Best Cheap Acrylic Paints

Best Cheap Acrylic Paints


Looking for a good set of acrylic paints but have limited budget? Here are my 5 top picks to get you started.

Acrylic paints are generally great for beginners and professional artists as well, so if you are looking for some good quality fluid acrylics while keeping the bank intact, this guide will help you find just the right set.

Concurrently, there are a lot of beginner acrylic paint sets made just for people on a budget as they are one of the most common mediums of paint out there. The nature of acrylic paint remains forgiving making them great for people who are just starting out to try art for themselves.

Our goal for this review guide is to ensure you are informed of the best acrylic paint and acrylic paint brands although artist-grade paints are in an abundance in the market and in all budgets.

It may be difficult to know the good ones from the bad which is why we’re here to help.


01) Caliart Acrylic Paint Set with 12 Brushes

Caliart Acrylic Paint Set with 12 Brushes main

24 Classic Colors (59ml, 2oz) Art Craft Paint for Artists, Kids, Students or Beginners

Features:

  • 24 tubes of acrylic paint
  • Toxin-free and easy to clean up
  • Water-based
  • Rich pigments
  • Squeezable tubes

Description:

The Caliart Acrylic Paint Set is a great set to get started in the cheap acrylic paint department. The set comes with excellent student grade acrylic paint.

The set comes with a serving of 24 tubes holding 2oz of quality paints which can last a decent enough amount of time. Caliart Acrylic are among one of the best cheap acrylic paint brands available in the market with more than 7 thousand positive reviews.

Pros
  • Reliable artist-grade paint
  • Affordable
  • Non-toxic
Cons
  • Thick paint
  • Slower drying paints

Review:

Caliart Acrylics provide exceptional and affordable student grade acrylics making it the go-to brand for paints and supplies in a pinch.

The heavy body acrylic paints, however, are not very quick to dry as per the reviews since the Caliart set offers paints on the thicker side. You are free to use more water to lessen the consistency to make your acrylic paint dry faster.

The set contains a variety of vibrant colors such as  Burnt Sienna, Orange, Vermilion, Crimson, Scarlet, Magenta, Purple, Phthalo Blue, Deep Cyan Blue among many others and give a semi-gloss finish.

Overall, Caliart Acrylics is a great backup for cheap art supplies and if you are not bothered by heavy body acrylics this set is definitely worth the buy.


02) Magicfly Bulk Acrylic Paint Set

Magicfly Bulk Acrylic Paint Set main

14 Rich Pigments Colors (280 ml/9.47 fl oz.) Acrylic Paint Bottles, Non-Fading, Non-Toxic Craft Paints for Painting on Canvas, Christmas Decorations, Ideal for Kids, Artist & Hobby Painters

Features:

  • 14 tubes of acrylic paints
  • 9 ounces of fluid in each tube
  • Squeezable tubes
  • Non-toxic paint medium
  • Applicable on many surfaces

Description:

Magicfly makes excellent student grade paint and is a great beginner brand which is affordable and accessible.

The set contains soft body paints that have a creamy smooth consistency which is great for fast drying since most acrylic paints dry quick, these promise to do the same.

Each paint tube contains vibrant and rich colors for your needs where you can paint colors individually or mix and match to achieve your desired colors.

Pros
  • Soft body acrylic paint
  • Versatile compound colors
  • Smooth and creamy consistency
  • Dries quick
Cons
  • Almost too quick to dry
  • You may need to apply several coats to get the desired outcome

Review:

The name Magicfly can be found on most acrylic painting forums as they are a brand that manufacture great acrylic paint for beginners. Generally, acrylic paint dries quickly but these take the cake for one of the quickest drying paints.

Acrylic paints are often at times a great alternative to oil paints due to their nature of being water-based and Magicfly paints are even better because of their consistency which allows to dry very quickly indeed.

Final verdict is that this set of acrylic paint is great for starters for the price and is definitely a worthy try.


03) U.S. Art Supply 24 Color Set of Permanent Acrylic Fabric Paints

U.S. Art Supply 24 Color Set of Permanent Acrylic Fabric Paints

2 Ounce Bottles, Plus a 7-Piece Brush Kit – Artists Textile Paint for Clothes, Denim, Canvas, Jeans, Jackets, T-Shirts, Bags, Shoes

Features:

  • 24 color set
  • 7 piece brush set
  • Applicable on a variety of surfaces
  • Includes metallic colors and solid colors
  • 2 fluid ounces per tube

Description:

The U.S Art Supply 24 color set is a versatile and feature-packed paint set for beginners.

The included brushes ensure that the beginners have enough freedom to play and explore and find what is most comfortable for the consumer.

Pros
  • Non – toxic
  • Vibrant water-based colors
  • Offers good coverage
  • One of the more affordable acrylic paints
Cons
  • Lighter colors require multiple strokes of coating
  • Comparatively low capacity in tubes

Review:

The versatility of this sets selection of colors make it an excellent bang for buck deal. The set includes acrylic polymer suspension which is most of the basic colors in the set.

It is a great set for any beginner looking to get the best out of a painting set.


04) Craft Smart Acrylic Paint Set Value Pack

Craft Smart Acrylic Paint Set Value Pack

16 Colors – All-Purpose Paint Kit for Beginners and Professionals

Features:

  • 16 assorted classic color tubes
  • Non-toxic
  • Set is appropriate for beginner to professional acrylic paint
  • Matte finish
  • Fast Drying

Description:

The Craft Smart Acrylic Paint Set is a great beginner to professional selection of paints. Although Craft smart is not as popular as Winsor Newton, the brand is still reliable and affordable.

It can be used to paint wood, rocks, fabric or any other type of surface.

The matte finish gives an excellently flat look, unlike a satin finish that may be much more glossy and reflective.

Pros
  • Quick dry
  • Applicable on various surfaces
  • Affordable
  • Easily mixable
Cons
  • Sub-par packaging
  • Low capacity tubes

Review:

Craft Smart may not be the best acrylic paint brand out in the market but the products sure pack a punch.

Most of the products on the page have decent and interactive customer reviews ensuring the brand has nothing to hide in terms of compromising quality.

This makes it a very worthy purchase for any beginner artist.


05) Apple Barrel PROMOABI Acrylic Paint Set

Apple Barrel PROMOABI Acrylic Paint Set

2 Fl Oz (Pack of 18), Assorted Matte Colors

Features:

  • 18 tubes of bright colors
  • Matte finish
  • 2 fluid ounces per bottle
  • Non-toxic
  • Professional grade paints

Description:

Apple Barrel is a well-reputed brand name based out of the states. The popularity of this particular set on the market is on par with brands like Arteza Acrylic paint.

Because it is an in-house manufacturer of acrylic paints it makes Apple Barrel one if the very few that do so.

Pros
  • Bright acrylic paint colors
  • Excellent artist quality paints
  • Easy clean-up
  • Made in-house in the states
Cons
  • Low capacity tubes
  • Comparatively lower pigmented acrylic paints

Review:

A quick and affordable fix for any beginner looking to get into the realm of acrylic painting.

This product gives a beautiful matte finish that is satisfying and smooth and not very glossy unlike a satin finish while still being incredibly affordable.

Definitely worth a buy for the reputable quality and affordable price tag while being a company based out of the states.


General Information About Acrylic Paints

Good quality acrylic paints are not really hard to come by but its definitely a tough call with all the options being provided.

If you are a seasoned painter or a beginner, sometimes you just need to go for equipment that don’t break the bank. It is always easy to fall back on the popular premium brands like golden fluid acrylics and Winsor Newton but you may just not want to spend that extra money at the time.

The artists that are just looking to enter in the world of acrylics always need to start somewhere and this is the best you will get. Acrylic paints are generally really quick to dry so you will need confident strokes or you can wash and restart.

However, if quick dry is bothersome and difficult for you, an honorable mention is Chroma Atelier Interactive Artists Acrylic Set which is in the mid budget range but contains paint that is thick and not very quick to dry.

The more you explore the more you may find different finishes. Generally, most acrylic paints have a matte finish or a semi glossy finish, if you’re looking for a satin finish, Liquitex can be your perfect fit.

Another honorable mention of paints that are great for students is the Blickrylic Student Acrylic Paint which contain incredibly rich pigments at a decent price similar to Creative Joy Acrylic Paints.


Conclusion / Roundup

The journey of any artist needs to start somewhere and what better way to start your journey with the underdogs of great quality products.

Acrylic paint as opposed to any other paint is the perfect beginner paint for the sole reason of being easy to use, having excellent consistency and easy to clean.

There is no need to bother with doing anything too fancy to paint, just your brush in and get to work. Or even mix with a decent amount of water and use them as spray paints with the right equipment.

The sets mentioned in the guide are definitely worth trying out even if some of them may not turn out in your favor. So, keep an open mind starting out!


FAQs

Which Acrylic paint is best for beginners?

Painting is a great way to spend time for many people, be it for hobbyists or professional artists. Some of the best acrylic paint brand names were mentioned in the review guide above and the list goes on.

Utrecht Acrylic Paint is great for beginners and so is Blickrylic and Liquitex but if you want to keep in a budget its best to stick to the ones mentioned above.

Is Dollar store paints good for acrylic painting?

The dollar store is usually a hit or miss, if you are looking for an upgrade you will definitely have to look elsewhere because you cannot really commit to budget paints down the line.

However, if you’re a casual painter and your local dollar store has good deals, it’s never a bad idea to snag one to keep extra in times of need.

What is the best acrylic paint?

The hunt for the best acrylic paint still continues since preference is subjective, there is always something an individual may like that others may not. However, in situations like this, we must allow the reviews to do all the talking since the general public would have no ulterior agendas or bias.

It is also necessary to pick for ourselves by trial and error and doing the reviews ourselves. This keeps the community fun and interactive and alive.

Is acrylic paint waterproof?

Acrylic paint is not really water proof as they are often water-based paints.

However, if you do need to waterproof your paints you may try different coatings or try different techniques such as ironing the paint and washing afterwards to make it stay and almost permanent on fabric.


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Written By Adam Rushton

Adam has made a name for himself in the illustration industry and is a passionate blogger and writer on the subject of art, illustration and graphic design.

His artwork has been featured in countless publications and used for very well-known media projects. As a professional illustrator for over 20 years, Adams media outlets, a wealth of knowledge, and experience enable him to consult and advise artists and illustrators in this country (from York and Manchester to Southampton and London) and all over the world.