10 Best Oil Paint Sets for Artists in 2026: Top Picks for Every Skill Level

The best oil paint sets make it easier to start painting, expand your palette, or stock up on frequently used colors without buying every tube separately. The options below range from compact beginner kits to larger sets with generous tube sizes.

We compare color counts, paint volume, intended use, and overall value so you can choose an oil painting set that fits your experience, workspace, and budget.

Best 10 Oil Paint Sets Picks for 2026

Best Value Volume – Winton Oil Color Starter Set

If you want oil paint sets with generous tube sizes at a moderate cost, the Winsor & Newton Winton Starter Set is a practical option. It includes ten 37ml tubes with good coverage, strong tinting strength, and pigmentation suited to student, amateur, and higher-volume painting.

Best For: Students, amateur artists, and painters who need larger quantities of standard colors.

Pros:

• Includes ten 37ml tubes for extended use.
• Offers good covering power and tinting strength.
• Designed as an introductory set at a moderate cost.

Cons:

• Contains only ten colors, limiting the initial palette.
• Not water resistant.

This set emphasizes usable quantities and value rather than a broad color selection. It is a sensible starting point for learning oil painting or replenishing frequently used colors.

Best Large Palette – PHOENIX Studio Oil Paint Set

Among oil paint sets, the PHOENIX Studio set stands out for its combination of 20 colors and substantial 50ml tubes. Its highly saturated, finely ground pigments have a thick, creamy consistency that supports direct application, blending, and textured techniques.

Best For: Beginners, amateurs, classes, paint parties, and artists working across canvas, wood, or paper.

Pros:

• Provides 20 colors in 50ml tubes.
• Offers high saturation, strong tinting strength, and excellent coverage.
• Fade-resistant formula with a thick, buttery consistency.
• Suitable for canvas, wood panels, paper, and other painting surfaces.

Cons:

• The thick consistency may require medium for some techniques.
• Oil paint dries slowly.

With both palette breadth and generous tube sizes, this is a strong choice for experimenting with color theory and techniques without quickly running out of paint.

Best Compact Starter – Winton Basic Oil Color Set

This compact Winton set is one of the more manageable oil paint sets for learning the basics. It contains ten individually formulated, intermixable colors in convenient 21ml tubes, offering lightfast, permanent oil colors at a moderate price.

Best For: Adult beginners and artists who want a compact introductory palette.

Pros:

• Includes ten intermixable colors.
• Uses convenient 21ml tubes that are easy to store.
• Lightfast and permanent colors at a moderate price.
• Can be intermixed with other brands.

Cons:

• Smaller tubes provide less paint than the 37ml and 50ml alternatives.
• Only ten colors are included.

This set keeps the entry point simple and space-efficient. Choose it when you prefer a recognized basic palette and modest tube sizes over a larger assortment or higher volume.

Best Color Variety – Magicfly 40-Color Oil Paint Set

For artists prioritizing color variety, the Magicfly set supplies 40 oil-based colors in 18ml tubes, including metallic gold and silver. The richly pigmented paints have a thick, creamy texture for smooth mixing and coverage on canvas.

Best For: Beginners, students, hobby painters, teachers, and artists exploring portraits, landscapes, abstracts, and wall art.

Pros:

• Offers 40 unique colors, including metallic gold and silver.
• Includes two additional white tubes.
• Thick, creamy paint provides smooth application and mixing.
• Conforms to ASTM D-4236 and is described as non-toxic.

Cons:

• Each tube is a smaller 18ml size.
• The broad palette may be more than needed for a simple starter setup.
• Not water resistant.

This is a versatile choice when experimentation matters more than large tube sizes. Its extensive palette and metallic colors make it especially useful for creative projects and group activities.

Best Value Starter Set – Ohuhu 24-Color Oil Paint Set

If you want a practical entry point into oil paint sets, the Ohuhu 24-color kit offers a balanced palette in portable 12 ml tubes. It includes brushes and a palette, making it useful for experimenting with landscapes, portraits, abstract work, and general canvas painting.

Best For: Beginners, families, and artists who want a versatile, non-toxic 24-color kit for indoor or outdoor painting.

Pros:

• Includes 24 vibrant oil-based colors covering common warm, cool, earth, and neutral shades.
• Comes with a brush and palette for a more convenient starting setup.
• Non-toxic formula conforms to ASTM D-4236 and EN71-3 (CE).
• Portable 12 ml tubes are convenient for travel and on-location painting.

Cons:

• Each tube contains only 12 ml, which may be limiting for large paintings.
• The paint is listed as not water resistant.
• Its approximately 24-hour drying time may not suit artists seeking very rapid layering.

Ohuhu is a sensible choice when you want broad color coverage, included accessories, and safety-focused positioning without stepping up to a larger professional-sized kit.

Richest Color Focus – RoseArt Premium 24-Color Oil Paint Set

Among oil paint sets, the RoseArt Premium kit stands out for its emphasis on maximum-strength pigment and a smooth, buttery texture. Its 24 colors are designed for blending, layering, texture work, and coverage across canvas, wood, and paper.

Best For: Casual to professional artists who prioritize concentrated color, smooth handling, and a traditional oil-painting feel.

Pros:

• Maximum-strength pigments provide concentrated, vibrant color.
• Buttery consistency supports blending, layering, and texture creation.
• Includes 24 artist-grade colors in 12 ml tubes.
• Works on canvas, wood, and paper according to the supplied product details.

Cons:

• The set is limited to 24 colors, so some artists may need to mix extensively.
• Paint is listed as not waterproof or water resistant.
• No warranty is specified in the supplied details.

RoseArt makes the strongest case for painters who care more about pigment intensity and buttery application than about maximizing the number of colors in the box.

Largest Color Selection – MyArtscape 48-Color Oil Paint Set

For artists comparing oil paint sets by color variety, the MyArtscape 48-tube kit offers twice the color count of many compact alternatives. The 12 ml tubes contain artist-grade, lightfast colors suited to landscapes, portraits, impasto, wet-on-wet techniques, and general studio projects.

Best For: Artists, students, and studios that want a broad ready-to-use palette for varied techniques and surfaces.

Pros:

• Provides 48 vibrant oil paint colors for extensive palette flexibility.
• Artist-grade paints are described as rich in pigment and smooth to apply.
• Lightfast colors are intended to resist fading over time.
• Suitable for canvas, paper, wood, boards, and panels.

Cons:

• The 12 ml tube size may require replenishment for high-volume painting.
• A 48-color kit can take more storage space than a compact 24-color set.
• Paint is listed as not waterproof or water resistant.

MyArtscape is the most flexible pick here for color exploration and technique variety, especially if you would rather have more premixed shades available than rely on extensive color mixing.

Best Large-Volume Oil Paint Set – PHOENIX Studio 40-Color Set

For artists who want substantial paint supplies, this oil paint set combines 40 colors with 50 ml tubes. Its highly saturated, finely ground pigments and thick consistency suit direct application, blending, and textured work across canvas, wood panels, and other painting surfaces.

Best For: Beginners, amateurs, classes, paint parties, and artists who need generous quantities for ongoing projects.

Pros:

• Includes 40 colors in large 50 ml tubes.
• Thick, creamy paint can retain texture or be blended with medium.
• Designed for strong tinting strength, saturation, and lightfastness.
• Certified to EN 71 and ASTM-4236 and identified as non-toxic.

Cons:

• The 4 kg set may be more paint than casual users need.
• Its slow-drying formula requires patience between painting stages.

This is a strong value-oriented choice when color variety and tube volume matter more than portability. It is especially practical for frequent practice, group activities, and larger pieces.

Best Starter Oil Paint Set – PHOENIX 24-Color Artist Kit

This compact oil paint set offers 24 colors in 12 ml tubes, giving beginners a manageable way to explore color mixing and techniques such as wet-into-wet, layering, and glazing. The thick, creamy formula works on canvas, oil color pads, wood panels, and similar surfaces.

Best For: Adults and beginners building a foundational palette for practice, classes, family painting, or paint nights.

Pros:

• Provides 24 selected colors for mixing and technique practice.
• Small 12 ml tubes are approachable for new painters and occasional use.
• Finely ground pigments offer smooth application, saturation, and tinting strength.
• Certified to EN 71 and ASTM-4236 and identified as non-toxic.

Cons:

• Each tube contains less paint than larger-volume sets.
• The paint is slow-drying and is not water-resistant.

With its accessible tube size and broad beginner-friendly palette, this set is a practical entry point for learning oil painting without committing to oversized quantities.

Best Professional-Size Oil Paint Set – Paul Rubens 20-Color Set

For artists who prioritize generous tubes and a buttery working feel, this Paul Rubens oil paint set includes 20 colors at 50 ml each. The highly pigmented formula is designed for smooth blending while preserving brushstrokes and palette-knife marks on canvas and painted wood panels.

Best For: Adults, students, professionals, and beginners working on landscapes, seascapes, portraits, and still lifes.

Pros:

• Offers 20 large 50 ml tubes for extended use.
• High pigmentation provides covering power and tinting strength.
• Creamy refined-linseed-oil formula blends smoothly and holds brush or knife marks.
• Excellent lightfastness and a stated drying time of about 7–14 days.

Cons:

• Provides fewer colors than the 24- and 40-color alternatives.
• Large tubes may be excessive for casual painters or limited projects.

This set balances professional-size quantities with a focused palette and creamy handling. It is a sensible pick for artists who already know their preferred subjects and want paint that supports extended work.

How We Picked the Best Oil Paint Sets

We focused on the factors that matter most when buying a multi-color oil paint kit: pigment variety, tube size, likely coverage, ease of use, and value for the money. The selection includes smaller sets for testing the medium, larger collections for building a broad palette, and high-volume options for artists who use paint regularly.

We also considered whether each set is better suited to casual crafts, structured practice, or more serious studio work. A high tube count is not automatically better if the tubes are too small or the colors overlap heavily.

Quick Comparison

Best For	What to Prioritize	Typical Set Style
Beginners	Manageable color range and low upfront cost	10 to 24 colors with smaller tubes
Hobby painters	Color variety and useful volume	20 to 40 colors
Frequent users	Larger tubes and strong value per milliliter	20 to 40 colors with 50ml tubes
Gift buyers	Versatile assortment and approachable packaging	Balanced starter or expanded sets

Key Buying Factors for Oil Paint Sets

Color Range

Look for a practical mix of warm and cool primaries, earth tones, white, black, and useful secondary colors. More colors can reduce mixing time, but a smaller, well-chosen palette can teach better color control and may be easier to organize.

Tube Size and Coverage

Tube volume affects both working time and value. Small tubes are suitable for experimenting, studies, and occasional painting. Larger tubes make more sense for backgrounds, underpainting, large canvases, or artists who already know which colors they use most.

Pigment and Consistency

Pay attention to descriptions of pigmentation, opacity, transparency, and consistency. Beginners may prefer smooth, forgiving paint, while experienced painters often want colors that behave predictably when layered or mixed.

Safety and Accessories

Check the label for handling guidance, especially when a set is marketed as non-toxic. Oil paint itself is only part of the setup: you may also need suitable brushes, a palette, a drying area, cleaning supplies, and a compatible medium. Never dispose of solvent-soaked materials carelessly.

Who Should Buy Which Oil Paint Sets?

Choose a compact 10-color set if you are new to oils, want to practice mixing, or need a portable collection for small studies. Choose a 20- to 24-color set if you want more ready-to-use shades for crafts, landscapes, portraits, and general hobby work.

Choose a 40- to 48-color set if variety is your priority or you frequently paint different subjects. These sets can be convenient, but confirm that the tube sizes justify the larger color count. Choose a large-tube professional-style set if you paint often and want fewer restocks; the higher initial price may offer better value over time.