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Quick answer: The best acrylic gouache for most artists is the Holbein Acrylic Designer Gouache Set of 18, a well-rounded matte, water-resistant set from a respected Japanese maker. Illustrators who scan their work should look at the Liquitex Acrylic Gouache Essentials set, beginners on a budget will get the most for the money from the Mont Marte Signature set, and anyone who wants a big palette should consider the ARTEZA 36-color set.
Finding the best acrylic gouache comes down to what you paint and how you work. Acrylic gouache gives you the flat, opaque, matte look of traditional gouache, but it dries water-resistant, so you can layer without lifting the paint underneath. That makes it popular with illustrators, sketchbook painters, muralists, crafters and anyone tired of muddy gouache layers.
Below we compare seven acrylic gouache sets sold on Amazon US, from student-friendly kits to artist-grade brands, and explain which reader each one actually suits.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
- Holbein Acrylic Designer Gouache, Set of 18 — Best overall acrylic gouache set
- Liquitex Acrylic Gouache Essentials, 12 x 22 ml — Best for illustration and scanning
- ARTEZA Acrylic Gouache, 36 Colors — Best large set for color range
- Turner Artist Acryl Gouache, 12 x 20 ml — Best for mixed media and craft surfaces
- Turner Acrylic Gouache School Set, 24 Colors — Best for students who want many colors
- Mont Marte Signature Acrylic Gouache, 13 pc — Best acrylic gouache for beginners on a budget
- Holbein Acryla Gouache Mixing Set of 5 — Best for color mixing with a limited palette
Best Acrylic Gouache Brands Compared
| Product | Best For | Format/Size | Key Strength | Price Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holbein Acrylic Designer Gouache Set of 18 | Overall, serious hobbyists | 18 x 12 ml tubes | Respected artist brand, broad color selection | $$$ |
| Liquitex Acrylic Gouache Essentials | Illustration, design, scanning | 12 x 22 ml | Flat matte finish, high opacity, fluid texture | $$$ |
| ARTEZA Acrylic Gouache 36 Colors | Large palette, posters, sketchbooks | 36 x 22 ml tubes | Most colors and most paint in this list | $$ |
| Turner Artist Acryl Gouache | Mixed media, crafts, varied surfaces | 12 x 20 ml tubes | Concentrated, adheres to many surfaces | $ |
| Turner Acrylic Gouache School Set | Students, color variety | 24 x 11 ml tubes | 24 colors in small tubes | $$ |
| Mont Marte Signature 13 pc | Beginners, travel | 12 x 30 ml tubes + palette | Large tubes, case and mixing palette included | $ |
| Holbein Acryla Gouache Mixing Set | Color mixing practice | 5 x 20 ml tubes | Primary-based mixing palette | $$ |
Price tiers: $ = budget, $$ = mid-range, $$$ = premium. Prices change often, so check the current price on Amazon.
How We Chose
We did not paint with these sets for this guide. Our picks are based on manufacturer specifications and product listings, pigment, format and tube-size information, the practical needs of each type of painter, and how widely each product is reviewed by Amazon buyers (checked October 2026). We only list sets that are clearly sold as acrylic gouache on Amazon US.
- Formula: genuine acrylic-binder gouache that dries matte and water-resistant
- Value per milliliter: tube size and number of colors, not just the box price
- Color selection: whether the set covers a usable range or works as a mixing palette
- Use case fit: illustration, sketchbooks, crafts, classroom or fine art
- Brand reputation and availability: established art-supply makers and consistent Amazon listings
Best Acrylic Gouache Paint Reviewed
1. Holbein Acrylic Designer Gouache Set of 18 — Best Overall
Holbein is a long-established Japanese art-supply maker, and its acrylic gouache line (sold as Acryla Gouache) is one of the brands artists ask about most when they search for the best acrylic gouache brands. This set gives you 18 assorted colors in 12 ml tubes, with a matte finish and water-resistant dry film listed by the manufacturer.
Eighteen colors is a sweet spot. It is enough to paint finished pieces without mixing every hue from scratch, but not so many that you pay for colors you never open. The 12 ml tubes are small, which keeps the set price reasonable for an artist-grade brand, though you will go through favorites like white quickly.
Best suited for: intermediate and serious hobby painters, illustrators and designers who want a reputable brand and a ready-made palette.
Key features:
- 18 assorted colors, 12 ml (0.4 oz) tubes
- Matte finish
- Water-resistant once dry, so layers do not lift
- Acrylic binder: listed as paint type acrylic and gouache
Pros
- Respected artist brand with a dedicated acrylic gouache range
- Good balance of color count and price
- Holbein also sells individual tubes, so you can usually replace single colors as they run out
Cons / limitations
- 12 ml tubes run out fast, especially white
- Premium price per milliliter compared with student sets
- Carries a California Prop 65 warning on the listing, so follow normal studio hygiene
Buying consideration: Plan to buy a larger tube of white separately. If you mostly mix your own colors, the Holbein Mixing Set further down may be the smarter first purchase.
2. Liquitex Acrylic Gouache Essentials 12 x 22 ml — Best for Illustration and Scanning
Liquitex built this line around three promises: opacity, a flat matte surface and water resistance. According to the manufacturer, each color is formulated individually for the best opacity its pigment allows, and the paint dries without reflections or visible brush strokes.
That flat, non-reflective finish is the reason illustrators and designers like it. A matte surface scans and photographs cleanly with less glare, which helps if you finish work digitally. Liquitex also describes the texture as creamy and fluid straight from the container, so you need little or no water to get smooth coverage.
Best suited for: illustrators, designers, comic and editorial artists, and anyone who scans or photographs their paintings.
Key features:
- 12 colors, 22 ml (0.74 oz) each
- Flat, matte finish designed to avoid reflections and brush marks
- Opacity tuned per pigment
- Water-resistant once dry; overpaint without bleeding
- Fluid, creamy brushout without adding water
Pros
- Larger 22 ml containers than most artist-brand sets
- Finish well matched to scanning and digital work
- Widely sold brand, easy to restock individual colors
Cons / limitations
- Premium price tier
- 12 colors means you will mix more than with an 18- or 24-color set
- The listing details are inconsistent about the exact color count, so check the color list before buying
Buying consideration: If your work ends up on a screen or in print, this is the set to look at first. For pure color variety at a lower price, ARTEZA offers far more hues.
3. ARTEZA Acrylic Gouache 36 Colors — Best Large Set
If you want the best acrylic gouache set for sheer range, ARTEZA is hard to beat on paper. You get 36 colors in 22 ml tubes, which is the most colors and the most total paint of any set in this guide. The range covers brights, pastels, deep tones, earth colors and neutrals, packed in organized trays.
ARTEZA describes the paint as opaque and matte, fast drying, and impossible to reactivate once dry. That last point is true of all acrylic gouache, and ARTEZA states it plainly, which helps beginners know what to expect. Each tube is labeled with the color name and number, which makes planning a palette easier.
Best suited for: sketchbook painters, poster and graphic work, color studies, mixed media and anyone who would rather squeeze than mix.
Key features:
- 36 colors, 22 ml (0.74 fl oz) tubes
- Opaque matte finish
- Fast drying; cannot be reactivated once dry
- Labeled tubes with color name and number
- Listed for paper, watercolor paper, canvas, art boards and glass
Pros
- Largest color selection in this roundup
- Generous tube size for the price tier
- Good choice for flat graphic color without mixing
Cons / limitations
- Not an artist-grade brand, so pigment information is less detailed than Holbein or Liquitex
- Many premixed colors can slow down learning to mix
- Storage takes more space than a 12-tube box
Buying consideration: Great value when you need many colors quickly. Our separate ARTEZA acrylic gouache review covers the brand in more depth.
4. Turner Artist Acryl Gouache 12 x 20 ml — Best for Mixed Media and Craft Surfaces
Turner Colour Works is a Japanese maker, and its Acryl Gouache is one of the names that shows up often in searches for Turner acrylic gouache. This artist set includes 12 colors in 20 ml tubes. Turner describes the paint as more concentrated than most acrylics, drying to a velvety matte finish.
The standout claim is versatility. According to Turner, the paint adheres to wood, acrylic sheeting, stone, cloth, clay, metal, slate, glass, aluminum, vinyl, Styrofoam, stretched canvas and properly sized paper without special prep. It is water reducible at up to 2 parts paint to 1 part water and water-resistant once dry, and the low binder content means little or no color shift as it dries.
Best suited for: crafters, mixed-media artists, custom-shoe and object painters, and illustrators who want a concentrated paint at a budget price.
Key features:
- 12 colors, 20 ml tubes
- Concentrated, high-pigment formula with velvety matte finish
- Adheres to many non-paper surfaces, per the manufacturer
- Water reducible (2:1 paint to water), water-resistant when dry
- Little to no color shift on drying
Pros
- Budget price tier with 20 ml tubes
- Very wide surface compatibility
- What you mix wet is close to what you get dry
Cons / limitations
- Only 12 colors
- Turner notes a low binder content, so test durability (or seal the paint) on flexible surfaces like fabric
- Less brand recognition in the US than Holbein or Liquitex
Buying consideration: Choose this Turner set if you paint on more than paper. If you want more colors for school or sketchbook work, the Turner 24-color set below is the better Turner option.
5. Turner Acrylic Gouache School Set, 24 Colors — Best for Students Who Want Many Colors
This is Turner’s school set, imported from Japan, with 24 colors in 11 ml tubes. It is a different product from the artist set above: you trade tube size for twice the number of colors. The listing describes it as matte, fast drying and water-resistant.
For a student or casual painter, 24 colors means you can start painting right away without learning to mix every hue. The small tubes are fine for sketchbooks, color studies, small illustrations and class projects, though they will not last long on larger paintings.
Best suited for: art students, teens, sketchbook painters and anyone who wants to sample a wide range of acrylic gouache colors before committing to bigger tubes.
Key features:
- 24 colors, 11 ml tubes
- Matte finish
- Fast drying and water-resistant
- Japan import
Pros
- Twice the colors of the Turner artist set
- Mid-range price for a 24-color set from an established maker
- Good for small-format work and color exploration
Cons / limitations
- 11 ml tubes are the smallest in this guide
- Import listing with limited English product detail
- Less total paint than ARTEZA at a similar price tier
Buying consideration: Pick this over the Turner 12-color artist set if color variety matters more than tube size. Pick the artist set if you paint on wood, fabric or other surfaces.
6. Mont Marte Signature Acrylic Gouache 13 pc — Best for Beginners on a Budget
For the best acrylic gouache for beginners, the Mont Marte Signature set is the easiest starting point. It is the cheapest set here, yet it has the largest tubes: 12 colors in 30 ml (1 oz) tubes, plus a plastic mixing palette with a thumb hole and a sturdy case with a clip-lock lid.
The color list is practical rather than flashy: Titanium White, Lemon Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Orange, Scarlet, Purple, Prussian Blue, Cerulean, Viridian, Chrome Green, Burnt Sienna and Lamp Black. That covers warm and cool versions of the key hues plus two earths, which is a solid base for learning to mix. Mont Marte lists it as matte and water-resistant once dry.
Best suited for: beginners, casual hobby painters, travel and plein air sketching, and anyone testing acrylic gouache before investing in an artist brand.
Key features:
- 12 colors in 30 ml (1 US fl oz) tubes, 360 ml total
- Plastic mixing palette with thumb hole included
- Clip-lock case to store and carry the set
- Matte finish, water-resistant once dry
Pros
- Lowest price tier with the largest tubes in this guide
- Comes with a palette, so it is ready to use
- Well-chosen starter color list with a usable white
Cons / limitations
- Student-level brand; less pigment detail than artist lines
- Plastic palette will stain over time
- Only 12 colors, so you will mix pastels and many greens yourself
Buying consideration: This is the set we would point most first-timers to. Read our step-by-step guide on how to use acrylic gouache before your first session.
7. Holbein Acryla Gouache Mixing Set of 5 — Best for Color Mixing
This small Holbein set takes the opposite approach to ARTEZA. Instead of dozens of ready-made colors, it gives you five 20 ml tubes built around primary colors for mixing. It is designed for painters who want to mix their own palette and learn color, rather than squeeze straight from the tube.
A limited palette has real advantages. Paintings tend to look more harmonious because every color comes from the same few tubes, and you learn quickly how hues, values and temperature interact. The 20 ml tubes are also larger than the 12 ml tubes in Holbein’s set of 18.
Best suited for: painters who want to learn color mixing, minimalists, and owners of the Holbein 18 set who want bigger tubes of core mixing colors.
Key features:
- 5 tubes, 20 ml (0.68 oz) each
- Primary-based mixing palette
- Matte finish
- Listed for paper, canvas and other paintable surfaces
Pros
- Artist-brand quality at a mid-range price
- Encourages color mixing skills and cohesive palettes
- Larger tubes than the Holbein 18-color set
Cons / limitations
- Not a complete palette for beginners who want instant color
- Mixing every hue takes more time and paint
- Exact color names are not listed on the Amazon page, so confirm them on the packaging image
Buying consideration: Best as a first set for confident learners or as an add-on to a larger set.
Other Acrylic Gouache Brands We’ve Covered
A few well-known acrylic gouache brands are not reliably sold on Amazon US, so they are not in the list above. If you buy from art-supply stores, see our Blick acrylic gouache review, our Daler-Rowney acrylic gouache review and our Amsterdam acrylic gouache review.
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Acrylic Gouache
Artist Grade vs Student Grade
Artist-grade lines such as Holbein and Liquitex usually give more detailed pigment information and more consistent opacity from color to color. Student and value sets such as Mont Marte and ARTEZA cost less and are perfectly good for learning, sketchbooks and practice. If you are just starting, a budget set teaches you the medium without the worry of wasting expensive paint.
Number of Colors
Big sets (24 to 36 colors) save mixing time and suit graphic, poster and flat-color work. Small sets (5 to 12 colors) push you to mix, which builds skill and gives more unified paintings. A good middle path is a 12-color set plus a large tube of white.
Tube Size and Value per Milliliter
Compare total milliliters, not just box price. The tubes in this guide range from 11 ml to 30 ml. A cheap set of tiny tubes can cost more per milliliter than a mid-priced set of large tubes. White and black run out first in almost every set.
Opacity and Matte Finish
Opacity and a flat matte finish are the reasons to choose gouache at all. Every set here is listed as matte. If you scan or photograph your work, a very flat finish like Liquitex’s reduces glare.
Water Resistance and Re-workability
All acrylic gouache dries permanent and water-resistant, so it cannot be reactivated with water the way traditional gouache can. That is great for layering and terrible for lifting mistakes. If you want to know which behavior suits you, read our comparison of acrylic gouache vs gouache.
Surfaces You Plan to Paint On
Most acrylic gouache works on heavy paper, illustration board and primed canvas. If you also paint wood, fabric, glass or found objects, look for a formula that lists those surfaces, such as Turner Artist Acryl Gouache.
Extras in the Box
A palette and case (like the Mont Marte set) make a set ready to use and easy to travel with. For a better long-term mixing surface, see our guide to the best palette for gouache painting.
Learn the Basics Before You Buy
Not sure acrylic gouache is right for you? Our guide to how acrylic gouache differs from traditional gouache explains the binder, re-wetting and layering differences in plain terms. If you already paint with regular acrylics, our breakdown of acrylic gouache vs acrylic paint shows where the two overlap and where they do not.
Once your set arrives, follow our walkthrough on how to use acrylic gouache, which covers paper, brushes, palette tips and varnishing. For tools, see our picks for the best paint brushes for gouache. And if you are still deciding between formulas, our roundup of the best gouache paints for painters covers traditional gouache sets.
Common Mistakes When Buying and Using Acrylic Gouache
- Expecting it to re-wet like traditional gouache. Once dry, acrylic gouache stays put. Squeeze out small amounts so you do not waste paint on the palette.
- Letting paint dry in your brushes. Rinse brushes often during a session and wash them promptly with soap and water afterward. Dried acrylic gouache can ruin bristles.
- Buying a huge set when you want to learn mixing. A 36-color set is convenient, but a 5- or 12-color set teaches more.
- Ignoring tube size. Compare total milliliters, and budget for an extra white.
- Over-diluting. Too much water weakens opacity and the matte, even finish. Use as little water as you need.
- Painting on thin paper. Lightweight paper buckles. Use heavy mixed-media paper, watercolor paper or illustration board.
FAQs
What are the best acrylic gouache brands?
Holbein and Liquitex are the most established acrylic gouache brands sold on Amazon US, and Turner Colour Works is a well-known Japanese option. ARTEZA and Mont Marte are good value brands for beginners. Blick, Daler-Rowney and Amsterdam also make acrylic gouache but are easier to find in art-supply stores.
What is the best acrylic gouache for beginners?
The Mont Marte Signature 13-piece set is the best acrylic gouache for beginners on a budget because it includes 12 large 30 ml tubes, a mixing palette and a storage case at the lowest price tier in our list. If you want more colors, the ARTEZA 36-color set is a good alternative.
Is Holbein acrylic gouache good?
Holbein is a respected Japanese artist-paint maker, and its acrylic gouache is one of the most commonly recommended lines. The Designer set of 18 dries matte and water-resistant according to its listing. The main drawbacks are the small 12 ml tubes and the premium price per milliliter.
Can you use acrylic gouache on canvas?
Yes. Acrylic gouache works on primed canvas as well as heavy paper and boards. Several sets in this guide, including ARTEZA and Turner, list canvas as a suitable surface. For more on surfaces, see our guide to the best canvas for gouache.
Is cheap acrylic gouache worth it?
For practice, sketchbooks and learning, budget acrylic gouache is worth it. Sets like Mont Marte give you plenty of paint to experiment with. Artist-grade brands mainly add more consistent opacity and more detailed pigment information, which matters more as your work becomes more serious.
Do you need to varnish acrylic gouache?
You do not have to, because acrylic gouache is already water-resistant when dry. Many artists still apply a matte varnish to protect the surface from scuffs and dust while keeping the matte look. Test any varnish on a scrap first, since some can darken matte colors slightly.
Final Recommendation
There is no single best acrylic gouache for everyone, so match the set to how you paint. For a reliable all-round artist set, choose the Holbein Acrylic Designer Gouache Set of 18. For illustration that will be scanned or printed, go with Liquitex. For the most colors per dollar, pick ARTEZA.
If you are a beginner, start with the Mont Marte Signature set. If you paint on wood, fabric or other mixed surfaces, choose the Turner Artist Acryl Gouache set, and students who want variety should look at the Turner 24-color school set. Finally, if you want to learn color mixing properly, the Holbein Mixing Set of 5 is a small set that teaches a lot.
