How do I choose the best acrylic paints for my beginner art projects?

I ran into the same thing with a cheap starter set. The paint skinned over in minutes and turned muddy when I tried to blend. I fixed it without buying anything new by changing my setup. I made a stay wet palette with a shallow food container, a layer of wet paper towel and and baking parchment on top, then snapped the lid on during breaks. I misted the surface now and then with water and when I did not have a sprayer I just flicked a little water on with my fingers. That kept the paint workable for hours and sometimes the next day. Working in smaller sections and pre dampening the canvas with clean water helped the blends a lot.

The watery feel came from me adding too much water on the palette and using raw paper that sucked the moisture out, so I started mixing longer with just a few drops and I brushed a thin coat of the same white paint I already had over paper first to seal it. I also kept a second jar of clean water to re dampen the brush instead of over thinning the paint, wiped the ferrule often, and covered the palette with plastic wrap when kids were near. The brush sets that came in the box felt rough at first, but a wash with warm water and a tiny bit of gentle soap, a careful trim of stray hairs, and drying them flat made them usable for smooth strokes. That combo solved the fast drying and blending issues without a new purchase.

With your budget I would choose a small set of higher viscosity paints rather than a big bundle of tiny tubes. Look for words like heavy body or medium body and a non toxic statement on the label. A limited palette is plenty for canvas and paper. White plus a yellow a magenta a cyan and a neutral dark will mix just about anything and the larger tubes are friendlier for learning blends.

For drying time work from a damp surface and a damp palette. A sheet of baking parchment on top of a well wrung paper towel keeps puddles from forming while slowing evaporation. Mist lightly now and then and close the lid during breaks. On paper go for thicker sheets or seal the surface with a thin coat of the same white paint and let it dry. On canvas give yourself time by blending in smaller patches then feathering the edges with a just moist brush. Sets with brushes are hit or miss. Use them to start and when the bristles shed move up to one flat and one round that feel smooth to the touch. Works fine.

Hey and starting out with acrylics can be tricky, especially when you're watching the budget and have little ones around. Look for paints that feel thick and creamy right out of the tube, not too runny, because that helps with blending on canvas without needing a ton of water. Since safety matters, check labels for non-toxic certifications to keep things worry-free. For your projects on paper, something with good pigment strength means colors stay vibrant even after drying. And if a set comes with brushes, that's handy, but make sure they're soft enough for smooth application. I found that practicing with small swatches first lets you test how they mix and layer before committing to a full piece. Works great for building confidence without wasting materials.

Another tip is to think about the color range; a basic set with primaries plus black and white allows for mixing most shades you need, saving money in the long run. I've messed up blends before by rushing, so take your time layering thin coats and letting them dry a bit between. That way, you avoid muddy results and get those clean transitions you're after.

Build a small mixing set with larger heavy body tubes that are non toxic and pick paint that holds a brush mark instead of looking chalky. Prep the surface and pace the work with heavier or sealed paper, a toned canvas and small wet zones and misting the palette, and treat box set brushes as starters you can smooth and keep for blocking while adding one good flat and one round when your budget resets.

And damn I remember my first attempts at that model painting, total disaster with the cheap stuff drying up like concrete before I could even blend anything. But hey, you don't have to splurge to get decent results. Focus on paints that have a slower drying time if possible, or at least ones that respond well to a bit of retarder medium, though since you're on a budget, maybe skip extras for now. Non-toxic is key with kids, so always double-check that. For canvas and paper, go for something versatile that doesn't crack when dry on flexible surfaces. Sets with brushes? Yeah, they're convenient for beginners, just ensure the brushes aren't too stiff or they'll drag the paint unevenly.

I tried that and it fixed everything but then I realized keeping the room humid helps too, like using a small humidifier nearby or just painting in the bathroom after a shower, sounds weird but it works. Sentence fragment here. Anyway, start with small projects to experiment, and you'll figure out what qualities matter most to you pretty quick.

New painter parent here and I wanted the same things... The trick was fewer colors and thicker paint so it did not run all over the page. In that price range you can get five or six decent size tubes and they will handle both paper and canvas without feeling watery. Check the label for a clear non toxic note and keep the rinse jar well away from curious hands.

If blending is fighting you start mixes on the palette with only a drop or two of water and aim for a, yogurt feel. Pre dampen the area on the canvas where two colors meet and pull them together quickly, then stop before it turns muddy and let it dry in peace. Do the next pass on top rather than overworking wet paint. Brush bundles that come in paint sets can be scratchy. If that is what you have wash them with mild soap before the first use and trim any wild hairs, then save them for base coats once you grab a smoother brush later.