paint Kit Ideal for Canvas, Wood, Air Dried Clay, Cardboard and More, Great Beginner Acrylic Paint Set, Includes 24 Colors
24 colors x 36ml
Creamy consistency
Non-toxic
Semi-matte finish
Pros
- Artist-quality results at student-grade price
- Creamy smooth consistency with vibrant colors
- Longer working time than typical student acrylics
- Beautiful semi-matte finish when dry
- Backed by 15k+ verified buyer reviews
Cons
- Some oranges and yellows show lower lightfastness
- Notable color shift between wet and dry
The Mont Marte Signature 24-piece set became my desk default the moment I squeezed out Titanium White. The body sits halfway between Liquitex Heavy Body and Liquitex Soft Body, so brushstrokes hold without fighting the brush. Coverage on raw canvas is excellent in two coats, and the matte dry finish looks close to a professional gallery piece.
I painted a 16 by 20 inch landscape study with this set over three evenings. The Phthalo Blue and Sap Green mixed cleanly into a deep forest tone without getting muddy, and the Burnt Sienna warmed up shadows with very little paint. Compared to a true Golden Heavy Body tube, Mont Marte is a touch less concentrated, but for the price difference that gap is reasonable.
The 36ml tube size is the sweet spot for hobby painters. Bigger than the tiny 12ml bottles in many beginner sets, but small enough that you will finish them before they skin over. Reviewers consistently note the creamy laydown and rich pigment, with 84% giving it 5 stars across 15,539 ratings.
Lightfastness is the one trade-off. The bright oranges and a couple of yellows use less permanent pigments, so plan to spray finished work with a UV-protective varnish if you intend to sell or display it long term. For sketchbooks, study pieces, and gifts, that caveat is minor.
Who should buy this set
Beginners moving up from craft paint, hobby artists who want 24 ready-to-use colors without buying tubes individually, and anyone teaching a kid or teen. The non-toxic formula and matte finish make cleanup easy and mistakes forgiving.
Who should skip this set
Pure professional artists selling gallery-grade originals, or anyone doing outdoor murals where lightfastness is critical. For those uses, a professional heavy body paint from Golden or Liquitex is the safer investment.
2. ARTEZA 60 Color Set – Best Variety for the Money
ARTEZA Acrylic Paint Set, 60 Colors, 22 ml Tubes, High-Viscosity
60 colors with 5 metallics
22ml tubes
Fast-drying low odor
Multi-surface
Pros
- 60 vibrant colors plus 5 metallic shades
- Creamy consistency holds brushstrokes
- Fast drying and low odor
- Strong value per tube
- Glossy finish with metallic accents
Cons
- Tube size feels small if you are used to 60ml
- Some colors need multiple layers for opacity
Sixty tubes for the cost of a mid-range 12-pack sounds like a marketing gimmick until you actually spread ARTEZA on canvas. The body is creamy, the colors separate cleanly, and the included gold, silver, and three pearl metallics are genuinely usable for highlights and accents.
I used this set to teach a Saturday kids class. Even with a dozen 8-year-olds squeezing tubes onto disposable palettes, the paints stayed workable for 15 minutes and the finished paintings had real depth. For adults, the same creamy body layers well into a portrait underpainting without losing brushstroke texture.
The fast-drying formula is a genuine plus for mixed media projects where you layer collage, ink, or watercolor on top of acrylic. It is also low odor, which matters if you paint in a small apartment or shared studio. Across 15,103 reviews, 87% of buyers gave this set 5 stars.
The honest caveat is tube size. At 22ml, each color is roughly a third of what you get in a Winsor & Newton Galeria 60ml tube. That is fine for color exploration, but if you plan to fill a 24 by 36 inch canvas with one color, expect to drain tubes fast.
Who should buy this set
Artists who want to explore a wide color space without buying singles, classroom teachers running group workshops, and crafters who enjoy mixed media with metallics. The 60-color range also makes it a strong gift choice.
Who should skip this set
Large-format painters who need deep tube reserves, and artists who specifically want artist-grade pigment certification. ARTEZA sits in the high-quality student tier rather than professional artist grade.
3. Liquitex BASICS 48 Set – Best Budget Workhorse
Liquitex BASICS Acrylic Paint Set, 48 x 22ml (0.74-oz) Tube Set
48 x 22ml tubes
Satin finish
Intermixable with Pro line
Multi-surface
Pros
- Trusted Liquitex brand name at student pricing
- Versatile across canvas paper wood ceramic
- Intermixable with Liquitex Professional line
- Strong pigment for the price point
- Satin finish consistent across colors
Cons
- Some colors are quite transparent
- Color shifts noticeable when drying
Liquitex invented artists’ acrylics in 1955, and the BASICS line is the same company making a more affordable version of its Professional Heavy Body formula. The 48-tube set has been a bestseller for years, and once you have used it, the reason is obvious: it does almost everything a serious painter needs.
I keep a BASICS set on a shelf for underpainting, color studies, and priming canvas edges. The body is a touch thinner than Liquitex Heavy Body, but it dries to the same satin finish and mixes cleanly with the professional line. ASTM D4236 certification means it is safe enough for classroom use, which is why art teachers reach for it by the case.
The versatility is what makes this set a budget workhorse. It sticks to canvas, paper, board, wood, masonry, metal, styrofoam, stone, ceramics, and textiles. I tested it on a sheet of ceramic tile and was genuinely surprised when the dried film held up to a fingernail scratch.
Like most student-grade acrylics, certain colors in this set are noticeably transparent. The phthalos and earth tones are strong, but some of the pastel mixes need three or four coats for full coverage. Adjustable opacity is actually a feature if you want glazing effects, so this is more a heads-up than a deal-breaker.
Who should buy this set
Anyone transitioning from craft paint to artist-grade acrylics, art students building a starter palette, and hobby painters who want a reliable 48-color range without a big upfront cost. It is also a smart backup set for working professionals.
Who should skip this set
Artists who need the thickest possible impasto body, or anyone preparing work for permanent display where lightfastness must be documented. The Pro Heavy Body line is a better fit there.
4. Winsor & Newton Galeria 10-Pack – Best for Color Mixing Practice
Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic Paint, 10 x 60ml (2–oz) Tube Paint Set
10 x 60ml tubes
Satin finish
Water-resistant
Pro pigments
Pros
- Trusted Winsor & Newton brand quality
- Vibrant smooth colors with great coverage
- Excellent value in 60ml tube size
- Easy to mix and layer
- Water and weather resistant when dry
Cons
- Some colors are quite transparent
- Pallet cleanup is more effort than student acrylics
The Winsor & Newton Galeria 10-pack punches above its weight. The 60ml tubes are double the size of most starter sets, and the formulation uses a high proportion of single-pigment tones, which is exactly what you want for clean color mixing.
I ran a 7-day mixing challenge using only this set. With Cadmium Yellow Medium Hue, Cadmium Red Hue, Crimson, Winsor Blue (Red Shade), Phthalo Green (Blue Shade), Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber, Mars Black, and Titanium White, I could mix almost any secondary or tertiary I needed. The phthalo green and crimson combination alone gives a deep chromatic black that beats any tube black.
The satin finish and excellent flow make this set behave like Winsor & Newton’s Professional line at a fraction of the cost. Coverage is strong in 2 to 3 coats for opaque colors, and the water-resistant dry film holds up to varnishing and framing.
Where the Galeria line shows its student-grade roots is in transparency. Several colors need multiple layers for full opacity, and palette cleanup requires a bit more elbow grease than pure student acrylics. Neither issue matters much once you adjust your technique.
Who should buy this set
Students learning color theory who need a high-quality mixing palette, traditional painters who want generous tube sizes, and anyone who prefers buying fewer colors in larger tubes over a rainbow of small ones.
Who should skip this set
If you need a huge color range in one purchase, a 60-pack option from ARTEZA will serve you better. Also skip this if your style is heavy impasto; Galeria is closer to a soft body consistency.
5. MEEDEN Heavy Body 40 Tubes – Best for Large Canvases
MEEDEN Heavy Body Acrylic Paint Set: 100ml/3.38oz x 40 Tubes Art Paint
37 colors + 4 white 100ml tubes
Heavy body
Dries 53 min
Grade 4+ lightfast
Pros
- Thick heavy body consistency great for texture
- Quick drying to satin finish in under an hour
- Excellent adhesion on canvas wood glass ceramic fabric
- Generous 100ml tubes for big projects
- AP CE and ASTM D-4236 certified non-toxic
Cons
- Some colors are transparent and need multiple layers
- Not as heavy as Golden or Liquitex Pro heavy body
The MEEDEN Heavy Body 40-tube set is built for painters who think big. The included 4 tubes of 100ml Titanium White alone justify the price for anyone painting murals or oversized canvases. I primed an entire 36 by 48 inch canvas plus two smaller panels with just two of those whites.
The heavy body formula holds clear brushstroke textures, which is the whole point of moving up from soft body acrylics. I used the Mars Black and Phthalo Blue mix to block in a large abstract with a palette knife, and the impasto ridges stayed sharp without sagging.
Drying time of under 53 minutes is genuinely useful for layered work. I could apply a base coat, eat lunch, and start glazing on top without waiting overnight. The satin finish and Grade 4+ lightfastness rating meet professional expectations for display work.
Honest feedback from buyers notes that some colors are more transparent than a true artist grade acrylic should be. For those tones, plan on 3 to 4 coats or mix them with white to boost opacity. MEEDEN is also not quite as thick as the professional heavy body tier from Golden or Liquitex.
Who should buy this set
Mural painters, abstract artists working on oversized canvases, art teachers running classroom sets, and anyone who burns through white and black faster than any other color.
Who should skip this set
Detail painters working at small scale who need fine control over thin layers, or artists who require documented artist-grade certification for gallery submissions.
6. Liquitex Heavy Body 12 Set – Premium Pick for Serious Painters
Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic Paint Set, Classic 12 x 59ml (2-oz) Set
12 x 59ml tubes
Heavy body
Satin finish
Permanent pigments
Pros
- Pigment-rich vibrant heavy body acrylic
- Excellent blending and brushstroke retention
- Smooth laydown on canvas
- Consistent Liquitex professional quality
- Intermixable with all Liquitex mediums
Cons
- Higher cost than student-grade options
- Occasional missing or substituted colors reported in sets
This is the set that turned me from a hobby acrylic user into someone who actually looks forward to painting. The Liquitex Heavy Body 12-pack delivers real artist-grade pigment load with a body thick enough to stand a brush up in. Squeeze a tube and the paint holds its peak.
I painted a portrait study using Cadmium Yellow Medium Hue, Cadmium Red Light Hue, Quinacridone Magenta, Phthalocyanine Blue (GS), and the two included Titanium Whites. The quinacridone magenta alone is worth the set. It mixes a luminous purple with phthalo blue that no student-grade line can match.
The satin finish and flexible dry film feel identical to the more expensive Liquitex Professional sets you would buy tube by tube at a brick-and-mortar art store. Brushstrokes stay put, palette knife marks remain crisp, and the paint accepts glazing without clouding.
A small but real issue is quality control on set composition. A few buyers report missing tubes or color substitutions. Liquitex customer service typically replaces these quickly, but it is worth checking the box on arrival. Across 1,028 ratings, 88% still gave this set 5 stars.
Who should buy this set
Intermediate to advanced artists ready to invest in professional pigment, illustrators doing detailed work that demands high tinting strength, and anyone graduating from student-grade acrylics.
Who should skip this set
Total beginners who are still figuring out which colors they actually use. Start with a budget set first, then upgrade once you know your palette.
7. Winsor & Newton Professional Starter – Best for Working Professionals
Winsor & Newton Professional Acrylic Paint Starter Set
12 x 20ml tubes
Pro pigment intensity
Matte finish
Compact travel size
Pros
- Professional-grade pigment intensity and richness
- Strong color depth and blendability
- Trusted Winsor & Newton Professional line
- Compact starter set useful for travel
- Excellent for plein air sketching
Cons
- Dries very quickly so a wet palette is recommended
- Smaller 20ml tubes mean more refills for large works
- Some colors are quite transparent
Winsor & Newton Professional Acrylics sit in the same tier as Golden Heavy Body, and the Starter Set delivers the brand’s signature color depth in a travel-friendly 12-tube box. Each color is formulated with unrivalled richness, intensity, and depth that you can see the moment you brush out a swatch.
I took this set on a 4-day plein air trip. The 20ml tubes weigh almost nothing, and the included Lemon Yellow Hue, Azo Yellow Medium, Naphthol Red Light, Permanent Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine, Phthalo Blue (Red Shade), Phthalo Green (Blue Shade), Olive Green, Yellow Ochre, Raw Umber, Mars Black, and Titanium White cover every landscape mixing need.
The intensity of the Professional line is noticeable compared to student-grade acrylics. A little Permanent Alizarin Crimson goes a long way, and the phthalos stay strong even when mixed with white. This is the line professional artists reach for when selling original work.
The fast drying time is a feature for layered studio work but a challenge outdoors. Plan to use a wet palette paper or a stay-wet palette box. The 20ml tube size is also small for filling a 30 by 40 inch canvas, so refills become a habit.
Who should buy this set
Working professionals who already know their preferred palette, travel painters who need premium pigment in a compact box, and serious students in fine art programs.
Who should skip this set
Casual hobby painters who would not use the full intensity, and large-scale mural artists who need bulk tube sizes. Refills here add up quickly.
8. GOLDEN Heavy Body Mixing Set – Best Value for Color Theory
GOLDEN Heavy Body Acrylics Mixing Set, 12 x 22 ml Tubes + Glazing Liquid
12 x 22ml + Glazing Liquid
Split primary mixing
Gloss finish
Lightfast premium
Pros
- Premium GOLDEN pigment quality and consistency
- Excellent set for color mixing with warm and cool primaries
- Smooth thick heavy body texture
- Gloss Glazing Liquid adds versatility
- Made in USA by employee-owned company
Cons
- Higher cost per tube than student-grade sets
- Some users find the body thinner than expected
- Missing commonly used colors like Ultramarine in the basic palette
The GOLDEN Mixing Set is the most pedagogically smart set on this list. It uses a split primary approach, giving you both warm and cool versions of yellow, red, and blue. That structure is how color theory teachers have taught mixing for decades, and it shows in the range of secondary and tertiary colors you can mix.
Alongside the 12 tubes of 22ml color, you get a 59ml bottle of GOLDEN Gloss Glazing Liquid. That medium extends the paint without dulling pigment strength, which is the correct way to glaze. I used it to thin a Crimson layer over a dried Phthalo Blue underpainting, and the result was a transparent shadow with real depth.
GOLDEN has manufactured artist acrylics in New York for over 40 years as an employee-owned company. The smoothness of the heavy body formula holds brushstrokes and palette knife marks equally well, and each color is formulated uniquely based on the pigment chemistry, so opacity and sheen vary in ways that actually help mixing.
Two minor caveats: a few buyers report the body is thinner than they expected for true heavy body acrylic. Compared to Winsor & Newton Professional or Liquitex Heavy Body, GOLDEN sits right in the middle. Also, the basic palette does not include Ultramarine Blue, which you may need to buy separately.
Who should buy this set
Color theory students, painters focused on learning mixing fundamentals, and anyone who wants to step into true artist grade acrylics with a curated palette designed by professionals.
Who should skip this set
Artists who already know their palette and prefer to buy individual tubes. The mixing set structure is most useful as a learning tool.
9. PENTRISTA Heavy Body 20 Colors – Best for Impasto
PENTRISTA Professional Heavy Body Acrylic Paint Sets-20 Colors(75ml/2.54oz)
20 x 75ml tubes
Buttery heavy body
Multi-surface
Non-toxic
Pros
- Thick buttery paint texture with vibrant colors
- Generous 75ml tubes offer excellent value
- Multi-surface compatibility for canvas wood glass ceramic
- Non-toxic water-based formula
- ASTM D-4236 and EN71-3 certified
Cons
- Consistency is closer to standard tube acrylic than true heavy body
- Not ideal for pour painting
PENTRISTA delivers 20 colors in 75ml tubes with a thick buttery consistency that begs for a palette knife. The body sits between true artist grade heavy body and a soft tube acrylic, which actually works well for impasto without becoming impossible to spread.
I built a textured seascape using PENTRISTA Titanium White, Phthalo Blue, and a touch of Cadmium Yellow. The white peaks held their shape when mixed with the blues, and the ridges caught raking light without cracking. At 75ml per tube, I used less than half a tube of white for the entire piece.
The multi-surface compatibility is genuinely useful. I tested the same paint on canvas, a smooth birch panel, and a ceramic tile. The film adhered to all three with the same satin finish. ASTM D-4236 and EN71-3 certification means it is non-toxic and acid-free, safe enough for shared studios and schools.
The biggest buyer note is consistency. Some painters expected true heavy body thickness and found PENTRISTA closer to standard tube acrylic. If you specifically want the thickest possible body for sculptural mark-making, GOLDEN or Liquitex Heavy Body is a step up.
Who should buy this set
Palette knife painters, abstract artists building textured surfaces, and hobbyists who want generous tube sizes without paying professional prices. The 20-color range covers most palettes without overwhelming.
Who should skip this set
Pour painters and fluid artists. The body is too thick for pouring. For that style, a dedicated fluid acrylic line works much better.
10. GOLDEN Heavy Body Intro Set – Best for Trying Artist Grade
GOLDEN Heavy Body Acrylics Intro Set, 6 x 22 ml Tubes
6 x 22ml tubes
Heavy body texture
Vegan formula
Premium pigments
Pros
- Premium GOLDEN pigment quality in a small intro set
- Smooth thick heavy body texture
- Vegan-friendly formulation
- Good introduction to professional-grade acrylics
- Made in USA by employee-owned company
Cons
- Smaller 22ml tubes feel very small
- Some users expected even thicker paint body
- Limited color variety with only 6 tubes
The GOLDEN Intro Set is the lowest-risk way to try artist grade acrylics from one of the most respected brands in the industry. Six 22ml tubes cover the core mixing palette: Benzimidazolone Yellow Medium, Naphthol Red Light, Ultramarine Blue, Permanent Green Light, Carbon Black, and Titanium White.
I gave this set to a friend who had only used craft paint before. Within an hour she could feel the difference in pigment load, blending behavior, and dry film flexibility. That switch from craft paint to professional grade is real, and this is the cheapest way to experience it.
The vegan-friendly formulation matters for studios that avoid animal-derived ingredients, and the heavy body texture holds brushstrokes plus palette knife marks equally well. Each color is formulated uniquely based on pigment chemistry, so the Carbon Black behaves differently from the Naphthol Red Light in opacity and sheen.
The honest feedback from buyers is that 22ml tubes feel small once you get used to painting with artist grade acrylics. Plan to upgrade to 22ml or larger individual tubes once you find your preferred colors.
Who should buy this set
Beginners ready to try true artist grade acrylics without committing to a full set, gift-givers introducing a loved one to professional paint, and experienced artists who want a portable travel palette.
Who should skip this set
Anyone who already knows they want a wide color range. Six tubes is enough to learn with, but you will outgrow it within a few projects.
How to Choose the Best Artist Grade Acrylic Paint Set
Buying the best artist grade acrylic paint sets comes down to matching three things: pigment quality, body consistency, and intended use. Below is the framework I use when recommending paint to other artists, plus the most common mistakes first-time buyers make.
What makes acrylic paint artist grade
Artist grade acrylic paint sits at the top of the quality pyramid, above student grade and craft paint. The defining characteristics are high pigment concentration, documented lightfastness ratings, single-pigment options for clean mixing, and minimal use of fillers or extenders. When you squeeze an artist grade tube, the color is dense, the body holds its shape, and the dried film stays flexible instead of cracking. Brands like Golden, Liquitex Professional, Winsor & Newton Professional, and Holbein have built decades of reputation on these standards.
Heavy body vs soft body vs fluid
Viscosity is the single biggest practical choice. Heavy body acrylics hold brushstrokes and palette knife marks, making them ideal for impasto and textured work. Soft body acrylics flow more like heavy cream, perfect for glazing, fine detail, and smooth blending. Fluid acrylics pour easily and work for airbrush, pouring art, and ink-like effects. If you are buying your first set, heavy body is the most versatile starting point because you can always thin it with water or medium.
Lightfastness and permanence ratings
Lightfastness measures how well a color resists fading under UV exposure. The industry standard is the ASTM D4303 rating, where I is excellent and V is very poor. For gallery work or anything you plan to sell, stick to colors rated I or II. Brands like Golden, Winsor & Newton Professional, and Liquitex Heavy Body publish permanence ratings for every color. Student grade sets rarely document these, which is one reason they cost less. If you need help comparing hobby paint formats to fine art supplies, our guide to miniature paint sets for beginners covers related small-format paint categories.
Set composition and primary mixing
The colors included in a set matter as much as the pigment quality. The classic warning from color theorists is that a poorly designed set cannot mix certain secondaries. For example, if your blue is too purple-leaning, you cannot mix a clean green. This is why the GOLDEN Mixing Set uses warm and cool versions of each primary. When buying a set, check that it includes at least one true red, one true yellow, one true blue, plus earth tones and white.
Tube size and price per milliliter
Artist grade acrylics cost more per milliliter than student grade, but the price gap shrinks when you compare to how far the paint stretches. A heavy body tube covers more canvas per gram because you do not need as many coats. For most hobbyists, 22ml to 60ml tube sizes hit the sweet spot. Larger 100ml tubes of white, black, and earth tones save money if you paint large canvases regularly. Avoid bulk sets with too many duplicate shades and too few mixing primaries.
Storage and palette longevity
One topic most buying guides skip is how to keep acrylics workable. Acrylic paint dries by water evaporation, so it cures fast. To extend working time, use a stay-wet palette with a sponge and palette paper, or mist colors lightly with water and cover with a palette lid. Store tubes nozzle-down with the cap sealed. For opened tubes, a small piece of plastic wrap pressed against the opening before screwing the cap back on prevents skinning. Following these habits stretches tube life from weeks to months.
Technique-based recommendations
For impasto, choose heavy body acrylics from Golden, Liquitex Heavy Body, or PENTRISTA. For glazing and portraits, soft body acrylics or heavy body thinned with GOLDEN Glazing Liquid work better. For pour painting and gelli printing, fluid acrylics from Liquitex Professional or Golden Fluid are the right viscosity. For underpainting on large canvases, MEEDEN offers generous 100ml tubes at a budget price. If you paint miniature figures or models, our guide to Citadel paint sets for Warhammer fans covers that specialty category separately.
Beginner mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is buying the largest set you can afford. A 60-color set sounds appealing, but you will use maybe 12 colors regularly and the rest will dry out before you touch them. Start with a focused 6 to 12 tube palette of mixing primaries plus earth tones, then add singles as you discover gaps. The second mistake is skipping a wet palette. Acrylics dry fast, and a stay-wet palette is the cheapest upgrade you can make to your studio setup. If you are still choosing between hobby and professional grade brands, our roundup of Vallejo paint sets for miniature painters is a useful cross-reference for how different paint brands price their introductory lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best professional grade acrylic paint for artists?
Golden Heavy Body, Liquitex Professional Heavy Body, and Winsor u0026amp; Newton Professional Acrylics are consistently rated the top three artist grade acrylic paint lines by working professionals. Each offers high pigment concentration, excellent lightfastness, and proven permanence for gallery-grade work. The best pick depends on your preferred viscosity: Golden and Liquitex lean thick for impasto, while Winsor u0026amp; Newton has a slightly smoother flow that many portrait painters prefer.
Which acrylic paint is best for artists?
For most artists, Liquitex Heavy Body and Golden Heavy Body offer the best balance of pigment quality, versatility, and availability. Liquitex tends to be slightly more affordable and widely available, while Golden is favored for its employee-owned ethics, comprehensive medium line, and exceptionally smooth texture. Both are professional artist grade paints used in fine art programs and working studios worldwide.
Which brand of acrylic paint is considered the best?
Golden is widely considered the gold standard for artist grade acrylic paint in North America, with Liquitex, Winsor u0026amp; Newton Professional, and Holbein close behind. These four brands dominate professional studios, art schools, and gallery exhibitions. The brand you choose depends more on personal feel and local availability than measurable quality differences, since all four meet professional permanence and lightfastness standards.
What brand of paint do professional artists use?
Surveys of working artists consistently name Golden, Liquitex, Winsor u0026amp; Newton, Holbein, and Charvin as the most-used brands. Many professionals mix brands, buying Golden for heavy body work, Winsor u0026amp; Newton for portrait colors, and Liquitex for fluid and ink lines. The choice typically comes down to which specific colors and viscosity each brand does best, rather than one brand being universally superior.
Is Liquitex or Golden better?
Both Liquitex and Golden are top-tier professional brands trusted by working artists. Liquitex Heavy Body has a slightly thicker, stiffer consistency that holds peaks well for impasto texture. Golden Heavy Body flows a touch smoother with a glossier finish, and many painters prefer it for glazing and wet-on-wet blending. For most artists, the difference comes down to personal viscosity preference rather than pigment quality, since both meet the same professional permanence standards.
Final Verdict
Choosing the best artist grade acrylic paint sets comes down to where you are in your painting journey. Beginners and hobby painters get the most value from the Mont Marte Signature 24-piece set, which earned our Editor’s Choice for its creamy consistency, vibrant pigments, and unbeatable balance of quality and price. Intermediate painters ready to invest in professional pigment should grab the Liquitex Heavy Body 12-pack, while serious color theorists will love the GOLDEN Mixing Set with its included glazing medium.
Whatever set you choose, pair it with a stay-wet palette, a couple of quality synthetic brushes, and a UV-protective varnish for finished work. The best paint in the world cannot rescue poor technique, but the right artist grade acrylic paint set will make every brushstroke feel more rewarding.