10 Best Art Supplies for Beginners (October 2026)

Most first-time art purchases go wrong in one of two ways. Buyers pick a huge set whose bulk is crayons and filler, then find the paper too thin for the paints. Or they pick a pencil kit when what they really wanted was to paint on canvas. The Best Art Supplies for Beginners depend on the medium you want to learn first, the paper that comes with it, and whether you need a case, an easel, or just a zip-up pouch.

The short answer: the Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set suits anyone who wants to try drawing, watercolor and acrylic from one wooden case. The TMOL 175-Piece Wooden Case Art Set fits gift buyers who want a similar spread in a mahogany-finish case. The PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set is the pick for people who want to focus on pencils, charcoal and sketching on toned paper. The rest of the list covers a starter acrylic kit with an easel, five more drawing sets with different pencil mixes, and two painting kits built around easels.

TL;DR: top picks at a glance

• Best overall: the Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set, with 24 acrylic paints, 24 watercolors, 24 oil pastels and three 300gsm or 100gsm pads in one wooden case.
• Best for wooden-case gifting: TMOL 175-Piece Wooden Case Art Set, with 3 eight-well palettes, a 50-page drawing pad and a removable drawer.
• Best for pencil drawing: PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set, with 80 pencils and a 50-page sketchbook of white, tan and black paper.
• Best for a first acrylic painting: LEYEDZ Acrylic Paint Set with Easel, with 24 acrylics, 5 canvas panels and a tabletop easel at 3.2 lb.

Best Art Supplies for Beginners Comparison (October 2026)

#	Product	Best for	Pieces	Main media	Surfaces included
1	Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set	Multi-medium variety	192	Acrylic, watercolor, pastels, pencils	3 pads, 3 canvas boards
2	TMOL 175-Piece Wooden Case Art Set	Gift-ready wooden case	175	Acrylic, watercolor, pastels, pencils	50-page and 24-page pads
3	PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set	Pencil drawing variety	80	Graphite, charcoal, colored pencils	Sketch pad, watercolor pad
4	LEYEDZ Acrylic Paint Set with Easel	First acrylic painting	Not listed	Acrylic	5 canvas panels
5	Prina 76-Piece Drawing Set	Portable pencil sketching	76	Graphite, charcoal, colored pencils	50-page sketchbook
6	KALOUR 76-Piece Drawing Set	Pastel pencil blending	76	Graphite, charcoal, pastel pencils	Sketchbook, watercolor paper
7	Prina 81-Piece Rainbow Pencil Set	Colorful pencil work	81	Colored, rainbow, watercolor pencils	Sketchbook, coloring book
8	Prina 50-Piece Graphite and Charcoal Set	Shading and charcoal	50	Graphite, charcoal, soft pastels	50-page sketchbook
9	Artbreezing 55-Piece Easel Box Set	Easel-box portability	55	Acrylic, watercolor, pencils	Notebooks, drawing board
10	ARTALLY 187-Piece Painting Kit	Multi-medium easel painting	187	Acrylic, watercolor, oil	Canvas boards, stretched canvas, 3 paper pads

1. Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set: Best Multi-Medium Wooden Case Set for Trying Every Technique

• Piece count: 192, including 60 crayons, 24 colored pencils, 24 oil pastels, 24 watercolors and 24 acrylics
• Paper: 300gsm 20-page acrylic pad, 300gsm 20-page watercolor pad, 100gsm 30-page sketch pad
• Canvas: 3 pre-stretched A4 canvas boards
• Case: Wooden case with removable dual drawers, 15 x 10 x 6 inches
• Weight: 9.5 lb

Pros:

• The 300gsm acrylic pad has a textured linen surface, which gives acrylic paint more grip than a standard sketch page.
• The 300gsm watercolor pad uses fine-grain paper, so wet washes do not buckle the way they do on 100gsm sketch paper.
• Eight brushes, a palette, a color wheel, an eraser and a sharpener are included, so nothing extra is needed before the first session.
• The dual-drawer wooden case keeps paints, pencils and pastels separated and doubles as storage between sessions.

Cons:

• At 9.5 lb, the case is heavy to carry between rooms or to a class.
• The 100gsm sketch pad has only 30 pages, so heavy drawing practice will use it up quickly.
• Sixty of the 192 pieces are crayons, which inflates the count without adding much for someone who wants to learn painting.

Best for: A beginner who has not settled on a medium and wants to try drawing, watercolor and acrylic from a single case.

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The Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set earns the top spot because its paper matches its paints. Many large kits pair watercolors with ordinary sketch paper, and the results disappoint. Here the watercolor and acrylic pads are both 300gsm, and the acrylic pad has a linen texture designed to hold paint. The 24-color acrylic, watercolor and oil pastel groups each give a beginner enough range to learn color mixing, and the included color wheel supports that.

The three A4 canvas boards are a small bonus, enough for a few finished acrylic pieces before a refill is needed. Compared with the TMOL 175-Piece Wooden Case Art Set, the Soucolor kit lists its paper weights and gives you three pads rather than two, which makes it easier to judge what you are getting.

This is the wrong choice if you only want to draw. The crayons and pastels add bulk, and the PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set puts its whole budget into pencils and toned paper instead. It is also the wrong choice for travel, since a 9.5 lb wooden case is a desk set. The KALOUR 76-Piece Drawing Set weighs 1.56 lb and fits that need better.

2. TMOL 175-Piece Wooden Case Art Set: Best Mahogany-Finish Case Set for Gifting Mixed Media

• Piece count: 175, including 60 crayons, 24 acrylics, 24 oil pastels, 24 colored pencils and 24 watercolor cakes
• Paper: 50-page drawing pad and 24-page acrylic pad
• Tools: 8 brushes, 3 eight-well palettes, 2 drawing pencils, sandpaper block, eraser, sharpener
• Case: Mahogany-finish pine case with a removable drawer
• Weight: Not listed

Pros:

• Three eight-well palettes give you 24 mixing wells, which suits learning to blend acrylics without cleaning between colors.
• The 50-page drawing pad is larger than the 30-page sketch pad in the Soucolor set.
• The removable drawer glides out for the tools you reach for most, such as brushes and pencils.
• The art materials are described as certified non-toxic, which matters when younger family members share the set.

Cons:

• Paper weight for both pads is not specified, so watercolor performance is uncertain.
• There is no dedicated watercolor pad, only a drawing pad and an acrylic pad.
• Weight and dimensions are not listed, so portability is hard to judge in advance.

Best for: A gift buyer shopping for a teen or adult who wants a presentable wooden case covering drawing, acrylic and watercolor.

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The TMOL 175-Piece Wooden Case Art Set is structurally close to the Soucolor kit: the same 60 crayons, 24 acrylics, 24 oil pastels, 24 colored pencils and 24 watercolors, packed in a wooden case with a drawer. The differences are in the extras. TMOL gives you three eight-well palettes, a sandpaper block and a larger 50-page drawing pad, but it drops the dedicated watercolor pad and the canvas boards.

That trade is why it ranks second. If you plan to paint with watercolors, the Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set gives you 300gsm paper made for water. The TMOL kit does not state its paper weight at all, so it is better judged as a drawing and acrylic set with watercolor cakes as an extra.

It is the wrong choice for someone who wants to paint on canvas. For that, the LEYEDZ Acrylic Paint Set with Easel includes five canvas panels and an easel, and the ARTALLY 187-Piece Painting Kit goes further with two easels and stretched canvas.

3. PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set: Best Toned-Paper Pencil Kit for Sketching and Charcoal Work

• Pencils: 15 graphite, 12 oil-based colored, 12 watercolor, 12 metallic, 7 black charcoal, 3 white charcoal, 2 colored charcoal
• Sketch pad: 6 x 9 inch, 100gsm, 50 spiral-bound pages (30 white, 10 tan, 10 black)
• Watercolor pad: 5.5 x 8.5 inch, 300gsm, 12 sheets
• Extras: Water brush pen, white gel pen, 3 blending stumps, kneaded and vinyl erasers, printed tutorial
• Case: Nylon travel case, 11.8 x 8.6 x 2.7 inches

Pros:

• The sketch pad mixes 30 white, 10 tan and 10 black pages, which lets you practice white-on-dark highlights without buying a second book.
• A 12-sheet, 300gsm watercolor pad is included, so the watercolor pencils and water brush pen have suitable paper.
• Tools such as a pencil extender, sandpaper pointer, rub sponge and two sharpeners cover the full drawing workflow.
• A printed tutorial guides first exercises with the included materials.

Cons:

• Weight is not listed, so it is hard to compare carry load against the KALOUR kit.
• The 12-sheet watercolor pad runs out quickly if you use the pencils with water often.
• It has no paints, so anyone who wants to move on to acrylics will need a separate set.

Best for: A beginner who wants to focus on drawing, shading and charcoal, with watercolor pencils as a secondary option.

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What sets the PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set apart from the three other pencil kits in this range is the combination of a toned sketch pad and a real watercolor pad. The Prina 76-Piece Drawing Set has the same three-color sketchbook but no watercolor paper, and the KALOUR 76-Piece Drawing Set includes watercolor paper but not the toned pages. PANDAFLY is the only one with both, plus a white gel pen for highlights on the tan and black sheets.

The pencil mix is also more balanced toward charcoal: 12 charcoal pencils across black, white and colored. That suits portraits, high-contrast figure studies and value exercises. The nylon case keeps everything compact for travel.

It is the wrong choice if you want to paint. There are no brushes beyond the single paintbrush and the water brush pen, so the Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set or the LEYEDZ Acrylic Paint Set with Easel fits that goal.

4. LEYEDZ Acrylic Paint Set with Easel: Best 24-Color Acrylic Kit for a First Canvas Painting

• Paints: 24 acrylics, described as fast-drying and blendable
• Brushes: 8
• Surfaces: 5 canvas panels (size not listed)
• Support gear: Tabletop easel, palette, wash cup, cleaning cloth
• Weight: 3.2 lb, 13 x 10.04 x 2.6 inches

Pros:

• A tabletop easel is included, which lets you paint upright rather than flat on a desk.
• The wash cup and cleaning cloth are in the box, so brush cleaning does not need improvised containers.
• At 3.2 lb it is far lighter than the 9.5 lb Soucolor case.
• Five canvas panels give you room for several practice paintings without buying surfaces separately.

Cons:

• Canvas panel size is not specified, so framing or display plans are uncertain.
• It covers only acrylic, so there is no drawing or watercolor option.
• Paint tube or pot volume is not listed, which makes it hard to judge how many paintings 24 colors will cover.

Best for: A beginner, student or child who wants to start with acrylic painting and needs an easel and canvases included.

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The LEYEDZ Acrylic Paint Set with Easel is a single-medium kit, and that is its strength. Acrylic is forgiving: it dries fast, covers mistakes and cleans up with water. Starting with one paint type avoids the sprawl of the 175 and 192 piece sets. The easel, palette and wash cup mean the kit works as soon as it is opened.

Compared with the Artbreezing 55-Piece Easel Box Set, LEYEDZ is lighter at 3.2 lb versus 6.0 lb and focuses on acrylic with five canvases, while Artbreezing adds watercolors and pencils inside a wooden easel box. The product is described as kid-safe, which suits younger beginners.

It is the wrong choice for someone who also wants to draw. The Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set has acrylics plus pencils and sketch paper. If you later want larger or more varied painting, the ARTALLY 187-Piece Painting Kit adds oil and watercolor and two easels.

5. Prina 76-Piece Drawing Set: Best Zip-Up Pencil Kit with Woodless Graphite for Portable Sketching

• Pencils: 15 graphite, 12 oil-based colored, 12 watercolor, 12 metallic, 7 black charcoal, 3 white charcoal, 2 colored charcoal, 1 woodless 6B graphite
• Sketchbook: 6 x 9 inch, 100gsm, 50 spiral-bound pages in white, tan and black
• Tools: Water brush pen, vinyl and kneaded erasers, sandpaper pointer, 3 blending stumps, paintbrush
• Tutorial: 7-step "how to draw" guide
• Case: Zip-up travel case, 11.5 x 8.46 x 1.96 inches

Pros:

• The woodless 6B graphite pencil is useful for broad, soft shading that wooden pencils struggle with.
• Each pencil is marked with its color name and model, which helps beginners learn the range.
• The materials are described as meeting ASTM D-4236 and EN71 standards.
• The case is thin at under 2 inches, so it slides into a bag easily.

Cons:

• There is no watercolor paper, so the 12 watercolor pencils must be used on the 100gsm sketchbook pages.
• Weight is not listed.
• The tutorial covers one drawing subject, which limits its teaching value.

Best for: A teen or adult who wants a slim, all-pencil kit with toned paper for sketching at school or on trips.

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The Prina 76-Piece Drawing Set and the PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set share almost the same pencil lineup, which makes the choice about paper and extras. PANDAFLY adds a watercolor pad, a white gel pen and a rub sponge. Prina adds the woodless 6B pencil and a 7-step tutorial.

If you plan to use the watercolor pencils with water, PANDAFLY is the better pick. If you mostly shade with graphite and charcoal, the Prina kit does the job and is a bit slimmer. It is the wrong choice for pastel work, where the KALOUR 76-Piece Drawing Set includes four pastel pencils.

6. KALOUR 76-Piece Drawing Set: Best Pre-Sharpened Pastel Pencil Kit for Lightweight Carry

• Pencils: 65, split into 12 sketching, 12 charcoal, 12 colored, 12 watercolor, 12 metallic, 4 pastel and 1 white charcoal
• Paper: 6 x 9 inch sketchbook and 6 x 9 inch watercolor paper
• Tools: 3 blending stumps, metal sharpener, vinyl eraser, pencil extender, sandpaper block, artist brush
• Case: Zippered nylon case, 11.73 x 8.27 x 2 inches
• Weight: 1.56 lb

Pros:

• The pencils arrive pre-sharpened, with numbers and color names printed on each.
• Four pastel pencils add a soft, blendable option that the Prina sets do not have.
• A separate 6 x 9 inch watercolor paper sheet set is included alongside the sketchbook.
• At 1.56 lb the kit is among the lightest in the list with a stated weight.

Cons:

• Sheet counts and paper weights for the sketchbook and watercolor paper are not listed.
• The sketchbook is not described as having toned pages, unlike the Prina and PANDAFLY sets.
• Only 4 pastel pencils means pastel work is a sample rather than a full range.

Best for: A beginner who wants a light, zippered pencil kit with a little pastel and watercolor paper for sketching away from home.

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The KALOUR 76-Piece Drawing Set counts 65 pencils among its 76 pieces, with 12 each of sketching, charcoal, colored, watercolor and metallic. That even split is easy to understand for a beginner. The pastel pencils are the differentiator, and the included watercolor paper means you can try wet techniques without buying anything.

Compared with the PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set, KALOUR lacks toned paper pages and the white gel pen, but it has the pastel pencils. It is the wrong choice if you want to draw on black paper with white highlights, since the Prina 76-Piece Drawing Set and PANDAFLY both include 10 black pages.

7. Prina 81-Piece Rainbow Pencil Set: Best Colored Pencil Kit with Rainbow Cores and a Coloring Book

• Pencils: 21 oil-based colored, 15 graphite, 12 watercolor, 12 metallic, 12 rainbow, 3 charcoal
• Rainbow cores: 5mm thick soft cores, each blending at least three colors
• Sketchbook: 6 x 9 inch, 100gsm, 50 spiral-bound pages in white, tan and black
• Extras: Coloring book, "how to draw flowers" tutorial
• Case: Travel case; dimensions and weight not listed

Pros:

• Twelve rainbow pencils lay down three-color gradients in a single stroke, which speeds up backgrounds and illustrations.
• At 21 pieces, the oil-based colored pencil group is the largest of any drawing set here.
• The included coloring book gives a low-pressure way to practice color blending.
• The same 3-color sketchbook found in the Prina 76 set covers white, tan and black paper styles.

Cons:

• Only 3 charcoal pencils are included, so charcoal work is limited.
• Case dimensions and weight are not listed.
• The tutorial covers flowers only, which narrows its guidance.

Best for: A beginner who prefers color work and illustration over graphite shading and wants a coloring book to start.

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The Prina 81-Piece Rainbow Pencil Set shifts the balance of the Prina line toward color. Where the Prina 76-Piece Drawing Set has 7 black and 3 white charcoal pencils, this one has just 3 charcoal pencils but adds 12 rainbow pencils and 21 colored pencils. Soft 5mm cores blend easily, and each rainbow pencil mixes at least three colors.

Anyone who wants more pages to color can add adult coloring books later, since the included book is a starter. This set is the wrong choice for charcoal-heavy portraits, where the Prina 50-Piece Graphite and Charcoal Set or the PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set carries more dark media.

8. Prina 50-Piece Graphite and Charcoal Set: Best Full-Range Graphite Kit for Shading and Blending Practice

• Graphite pencils: 15 grades from 5H to 12B
• Charcoal and pastel: 3 black and 3 white charcoal pencils, 3 graphite and 3 charcoal sticks, 4 willow charcoal, 6 soft pastel sticks
• Sketchbook: 6 x 9 inch, 100gsm, 50 pages (30 white, 10 tan, 10 black)
• Tools: 3 blending stumps, kneaded and vinyl erasers, sandpaper block, 2 sharpeners, pencil extender, art knife
• Case: Travel case, 11.6 x 7.5 x 1.37 inches

Pros:

• The 15 graphite grades from 5H to 12B give the widest hardness range in the list for learning value and shading.
• Willow charcoal and charcoal sticks allow broad, soft tonal work that pencils cannot match.
• The case is the slimmest in the list at 1.37 inches thick.
• The materials are described as meeting ASTM D-4236 and EN71 standards.

Cons:

• There are no colored pencils, so it cannot handle color work.
• There is no watercolor paper or watercolor media.
• The tutorial teaches one subject, a dog, in ten steps.

Best for: A beginner who wants to master pencil shading and charcoal blending before adding color.

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The Prina 50-Piece Graphite and Charcoal Set is the most specialized drawing kit here. It is built for tone and value, and the graded graphite range from 5H to 12B is the reason to choose it. Learning to control pressure and hardness is a core early skill.

If you want colored pencils, the Prina 81-Piece Rainbow Pencil Set is the better fit, and for a balanced mix the PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set covers graphite, charcoal and color in one case.

9. Artbreezing 55-Piece Easel Box Set: Best Wooden Easel-Box Kit for Portable Mixed Media

• Media: Acrylic and watercolor paints plus colored pencils (counts not listed)
• Case: Wooden easel box that doubles as a stable tabletop easel
• Paper: Watercolor notebooks, sketch notebooks and a drawing board (counts not listed)
• Storage: Two storage boxes with separated internal trays
• Weight: 6.0 lb, 15.3 x 11.2 x 3.5 inches

Pros:

• The box is both storage and an adjustable easel, so there is no separate stand to carry.
• Separated internal trays stop brushes and tubes from sliding around in transit.
• At 6.0 lb it is lighter than the Soucolor case at 9.5 lb.
• The mix of acrylic, watercolor and pencils lets you try three approaches from one box.

Cons:

• Color counts for paints and pencils are not listed.
• Paper weights and sheet counts are not specified.
• At 55 pieces it is the smallest multi-medium kit in the list.

Best for: A beginner who wants to paint outdoors or in a classroom and prefers one box that works as its own easel.

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The Artbreezing 55-Piece Easel Box Set solves a problem that most drawing and painting kits ignore: where to put the work. The wooden box opens into an easel with an adjustable angle, which suits art classes, family sessions and trips. Compared with the LEYEDZ Acrylic Paint Set with Easel, it carries watercolor and pencils as well as acrylics, though LEYEDZ provides a firm count of 24 paints and 5 canvas panels.

It is the wrong choice if you need clear specs before buying, since counts and paper weights are missing. The Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set lists every pad weight and quantity, so it is easier to judge in advance.

10. ARTALLY 187-Piece Painting Kit: Best Dual-Easel Acrylic, Watercolor and Oil Kit for Studio Painting

• Paints: 48 acrylics, 24 watercolors and 24 oils
• Brushes: 15 acrylic, 10 oil and 10 watercolor
• Easels: Aluminum tripod easel and beechwood tabletop easel
• Surfaces and tools: Canvas boards, stretched canvas, oil, watercolor and acrylic paper pads, 5 palette knives, 2 palettes, color mixing wheel
• Weight: 19.5 lb, 21.65 x 17.32 x 4.57 inches

Pros:

• It is the only kit here with oil paint, which opens up slow-drying layering and texture work.
• Two easels cover both floor-standing work on large canvases and detailed tabletop work.
• Separate brush sets for each medium prevent cross-contamination between oils, acrylics and watercolors.
• The bonus stain-resistant apron and brush cleaning basin are practical extras.

Cons:

• At 19.5 lb it is by far the heaviest kit in the list.
• Three paint types at once can overwhelm a first-time painter.
• It contains no drawing pencils or sketch paper, so drawing practice needs a separate kit.

Best for: A beginner committed to painting who has space for a floor easel and wants to try acrylic, watercolor and oil.

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The ARTALLY 187-Piece Painting Kit is the most complete painting package here, with 96 paints across three media and an easel for every setup. It sits last because most true beginners do not need oil paint, a tripod easel or a 19.5 lb box. For a simpler start, the LEYEDZ Acrylic Paint Set with Easel covers acrylic painting at 3.2 lb.

It is the right choice for a motivated beginner or a home studio with room to work. If your space is limited, the Artbreezing 55-Piece Easel Box Set folds its easel into a 6.0 lb box.

Buyer's Guide: How to Choose the Right Beginner Art Set

The core trade-off in this category is breadth versus depth. A large multi-medium kit lets you sample drawing, watercolor and acrylic, but the paper and paints can be thin. A focused kit, such as a pencil set or an acrylic set, gives better materials for one skill but leaves out the others.

Before choosing, check these project details:

• Medium: Decide whether you want to draw, paint or try both, since this determines the whole set.
• Paper weight: Look for 300gsm for watercolor and acrylic, and about 100gsm for dry drawing.
• Workspace: An easel needs space, while a pencil case works on a lap.
• Portability: Weights range from 1.56 lb for the KALOUR set to 19.5 lb for the ARTALLY kit.
• Skill growth: Think about whether you will outgrow the set within a few months.

Drawing Versus Painting Sets

Drawing sets are cheaper to start, cleaner to use and easier to carry. The PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set, Prina 76-Piece Drawing Set and KALOUR 76-Piece Drawing Set all pack roughly 65 to 80 pencils into a slim case. They need no water, no easel and almost no cleanup. They suit students, commuters and anyone who wants to practice daily.

Painting sets need more space and prep but reward you with color and texture. The LEYEDZ Acrylic Paint Set with Easel is the simplest entry, while the ARTALLY 187-Piece Painting Kit adds watercolor and oil. If you want both skills from one purchase, the Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set and TMOL 175-Piece Wooden Case Art Set bridge drawing and painting.

Paper Weight and Surfaces

Paper quality is where large kits most often fall short. Watercolor and acrylic need heavier stock: 300gsm, or 140lb, resists buckling. The Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set includes 300gsm pads for both, and the PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set includes a 300gsm watercolor pad. Dry drawing works fine on 100gsm sketchbook paper, as in the Prina sets.

Toned paper is a useful extra for pencil work. Tan and black pages let you add white highlights, which the Prina 76-Piece Drawing Set and Prina 50-Piece Graphite and Charcoal Set both support. If coloring is part of the plan, a separate pack of markers for adult coloring books suits coloring pages better than pencils on thin paper.

Case, Easel and Portability

A wooden case looks good and protects supplies at a desk, but it is heavy. The Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set weighs 9.5 lb, and the TMOL 175-Piece Wooden Case Art Set uses a similar pine case. Nylon zip cases, as in the KALOUR and Prina kits, are lighter and thinner.

Easels change how you paint. The Artbreezing 55-Piece Easel Box Set turns its box into an easel, the LEYEDZ Acrylic Paint Set with Easel includes a tabletop easel, and the ARTALLY 187-Piece Painting Kit includes a tripod and a tabletop easel. Painting upright is easier on the neck and makes color mixing simpler to judge.

Set Size and Piece Count

Piece count is a poor guide to value on its own. In the Soucolor and TMOL kits, 60 of the pieces are crayons, so the useful art materials are fewer than the headline number. A focused kit like the Prina 50-Piece Graphite and Charcoal Set can teach more about shading with fewer pieces.

Look at the groups inside the count. Twenty-four acrylic paints is enough for color mixing, and 15 graphite grades is enough for value practice. Choose the kit whose largest groups match what you plan to do most.

Frequently Asked Questions About Art Supplies for Beginners

What art supplies do I need to start drawing?

Start with graphite pencils in a range of hardnesses, a kneaded eraser, blending stumps and a sketchbook. The Prina 50-Piece Graphite and Charcoal Set has 15 graphite grades from 5H to 12B and a 50-page sketchbook. The PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set adds colored pencils and a watercolor pad.

What is the best first paint for a beginner?

Acrylic is the easiest first paint because it dries quickly and cleans up with water. The LEYEDZ Acrylic Paint Set with Easel gives you 24 acrylics, 8 brushes and 5 canvas panels. The Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set adds watercolors and pastels if you want to try other media.

Are big art sets with 150 or more pieces worth it?

They can be, if the pieces cover several media with suitable paper. The Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set includes 300gsm pads for acrylic and watercolor, which makes the variety usable. Be careful with counts, since 60 crayons in both the Soucolor and TMOL 175-Piece Wooden Case Art Set inflate the total.

Which art set is best for travel?

The KALOUR 76-Piece Drawing Set weighs 1.56 lb and has a zippered nylon case, which makes it the lightest listed option. The Prina 50-Piece Graphite and Charcoal Set is the thinnest at 1.37 inches. For painting on the move, the Artbreezing 55-Piece Easel Box Set carries its own easel at 6.0 lb.

Do I need an easel as a beginner?

You do not need one, but an upright surface makes painting easier. The LEYEDZ Acrylic Paint Set with Easel includes a tabletop easel for starting out, and the ARTALLY 187-Piece Painting Kit adds a tripod easel for larger canvases. Drawing kits like the PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set work fine on a desk.

Which set suits a teenager or a gift?

The TMOL 175-Piece Wooden Case Art Set and Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set both come in wooden cases with drawers, which present well as gifts. The Prina 81-Piece Rainbow Pencil Set adds a coloring book and rainbow pencils for a more playful gift. All three describe non-toxic or safety-tested materials.

Final Verdict: Which Art Set Should You Buy?

Best Art Supplies for Beginners for most buyers start with Soucolor 192-Piece Art Set: 24 acrylics, 24 watercolors, 24 oil pastels, 300gsm acrylic and watercolor pads, a 100gsm sketch pad and three canvas boards in a wooden case with dual drawers. Its main weakness is weight, since the case comes in at 9.5 lb and is better suited to a desk than a bag.

For alternatives, the TMOL 175-Piece Wooden Case Art Set suits gift buyers who want a similar spread with three palettes and a larger drawing pad, though its paper weights are not listed. The PANDAFLY 80-Piece Drawing Set is the pick for drawing, with 80 pencils, toned paper and a 300gsm watercolor pad. The LEYEDZ Acrylic Paint Set with Easel is the simplest way to start painting, with an easel and five canvas panels at 3.2 lb.

For specialists, the KALOUR 76-Piece Drawing Set is the lightest at 1.56 lb and adds pastel pencils, while the Prina 76-Piece Drawing Set and Prina 81-Piece Rainbow Pencil Set suit portable sketching and colored work. The Prina 50-Piece Graphite and Charcoal Set is the choice for shading practice, the Artbreezing 55-Piece Easel Box Set works as its own easel, and the ARTALLY 187-Piece Painting Kit serves committed painters with oil, acrylic and watercolor. If you are still undecided, pick the Soucolor set for variety or the PANDAFLY set if you already know you want to draw.