15 Best Oil Painting Sets Every Artist Wish They Knew In 2023
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Finding the best oil paint set is challenging because many different oil paints, brushes, canvases, and other supplies that painters depend on. To help you get started or find the perfect gift for an aspiring artist, we have compiled a list of the most popular products on Amazon.
Our Top Picks
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Best Overall - U.S. Art Supply Professional Oil Paint• Premium quality pigments |
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Best Intermediate Oil Paints - MyArtscape Oil Paint • Glossy finish |
Best Artist-Grade Oil Paints - Bob Ross Landscape Oil Paints• Premium pigments |
1. U.S. Art Supply Professional Oil Paint - Best Overall
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What Customers Have to Say
Many artists find this paint perfect for anyone who wants to start painting with oils. They're thicker than most oil paints, but they dilute well with solvent and mediums so you can save on it.
Why We Think It's Great
Imagine creating your next masterpiece with U.S. Art Supply Professional Oil Paint. The oils in this set apply softly with excellent painterly quality, rich in color, easy to load on the brush, and easy to blend without ever seeming too dry. U.S. Art Supply Professional Oil Paints are also non-toxic and acid-free with archival quality.
It dilutes well with solvents and mediums, so it applies smoothly. Each tube has 18ml of oil paints in 36 colors, backed with excellent customer service and warranty. If you don't want the set for any reason, you can return it for a full refund.
Who Should Buy It
We recommend this oil paint set to artists who master a new painting medium. The bright colors are the perfect starting point for new artists.
2. MyArtscape Oil Paint - Best Intermediate Oil Paints
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What Customers Have to Say
When customers are happy, they don't just leave good reviews. They also leave proof of their amazing artwork. Many of them are repeat buyers, and even professional artists love the quality of MyArtscape oil paints. They even work well with Rob Ross's Alla Prima (wet-on-wet) technique.
Why We Think It's Great
MyArtscape Oil Paint is one of the best oil paints on the market. Each tube has an opacity and lightfast rating, so there's no second-guessing of their coverage. Most, though, are opaque with an excellent lightfastness. As a result, your paintings have good archival quality. This set uses artist-grade pigments, resulting in strong and rich colors that are creamy to apply and blend.
Although the palette includes colors with heavy metals like cadmium, chrome, and cobalt, these oil paints passed the ASTM D-4236 and EN71-3 certifications, so that you can use them without worry. Though small at 12 ml, each tube goes a long way if you know how to paint with oils and use the right linseed oil as the medium.
Who Should Buy It
These oil paints are suitable for both hobby and professional oil paintings because of their good pigmentation and lightfastness.
3. Bob Ross Landscape Oil Paints - Best Artist-Grade
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What Customers Have to Say
This set is worth the investment for professional artists attuned to using different techniques. Some artists wish these paints had a lower price point so art students could try them too.
Why We Think It's Great
The rich colors found in Bob Ross Landscape Oil Paints vividly capture nature's warm, lush beauty. These premium pigments are smooth and buttery to work with, resulting in an easy application that lets you bring your creative vision to life effortlessly.
Layers build up a richness and depth unparalleled by other brands on the market so you can get more job done with the 14-color paint set in 37ml tubes. Those who prefer a wet-on-wet technique using these paints are as simple as painting watercolors because they're lightfast and don't fade over time.
Who Should Buy It
Any professional and art student will be happy to have these oil paints in their art studio. This way, they can try the amazing Bob Ross technique.
4. ZenART Oil Paints for Artists
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What Customers Have to Say
These oil paints are the best. They are creamy, non-toxic, and even come with a bonus product, though it varies from customer to customer. They don't have foul odors, so some artists can paint with their windows closed without contending with intoxicating fumes.
Why We Think It's Great
ZenArt Oil Paints for Artists is one of the best non-toxic oil paints, with an ASTM D-4236 certification. The set doesn't have foul solvent fumes or harmful siccatives and uses no animal products so that vegans can use them.
They use single pigments, so the pigmentation is even and no off-colors even if you don't mix it well with the solvent and medium. Pigment loading is excellent, and you can apply it for several techniques - wet-on-wet, impasto, glazing, etc.
The set has 8 tubes containing 45ml and the biggest tubes in this list. The limited palette pushes you out of your comfort zone, and you learn the basics of paint mixing and other similar techniques.
Who Should Buy It
If you're a vegan or someone who wants to use single-pigment oil paints, the ZenART Oil Paint set is best for you.
5. Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Paint Set
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What Customers Have to Say
Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Paints are thick enough for wet-on-wet technique, apply smoothly, and are less expensive than even professional artists and art teachers love using this oil paint set.
Why We Think It's Great
Winton paints provide excellent coverage, easy application with uniform consistency that students love. These student-grade oil paints are very affordable. You get a good value for your money from the ten 37ml tubes included in the set.
The paint has amazing pigmentation with lightfast colors, so it stays vibrant even after years. Some artists may find oils intimidating, but with the right guide, you can perfect them.
Who Should Buy It
The Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Paint Set is excellent for amateur artists and art students.
6. Castle Art Supplies Oil Paints
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What Customers Have to Say
Many users were happy with the quality of these oil paints. The oils apply smoothly, blend well, and the thick consistency helped them conserve their paints, so they used them on more projects.
Why We Think It's Great
Castle Art Supplies are premium oil paints made with only the finest pigments, so they're smooth and easy to use. They blend well, and though some artists hate slow-drying oils, it also allows you to work with your project for longer.
This brand comes in airtight tubes that conserve your oil paints so they last longer. However, some air trapped during the recapping may cause the top layer of oils to harden, so adding cling wrap helps keep the consistency.
You can also use these oils for different techniques like glazing or impasto. The thick consistency makes impasto easy, but you can thin it with mediums to add the glaze. If you want to return them, the company will refund you the full price, but they will let you keep the product. It's a win-win for you!
Who Should Buy It
Castle Art Supplies oil paints are excellent for newbie artists, whether you're an adult or a teenager. They're non-toxic, so it's safe to use even for younger artists and cheap for practice projects.
7. Meeden Oil Painting Set with Easel
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What Customers Have to Say
According to some budding artists who either bought or received this set as a gift, this oil painting set is perfect for beginners. The pigments are of excellent quality, resulting in lovely paintings that satisfied users left as reviews.
Why We Think It's Great
The oil painting set included in the Meeden Oil Painting Set with Easel uses premium-quality pigments for good coverage and lightfast colors.
The set includes a desktop easel, 24-color oil paints in 18ml tubes, oil paint brushes in a zippered canvas case, a set of palette knives, a wooden palette, and canvases (1 stretched canvas and 3 canvas boards). If, for any reason, you are not happy with the kit, make use of the full refund policy to get your money back.
Who Should Buy It
This oil painting set is the best alternative for newbies because it has everything you need in the set (except for the medium and the solvent).
8. Ohuhu Oil Paint Set
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What Customers Have to Say
This set is perfect for those who love working with the wet-on-wet technique because they take a long time to dry. The brand has smaller tubes and stows easily into your artist bag. The consistency is even thick, and most artists who have tried it are happy with the result.
Why We Think It's Great
The oil paints use pure pigments to produce brilliant colors. The lightfast colors will not fade easily, so you can display your masterpieces to share with others without worrying about ruining the work.
It only requires a few drops of this highly concentrated set of premium oil pigments, which creates vibrant, luminous blends in most light conditions with a spectacular gloss finish. Seal the paint with a gloss finish before it dries for an added professional look. The set has 24 tubes containing 12ml oil paints conforming to ASTM d-4236 and EN71-3 certifications.
Who Should Buy It
These small tubes are best for artists who love Plein air paintings because they are very portable and fit well in your artist's bag. Look for one in our review for best gifts for artists.
9. Williamsburg Handmade Oil Paints
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What Customers Have to Say
The colors are brilliant, and the set has a large selection of paints. They're very thick, so even if the tubes are tiny at just 11ml, you can create many paintings because it covers well.
Why We Think It's Great
Williamsburg Handmade Oil Paints are handmade oil paints that come in rich hues. They have excellent lightfastness, pigment load, and buttery soft viscosity. Because they're handmade, the texture may vary from color to color because Williamsburg makes the oil paints according to the standards of the pigments used.
This method ensures that you get the best pigment load from your oil paints. The landscape set includes eight 11ml tubes and a 37ml tube of Titanium white for making tints. However, Titanium whites are among the slow-growing paints, so balance them with a faster-drying color.
The brand has several paint sets, including the landscape set reviewed here, traditional colors, native Italian, and the larger basic set. While these oil paints come in sets, you can also buy them individually to replenish used-up tubes or add to your color palette. They're a lot more expensive, but you also get good value for your money.
Who Should Buy It
Because of its price point, we recommend this oil paint set to professional artists and art students who want to move from cheap student-grade paints to something more serious.
10. Art Accelerators Oil Paint Set
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What Customers Have to Say
The oil paints are great, though the free detail brush is not as great. However, with its affordable price point, the artists ignored the brush and went on ahead to buy this set. Some moms even had their kids work with these oil paints, and no one got complaints regarding respiratory issues and allergies.
Why We Think It's Great
The Art Accelerators Oil Paint set is perfect for novice and advanced painters. Their oil paints are rich in pigment and slow drying. They stay true to color even when dry and blend easily. It is also slightly thick, so you can apply it using different working techniques with this medium.
It also has a nice sheen, even before applying the varnish. Damar varnish is a good choice for sealing your oil paintings, either for a short time or for final sealing.
The set has an extensive palette, perfect for newbies unfamiliar with color mixing. With 32 colors in the set, you get enough choices to adjust the tonal value of your paintings. Though the oil paint tubes are small at 12ml, you can still get enough colors to create a mean artwork.
Who Should Buy It
This oil paint set is an excellent choice for budding artists and everyone looking for an affordable yet quality oil paint set to master their painting journey.
11. Gamblin 1980 Oil Paint Set
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What Customers Have to Say
Though Gamblin recommends using these oil paints with the gel medium that comes free with the set, you can still use odorless Gamsol to thin out the thick oil paints. The limited palette also helps you improve your color mixing skills, so artists welcome this color selection. It doesn't have an emerald green that you can use for leaves or a less intense blue. However, Gamblin 1980 Oil Paints are a great oil paint set.
Why We Think It's Great
Gamblin 1980 Oil Paint Set uses premium quality pigments, resulting in vibrant colors. This brand is thicker than traditional oil paints since it does not contain solvents. No solvents mean no harmful fumes, though you must contend harder consistency.
Instead, it contains a combination of safflower oil, a slow-drying oil, and alkyd resin to balance the drying qualities of these two mediums. If you want to produce high-quality artwork that you can sell at a reasonable price, this is the perfect product.
The set has eight 37ml tubes of oil paint in Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red Light, Cadmium Yellow Light, Yellow Ochre, Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo Green, Titanium White, and Ivory Black. The set also comes with a free tube of Gamblin solvent-free gel medium to use with these oil paints. You can buy this solvent-free gel medium in individual tubes if it runs out on you.
Who Should Buy It
If you're allergic to any component of oil paints, you won't enjoy using it. However, a solvent-free oil paint like Gamblin 1980 solves that issue by using slow-drying oils and alkyd resin as a medium.
12. Van Gogh Oil Color Paint
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What Customers Have to Say
Most of those who have tried this oil paint set think they are perfect for the job with their lovely, vivid colors and soft buttery consistency.
Why We Think It's Great
Van Gogh oil paints are the best choice for artists of all levels. The colors are vibrant, with a smooth consistency that makes them easy to work with. They're lightfast, so your paintings will look great for years. You can create beautiful works of art without worrying about the paint fading or losing its luster over time.
The set includes ten 20-ml tubes of basic colors - Azo yellow light, Azo yellow deep, quinacridone rose, Ultramarine, cerulean blue, Permanent green deep, Titanium white, Ivory black, and Burnt Umber. The box is also sturdy, so you can keep these tubes separate from other brands you use. The low price point is a bonus that artistsl get from this set.
Who Should Buy It
This set is perfect for professional and advanced artists looking for oil paints at a reasonable price.
13. Marie's Water Soluble Oil Paint Set
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What Customers Have to Say
Who knew painting could be so easy with the Marie's Water Soluble Oil Paint Set? It's a good starter set for beginners. Though they don't have harsh solvent fumes, continue working in a well-ventilated location.
Why We Think It's Great
Marie's water-soluble oil paints are lightfast and permanent when dry. Because they contain less oil and are applied solvent-free, they dry much faster than traditional oil paints. They apply like acrylics but finish like oils, though less glossy. They don't have an off-smell from the solvents, but you also get the authentic oil paint to feel the linseed oil smell.
The tubes are small at just 12ml each, but understandable with the value you get from this 18-tube oil paint set. They are also easy to wash off from your brushes - soap and water are enough.
Who Should Buy It
Artists who want to transition from watercolors to oils should try these solvent-free oil colors. Also works best for artists who can't tolerate working with mediums and solvents.
14. Grumbacher Academy Oil Color Set
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What Customers Have to Say
Many are repeat buyers of this oil paint set because they love the colors, the high-quality pigments, and the opacity of the paints. Some have even used these colors for years.
Why We Think It's Great
The Grumbacher Academy Oil Color Set is a pre-tested professional oil paint that art teachers recommend to students trying better oil paints. The set includes only 10 colors; Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Ivory Black, Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, Titanium White, Thio Violet, Thalo Green, and Thalo Blue. They also come in larger 24ml tubes.
It also allows you to work on your color mixing. Each tube has a lightfastness and opacity rating and is labeled with its professional color name and numbers, including the pigments used for each color.
Another good thing about Grumbacher is being sold in singles to buy whatever you need instead of spending money on oil paints they can't use. Titanium white, also packed in larger tubes, are among the most popular single tubes artists buy.
Who Should Buy It
These pre-tested professional oil paints are your best choice if you want to transition from student-grade oil paints without leaving a huge dent in your budget.
15. Mont Marte Water-Mixable Oil Paints
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What Customers Have to Say
Some artists were skeptical about water-soluble oil paints at first. However, many became converts after trying these oil paints. Mixing them with other water-based paints like acrylics and gouache is a good bonus feature of these oil paint sets.
Why We Think It's Great
Mont Marte Water-Mixable Oil Paints are a new oil paint that you can use needing turpentine or mineral spirits. The water-mixable formula means you can dilute it with water or mix it with acrylics or gouache. However, you can still use solvents, mineral spirits, and refined linseed oil to dilute it.
It is a great option for young artists who want to paint with oil paints without the hassle of using solvents and mineral spirits. These paints are non-flammable and easy to store since they don't require special storage conditions like traditional oils do. Since these paints are water-soluble, you can easily clean them with water.
These paints dilute well with water so you can create unique effects using them on their own or mixed with other mediums. However, the less oil content can be pasty and hard to squeeze out of the tube, so you need to rehydrate it with water or mediums. The 36-tube set comes in a sturdy carton case; each tube has 18ml water-soluble oil paints.
Who Should Buy It
If you love working with watercolors but love the opacity of oil paints, this set is perfect for you.
Tips for Beginners in Using Oil Paints
Start with smaller, simpler projects.
Oil painting is a great way to connect with your creative side. You can start by experimenting with simpler, smaller projects tailored towards beginners. These projects will allow you to explore different skills and techniques before tackling more complex projects.
A single subject on a mini-canvas is the perfect starter project. You can move on to bigger, more complex subjects as you progress with your skills. Starting with a bigger project is overwhelming, not to mention a waste of expensive oil paints and other supplies.
Underpaint with contrasting tones.
Underpainting is a technique you can use to create depth in your painting. Use cool colors for underpainting like browns, blues, and greens if your painting has warm colors. Consequently, use warm colors (red, yellow, orange, hot pink) for underpainting to lend your painting a more exciting look.
Reuse your mineral spirits and turpentine.
Mineral spirits and turpentines are reusable when working with oil paints. These volatile substances are water to watercolors for diluting or mixing colors and cleaning your paintbrushes.
Have at least two airtight glass jars to fill with your used turpentine. A wire mesh effectively separates the gunk from the oils in your cleaning turpentine, while your rinsing container won't have any need for a wire mesh.
Protect your oil paints.
Cling wrap is an oil painter's best friend. Have a small piece of cling wrap to cover the opening of the oil paint before covering it with the cap. If you have excess paint on your palette, you can also cover your palette with cling wrap to prevent the extra oil paints from drying out.
Use the right medium and solvents.
You should know when to use your medium and your solvents when working with oil paintings. Solvents dilute the oil paints, so they are best for adding underpainting or thin washes to your oil paintings. Be sure to wipe off the extra turpentine or mineral spirit from the brush before touching it to your oil painting, unless you want to activate the slightly cured oils.
Mediums like linseed oil improve paint flow, consistency, and transparency and increase the gloss of the oil paints, especially if you're using cheaper alternatives. Linseed oils also come in different forms. Understand how to use linseed for your oil paintings, as each form has its pros and cons when it comes to painting.
Condition your brushes.
Don't take your brushes for granted, especially since they are more expensive than regular paintbrushes. Clean your brushes after each use and condition them with baby oil or linseed oil before rinsing them with turpentine.
Take perspective.
Step away from your oil painting once you have all the colors in it. Take a high-definition photo of your painting at different angles, so you can see how it looks from different directions. These steps help get a good perspective on your oil painting, and you can also show the photos to your artist friends for critiquing.
Remember that no painting is perfect. Sometimes, even a good painting gets ruined if you try to stick to perfection. These mistakes usually give your oil paintings the unique quality to make them stand out.
Best Oil Painting Set Buying Guide
Texture
Oil paints come in many different shades and textures. Some have a creamy, buttery feel when applied on the canvas, while others have a slightly grainy texture. Artist-grade brands are softer to use because of their components.
Consistency
Some paints are harder than others because they contain fewer oils. They are also harder to apply, so you need to add a medium to make them softer.
Drying time
The drying time of the oil paints is dependent on the medium used in the composition of the oil paints. Some oil paints use linseed oil, alkyd medium, while others are solvent-free. Solvent-free oil paints and those that use alkyd medium-dry faster than those formulated with linseed oils.
However, every artist has their personal preference for drying time. While it is tempting to use fast-drying oil paints, we don't recommend these alternatives for beginners.
Slow-drying oil paints, usually made with poppy oils, give you more time to work on your paintings and are best used in alla prima (wet-on-wet technique) because of this characteristic.
Lightfastness
Natural pigments tend to be lightfast than synthetic pigments, so cheaper oil paint brands are less permanent than more expensive ones.
Safety
Oil paints are notorious for their high metallic content that are toxic when ingested. Among the most common toxic pigments still in use, today are cadmium, cobalt, and arsenic. Lead is still present in trace amounts in some oil paints.
It is, therefore, imperative to read labels. However, unscrupulous manufacturers may put safety certification on the labels to mislead the users. Aside from reading levels, check also the validity of the claims on not-so-familiar brands.
Price
There are two types of oil paints: artist-grade and student-grade. While quality is an important factor to consider, price is the most glaring factor that artists consider. Artist-grade oil paints are more expensive in that they use better pigments and oil mediums, while the opposite usually happens in student-grade oil paints.
The pigment load is better than artist-grade oil paints, so the colors are more vivid and vibrant. Cheaper oil paints use synthetic pigments, which results in a duller, more matte finish of the oil paintings.
Oil Painting Set FAQ
1. Which is better: oil or acrylic?
Both mediums have their strengths and weaknesses, and it's a matter of choosing what works best for you to decide which is better for you. Acrylics are water-based paints that you can easily apply, though some brands may have some off odors.
They are much cheaper than oil paints. However, you have to wait for them to fully dry before seeing the actual colors of the paint you used. Acrylics dry faster, and you can use them on watercolor paper, cardstock, canvas, and even boards and glass.
On the other hand, oil paints use oil, usually linseed, or a combination of oil and alkyd medium, to buttery soft. Most artists complain about the strong odors of oil paints, mediums, and solvents. Their colors, however, are set even when they are still wet.
Oil paints have a slow-drying time, one feature that many professional artists love. Begin experimenting with the amount of drying mediums to cut the drying time without sacrificing the quality of your work.
2. What brushes do you use for oil painting?
Oil paintbrushes are stiffer than watercolor brushes because of the thick paint they had to move around the canvas. The best brushes are those made from hog bristles because the bristles have larger and stronger strands.
Of the three mediums artists use - watercolors, acrylics, and oil - watercolor brushes are the softest and most delicate, while oil brushes are the thickest and densest.
Acrylic brushes are intermediate, and therefore, you may use them on watercolors and oils. However, be sure to remember not to cross your brushes between mediums. Acrylics and oils are harsher than watercolor and it ruins the brush and your painting.
3. Are synthetic brushes good for oil painting?
Many synthetic brushes work well with oils, though make sure they are for oil paints. A quality synthetic brush keeps its shape for a long time. Fraying is not a significant issue with synthetic brushes. They are also cheaper than natural brushes and easier to clean and condition. The downside of synthetic brushes is too soft to create details or lines on your painting.
4. What is wet on wet technique?
Pioneered by Frans Hals, a Flemish artist from the late 1500s to the middle of the 1600s, the wet-on-wet (alla prima) technique. In this technique, you apply new layers of paint on the still-wet layer so you can complete your oil paintings faster. However, a steady hand and imagination are what you need to perfect this technique.
Conclusion
Have you thought about what oil paints for you to start painting? If you haven't chosen yet, here are our top picks: To get intense colors on your oil paintings, you need a set that uses premium-quality pigments, such as the pigments used for U.S. Art Supply Professional Oil Paints, our choice for student-grade oil paints.
If you're an advanced art student but not ready to go for professional-grade oils, MyArtscape Oil Paint is the perfect choice for an intermediate artist. It leaves a glossy finish on your painting, has lightfast colors in individually-rated tubes.
Try your master's artist-grade oil paints for Bob Ross fanatics. Bob Ross Landscape Oil Paints uses premium pigments with a smooth, buttery consistency and works on various oil painting techniques. If you need more help, check out these online painting classes to guide you as you start your painting journey.