If you or someone you know is interested in art, then knowing where to start can be a bit of a challenge. This is especially true for people who have never ever tried any of the various mediums that are available. That’s what make art sets so great. With one art set, you can see if watercolors are your thing, or maybe pastels, or acrylic painting might be more fun for you. The art kits also often come with drawing pencils, if you just want to stick with the basics. What you actually get in these art kits varies from one to the next, and obviously the larger sets offer more art mediums for you to try out. If think one of these kits is just what you’re looking for, then let me explain a little more about them and offer my favorites for you to consider.
Who Are Art Sets Good For?
You are never too old or too young to enjoy one of these art sets. Sure, some of them are designed specifically for kids and others have more high-end supplies that cater to adults, but no matter what age, skill or budget level you have, there are plenty of great options for you to check out.
These are perfect for people who have an interest in being artsy but really aren’t sure which mediums will be of most interest. Personally, my background was in acrylic paints from a high school art class and I used an art set to see if pastels, charcoals and watercolors would be fun mediums for me to work in. I find that art sets offer an affordable way to dip your toes into the water just to see how you like the medium. It’s definitely cheaper than buy up a bunch of charcoals or oil paints just to discover that you don’t really like working with them.
What To Look For In An Art Set?
With so much variety in terms of the supplies that you get in the kits, it is important to really pay attention to what is included. Maybe you are really interested in oil paints and wouldn’t mind checking out watercolors. So, check out that list of included supplies to make 100% certain that oil paints are included before you buy. This may seem like common sense, but it is easy to overlook what is included if you just assume that common supplies are going to be there.
Quality of the included supplies may be something that you want to pay attention to when comparing sets. If your buying art sets for toddlers or young kids, then you probably won’t be too concerned with this. However, if you’re shopping for the best art sets for adults, then you may want to go with something that has higher quality supplies included as part of the kit.
The case for the set is another feature that might be important for you. Many of the cheaper options come in a plastic case. A few cheaper options, as well as mid-level options, come in nicer wood cases. Most of the cheaper wood ones are actually a composite or MDF type of wood, but the more high end options are real wood. Personally, I really like the sets that come in a metal case just because I prefer the more modern look of it.
Reviews: Best Art Sets
As someone who is interested in different types of art mediums, I have personally tried out a few of the current kits on the market. I’ve also bought a few of the art sets of kids for my nephews. After finding some great options and not so great options, I want to share with you a few of my favorites. Keep in mind that this is just one person’s opinions, so I encourage you to compare these sets on your own as well to determine if they really meet your needs or not.
Darice 120-Piece Deluxe Art Set Review
If you’re shopping for the best art set for a 10 year old, 7 year old, 8 year old, 5 year old, 9 year old – pretty much any kid that you’re shopping for, then this set right here is a great choice.
I actually bought one of these for my 6 year old nephew and he love it. The set is available in smaller options if you don’t want 120 pieces, but I suggest that you stick with this one. Why? Because all the choices is one of the things that my nephew likes the most about this set.
With this one, you get:
- crayons
- watercolors
- oil pastels
- color markers
- color pencils
- pencil
- sponge
- and more!
I think this is a great way to let kids test out all different types of art mediums without having to spend a lot of money. And with so many pieces, the supplies last for quite some time. The first thing to go in my nephews set was the markers, but only because he forgot to put the caps back on them! Almost a year later and he still have plenty of the supplies left. Keep in mind that some of the pieces are small, so it might not be the best choice for toddlers.
I also think this one is a good choice for parents who are on a budget because it lets you give you kids a great gift that looks big with so many pieces. And it has a very affordable price – it’s really a great value for the money.
Royal & Langnickel Deluxe Sketching, Watercolor, Oil Color Artist Box Set Review
If you want something that has higher quality but fewer options in terms of different mediums to try out, then consider the kits offered by Royal & Langnickel.
These are definitely a little higher end, but still very affordable. However, the key difference between these and most sets is that they are laser focused on one specific type of medium. So, you have to choose between the:
- Deluxe Sketching Set
- Deluxe Watercolor Set
- Deluxe Oil Color Set
Click here to view price on Amazon
Each of these sets comes in a nice wooden box. It’s sturdy enough to travel with, which makes it great for students and traveling artists. Or, get it for your kids to take on summer vacation! Each one comes with around 50 different pieces for the supplies, which is a lot for the money. One of the things that I really like about these is that they come with a drawing or painting pad too, which means that you don’t even have to buy any separate sketch pad or watercolor paper.
Overall, I think this is a great option for adults and teens who want a serious kit for those interested in these art mediums. It’s an awesome value for the money.
Royal & Langnickel Watercolor Paint, Gray Tone Soft Pastel, or Drawing and Sketching Pencil Essentials Keep N’ Carry Set Review
If you really the nice list listed above but need something a little smaller and cheaper, then this right here is a great option. As you can see it’s made by the same company – Royal & Langnickel – and it as just as high quality as the option listed up above.
With this one, you have to choose between the three different sets:
- Watercolor Paint Essentials
- Gray Tone Soft Pastel Essentials
- Drawing and Sketching Pencil Essentials
What I really like about these is how compact they are and easy to travel with. As someone who does a lot of traveling during the year, I find that these are the absolute best to travel with – especially if you travel with only carry-on luggage. Just keep in mind that you can’t take the paints on the plane!
Due to the smaller side, you do get fewer supplies with these sets. Of course, you do get all the essentials that you need, so that it not really a deal breaker, if you ask me. Depending on the set, you get anywhere from 12 to 16 items in the carry kit.
These are higher quality kits, but I think you could easily get these for teens or adults since they are quality but also affordable.
Gallery Studio – 82 Piece Deluxe Art Set Review
This large set is another great option for kids, as well as some adults. It has lots of pieces, which means that you have the opportunity to test out several different mediums at one affordable price.
As you can see in the photo, you can order this one in a wooden case. However, they also offer three different aluminum case options, if you prefer that.
Supplies included in this kit are:
- color pencils
- watercolors
- oil pastels
- drawing pencils
- and more!
The quality is pretty decent in this one, but not has high as the Royal & Langnickel models listed up above. With that in mind, I think this set is best for kids and teens, but if you’re on a budget then it is still a nice option for adults.
Overall, I think this Gallery Studio model is nicer than the Darice kit listed up above, even though that one has more supplies included.