Watercolor paint is (in my opinion) the best paint for beginners. In fact, it’s the only type of paint I have over on my gallery page. So, if you’re looking to get into painting, watercolor is an excellent starting point. The problem is that there are roughly 2,352,981 results when searching for “best watercolor sets for beginners” on Google… Yikes. Good luck filtering through that.
Oh wait, you don’t have to! Because I’ve already dug into it and picked out the top watercolor sets to fit any beginner’s budget (Wooohoooo!). Here are my top picks:
| Product Name | Colors | Grade | Type | Price | |
| 1 | Van Gogh Watercolor Pocketbox Set | 15 | Student | Half-Pan | $19.48 |
| 2 | Daniel Smith Half Pan Travel Set | 12 | Artist | Half-Pan | $50.80 |
| 3 | Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Set | 12 | Student | Tubes | $28.95 |
Disclaimer – The above links are affiliate links that will take you to the respective products on Amazon.com.
Which Watercolor Set is The Best for Beginners?
Alright, so which of the above watercolor sets is the “best” set? Well, it depends a lot on your needs. If we’re talking about the best watercolor set without consideration of price, it’d be the Daniel Smith set. Artist Grade > Student Grade. But that’s a steep price difference for someone just starting out. So, let’s dive into specifics a little more.
1 – Van Gogh Watercolor Pocketbox Set
- Colors: 15
- Grade: Student
- Type: Half-Pan
- Price: $19.48
- Avg Rating: 4.6 / 5.0
Considering all categories, such as price, grade, number of colors included, portability, and user reviews, the Van Gogh Watercolor Pocketbox Set takes the cake. Not only is this the most affordable watercolor set on my list, but it also has the most color options available. AND it comes in an incredibly convenient pocket-sized case in case you’d like to use it on the go.
Rating-wise, the Van Gogh set is on par with the others on this list, with an average of 4.6 stars and over 5,000 reviews. The quality of these paints is much greater than the price suggests, and it’s an excellent set if you’re just starting out with watercolor paints.
2 – Daniel Smith Metal Travel Set
- Colors: 12
- Grade: Artist
- Type: Half-Pan
- Price: $50.80
- Avg Rating: 4.8 / 5.0
The Daniel Smith set comes in a very close second as the best watercolor set for beginners but was knocked down by the high price tag of $50. If you have the money, you’ll notice the difference and appreciate the quality that Daniel Smith has to offer. However, that’s a lot to dish out if you’re just getting started in watercolor painting. This set is considered an “Artist” grade, which is a step up from the other options on my list. This is the set you’d go for if you plan on selling your artwork professionally.
This watercolor set has an even higher rating than the Van Gogh, 4.8 stars, but only 137 reviews. This isn’t an indication that they’re the same quality, but rather that the value is there. $30 more with three less color options, but maintaining the same rating means this set is worth the money. And this set doesn’t even come with a paintbrush. So you KNOW it’s good if people have to buy that separately.
3 – Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint Set
- Colors: 12
- Grade: Student
- Type: Tubes
- Price: $28.95
- Avg Rating: 4.8/5.0
If you’re not a fan of the half-pan watercolor setup, you can go with the Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolor set, which uses tubes. Some people aren’t a fan of the half-pan setup, so I get it.
With the quality of this set coming in under Daniel Smith, and being just a bit more than the Van Gogh set, it had to come in third. It’s still a great option for artists, particularly if you prefer your watercolor in tubes. This set comes with a lot more space to mix paints, which is a big selling point if you don’t have other surfaces available to mix on.
The average user review on this is 4.8 stars, which means it’s an excellent value as a beginner watercolor set. Sure, it’s not going to have the same quality as the Daniel Smith watercolors, but it’s an excellent place to start.
Closing Thoughts
As I mentioned above, it really depends on what you’re looking for, but I think one of the above sets should cover anyone looking to get started in watercolor if you’re serious.
Just remember that watercolor requires certain types of paper and brushes. Look specifically for paper labeled as being for watercolor, and brushes should be soft, light, and delicate instead of harder bristles. Also, if you plan to paint with watercolors on canvas, there are a lot of extra steps involved. Here’s a quick guide if that’s your goal.
I hope this guide to the top watercolor sets for beginners helped you! Let me know if you think I’m missing something or hate my recommendations (lol)! I appreciate both positive AND negative feedback.