Finding the right oil paints as a beginner can set the trajectory of your practice. The following five sets offer a mix of student-friendly pigments, blendability, and value, helping new artists build confidence with color, texture, and technique. Each option includes a range of colors, reliable pigmentation, and equipment that supports learning workflows from underpainting to glazing.
style=”display:none;”>Summary Table
| Product | Brand | Tube Size | Color Count | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winton Oil Color Set | Winsor & Newton | 12 ml | 20 | Stiff consistency; strong pigment load |
| Castle Art Supplies 24 X 12ML | Castle Art Supplies | 12 ml | 24 | New formula; vegan-friendly; smooth blending |
| Ohuhu 24-Color Set | Ohuhu | 12 ml | 24 | Vibrant range; value-focused; travel-friendly |
| Magicfly 40 Colors | Magicfly | 18 ml | 40 | Rich pigments; non-toxic; includes metallics |
| Mont Marte H2O 8 Piece | Mont Marte | 18 ml | 8 | Water-mixable; easy cleanup |
Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Color Paint Set
The Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Color Set includes 20 essential starter colors in 12 ml tubes. This range is known for its good pigment load and uniform consistency, offering a slightly stiffer paint that holds brush and palette knife strokes well. It blends smoothly with medium and solvent additives from the same family, making it a solid foundational set for beginners who want reliable coverage and predictable results on large surfaces.
Castle Art Supplies 24 X 12ML Oil Paint Set
This 24-color set delivers a broad spectrum with earth tones, bright primaries, and blues/greens designed for versatile landscapes and portraits. The new formula emphasizes richer pigments, smoother blending, and a velvety texture. The vegan-friendly composition and strong lightfastness help ensure your early works have longevity, while the included presentation box makes it a thoughtful gift or starter kit for classrooms and studios.
Ohuhu Oil Paint Set — 24 Colors
Ohuhu’s 24-color set provides a broad range of vibrant oils, including primary hues and a variety of earth tones. The kit emphasizes value for beginners and features a non-toxic formulation with a thick, creamy texture that’s easy to blend. The included color selection supports landscape, portrait, and still-life experiments, and its portable packaging makes it convenient for practice sessions away from the studio.
Magicfly Oil Paint — 40 Colors
Magicfly’s 40-color set includes a wide range of tones, including metallics, to expand creative options. The pigments are designed for strong color payoff with a thick, creamy consistency that accommodates smooth blending and layering. The set is noted for long-lasting pigments and ASTM D-4236 compliance, providing a reliable introduction to oil painting for beginners and hobbyists alike.
Mont Marte Premium H2O Water Mixable Oil Paint Set
The Mont Marte H2O set brings water-mixable oil paints to beginners, allowing cleanup with water instead of traditional solvents. This eight-tube collection emphasizes ease of use and accessibility for learners who want to experiment with typical oil techniques—like glazing and scumbling—without the heavier solvent usage. It’s a practical entry point for small-scale studies and studio practice alike.
Buying Guide: Key Purchase Considerations For Beginners
Choosing the right oil paints as a beginner involves balancing pigment quality, ease of use, and long-term value. Consider the following perspectives to inform your decision:
- Texture and handling: A slightly stiffer paint, such as Winton, can hold brushwork and knife strokes better, making it easier to learn brush control. If you prefer a creamier feel, look for sets described as velvety or buttery, like some Castle Art or Magicfly options.
- Pigment load and color range: A higher pigment load yields richer colors and better coverage on larger surfaces. Starter sets with wide color selections (24–40 tubes) provide more blending options and color mixing opportunities.
- Lightfastness and permanence: For works intended to last, choose sets that advertise lightfast pigments and durable blends. This reduces color shift over time and ensures your early pieces remain vibrant.
- Clean-up and mediums: Water-mixable oils simplify cleanup and solvent use, appealing to beginners who want a gentler learning curve. Traditional oil colors require solvents, but many beginners grow with either path depending on studio setup.
- Health and safety: Look for non-toxic labels and ASTM standards where noted. This is particularly important for students and younger artists who may paint for extended periods.
- Supplementary materials: Some sets include tutorials, canvases, or brushes. These extras can accelerate learning by providing ready-to-use materials and guided practice.
- Budget and future growth: Starter sets vary in price and contents. If you anticipate expanding your toolkit, choose a set with versatile primary colors, a broad range of earth tones, and some color alternatives that you will use often.
In practice, you may begin with a 20–24 color set like Winton or Ohuhu to learn color mixing and layering, then expand to larger palettes like Magicfly for advanced techniques. For those who prefer solvent-free practice, Mont Marte’s H2O range offers a gentle transition with familiar oil behavior.