Watercolor Paint: 8 Best Watercolor Paints in 2023 [Students & Artist Grades]
Watercolor paints are essential to your work as a watercolor artist. However, once you get down to actually buying them, you probably just go out and buy anything that’s cheap, especially as a beginner – this can be very detrimental to your growth as an artist. Experienced artists know that choosing your paints with some […]
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Watercolor paints are essential to your work as a watercolor artist.
However, once you get down to actually buying them, you probably just go out and buy anything that’s cheap, especially as a beginner – this can be very detrimental to your growth as an artist.
Experienced artists know that choosing your paints with some degree of critical thought reaps large dividends later on.
So, to make life a little simpler for you, we have put together a review of fifteen of the best watercolor paints that are available on the market today. Also, if you are new to watercolors, here is our guide on how to paint with watercolor for beginners.
Some cater exclusively to the student/budding artist crowd, while others are aimed squarely at the aficionados and the masters of the craft. No matter where you slot in, we feature the best paints which will take you and your art forward!
Best Watercolor Paint Sets
Here is the list of the 8 best watercolor paints that you can use to bring your artwork to life.
1. Royal Talens Van Gogh Watercolor Paint Set – Best for Beginners
- 12 pans of opaque watercolors
- Metal box conveniently doubles as palette
If you’re just trying out watercolor paints, this set of watercolor paints is best. There aren’t too many paints to confuse you – just a set of 12 basic shades that bear the name of the virtuoso Post-Impressionist artist. But, rest assured that these are all incredibly high-quality paints – much better than a few more expensive ones, too!
Experience
When it comes to watercolor paints, a few important factors you should consider include price, the number of colors, the volume of the tubes that you get, and the lightfastness. This paint delivers on all fronts except the number of colors – you get a generous serving of the 12 colors, which can be used to create some truly exquisite and subtle effects.
The paints that you get are fairly consistent in nature and will give you the same shade over and over. You get 10 mL of paint in these tubes. You also get a Nylon brush and a palette to mix your colors on with this particular set. People are often surprised about this being a “student grade” paint – such is the quality of the paint in this set. You definitely won’t go wrong with this!
- Exceedingly good lightfastness
- Basic shades, but they mix very well and you can end up creating wonderful effects
- Good quantity of paint as well
- Somewhat expensive compared to other student/entry-level paints
2. Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolors – Best for Flexibility
- Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Colours are a range of water...
- Cotman Water Colours possess good transparency, excellent...
When people think of “student watercolors”, Winsor & Newton is the brand that is most likely to come to mind. Not just student paints – they’re an established name in the professional space, too. A number of factors are in play here – the high rating of lightfastness, the permanence of the paints, and the flexibility of getting these paints either as a tube or in pans.
Experience
There’s a lot of flexibility involved with this set of paints. First, you’re not restricted to buying a particular number of paints only – you can choose from among the 6, 10, 12, 14, or 24 best shades on offer. Further, you can buy both pans and tubes as per your requirement. These happen to be very affordable, too.
The texture that these paints deliver on the paper surface is great. The colors are also vibrant and punchy – far from the color you’d expect an “entry-level” set to have.
Then we come to lightfastness and permanence – both of which are rated as high as the ratings go. The lightfastness is rated at either I or II (excellent or very high) and the permanence is rated as AA or A (extremely permanent/permanent). If nothing else, this should have you convinced that these paints are the real deal on all fronts – not just one.
- Incredible lightfastness and permanence ratings
- Colors are vibrant and punchy, delivering good texture
- Affordable and you can choose between a number of sets
- The fillers that they use are synthetic and not natural
3. Reeves 18-Pack Water Color Paint Set – Best for Affordability
- WATERCOLOUR PAINT - Unleash your creative genius with...
- VIBRANT COLORS - 18 colors; Chinese White, Lemon Yellow,...
Coming from the same umbrella company as the set we’ve reviewed above, Reeves has been in the market since 1766. Like the one above, they’ve managed to put together a very convincing set of 18 paints with 10 mL volume each. However, here’s the USP: it is very affordable. It comfortably slots into the budget/entry-level paint category!
Experience
You get a whole lot of paint for the money – and these are good paints, too. Though they come out of the tubes in a somewhat watery manner, that’s because they’re water mixable. This effect disappears once you mix them with water. They are known to dry very quickly and have no weird, strong smell. The colors are very consistent as well.
This set makes a lot of sense for someone wanting to try watercolors out – the price of admission, usually high, becomes much more manageable this way. Do note, however, that at this price it’s impossible for Reeves to give you a paintbrush for mixing and a palette – so you’ll need to spend a little more here. Otherwise, this set delivers the best in both quality and quantity.
- Comes with a number of paints, reduces the overhead of mixing paints over and over
- Perfect for those wanting to try watercolors out
- Consistent paints, good finish
- No accessories bundled with this particular paint
4. Prima Marketing Watercolor Confections: The Classics
- 12 unique colors
- Vivid pigments
There are some watercolor sets that you can’t go wrong with, even if you try. The artist-grade Classics collection of watercolor paints offered by Prima Marketing is definitely one of these. You get pans and not tubes in this set – which works out well because tubes can get messy sometimes and risk spilling. The transparency of the paint itself is astoundingly good for starter paints.
Experience
This set is again a steal at the bargain basement prices you get this set at. The lightfastness of the paints and the permanence are good enough for what you pay for, but the major kicker here is the color palette that comes with the set. You get 12 classical shades of blue, green, yellow, red, and a few other unique pre-mixed shades.
Another benefit of getting this set is that you don’t have to buy another set in order to replenish shades – Prima Marketing gives you an option of buying separate shades as well. This works out well in case there’s a particular shade you need – and is cheaper in the long run. A small disadvantage is that permanence and lightfastness information is all word of mouth.
- Comes with a number of great shades
- Includes a palette for mixing colors
- Can buy shades separately, definitely economical compared to a lot of other offerings
- No brush is included for mixing paints
- No lightfastness rating
5. Sennelier La Petite Aquarelle Watercolor Paint Set
- Features an elastic strap that keeps the box securely in the...
- Extremely smooth color application
While a number of paint sets focus on your own presence of mind to navigate color mixing, this one removes that pressure from you and lets you paint in peace. Sennelier La Petite brings to the table a wonderful, honey-based watercolor set with 24 unique shades which come with a palette for mixing these paints. Their palette even has a hand strap to keep it secure!
Experience
This kit, like the ones reviewed above, is unlikely to disappoint all but the very choosy artists. The colors are rated incredibly highly for permanence and most colors have excellent lightfastness ratings – your watercolor paintings will definitely last very long when you use these paints.
These are all pan watercolors, so you don’t have to worry about eking out the last drop of paint from tubes. The colors on offer include a number of Sennelier’s own shades, which are truly unique and beautiful. You can also purchase some of their other color pans as individual items.
The mixing area which comes with this set is large enough to accommodate a number of paints. This is useful for when you’re working on more complex tasks and you want to mix up multiple colors for this purpose. All in all, this set of watercolors is one of the best you can get as beginners!
- Comes with a mixer for creating a variety of colors
- Permanence and lightfastness are guaranteed with this set
- 24 shades, some are exclusive to Sennelier
- Comes with a strap for the mixing palette
- A palette and mixer are present, but where’s the mixing brush?
6. Daniel Smith Introductory Watercolors
- DANIEL SMITH is the Innovative Manufacturer of Beautiful...
- The DANIEL SMITH Watercolor PrimaTek Set is designed to...
Taking a radically new approach towards beginners, the Daniel Smith introductory watercolor paints rely on minimalism and your own presence of mind to create the artwork of your dreams. It comes with just three colors in two different variants, warm and cold – and the ball is now metaphorically in your court when it comes to mixing them up and creating custom shades.
Experience
This paint set takes minimalism to a whole new extent. You get just six paints to play around with, and it’s up to you to determine how to make the best of these warm/cold paints. However, fret not – for one, they have around 238 shades on offer in their catalog, which you can order separately. Secondly, there are try-it-out charts available for the entire range of colors.
We recommend this artist-grade set because, on your journey toward being an artist, it’s crucial to understand color mixing and dealing with a paucity of resources. It’s best if you learn this skill right at the start – so you won’t be handicapped later. These colors are brilliant and are priced very economically.
Further, there are some truly unique color gradients/mixes which no manufacturer offers right off the bat. Starting with just six paints will help you immensely later on!
- Wonderful lightfastness, vibrancy, and permanence
- Can purchase refills individually
- Great learning experience on mixing, also highly recommended for experienced students
- Gives you just the color tube and nothing by way of accessories
7. Grumbacher Academy Watercolor Paint
- Either straight from the tube or when mixed with white,...
- Only finely ground pigments are used in making this smooth,...
Coming back to more generic student paint kits, this one comes with all the bells and whistles required for a student to get going with the process of watercolor painting. You get a stunning array of 12 colors, of which a few are standard and the rest are unique shades. These are also best for those who like pigment information – their website lists the exact pigments of the paints!
Experience
With this set, you really do get everything you need to get started – that includes paints, a mixing palette, and a good quality mixing brush too. The colors are rated very highly for both lightfastness and permanence – which is why despite it landing in the beginner category, it’s used by professional artists widely.
This paint impresses on a lot of fronts – not just the measurable aspects. You’re going to see brilliant shades in your work, whether you go as is or mix considerable amounts of white paint for lighter shades. This is the perfect bridging product for those wanting to go for more professional paints.
- Comes with all things you need to get started
- Great quality of paint
- Useful for both professionals and students alike
- Maybe a little bit pricey for some
8. Daler Rowney Watercolor Paints
- Beginner Watercolor Tube Set - Each 12ml (.4oz) tube of...
- Adaptable Paint - The water color paint featured in this set...
The Daler Rowney Aquafine set of watercolor paints is aimed exclusively at beginners. They are priced very inexpensively, come in around 48 shades and give good watercolor painting performance relative to their price. They are available in both half pans and watercolor tubes, so you can go for either, depending on your personal requirements.
Experience
This set comes in a number of varieties, perhaps the most we’ve seen in any beginner watercolor set we’ve reviewed. This includes the pocket set, which is best for artists who prefer plein air instead of their studio. You can go for just 5 paints in a set right to the largest set of 20 paints, which includes some of their most common as well as some unique shades.
Some of their sets come with a brush – great for beginners. Their metal box set is crafted to perfection and includes a mixing palette as well. When it comes to lightfastness and permanence, Daler Rowney’s set is good but not quite among the best – which is excusable given how little they cost compared to the competition.
Their transparency and lightfastness are also very compelling. All in all, this set is great for beginners, even though there are some obvious compromises here.
- Good lightfastness and permanence for the price
- A lot of variety in the sets you can pick, can order individual shades as well
- Comes in a number of sizes from 5 mL to 29.5 mL
- Some sets have better lightfastness
Best Watercolor Paint Set For Beginners Comparison Table
| Product | Dimensions | Weight | Finish Type | No. of Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Talens Van Gogh Watercolors | 9.24″ x 3.99″ x 0.74″ | 4oz | Opaque | 12 |
| Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolors | 2.56″ x 5.12″ x 0.87″ | 3.17oz | Transparent | 12 |
| Reeves 18-Pack Watercolor Paint Set | 0.75″ x 7.24″ x 7.89″ | 13.1oz | Pigmented | 18 |
| Prima Marketing Watercolor Confections | 5″ x 3″ x 1″ | 4.9oz | Gloss, Satin | 12 |
| Sennelier La Petite Aquarelle Watercolors | 9.25″ x 4.75″ x 1.4″ | 6.3oz | Satin | 24 |
| Daniel Smith Introductory Watercolors | 3.38″ x 3.75″ x 0.63″ | 1.76oz | Matte | 6 |
| Grumbacher Academy Watercolors | 10″ x 1″ x 7.9″ | 6.1oz | Matte | 12 |
| Daler Rowney Watercolor Paints | 10″ x 1.2″ x 8″ | 18.72oz | Gloss | 24 |
Best Watercolor Paints for Professionals
Now that we’re done with the best starter paint kits, we move on to proper professional watercolors. Here, the permanence and lightfastness of professional watercolor paints are all but guaranteed – instead, the onus of the conversation will be centered around the look and feel of the paint, as well as other important factors.
The quality of colors and how well they mix, their opacity, and their granularity become much more important as you become more experienced at watercolor painting with watercolor paints.
1. Holbein Watercolor Set – Best for Vibrant Colors
- Holbein Professional transparent watercolors
- More finely ground than any other artist watercolor
Holbein has been around in the watercolor paint market long enough to realize what professional artists need from their paints. Hence, this paint comes with literally everything you could want from your watercolors and then delivers a superb watercolor painting experience on top of it. Good things come in small packages, and so does this set of paints.
Experience
With 24 superb quality paints coming into the picture (pun unintended), you’re unlikely to go wrong with it. Holbein’s paint quality is fastidiously maintained, and this is visible right on their website. You can easily see in-depth details about each shade of paint that they sell, including the pigment information – which crucial for large-scale pieces which require multiple paint refills.
You can achieve a number of crisp, subtle transparency effects using these paints. Even the 5mL tube runs through a number of watercolor painting sessions because of the incredible paint quality Holbein gives you. You can easily get refills for the exact pigment and shade from a number of online retailers as well as in your local art supplies store.
All in all, Holbein delivers a wonderful experience with paints that are vibrant, don’t crack, and last a long time – and are also affordable (compared to a vast variety of paints on the market).
- Comes with a number of paints, many of which are unique to Holbein
- 5mL paint volume lasts long because of the variety and thickness of the paint
- Texture of the paint is absolutely superb
- Nothing at all
2. Schmincke Horadam Aquarell Half-Pan Paint Metal Set – Best for Color Detail
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