Posted by Phoebe White
25 days ago

Hey folks any tips on picking acrylic paints for beginners in painting

New to this whole painting thing and I wanna start with acrylics but Amazon has so many options it's overwhelming. Anyone recommend good sets that aren't too pricey but still decent quality?

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Luca Turner avatar
Luca Turner 92 rep
24 days ago
Top Answer

Hi Phoebe, for beginners in acrylic painting and the 24 color acrylic paint set provides decent quality at an affordable price with 24 rich pigment colors in 2-ounce bottles. This size offers more paint per color than smaller 12ml tubes, allowing extended use on surfaces like canvas, wood, ceramic, and fabric. The set includes 12 art brushes for varied techniques, making it suitable for students and hobbyists.

Compared to kits with fewer colors or extras like easels, this focuses on essential paints and brushes without unnecessary additions, keeping costs low while maintaining lasting quality.

Ellis Sato avatar
Ellis Sato 🥉 103 rep
24 days ago

Honestly. Hey there and starting with acrylics is awesome because they're so forgiving and dry fast, which is great for beginners like us... When you're looking at options, think about sets that have a good mix of primary colors so you can blend your own shades, that way you learn more about color theory right from the start and... also, check for paints that are labeled as student grade; they're usually cheaper but still decent for practice.

Don't forget to consider the consistency – something not too thick or runny works best for layering. Oh, and if you can find ones that come with a few basic brushes, that saves you from buying extras right away. experiment and have fun with it.

Works great for building confidence.

Daniel Patterson avatar
25 days ago

Skip the giant set and build a small warm and cool primary palette with a big white, then practice mixes since coverage and mixability matter more than color count. Check opacity and lightfastness to know what covers or glazes, look for smooth dry swatches, and avoid bundles of tiny tubes full of duplicate hues.

Rachel Reed avatar
Rachel Reed 34 rep
24 days ago

Start with a student grade set from a reputable art manufacturer so yeah... look for tubes that list pigment names and lightfast ratings on the label since that usually means the maker cares about quality control. Fewer colors with larger tubes beats an overflowing rainbow of tiny ones because you will have enough paint to practice mixing and block in areas without skimping. A basic range with a warm and cool of each primary plus white will get you far, and you can add a single earth tone later for quicker neutrals.

Check consistency before you commit. If you want texture and visible brush marks go for a thicker body. If you prefer smoother layers and detail a softer body is easier. Skip gimmicky sets heavy on neons and metallics at the start since those often have weaker coverage. Works great.

Dominic Watson avatar
24 days ago

Yeah, i remember being overwhelmed by all those paint choices when I first started.

Here's what helped me – go for sets with at least 12 colors to give you variety without breaking the bank & and make sure they're non-toxic since you'll be messing around a lot.

Look at the bottle sizes too; bigger ones last longer, especially if you're painting on canvas or other surfaces.

I tried skimping once and ended up with paints that dried out too quick or didn't mix well, so yeah, read some reviews from other beginners to avoid that.

And don't worry about fancy stuff yet; basic colors and maybe a palette knife can get you far.

Keep it simple at first.

Reuben Hughes avatar
Reuben Hughes 🥉 240 rep
24 days ago

As someone who's been painting with acrylics for years, I'd suggest focusing on pigment quality over quantity when picking your first set and cheaper options often have fillers that make the colors dull, so aim for ones with good opacity and vibrancy, even if it means fewer tubes. Beginners benefit from sets that include metallics or earth tones to expand creativity without needing to buy more.

Consider the drying time; faster drying is handy but can be tricky for blending, so practice on scrap paper. I found that starting with a versatile set helped me understand what I really needed later on, and it kept costs down while I figured things out. Yeah, trial and error, but that's the fun part.

Maverick Morris avatar
23 days ago

Teacher here who sets up classroom kits. Main thing is balance between quantity and quality. Many budget sets are fine for learning as long as they are not watery and they dry to an even film. Do a quick test if you can on scrap paper. If the color looks strong with one or two passes and it does not rub off when dry you are in good shape. Big help.

Transparency matters. Get at least one opaque yellow and one opaque red because early layers are less frustrating when they actually cover. A cool blue that leans toward green and a warm blue that leans toward violet will make mixing easier. White disappears fast so larger tubes save headaches. Skip huge assortments packed with odd shades for now. Add a few targeted colors after you figure out what you keep mixing.

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