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Which is the best acrylic paint? It depends on what you want to create – here we share our most popular acrylic paints for different needs and experience levels. Scroll down to find the acrylic paint that suits you best.
Best acrylic paints for beginners
As a beginner, it’s important to choose paints that are easy to work with, offer good coverage, and come in a wide range of shades to make getting started easier. Many beginners also look for a budget-friendly option. Here are our top recommendations:
Best acrylic paints for the experienced
The more experienced you become, the more you’ll expect from your paints. With primary colours and a good understanding of colour mixing, you can go far – provided the paints meet a professional standard, with high pigmentation, strong lightfastness, and the right consistency. Our top picks for those ready to level up:
Best acrylic paints for children and young creatives
When children and young creatives are painting, it’s important that the paints are safe, easy to handle and fun to use. Both the paint itself and the design of the tube make a big difference – the paints should be non-toxic, easy to squeeze out, and washable from hands and clothes. Here are our top suggestions:
Amsterdam Acrylic Paint
A wide colour range with 90 vibrant shades
Amsterdam acrylic paint is known for its high-quality pigments and excellent lightfastness – the colours won’t fade over time. It offers a broad palette with around 90 vibrant shades to choose from. The paints also come in smart packaging sizes, ideal both for frequent users (500 ml) and for those who want to experiment with different colours (20 ml).
Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic Paint
A great acrylic paint at a great price
This is an affordable acrylic paint from Winsor & Newton. The Galeria range offers great quality at a great price, making it popular among students and beginners. It has a smooth consistency that holds both brushstrokes and texture well. The rich pigmentation allows for vibrant colour mixing and dries to a smooth, satin-matte finish. Don’t miss the acrylic brushes in the same range – perfectly suited to the paint.
Pen Store Arts Acrylic Paint
An easy-to-use formula for all levels
Pen Store Arts acrylic paints are an excellent choice for both professionals and beginners looking for high-quality products at an attractive price. With a vegan formula based on acrylic resin and modern, vibrant pigments, the paints offer a high level of brilliance. They are water-resistant and dry quickly. With 25 different shades to choose from, you’ll have plenty of creative freedom in your work.
Lukas Cryl Terzia Acrylic Paint
Affordable paint for large-scale projects
Lukas acrylic paint is a budget-friendly option, ideal for large projects where a generous amount of paint is needed. Thanks to the practical nozzle cap, it’s easy to apply the paint directly onto a palette – or even straight onto your surface. While the colour range may seem limited at first glance, all shades can be mixed together, allowing you to create your own unique tones.
Sennelier Abstract Acrylic Paint
Packaging that minimises paint waste
The acrylic paint with the slightly unconventional packaging – but what a looker! Sennelier Abstract Acrylic Paint is a high-quality paint, particularly appreciated by artists for its versatility and convenient packaging. These paints come in flexible, durable pouches that are not only easy to transport but also help minimise waste and make it easy to use every last drop.
Amsterdam Acrylic Ink
Exceptionally versatile acrylic
Amsterdam Acrylic Ink is an exceptionally versatile product, made with top-quality pigments. It combines the benefits of both ink and acrylic paint to create a perfect fusion. Ideal for achieving full coverage, it can be applied with a brush, dip pen or airbrush. Perfect for calligraphy, illustrations, acrylic pouring and many other creative techniques.
Raphaël Campus Acrylic Paint
A great acrylic paint for beginners
Raphaël Campus acrylic paints from French brand Sennelier are designed to offer students and beginners high quality at a lower price point. Campus Acrylic Paint is easy to work with and provides a solid starting point for those new to acrylic painting. It offers excellent coverage and a buttery consistency – not too runny and not too thick.
A good acrylic paint should be rich in pigment and offer excellent blendability to allow for a wide spectrum of shades. Compared to oil paint, acrylic dries quickly and is more flexible – it can be used to create both transparent, watercolour-like washes and thick, opaque layers similar to oil paint. This versatility makes acrylic a popular choice for many painting techniques and artistic expressions.
Acrylic paint is a favourite among hobby artists, children, and professionals alike. It’s water-based and has the great quality of drying very quickly, which makes it easy and enjoyable to use. Want to learn more about acrylic? Take a quick lesson in acrylics – read our guide "What is acrylic?". We hope you find a paint that suits you.
If you’re curious about getting started with acrylic painting, all you really need are three things: acrylic paint, brushes, and a surface to paint on. Your choice of paint can affect your final result, so it’s worth understanding the differences between different types of acrylic paint.
Common Questions About Acrylic Paint
What should I consider when buying acrylic paint?
When buying acrylic paint, it’s important to consider the quality and consistency of the paint to ensure it suits your project. Artist-grade acrylics offer better pigments and durability, which is ideal when creating something meant to last. These higher-quality paints usually come at a higher price. Student-grade acrylics, on the other hand, are more affordable and perfect for practice, allowing you to experiment freely without holding back on quantity.
How does the consistency of the paint affect my work?
Thicker paints, such as Liquitex Heavy Body, are great for techniques like impasto, where paint is applied thickly and texture is visible. Thinner paints, like Amsterdam Acrylic Ink, are better for smooth, detailed layers. If you’re not aiming for a specific texture or effect, consistency often comes down to personal preference. A good tip is to try small tubes from different brands so you can compare and find the one that suits you best. Remember, acrylic paint is water-based, so you can always thin it with water as needed.
Do I need different types of paint for different techniques?
Yes, it can be beneficial to have both thick and thin acrylics on hand depending on the technique you're using. Some artists also prefer to mix different brands to achieve a desired effect or consistency. Choose paints that match your style and the techniques you enjoy. Acrylic painting is extremely versatile and can be adapted to a wide variety of artistic approaches.
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