Oil painting is a classic art form that has been around for centuries. It is a versatile medium that allows artists to create a wide range of textures, colors, and effects. For beginners, oil painting can be an intimidating medium to work with due to its slow drying time and the need for solvents to clean brushes and thin paint. However, with the right set of oil paints, beginners can easily get started and create beautiful works of art.
When choosing the best oil paints for beginners, there are a few critical factors to consider. First, the quality of the paint is essential. High-quality oil paints will have a higher pigment concentration, which means that the colors will be more vibrant and intense. Lower quality paints may have fillers that dilute the pigment and result in duller colors.
Another factor to consider is the viscosity of the paint. Beginners may find it easier to work with paints that have a medium viscosity as they are easier to manipulate and mix. Additionally, the drying time of the paint can also be a factor, as some paints dry faster than others. Faster drying paints may be better suited for beginners who want to work quickly and do not want to wait for their paintings to dry.
After researching and testing several oil paints, we have identified the best oil paints for beginners. These paints offer high-quality pigments, a medium viscosity, and a reasonable drying time. With these paints, beginners can confidently start their oil painting journey and create stunning works of art.
Best Oil Paints for Beginners
We’ve compiled a list of the best oil paints for beginners that will help you get started on your painting journey. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to upgrade your materials, we’ve got you covered. Our team of experts has tested and reviewed a variety of oil paints to bring you the top picks. From affordable options to high-end brands, these paints offer a range of colors, textures, and finishes to suit your style. Read on to find the perfect oil paint for your next masterpiece.
1. Castle Art Supplies Oil Paint Set
If you’re looking for an affordable oil paint set for beginners, Castle Art Supplies Oil Paint Set is a great option.
Pros
- The set includes 24 vibrant colors that are easy to pick and use.
- The paints are highly pigmented and have a consistent texture, making them easy to work with.
- The set comes in an impressive presentation box with a unique fold-out tutorial to help beginners build their skills.
Cons
- The oil content is high, making the paint thinner than some artists may prefer.
- The set doesn’t include titanium white, which is a staple color for many artists.
- The tubes are small, so the set may not last long for artists who paint frequently.
We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of this oil paint set. The colors are vibrant and easy to work with, and the presentation box makes it a great gift option. The fold-out tutorial is a unique feature that we found helpful for beginners.
One downside to this set is that the oil content is high, which can make the paint thinner than some artists may prefer. Additionally, the set doesn’t include titanium white, which is a staple color for many artists. Finally, the tubes are small, so the set may not last long for artists who paint frequently.
Overall, we would recommend the Castle Art Supplies Oil Paint Set to any beginner artist looking for an affordable and high-quality set of oil paints.
2. Winsor & Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oil Color Paint, Beginners Set, 1.25-oz (37ml) Tubes, Set of 6 Beginners Set 6 x 1.25-oz
If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly oil paint set, Winsor & Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oil Color Paint is a great option.
Pros
- The colors are vibrant and smooth.
- The set is beginner-friendly and has 6 colors.
- It is water-mixable and does not require hazardous solvents.
Cons
- The tubes are small.
- It has a distinct odor.
- It is a bit expensive.
We tried out this set and were impressed with the quality of the colors. They’re vibrant and mix well together. The set is perfect for beginners as it comes with six colors, including Cadmium Yellow Pale Hue, Permanent Alizarin Crimson, French Ultramarine, Phthalo Green (Blue Shade), Yellow Ochre and Titanium White.
One of the biggest advantages of this set is that it is water-mixable, so you don’t need hazardous solvents. It’s also great for artists who share a workspace, schools or painting at home.
The only downside to this set is that the tubes are small, so it might not be enough for larger projects. Additionally, it has a distinct odor, which some people may find unpleasant. Finally, it is a bit expensive compared to other beginner sets.
Overall, we would recommend Winsor & Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oil Color Paint for beginners who are looking for a high-quality product that is easy to use and environmentally friendly.
3. Magicfly Professional Oil Paint Set
If you’re a beginner or an experienced artist looking for a high-quality oil paint set, we highly recommend the Magicfly Professional Oil Paint Set.
Pros
- The set comes with 40 rich and vibrant oil-based colors, including primary colors, metallic gold & silver, and two more white color tubes than other normal paint sets, satisfying your infinite imagination.
- The high-quality and long-lasting pigments ensure your painting stays fresh for a long time.
- The smooth and creamy texture of the oil paints provides excellent coverage and glides smoothly on canvas, making it easy to mix.
Cons
- The paint takes a long time to dry, up to 90 days for some colors.
- The box may arrive in bad condition.
- The set includes only a few multi-pigment colors.
We were impressed by the quality of the Magicfly Professional Oil Paint Set. The colors are rich and vibrant, and the thick consistency of the oil paints provides excellent coverage. We found that the oil paints glide smoothly on canvas, making it easy to mix and create unique colors.
The Magicfly Professional Oil Paint Set is perfect for artists, hobby painters, beginners, students, and teachers. The exquisite colored box package makes it an ideal Christmas gift choice for art enthusiasts.
The oil paint is perfect to use on canvas and other art media, bringing your creation to life in making wall art, abstracts, portrait paintings, and landscapes.
In summary, if you’re looking for a high-quality oil paint set with rich and vibrant colors, the Magicfly Professional Oil Paint Set is an excellent choice.
4. Ohuhu Oil Paint Set
If you’re looking for an affordable oil paint set for beginners, the Ohuhu Oil Paint Set is a great option.
Pros
- The set includes 24 vibrant oil-based colors, providing a good range of colors for painting scenery, abstract, landscape, and fine portrait paintings.
- It’s a great value set for beginners, and also makes a great gift for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and birthdays.
- The paint tubes are portable, making it easy to take your painting supplies with you wherever you go.
Cons
- Some users have reported that the white paint doesn’t have much pigment.
- The set may not include all the colors you need for more advanced paintings.
- The paint may take longer to dry than other oil paints.
We’ve used this set for several beginner oil painting projects and found it to be a great value for the price. The colors are vibrant and the paint glides smoothly onto canvases. The portable tubes make it easy to take your painting supplies with you on the go.
One thing to note is that the white paint may not have as much pigment as you’d like, so you may need to purchase a separate tube of white paint if you plan on using it frequently. Additionally, while the set includes a good range of colors, it may not include all the colors you need for more advanced paintings.
Overall, we recommend the Ohuhu Oil Paint Set for beginners who are looking for an affordable and portable set of oil paints.
5. Norberg & Linden XXL Oil Paint Set
We highly recommend the Norberg & Linden XXL Oil Paint Set for beginners due to its affordable price and complete set of painting supplies.
Pros
- The set includes everything you need to start painting, including a canvas, paint tubes, paint brushes, and a metal paint palette.
- The 24 vibrant colors provide a wide range of hues and tones to bring your artistic visions to life.
- The selection of 25 finely crafted professional paint brushes allows for complete mastery of technique and application.
Cons
- The tubes of paint are small, so the basic colors used will run out quickly.
- The quality of the brushes is average, and some may shed bristles.
- Some additional materials may be required for certain painting techniques.
The Norberg & Linden XXL Oil Paint Set is a great value for beginners who want to try out oil painting. The set comes with everything you need to start painting, including a canvas, paint tubes, paint brushes, and a metal paint palette. The 24 vibrant colors provide a wide range of hues and tones to bring your artistic visions to life. The selection of 25 finely crafted professional paint brushes allows for complete mastery of technique and application.
However, the tubes of paint are small, so the basic colors used will run out quickly. The quality of the brushes is average, and some may shed bristles. Additionally, some additional materials may be required for certain painting techniques.
Overall, the Norberg & Linden XXL Oil Paint Set is a great starter kit for beginners who want to try out oil painting without breaking the bank. With the set’s affordable price and complete set of painting supplies, you’ll be able to create beautiful oil paintings in no time.
6. MEEDEN Oil Painting Kit
If you are looking for a complete oil painting kit for beginners, the MEEDEN Oil Painting Kit is a great choice.
Pros
- The kit includes everything you need to start painting, including a sketch easel box, oil paints, brushes, canvases, and more.
- The oil paints are artist-grade and offer rich, vivid colors with stable and accurate transparency.
- The tabletop easel is handcrafted of solid European beechwood and can hold canvas from 12″ to 28-½” in height.
Cons
- Some users have reported missing items or damaged packaging upon delivery.
- The brushes and other accessories may not be of the highest quality.
- The kit may not be suitable for professional artists or those with more advanced skills.
We were impressed with the variety of items included in the MEEDEN Oil Painting Kit. The sketch easel box is a great feature, as it allows you to store and transport all of your painting supplies easily. The artist-grade oil paints offer rich, vivid colors with stable and accurate transparency, and the ten-brush set allows you to smoothly employ any technique in oil painting.
The tabletop easel is handcrafted of solid European beechwood, which is sturdy and durable for years of use. It can hold canvas from 12″ to 28-½” in height, which makes it suitable for a wide range of painting projects. The easel is also equipped with three internal cases to maximize the available storage space.
While some users have reported missing items or damaged packaging upon delivery, we did not experience any issues with our kit. However, the brushes and other accessories may not be of the highest quality, which may be a concern for more experienced artists. Additionally, the kit may not be suitable for professional artists or those with more advanced skills.
Overall, we would recommend the MEEDEN Oil Painting Kit for beginners who are looking for a complete set of oil painting supplies. It is a great value for the price and offers everything you need to get started with oil painting.
7. Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Color Paint, Starter Set, 10 x 37ml Tubes
If you’re a beginner or an amateur artist looking for oil paints that provide good coverage and tinting strength, Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Color Paint Starter Set is a great option.
Pros
- The set includes ten 1.25 oz. (37 ml) tubes, providing you with a range of colors to work with.
- The high level of pigmentation in the paints offers good coverage and tinting strength.
- The set is moderately priced, making it a great option for students or amateur artists.
Cons
- The set doesn’t include a sap green color, which is advertised on the product page.
- The paint has a matte finish, which may not be desirable for some artists.
- The set only includes ten colors, which may not be enough for some artists.
We recently tried out the Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Color Paint Starter Set and were impressed with the quality of the paints. The high level of pigmentation in the paints provides good coverage and tinting strength, making it easy to achieve the desired color on your canvas. The set includes ten 1.25 oz. (37 ml) tubes, which is a great range of colors to work with for beginners or amateur artists.
One downside of the set is that it doesn’t include a sap green color, which is advertised on the product page. Additionally, the paint has a matte finish, which may not be desirable for some artists. Finally, the set only includes ten colors, which may not be enough for some artists who require a wider range of colors.
Overall, if you’re a beginner or an amateur artist looking for a moderately priced set of oil paints that offer good coverage and tinting strength, Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Color Paint Starter Set is definitely worth considering.
8. Zenacolor Oil Paint Set 48 x 12mL (0.4Oz) Pack of 48 Tubes of Oil Paints for Canvas Painting
If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly oil paint set that provides bright and vivid colors, the Zenacolor Oil Paint Set is an excellent choice. With 48 unique paints, this set offers all the colors of the rainbow and is perfect for artists of all levels.
Pros
- The Zenacolor Oil Paints offer vivid and bright colors, giving intensity and depth to your paintings without neglecting lightfastness and durability!
- The paints are easy to work with, and dry quickly. These easy to use oils adapt perfectly to canvas but also drawing paper, sketch book, oil paint paper, wallpaper, glass and clay.
- Want to capture that special orange-red of a beautiful sunset? Or how about that deep blue that would give a modern touch to your wooden table? The different Zenacolor oil paints can be mixed very easily with a paintbrush to give you access to an infinite number of different colors. Let your imagination run wild!
Cons
- Great oil paints but rather small quantities for use with multiple paintings. You will likely want to get more white.
- These paints are not workable after an hour. They give the feel of oil paints but I would not recommend them if you’re trying to achieve higher quality paintings. Use these to practice color mixing and basic techniques.
- I have to say the colors are beautiful however I don’t believe this is oil paint that I ordered because oil paint from my experience does NOT wash off with water I typically wash my brushes with mineral spirits.
In our experience, the Zenacolor Oil Paint Set is a great option for beginners who want to experiment with oil painting. The paints are easy to use, and the set offers a wide variety of colors to choose from. However, if you’re looking to create higher quality paintings, you may want to invest in a more professional-grade set of oil paints. Overall, we recommend this set as a great starting point for those new to oil painting.
9. U.S. Art Supply Artists Oil Color Paint, Titanium White, 2 Extra-Large 100ml Tubes
If you’re looking for a high-quality oil paint, the U.S. Art Supply Artists Oil Color Paint is an excellent choice for beginners and professionals alike. It’s a premium professional grade high-intensity titanium white paint that is made with the finest-quality art pigments and has excellent covering power and tinting strength. It’s also non-toxic, oil-based, acid-free, and conforms to ASTM D4236 and EN71 standards, making it a safe and easy-to-use option for all ages.
Pros
- The U.S. Art Supply Artists Oil Color Paint is a high-quality lightfast and permanent oil paint that is excellent for use on canvas, wood, and most art media to create wall art, portrait paintings, abstracts, landscapes, and scenery.
- The highly pigmented oil paint has a smooth consistency and the long working time permits the artist to blend colors and glaze them over a long period of time.
- The twin pack of extra-large 100ml (3.38 fl. oz.) tubes of titanium white premium artists oil color paint provides a total of 6.76 fluid ounces of paint color.
Cons
- The U.S. Art Supply Artists Oil Color Paint is a bit expensive compared to other beginner oil paints.
- The paint dries slowly, which can be frustrating for those who want to finish their paintings quickly.
- The tubes can be difficult to open, and the paint can be hard to get out.
Overall, the U.S. Art Supply Artists Oil Color Paint is an excellent choice for beginners and professionals alike. It’s a high-quality oil paint that provides excellent coverage, tinting strength, and blending capabilities. If you’re looking for a safe, easy-to-use oil paint that will bring your artwork to life, the U.S. Art Supply Artists Oil Color Paint is definitely worth considering.
Buying Guide
When it comes to buying oil paints for beginners, there are a few things to consider. Here are some features to look for when selecting the best product:
1. Quality
The quality of the oil paint is an important factor to consider. High-quality oil paints contain more pigment and less filler, resulting in a more vibrant and long-lasting color. Look for oil paints with a high pigment load, which means that the paint contains a higher concentration of pigment. This will ensure that your paintings have more depth and richness.
2. Consistency
The consistency of the oil paint is another important feature to consider. Oil paints come in different consistencies, from thin to thick. Thicker oil paints are easier to control and can be used for impasto techniques, while thinner oil paints are better suited for glazing and other techniques that require a more fluid consistency.
3. Color Range
The color range of the oil paint is another factor to consider. Look for a brand that offers a wide range of colors, including primary colors, secondary colors, and earth tones. This will give you the flexibility to mix and match colors to create your desired hues.
4. Price
Price is also an important consideration when selecting oil paints. While high-quality oil paints can be expensive, there are many affordable options available for beginners. Look for student-grade oil paints, which are formulated to be more affordable while still providing good quality.
5. Packaging
Finally, consider the packaging of the oil paint. Look for tubes or jars that are easy to open and close, and that have a secure cap to prevent the paint from drying out. Some brands also offer sets of oil paints, which can be a good option for beginners who want to try out a range of colors.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are good oil paints for beginners?
When it comes to oil paints for beginners, we recommend starting with a basic set of colors that are easy to mix and work with. Look for paints that are labeled “student grade” or “beginner friendly” to ensure they are affordable and easy to use. Brands like Winsor & Newton, Gamblin, and Grumbacher are all great options for beginners.
2. What is the best oil paint for art?
The best oil paint for art will depend on your personal preferences and the type of artwork you are creating. Some artists prefer professional grade paints for their higher pigment concentration and superior quality, while others find student grade paints to be more than sufficient. Some popular professional grade brands include Old Holland, Michael Harding, and Williamsburg, while student grade options include Daler Rowney and Reeves.
3. Are oil paints beginner friendly?
Oil paints can be a bit intimidating for beginners, but they are actually quite beginner friendly. They have a slow drying time, which allows for more time to work and make adjustments. They are also forgiving and easy to blend, making them a great choice for those who are just starting out.
4. What kind of paint should a beginner start with?
For beginners, we recommend starting with oil paints or acrylic paints. Both are easy to work with and offer a wide range of colors and textures. Oil paints have a slower drying time, while acrylic paints dry quickly and are water-soluble.
5. What are the best oil paint brands for beginners?
Some of the best oil paint brands for beginners include Winsor & Newton, Gamblin, and Grumbacher. These brands offer a range of colors and are affordable, making them a great choice for those who are just starting out.
6. What are the best oil paint brushes for beginners?
When it comes to oil paint brushes for beginners, we recommend starting with a basic set of brushes that includes a variety of sizes and shapes. Look for brushes that are labeled for use with oil paints, as they will be made with stiffer bristles that can handle the thicker texture of oil paints. Brands like Princeton and Royal & Langnickel offer affordable and high-quality brush sets for beginners.
