The best acrylic paint sets range from compact color assortments for everyday painting to larger collections and metallic or iridescent finishes for specific effects. Choose by how much color variety and paint volume you need, which surfaces you plan to paint, and whether a mixing wheel or brushes would help.
Quick Top Products
U.S. Art Supply 72-Color Acrylic Paint Set
- Includes 72 colors in 12ml tubes.
- Water-based paint for canvas, wood, fabric, and paper.
- Includes a double-sided color mixing wheel.
Best For: Artists who want a broad palette for trying color combinations and painting across several surfaces.
U.S. Art Supply 36-Color Acrylic Paint Set
- Includes 36 colors in 12ml tubes.
- Suitable for canvas, wood, fabric, and paper.
- Comes with a double-sided color mixing wheel.
Best For: Students and artists who want a varied general-purpose palette in small tubes.
U.S. Art Supply 12-Color Acrylic Paint Set, 75ml
- Includes 12 colors in 75ml tubes.
- Water-based acrylic paint with smooth consistency and covering strength.
- Made for canvas, wood, fabric, and paper.
Best For: Painters who prefer larger tubes and a focused selection of core colors.
U.S. Art Supply 24-Color Acrylic Paint Set
- Includes 24 colors in 12ml tubes.
- A double-sided color mixing wheel is included.
- Intended for canvas, wood, fabric, and paper.
Best For: Beginners and hobby painters seeking a moderate color range with a mixing wheel.
U.S. Art Supply 24-Color Outdoor Acrylic Paint Set
- Includes 24 colors in 2oz bottles.
- Designed for indoor and outdoor painting.
- Includes seven flat and round nylon brushes.
Best For: Crafters painting rocks, wood, toys, and canvas who want brushes included.
U.S. Art Supply 12-Color Iridescent Acrylic Paint Set
- Includes 12 iridescent colors in 75ml tubes.
- The colors have color-shifting properties and a shimmering effect.
- Includes a double-sided color mixing wheel.
Best For: Artists adding shimmering, color-shifting effects to paintings and crafts.
U.S. Art Supply 12-Color Metallic Acrylic Paint Set
- Includes 12 metallic colors in 75ml tubes.
- The colors are described as smooth, high-shine finishes.
- Intended for canvas, wood, pottery, and rock surfaces.
Best For: Artists and crafters who want a compact collection of metallic shades in larger tubes.
U.S. Art Supply 36-Color Metallic Acrylic Paint Set
- Includes 36 metallic colors in 18ml tubes.
- Offers pearlescent and iridescent finishes.
- The set includes silver, gold, and copper tones.
Best For: Artists who want many metallic and pearlescent shades in smaller tubes.
Largest Color Selection
U.S. Art Supply 72 Color Professional Acrylic Paint Set in 12ml Tubes - Art Painting Supplies for Adults, Artists, Students, Beginners - Canvas Portrait Paintings
This 72-color set gives you a broad palette among these general-purpose acrylic options, with 12ml tubes for each color. The water-based paint has a smooth consistency and covering strength, and the set is intended for canvas, wood, fabric, and paper.
A double-sided color mixing wheel adds color terminology and definitions for practice. Its small tubes make the set easier to sample across many hues, though they hold less paint per color than larger tubes.
It suits artists and learners who value range over larger quantities of a few familiar colors.
Best For: Artists who want a broad palette for trying color combinations and painting across several surfaces.
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Choose this set if exploring a large number of hues matters more than having a large reserve of each color. Its water-based formula and listed canvas, wood, fabric, and paper uses fit general painting and craft projects.
The mixing wheel is useful for learners who are also studying color relationships. Before buying, consider whether you would rather have fewer colors in larger tubes; this set's 12ml size is the key tradeoff.
Compact All-Purpose Palette
U.S. Art Supply 36 Color Professional Acrylic Paint Set in 12ml Tubes - Art Painting Supplies for Adults, Artists, Students, Beginners - Canvas Portrait Paintings
This 36-color set balances palette variety with a compact 12ml tube size. The water-based acrylic paint has a smooth consistency and covering strength, with canvas, wood, fabric, paper, and other art media among its intended surfaces.
A double-sided color mixing wheel gives students and beginners a tool for exploring color terminology and theory. The small tubes suit sampling a broad selection or keeping a range of hues handy, but they offer less paint per color than larger tubes.
It is a practical fit for varied projects where palette breadth matters more than volume.
Best For: Students and artists who want a varied general-purpose palette in small tubes.
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This is a good middle ground for someone who wants more hues than a basic palette. It includes a mixing wheel and is aimed at artists, students, beginners, and teachers.
Its intended surfaces extend beyond canvas to wood, fabric, and paper. Check whether 36 colors are enough for your planned palette, and weigh the small 12ml tubes against sets that offer larger quantities in fewer colors.
Large Artist Tubes
U.S. Art Supply 12 Color Set of Acrylic Oil Paint 75ml Tubes - High Opacity, Strong Tinting Strength, Oil Paints for Canvas Painting, Wood & Media
With 12 colors in large 75ml tubes, this set favors paint volume over a wide assortment. Its water-based acrylics are highly pigmented, have a smooth consistency, and are intended for canvas, wood, fabric, paper, and other art media.
The listed palette includes familiar mixing colors such as cobalt blue, crimson, lemon yellow, titanium white, and lamp black, alongside earth tones and greens. That focused selection may suit artists who would rather mix from a core palette than manage dozens of small tubes.
The tradeoff is fewer ready-made hues than this set has colors.
Best For: Painters who prefer larger tubes and a focused selection of core colors.
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Pick this set if you expect to use core colors often and want 75ml tubes rather than a large stack of smaller ones. Its named colors include several useful starting points for mixing, plus earth tones and multiple greens.
It covers common studio and craft surfaces, making it more versatile than a canvas-only palette. Before choosing, decide whether mixing your own shades suits your workflow; the smaller-tube sets offer more premixed colors.
24-Color Starter Palette
U.S. Art Supply 24 Color Professional Acrylic Paint Set in 12ml Tubes - Art Painting Supplies for Adults, Artists, Students, Beginners - Canvas Portrait Paintings
This 24-color set uses compact 12ml tubes and includes a double-sided color mixing wheel. The water-based acrylic paint has a smooth consistency and covering strength, and it is intended for canvas, wood, fabric, paper, and other art media.
Its palette offers a middle ground between a compact color selection and a broader one. That can make it a manageable starting palette for students or hobby projects without narrowing the selection to only a few basics.
Consider the tube size if you paint often in particular colors, since 12ml provides less of those colors than a larger tube.
Best For: Beginners and hobby painters seeking a moderate color range with a mixing wheel.
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This set fits a learner or casual painter who wants a useful range of colors. The mixing wheel adds an educational element, and the paint is intended for both canvas and crafts on wood, fabric, and paper.
Its main compromise is the compact 12ml tube size. If you expect to paint larger areas or repeatedly use a few colors, a set with larger tubes offers a different balance.
Outdoor Crafts With Brushes
U.S. Art Supply Professional 24 Color Outdoor Acrylic Paint Set, 2oz Bottles, with 7 Brush Kit - Vivid Colors for Painting Canvas, Rocks, Wood Crafts, Toys
This 24-color set is designed for indoor and outdoor painting projects and comes in 2oz bottles with a seven-brush kit. The water-based acrylic paint is intended for canvas, rocks, wood, crafts, and toys, while the flat and round nylon brush tips cover different stroke styles.
A color mixing wheel is also included, which can help with learning or planning combinations. The outdoor focus and larger bottles make this distinct from the smaller tube assortments for studio painting.
Check the surface and project conditions before use; the record gives no drying or weather-exposure duration.
Best For: Crafters painting rocks, wood, toys, and canvas who want brushes included.
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Choose this one for craft-focused projects that may involve rocks, wood, or toys and when included brushes are useful. The 2oz bottles contain substantial paint per color, and the selection remains at 24 colors.
The set is intended for indoor and outdoor use, but the available details do not give drying time or exposure limits. Check those needs for the specific project, especially for items that will remain outside.
Color-Shifting Iridescent Effects
U.S. Art Supply 12-Color Iridescent Acrylic Paint Set Large 75ml Tubes - Luminescent, Chameleon, Color-Shifting Pearl Colors, Crafting Paints - Iridescent Paint Acrylics for Canvas, Wood, Rock, Paper
This set specializes in iridescent effects rather than serving as an everyday range of conventional colors. Its 12 water-based acrylic colors come in extra-large 75ml tubes and shift in appearance for shimmering, luminescent effects.
Intended surfaces include canvas, wood, fabric, paper, and rocks. A double-sided color mixing wheel is included for exploring combinations and color terminology.
The unusual finishes can add accents or become the focus of a piece, but a specialized palette may not replace standard opaque colors in a general painting kit. Check the named shades if you need a particular interference or color-shift effect.
Best For: Artists adding shimmering, color-shifting effects to paintings and crafts.
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This set is for painters who specifically want pearl, interference, or color-shifting effects. It provides 12 colors in 75ml tubes, a generous size for specialty paint, and can be used on canvas, wood, fabric, paper, and rocks.
It makes more sense as an effects palette or a deliberate standalone choice than as the only set for broad conventional color work. Check the listed shade names and consider whether your projects call for iridescence throughout or just occasional highlights.
Large-Tube Metallic Finish
U.S. Art Supply Professional Metallic Acrylic Paint Set - 12 Rich Metallic Colors, 75ml Tubes - Craft Paint for Canvas, Wood, Rock, Model Painting
This metallic set contains 12 rich colors in 75ml tubes, pairing a focused palette with larger quantities. The water-based acrylic paint is intended for canvas, wood, pottery, and rock surfaces, with a high-shine finish and smooth application.
It is aimed at artists of varied skill levels and can be used for layering, mixing, crafts, or detailed model painting. Metallic colors serve a different purpose from standard opaque hues, so this set is most useful when reflective finishes are part of the project.
The notes also use broad durability language without specifying conditions, so check the intended surface and finish needs before relying on it for outdoor work.
Best For: Artists and crafters who want a compact collection of metallic shades in larger tubes.
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Pick this option when metallic coverage and larger tubes matter more than a broad standard palette. The set is intended for canvas, wood, pottery, rocks, and model painting, with layering and mixing among its uses.
Its 75ml tubes hold generous amounts of each metallic shade. For a general painting palette, the metallic finish limits its role; check whether you need these shades as accents or as the main visual language of the piece.
Compact Metallic Color Variety
U.S. Art Supply 36-Color Metallic Acrylic Paint Set - 18ml Tubes - Acrylic Paint for Canvas Painting, Wood Crafts & Rock Painting - Color Mixing Wheel
This 36-color metallic set offers more finish variations in a smaller 18ml tube size. Its heavy-body acrylic paint is intended to provide rich pigmentation, smooth blending, and coverage, with uses including canvas, wood, pottery, rocks, outdoor crafts, and detailed model work.
The collection includes silver, gold, and copper tones, along with pearlescent and iridescent finishes. It suits projects where a wide selection of metallic effects matters more than large quantities of each shade.
The tradeoff is less paint per color, but a larger number of options to sample.
Best For: Artists who want many metallic and pearlescent shades in smaller tubes.
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This set makes sense when you want to experiment across many metallic and pearl finishes rather than keep larger stocks of a few shades. It includes silver, gold, and copper tones and supports projects from canvas painting to detailed models.
The 18ml tubes offer less paint per shade. Think about whether you need broad specialty variety or larger working amounts of core metallic colors before choosing.
How to Choose Acrylic Paint Sets
How We Picked Acrylic Paint Sets
We included eight candidates that function as acrylic paint assortments for painting or craft projects, spanning standard palettes, metallic finishes, iridescent effects, and an outdoor-focused kit. The surface uses include canvas, wood, fabric, paper, rocks, pottery, and models.
We left out a primer set because its role is surface preparation rather than supplying a painting palette.
Within the general-purpose options, tube count and size distinguish a compact color sampler from a larger-volume set. Specialty metallic and iridescent options are included for buyers seeking those finishes, while the outdoor craft set adds brushes and bottle packaging.
Comparing Acrylic Paint Sets
Start with the balance between palette breadth and paint per color. The 72-color set has 12ml tubes, while the 12-color artist set and the specialty metallic and iridescent options use 75ml tubes.
The 36-color metallic set comes in 18ml tubes, giving it a larger selection of effects in a smaller format.
The 24-color outdoor set uses 2oz bottles and includes seven brushes, so it is geared toward projects on rocks, wood, and toys. For a general studio palette, the 24- and 36-color tube sets add a mixing wheel and cover common surfaces such as canvas, fabric, and paper.
| Product | Standout features | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Art Supply 72-Color Acrylic Paint SetCheck Price |
| Artists who want a broad palette for trying color combinations and painting across several surfaces. |
| U.S. Art Supply 36-Color Acrylic Paint SetCheck Price |
| Students and artists who want a varied general-purpose palette in small tubes. |
| U.S. Art Supply 12-Color Acrylic Paint Set, 75mlCheck Price |
| Painters who prefer larger tubes and a focused selection of core colors. |
| U.S. Art Supply 24-Color Acrylic Paint SetCheck Price |
| Beginners and hobby painters seeking a moderate color range with a mixing wheel. |
| U.S. Art Supply 24-Color Outdoor Acrylic Paint SetCheck Price |
| Crafters painting rocks, wood, toys, and canvas who want brushes included. |
| U.S. Art Supply 12-Color Iridescent Acrylic Paint SetCheck Price |
| Artists adding shimmering, color-shifting effects to paintings and crafts. |
| U.S. Art Supply 12-Color Metallic Acrylic Paint SetCheck Price |
| Artists and crafters who want a compact collection of metallic shades in larger tubes. |
| U.S. Art Supply 36-Color Metallic Acrylic Paint SetCheck Price |
| Artists who want many metallic and pearlescent shades in smaller tubes. |
Choosing Acrylic Paint for Canvas and Crafts
Check which surfaces the set is meant to cover. The general-purpose tube sets name canvas, wood, fabric, and paper, while the iridescent set also names rocks.
The metallic options extend to pottery and model painting. Match the intended surfaces to the project rather than assuming every acrylic works identically on every material.
For outdoor crafts, the 24-color set is specifically presented for indoor and outdoor use. The available details do not give drying time or expected weather exposure, so consider the item's location and finish needs before relying on painted work outdoors.
How Much Color Variety Do You Need?
A larger color count offers more ready-made choices, while smaller palettes can make color mixing easier to manage and larger tubes can supply more paint per selected shade. Beginners who want a compact starting range may prefer 24 colors; students who want broader sampling can consider 36 or 72 colors in 12ml tubes.
Painters who frequently use particular core colors may prefer the 75ml tubes in the 12-color set.
Specialty colors require a different decision. The iridescent set focuses on shifting pearl effects; the metallic collections emphasize high-shine or pearlescent finishes.
These can be used alongside a standard palette when a project calls for reflective accents.
Which Acrylic Paint Set Fits Your Projects?
Choose the 72-color set for maximum variety in small tubes, or the 36-color general set for a more compact learning palette with a color wheel. The 12-color, 75ml set is suited to a focused palette with larger quantities of core shades.
For crafts, the outdoor set adds seven brushes and 2oz bottles. For special finishes, choose between larger 75ml metallic tubes, more compact 18ml metallic colors, or the iridescent collection.
Let your intended surface, desired finish, and typical paint use determine the balance.