This Caliart acrylic paint set review comes down to a simple answer: yes, it’s worth it for most beginners. At $23.73, you get 36 colors and 12 brushes, which is the cheapest way to find out if you actually like acrylics. The paint won’t match professional brands, but it’s far from frustrating, and the included brushes are surprisingly usable.
This set offers an outstanding balance of quantity and quality at an entry-level price point, delivering exceptional perceived value for beginners and hobbyists.
Price vs. rivals
Typical
CheaperTypicalPricier
Moderately priced, slightly below typical for comparable sets of this size and included accessories.
Ease of use
Excellent 95/100
The set is highly rated and easy for an average person to use, with pre-mixed paints and brushes ready for immediate painting.
Caliart Acrylic Paint Set Review: Overview
The Caliart 36 color acrylic paint set doesn’t pull the trick that cheap sets do: half the colors dry chalky or turn muddy when mixed. The honest part of any Caliart acrylic paint set review is that the paint won’t wow a professional, but it does exactly what beginners need. It’s a strong contender for the best acrylic paint set for beginners because you don’t need to buy anything else.
The problem it solves is decision paralysis. Instead of choosing tubes, brushes, and a palette separately, you get one box that covers the basics plus some shades you’ll actually use without extra mixing. It’s for anyone who wants to paint on canvas, wood, paper, or rocks without sinking serious money into it.
Key Features
36 colors for $23.73 – That’s about 66 cents per tube, which is cheap enough to experiment without guilt.
12 brushes included – You get flat, round, and detail brushes, so you can block in shapes and then switch to fine lines without buying a second set.
Vibrant pigment load – The colors read true in the tube and stay bright once dry, though dark shades need a second coat.
Good mixing range – The set gives you enough variation in the primary colors to mix flesh tones and greens without constant scrambling.
Secure tube caps – These screw on firmly, so the paint doesn’t dry out between sessions.
Fit for You
You’re a total newbie who wants to try acrylics without curating a supply list.
You’re a hobbyist who paints a few times a month and doesn’t want to feel bad wasting a tube on a failed experiment.
You’re a parent or teacher setting up an art cart for kids old enough to handle paint responsibly.
You’re a digital artist who wants to do quick physical studies without re-learning a whole medium.
You’re already experienced but need a compact set for sketching on location.
Uses
Saturday afternoon, you drag out a small canvas and the box. Pick a reference photo, squeeze a bit of blue and brown onto a paper plate, and you’re painting within minutes. The brushes are stiff but responsive, so you can push paint around while learning basic strokes.
Another good fit: painting backgrounds for mixed-media collages. Because the set is cheap, you don’t flinch when you use half a tube of white to prime a board.
This Caliart paint set with brushes also travels well. The whole box fits in a backpack next to a canvas pad, which makes it easy to paint at a park or a friend’s kitchen table.
Caliart Acrylic Paint Set Review: Experience
Unboxing is straightforward. No crushed tubes, no bubble wrap mess, just the box, a cardboard tray, and the brushes in a clear sleeve. The tubes are labeled clearly, which sounds obvious but is missing from some budget sets.
First use: expect the paint to come out stiff, almost like toothpaste. A tiny drop of water or a spritz from a spray bottle loosens it right up. Some painters prefer that because it means the tube doesn’t blow out with watery pigment. The brushes rinse clean in a few seconds under running water. Just don’t leave them sitting in a jar, because the ferrule will loosen.
This Caliart acrylic paint set review wouldn’t be honest without mentioning the learning curve. Storage is easy: keep the box out of direct sunlight and the tubes stay pliable. The main annoyance is the absence of a mixing palette, so you’ll need a paper plate or an old ceramic tile. Also, if you forget to wipe the tube opening before capping, a skin can form on the paint. Annoying, but fixable with a toothpick.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Price is hard to beat – Many sets with this many colors cost twice as much, and the included brushes save you another $10.
Color selection is actually useful – You get the basics plus a few saturated brights that make a painting pop.
Brushes are decent, not filler – The flat brush holds an edge, and the small round works for details.
Easy clean-up – Soap and water get everything off, so you can paint in a rented room without ruining a carpet.
Good for layering – The paints dry fast, which lets you add a second coat after twenty minutes.
Cons
Paint is thin in a few colors – White and yellow need an extra coat, and they can turn chalky if you over-water them.
No palette included – You’ll have to hunt down a plate or paper palette, which is a small annoyance.
Tubes are small – Each tube holds less than you’d think, so a full canvas can chew through your favorite color quickly.
Brush handles feel lightweight – Fine for learning, but if you’re used to heavier brushes, these might feel flimsy.
Advantages
Caliart vs Arteza acrylic paint is a common comparison, and for beginners the Caliart set wins on value. Arteza’s student acrylics cost more and feel creamier, but they don’t include brushes or this many colors. Caliart’s paint needs a little water to flow, but it’s a small trade-off when you’re saving that much money.
More colors per dollar – At 36, you skip frequent mixing for common shades you’d otherwise have to blend.
Brushes included – Many competing sets sell brushes separately, so the real cost is higher.
Beginner-friendly consistency – The paste-like body is easier to control than runny craft paint.
Who Should Buy
Who’ll love it: new hobbyists, budget shoppers, and anyone who wants a single box to learn with.
Someone who has never painted and wants to try acrylics this weekend.
A parent or caregiver setting up a craft table for kids around age ten and up.
A painter who normally works in watercolors and wants to test acrylics without committing.
Who should skip it: professionals and large-format painters.
Artists who need heavy-body paint with professional lightfastness should look at Golden or Liquitex.
Anyone painting on a 16×20 inch canvas regularly will run out of paint fast.
People who hate mixing colors will still need to blend for skin tones.
FAQ
Is the Caliart Acrylic Paint Set worth it?
Yes, for beginners and casual painters it’s one of the best value deals in the category. You get 36 usable colors and 12 brushes for under $25, which means you’re paying for paint, not fancy packaging. The quality is solidly a 7 out of 10, which is plenty for learning.
How long does the paint take to dry?
Expect thin layers to dry in 10 to 20 minutes at room temperature, depending on humidity. Thick impasto blobs can take an hour or more. If you want to slow it down, mix in a few drops of water or use a stay-wet palette.
Can you use these paints on wood and fabric?
Yes, but with a caveat. On wood, you’ll want to sand and prime with gesso or your first coat will soak in and appear dull. For fabric, acrylics work if you mix them with a textile medium, otherwise they can stiffen the fabric and crack.
Do the brushes shed hairs?
Very little. The bristles are firmly set, though the cheaper brushes occasionally lose a single hair when you wash them aggressively. You might find one loose bristle after shipping, but it won’t happen repeatedly. Rinse them gently and they’ll hold up.
Are all 36 colors different?
Yes, there are no duplicates. You get a full rainbow plus earth tones and a few light shades, so you can start painting without custom-mixing every single color. A few shades are close, so you’ll want to test them on a scrap sheet first, but the range is genuinely diverse.
Caliart Acrylic Paint Set Review: Final Verdict
Bottom line: if you’re curious about acrylics and want to spend as little as possible to get a real feel for the medium, this Caliart acrylic paint set review points to yes, buy it. The price is right, the brushes are genuinely usable, and the color selection is broad enough to keep you painting for months.
The one thing to keep in mind is that the small tubes run out faster than you expect, so save the white and black for your best ideas. Other than that, it’s the easiest recommendation in this price range.
Caliart Acrylic Paint Set vs the Competition in 2026
In the crowded world of budget acrylics, the Caliart Acrylic Paint Set sits at a sweet spot: 36 colors and 12 brushes for just under $24. It’s not the cheapest option out there, nor is it trying to be the professional’s choice. But for a beginner or a casual painter who wants decent pigment and a ton of color options without wrecking the wallet, this set keeps showing up in conversations. The real question is how it holds up against the other names you see on the same shelf—Arteza, Apple Barrel, and Liquitex Basics. Let’s break it down.
Product
Price Range
Key Strength
Key Weakness
Best For
Caliart Acrylic Paint Set
~$20–$25
36 colors + 12 brushes in one box
Some colors chalky; brushes basic
Beginners who want max variety per dollar
Arteza Acrylic Paint Set (60 colors)
~$30–$40
Buttery consistency, more saturated pigments
Costs more, larger set can overwhelm
Hobbyists who value creaminess over sheer quantity
Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint Set (16 colors)
~$10–$15
Dirt cheap, easy to find at craft stores
Thin, watery coverage; limited color range
Kids’ projects or disposable one-off crafts
Liquitex Basics Acrylic Paint Set (6 colors)
~$25–$30
Student-grade quality, good lightfastness
Only 6 colors, no brushes included
Learners who want to build a quality palette slowly
Caliart Acrylic Paint Set vs Arteza Acrylic Paint Set
This is the comparison that trips up most people. Both sets target the same buyer: someone new to acrylics who doesn’t want to spend $50+ on paint. But they feel different in the hand. Arteza’s paint (especially the 60-color version) has a noticeably creamier body—it blends more smoothly and covers in fewer coats. Caliart’s paint is thinner, and some of the lighter colors (like lemon yellow and titanium white) can feel a little chalky straight out of the tube. You have to shake those tubes well or add a drop of medium to get decent opacity. Where Caliart wins is sheer volume of color plus the brushes. You get 36 colors and a dozen nylon brushes for about $23. Arteza’s 60-color set costs closer to $35 and doesn’t include brushes at all. So if you care about having every shade of purple and blue without buying extra, Caliart is the smarter buy. If you hate fighting with chalky paint and don’t mind fewer tubes, Arteza feels better on the brush.
Caliart vs Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint: The Budget Showdown
Apple Barrel is the go-to for anyone who thinks $1 per bottle is too much. A 16-color set of Apple Barrel costs about half what Caliart asks. But there’s a catch: Apple Barrel bottles are 2 oz each, same as Caliart, but the paint is noticeably runny. You’ll need three coats to cover a sketch, and forget about mixing a clean gradient—the pigment load just isn’t there. Caliart’s paint generally covers in two coats, and the darker colors (like mars black and burnt umber) are surprisingly opaque. For a kid’s school project or a practice canvas you’ll toss, Apple Barrel works. For something you want to keep or gift, the extra $10 for Caliart gets you better coverage, more colors, and a set of brushes that actually hold a point. The brushes are nothing special—they shed the odd hair—but they’re usable for basic washes and details.
Caliart Acrylic Paint Set vs Liquitex Basics: Quality vs Quantity
Liquitex Basics is the oddball here because it’s a totally different philosophy. You pay $25–$30 for six tubes. No brushes. No funnel bottle. Just six colors you can trust to mix cleanly and stay vibrant after drying. That matters if you’re learning color theory or planning to sell your work. Caliart gives you six times the colors and a dozen brushes for the same price, but the pigments are less consistent. For example, Caliart’s phthalo blue is decent, but its alizarin crimson is underwhelming—muddy even. If you only paint occasionally and want to try a rainbow of shades without buying extra, Caliart is the right call. If you’re serious about building a reliable palette and don’t mind mixing your own hues, start with Liquitex Basics and add a few extra tubes over time.
So who should pick the Caliart Acrylic Paint Set? Anyone who needs a huge starter kit on a budget—new painters, kids sharing a set, or hobbyists who want 36 colors to play with immediately. The brushes are a bonus, not a selling point. If you only have $25 and want to paint something tonight, this is the set to grab. But if you’ve already got brushes and you prefer a buttery feel, go for Arteza. And if you’re stuck between Caliart and Apple Barrel, spend the extra $10. You’ll notice the difference by the second coat.
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