Quick answer: You can get acrylic paint at craft stores (Michaels, Hobby Lobby), art supply stores (Blick, Jerry’s Artarama, independent shops), big-box retailers (Walmart, Target), dollar stores, and online through Amazon and the websites of art retailers. Craft and big-box stores are best for inexpensive craft acrylics; art supply stores carry student and professional artist-grade paints, mediums and open stock tubes; online retailers offer the widest selection and bulk sizes. Choose where to shop based on the grade you need, not just the price.
Where to get acrylic paint sounds like a simple question until you stand in an aisle with 2-ounce craft bottles at one end and a single professional tube costing ten times as much at the other. Both are acrylic paint. They are not interchangeable, and the store you choose largely decides which one you end up with.
This guide explains each type of seller, what grade of paint you will typically find there, how to tell good value from false economy, and where to find specific items like heavy body paint, acrylic markers and paint for plastic. If you already know where you will shop and want help choosing a line, our guide to the best acrylic paints for different budgets compares the main brands.
Understand the Three Main Grades Before You Shop
| Grade | Typical packaging | Pigment load | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft acrylic | 2 oz squeeze bottles, large value packs | Lower; often needs several coats | Crafts, decor, rocks, kids, large flat areas |
| Student / academy grade | Tubes or jars, sets of 12 to 24 | Moderate; some “hue” substitute pigments | Learning, practice, budget fine art |
| Artist / professional grade | Tubes, jars, open stock individual colors | High; genuine pigments, lightfastness ratings | Finished artworks, glazing, color-critical painting |
Most stores carry one or two of these grades, rarely all three in depth. Knowing what you need tells you where to go.
Where to Get Acrylic Paint In Person
Craft stores
Michaels and Hobby Lobby are the most common US craft chains. They typically stock large walls of craft acrylic bottles in hundreds of colors, beginner sets, student-grade tubes, some artist-grade brands, mediums, brushes, canvases and easels.
- Strengths: one-stop shopping for beginners, frequent coupons and sales, easy to see colors in person.
- Weaknesses: artist-grade selection is usually narrower than at an art supply store; shelf prices can be high without a coupon.
- Tip: check the store app or website before going. Weekly coupons and percentage-off sales on paint and canvas are common.
Art supply stores
Blick Art Materials, Jerry’s Artarama and independent local art shops focus on artists. Expect a full range of student and professional acrylics, open stock tubes by individual color, fluids, inks, heavy body, acrylic gouache, a wide selection of mediums and gels, and staff who paint.
- Strengths: selection, quality, expert advice, color charts and sometimes swatches you can see.
- Weaknesses: fewer locations; prices on professional paint are naturally higher.
- Tip: independent shops often carry brands that big chains do not, and they appreciate local support. Ask about student discounts.
Big-box retailers
Walmart and Target usually carry craft acrylic bottles, beginner sets, and kids’ paints. Walmart often stocks popular budget craft lines.
- Strengths: low prices, convenience, long hours.
- Weaknesses: little or no artist-grade paint; limited mediums.
Dollar stores
Some dollar stores sell small bottles of craft acrylic and kids’ sets.
- Strengths: extremely cheap; fine for kids’ crafts and throwaway projects.
- Weaknesses: low pigment and coverage; colors can dry chalky or streaky.
Hardware stores
Home Depot, Lowe’s and Ace sell acrylic latex house paint and sample pots. Sample pots can be a budget-friendly option for large craft or mural backgrounds, but house paint is not formulated for fine art color mixing or lightfastness in the way artist paint is.
Where to Get Acrylic Paint Online
Amazon and general marketplaces
Amazon carries most major acrylic brands, from craft value packs to professional lines, plus large bundled sets. The advantages are selection, reviews and delivery speed. The downsides: occasional third-party sellers, product listings that bundle different grades, and color accuracy on screen. Read the listing carefully for the grade and the tube or bottle size.
Art retailer websites
Online stores from art supply retailers stock the full range of artist paints with detailed specs, including pigment codes and lightfastness ratings. They often run sales, offer free shipping thresholds, and sell bulk sizes such as 16 oz or 32 oz jars of white and black.
Manufacturer websites
Many manufacturers sell directly or at least publish color charts, pigment information and safety data sheets. Even if you buy elsewhere, a manufacturer’s website is the best place to research a color before you order.
Store Comparison at a Glance
| Where | Grade available | Price level | Selection | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craft stores | Craft, student, some artist | Moderate (low with coupons) | Broad craft, moderate fine art | Beginners, crafts, decor |
| Art supply stores | Student and professional | Moderate to high | Deep fine-art range | Serious hobbyists, artists |
| Big-box retailers | Craft, kids | Low | Narrow | Quick, cheap supplies |
| Dollar stores | Basic craft | Very low | Very narrow | Kids’ crafts |
| Online marketplaces | All grades | Varies | Widest | Specific colors, sets, comparison |
| Art retailer websites | Student and professional | Moderate, frequent sales | Very wide | Open stock, bulk, specialty |
Where to Buy Cheap Acrylic Paint Without Wasting Money
Cheap paint is not always a bargain. A bottle that needs four coats for coverage can cost more in time and paint than a better tube that covers in one. These approaches stretch a budget wisely:
- Buy a quality white in a large size. White is used in most mixes and runs out first. A big jar of a decent student or artist white offers good value.
- Use a limited palette. Instead of a 48-color set, buy a warm and cool version of each primary plus white. You can mix almost anything.
- Mix grades. Student paint for practice and backgrounds, a few artist-grade tubes for colors where intensity matters.
- Use coupons and sales. Craft store percentage-off coupons and art retailer seasonal sales can cut costs significantly.
- Buy open stock for replacements. Rather than buying another full set, replace just the colors you use up.
- Extend with medium. Gel or gloss medium stretches paint for glazes and textures without losing film strength.
Where to Find Specific Acrylic Products
Where to buy heavy body acrylic paint
Art supply stores and art retailer websites have the widest heavy body selections, including open stock colors. Craft stores carry some heavy body lines, usually in sets or a limited color range. Amazon lists most brands but check that the listing is truly heavy body and not a soft-body or craft formula.
Where to buy acrylic markers
Craft stores, art supply stores, office supply stores and online retailers all sell acrylic paint markers in fine, medium and broad tips. Art stores tend to carry more tip sizes and individual colors; craft stores and online shops often have multi-color sets.
Where to buy acrylic paint for plastic
Look for multi-surface or “indoor/outdoor” acrylics at craft stores, plastic-bonding spray paints and primers at hardware stores, or hobby acrylics for models at hobby shops. For best adhesion on plastic, scuff the surface lightly and use an adhesion primer, whichever paint you choose.
Where to buy acrylic spray paint
Hardware and big-box stores carry multi-surface and acrylic enamel sprays; art stores carry artist-grade water-based sprays and archival spray varnishes; craft stores carry decorative sprays and clear sealers.
Where to buy Apple Barrel acrylic paint
Apple Barrel is a budget craft acrylic line commonly stocked at Walmart and craft stores, and available online. Availability of specific colors varies by location.
Where to get metallic acrylic paint
Craft stores carry a large range of metallic craft acrylics. Art supply stores and online retailers sell artist-grade iridescent and interference colors, which are more transparent and shimmer differently depending on the angle.
A Sensible First Shopping List
Whichever store you choose, this list covers everything a new acrylic painter needs without overbuying.
| Item | Suggested choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| White | Titanium white, larger size | Used in most mixes; runs out first |
| Yellows | A warm and a cool yellow (or one primary yellow) | Clean greens and oranges |
| Reds | A warm red and a cool red or magenta | Clean oranges and purples |
| Blues | Ultramarine and phthalo blue | Warm and cool blues cover skies, water and darks |
| Earth color | Burnt sienna or burnt umber | Quick browns, neutral mixes, toning canvases |
| Brushes | A large flat, a medium round, a small liner (synthetic) | Covers broad areas, shapes and detail |
| Surface | A pack of canvas panels or acrylic paper | Cheap and easy to store while practicing |
| Medium | One slow-dry or gloss medium | Extends blending time or thins paint without weakening it |
| Palette | A stay-wet palette or plastic palette | Keeps paint workable longer |
Black is optional at first. Many painters mix rich darks from ultramarine and burnt umber, which look more natural than tube black in landscapes.
How to Judge Quality When You Cannot Test Paint
- Look for pigment codes. Labels listing codes like PB29 (ultramarine) or PW6 (titanium white) indicate the actual pigments used. Single-pigment colors mix more cleanly.
- Check lightfastness ratings. ASTM I or II ratings mean colors resist fading. Craft paints often omit this information.
- Watch for “hue.” A “hue” color uses substitute pigments. That is fine for practice and safer for kids, but it can mix differently from the genuine pigment.
- Compare price per ounce. A 2 oz craft bottle and a 2 oz artist tube may differ dramatically in coverage.
- Read reviews for coverage and consistency. Comments about streakiness or chalky drying are useful warning signs.
How to Get Better at Acrylic Painting Once You Have Your Paint
The best supplies only help if you use them regularly. A few habits accelerate progress:
- Paint small and often: short sessions on 8×10 panels beat rare marathon sessions.
- Make a color chart from your palette so you know what each mix looks like dry.
- Study values by painting a few pieces in black, white and one color.
- Repeat the same subject several times and compare results.
- Learn one medium at a time, starting with slow-dry or glazing medium.
Bonus: How to Get Metallic Acrylic Paint Out of Clothes
Wet acrylic, metallic or not, comes out much more easily than dry. Rinse the fabric from the back under cold water immediately, then work in dish soap and rinse again. For dried paint, isopropyl alcohol or a dedicated paint remover can soften the film; test on a hidden area first, scrape gently, then launder as usual. Metallic paints may leave a faint shimmer of mica particles that takes a couple of washes to fully clear.
Common Mistakes When Buying Acrylic Paint
- Buying huge sets of cheap colors. You end up with many colors you rarely use and weak coverage on all of them.
- Running out of white. Buy it in a larger size than everything else.
- Confusing craft paint with artist paint for fine art. Craft paint is great for decor but may fade or mix muddily.
- Ignoring paint consistency. Heavy body, soft body and fluid paints suit different techniques.
- Not checking return policies online. Opened paint is usually not returnable.
FAQs
Where is the best place to get acrylic paint?
For beginners and crafters, craft stores offer a convenient mix of grades and frequent sales. For serious painting, art supply stores and their websites offer the widest artist-grade selection. Online marketplaces are best for comparing prices and finding specific colors.
Is cheap acrylic paint worth it?
For kids’ crafts and simple decor, yes. For paintings you want to keep, very cheap paint often costs more in the long run because it needs multiple coats and may fade or turn chalky.
Can I buy acrylic paint at Walmart?
Walmart typically stocks craft acrylic bottles, beginner sets and kids’ paints. Artist-grade selection is usually limited.
Is it cheaper to buy acrylic paint online or in store?
It depends. Online can be cheaper for large sets and bulk sizes; in-store craft coupons can beat online prices for individual items.
Where can I get acrylic paint for kids?
Craft stores, big-box retailers and online shops sell washable and non-toxic kids’ acrylics. Look for the AP non-toxic seal on the label.
How do I know if acrylic paint is good quality?
Look for listed pigment codes, lightfastness ratings, strong coverage and a smooth, consistent texture. Professional lines usually provide this information on the tube.
Final Thoughts
Where you get acrylic paint shapes what you end up painting with. Craft and big-box stores are perfect for decor and practice, art supply stores and their websites are where artist-grade paint lives, and online marketplaces give you the broadest selection. Focus on a small palette of good colors and a large white, and you will get more from every dollar.
For an in-depth look at one widely available line, see our Daler-Rowney acrylic paint review. When you are ready to choose the brand that fits your budget and style, our guide to acrylic paint brands worth buying lays out the options side by side.
