The 5 Best Watercolor Paint for Beginners in 2024 – Artchive (2024)

Starting with watercolor painting is exciting. The right tools can make all the difference in this adventure. Watercolors are friendly for beginners because you can play and experiment with them easily. But, choosing your first set of paints can be tricky with so many options out there. This guide is here to help you. We’ll look at what makes a good set of watercolors and show you some of the best ones to get started.

Watercolor paints are one of the most beginner friendly mediums, but that doesn’t make finding the right starting set any easier. From the different characteristics and features we need to keep in mind before buying a set to the many brands that flow the market every year, finding the right set sometimes ends in catastrophe.

In this guide we’ll make it easy for you, we’re going to learn all you need to know about watercolors, it’s characteristics, types and features, plus we’ll present you with a list of the best painting sets and brands for you to start painting right away. Let’s get started!

What Are Watercolor Paints?

Watercolor paints are an art medium that consists of finely ground particles of pigment suspended in a water-soluble binder that is easily activated, allowing artists to achieve different levels of transparency and depth through the interaction of the pigment, water and paper.

When you add water to watercolor paints, they become liquid, and can be diluted and spread on paper easily, allowing you to make pictures that look see-through or to play with light depending on how much water you use.

Watercolor paints in contrast with gouache, acrylics and oil paints is one of the less-messy, and one of the most beginner-friendly mediums to start making art. It is also one of the less toxic as watercolor paints don’t emit fumes or need to be used in ventilated areas.

Types of Watercolor Paints

Watercolor paints can be categorized by quality in professional grade and student grade and presentation in tubes, pans and liquid watercolors:

Tubes

Watercolor that comes in tubes is “fresh”, which means it is in a pasty, creamy form. It can be used straight out of the tube or diluted to your preference. Watercolor in this presentation is great for preparing large amounts of paint without losing pigment strength or uniformity, it also allows you to make your own mixes and pans, however is not as easy to use and carry around as pans and half pans.

Pans and Half Pans

Pans and Half Pans are small solid blocks of dried-up watercolor paint, they can come as full pans or half pans and depending on your preference and palette space you might want to opt for one or the other. This presentation is much more portable, easier to use and beginner friendly. It reactivates easily with water and it can be rearranged to your preference, it is also the most popular one due to its portability and convenience.

Liquid Watercolors

Liquid watercolors is heavily pigmented watercolor paint that comes in a more fluid, ink-like state that is ready to use and doesn’t need to be diluted with water. Because of their fluid nature, liquid watercolors can be applied using a variety of tools, not just brushes. Artists can use droppers, pens, or even airbrushes for different effects. They’re great for covering large areas quickly or for achieving smooth gradients.

Student Grade vs. Professional Grade Watercolor Paints

Student grade watercolor paints is made with the budget-conscious student in mind, who is learning about watercolors and using a lot of paint for color studies, sketches and quick paintings that will most likely not be exhibited in galleries or sold in auctions. This paint is great, but it doesn’t offer the same pigment quality, lightfastness or color accuracy as professional grade paint, all the same, it doesn’t cost nearly as much as professional grade watercolor paint which makes it an excellent starting point for many beginners and students.

Professional grade watercolor paint is made to pass all the tests, from pigment quality, lightfastness, permanence, etc, this paint has it all. Perfect for those looking to sell or exhibit their work.

Although professional paint is nice and all, we recommend you to invest in the paper first, since any paint will do great in good paper but even the best paint will do poorly on bad paper.

How to Choose The Best Watercolor Paints

Quality and Pigmentation

The quality and pigmentation of a pint will determine how vivid the final artwork appears. Watercolor loses vividness as it dries, so even if the paint looks highly pigmented wet, the dry result might be a whole other story. Additionally, the quality of the paint also affects how the paint mixes with other colors, superior pigments blend smoothly and in most cases, predictably, allowing artists to create various tones and colors without risking muddy or dirty results. The consistency and flow of the paint are also influenced by its formulation. Better quality paints offer a balance between fluidity and control, allowing artists to execute a range of techniques, from detailed line work to broad washes, with confidence and precision.

Lightfastness

Lightfastness refers to how well the paint can withstand the light over time. Some pigments are naturally more resistant to light than others, however some can fade pretty quickly, sometimes changing color, sometimes vanishing completely. Try to go for sets that have high lightfastness ratings or that at least clearly state their lightfastness ratings on their packaging. For professional artists and those who want their artwork to last a long time, picking paints that don’t fade easily in light is super important. When artists make art for galleries, special orders, or their own collection that they hope will be around for many years, they choose paints that stay bright and true over time. This helps make sure their artwork looks just as good in the future as it does when they first create it, protecting it from getting dull or changing colors because of light.

Presentation

The type of presentation you choose when buying your first watercolor set will have a deep impact in your work, especially as a beginner, if you start with pans and half pans you’ll grow used to them, and to the ease of use they represent, you’ll also get used to work with less amounts of paint, paint with less color intensity and grow used to reactivate your paints constantly.

If you paint with paint tubes, you’ll grow used to the high pigmentation and color intensity and the switch to pans will be tough.

Price

There are different prices when it comes to watercolor paints, from individual tubes to full sets, if you’re a beginner we recommend you to get a set instead to tubes since the different brands and pigments might make it overwhelming, however don’t go for “high-value” sets that offer more than 24 colors unless learning color mixing isn’t in your plans. We recommend going for two sets, one of tubes and one of pans, the tubes one should be a small, comprehensible mixing set so that you learn how to mix from 5 or 6 tubes, the pans one should have 12 to 24 colors so that you can start painting right away, but still learn and don’t get overwhelmed by the colors.

Best Watercolor Paint for Beginners in 2024

1. Best Watercolor Paint for Beginners Overall — Winsor & Newton Cotman
2. Best Premium Watercolor Paint Set for Beginners — Daniel Smith Essentials
3. Best Watercolor Paint Set for Beginners and Students — Schmincke Akademie Watercolor Compact Box
4. Best Watercolor Paint Set for Beginners on a Budget — MeiLiang Watercolor Paint Set
5. Best Travel Watercolor Paint Set for Beginners — Winsor and Newton Cotman Field Pocket

#1. Best Watercolor Paint for Beginners Overall — Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint Set

Selection Criteria

• Grade: Student Grade.
  • Our Score – 7/10
• Quality: High Quality.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Lightfastness: Good Lightfastness.
  • Our Score – 7/10
• Presentation: Set of 24 Half pans in a plastic box with a brush.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Price: $32.91
  • Our Score – 9/10

About Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint Set

Winsor & Newton Cotman is the perfect starting set for beginners, is affordable, easy to use and offers amazing quality and value. This set comes with 24 carefully selected colors that will benefit beginners that want to paint but also learn color mixing and color theory, and comes in a sturdy case that includes two removable palettes and a brush. The pans are also removable and interchangeable so you’ll be able to accommodate your palette to your liking. The set is portable enough to take it in your bag and the empty space is perfect for a sponge or cloth for those who enjoy outdoor painting.

Pros

• Affordable quality
• Good pigment strength
• Wide color range

Cons

• Some fading colors
• Limited granulation
• Synthetic binder

2. Best Premium Watercolor Paint Set for Beginners — Daniel Smith Essentials

Selection Criteria

• Grade: Professional Grade.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Quality: High Quality.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Lightfastness: High Lightfastness.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Presentation: Set of 6 Tubes(5 ml) in a plastic box with a Titanium white(30 ml).
  • Our Score – 7/10
• Price: $37.59
  • Our Score – 7/10

About Daniel Smith Essentials

Daniel Smith offers a good alternative for beginners who want to learn more about color mixing with this set of 6 colors and their mixing guide (mixing ratios and color chart included) plus they have also included a titanium white watercolor ground that will let you transform pretty much anything into a paintable watercolor surface.

This set is quite expensive for the quantity and variety it offers, but the quality is unmatched and is a great way for beginners to experiment with color mixing and professional grade watercolor paint.

Pros

• High pigment load
• Excellent granulation
• Vibrant colors

Cons

• Pricier option
• Small set size
• Overwhelming for beginners

3. Best Watercolor Paint Set for Beginners and Students — Schmincke Akademie Watercolor Compact Box

Selection Criteria

• Grade: Artist Grade.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Quality: Very High Quality.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Lightfastness: High Lightfastness.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Presentation: Set of 12 Half pans in a Metal box.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Price: $56.99
  • Our Score – 7/10

About Schmincke Akademie Watercolor

Schminke is one of the best professional watercolor brands in the world, and this set is made with students in mind. The Akademie watercolors are known for their high pigment concentration, ensuring vivid colors that can be easily blended and layered. The compact design of the box makes it ideal for students and beginners who might paint in various locations, such as classrooms, outdoors, or at home. It’s easy to carry, doesn’t take up much space, and the sturdy case protects the paints when not in use. Although it is on the pricier side, this set is much more affordable yet still very high quality paint so completely worth it for serious beginners and students who want to start with the right footing.

Pros

• German quality
• Mixes cleanly
• Portable design

Cons

• Higher cost
• Limited palette
• Less pigment saturation

4. Best Watercolor Paint Set for Beginners on a Budget — MeiLiang Watercolor Paint Set

Selection Criteria

• Grade: Student Grade.
  • Our Score – 7/10
• Quality: Normal Quality.
  • Our Score – 7/10
• Lightfastness: Normal Lightfastness.
  • Our Score – 7/10
• Presentation: Set of 12 Half pans in a Metal box with 1 Watercolor Brush.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Price: $20.99
  • Our Score – 9/10

About Mei Liang Watercolor Paint Set

If what you’re looking for is a budget set that offers good quality for a very low price then Mei Liang is for you. Mei Liang is the student-grade paint version of Paul Rubens, which is one of the best and most affordable artist-quality paints in the market, offering good value. This set has 36 colors, is easily re-wettable, and conveniently packaged, and is especially suitable for beginners and hobbyists. Despite their affordability, the sets come with a few minor drawbacks such as non-replaceable pans and some translation issues on the color chart. However, the overall value, including the aesthetic appeal of the tin cases and the functionality of included accessories like mixing palettes, makes MeiLiang perfect for beginners, hobbyists, and artists on a budget.

Pros

• Budget-friendly
• Portable case
• Bright, vivid colors

Cons

• Less durable
• Fades over time
• Lower pigment quality

5. Best Travel Watercolor Paint Set for Beginners — Winsor and Newton Cotman Field Pocket Set

Selection Criteria

• Grade: Student Grade.
  • Our Score – 7/10
• Quality: High Quality.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Lightfastness: Good Lightfastness.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Presentation: Set of 12 Half pans in a Plastic box with 1 Brush, 1 Bottle, 1 Mixing Palette.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Price: $31.00
  • Our Score – 8/10

About Winsor & Newton Cotman Field Pocket Set

And we have Winsor & Newton Cotman again. This painting set is perfect for carrying around, traveling and painting pretty much anywhere. It has a built-in water bottle with two containers (one for clean water and one for dirty water) that clip on the sides of the painting set, two palette drawers that slide out for more mixing space, and a brush along with the twelve colors included in the set. This set is not only very useful but it’s also sturdy and the quality is the same as the rest of the Cotman line, making it a great choice for urban sketching, traveling and Plein air painting.

Pros

• Compact size
• Easy to carry
• Mixing palette included

Cons

• Smaller paint pans
• Limited color selection
• Basic quality paper