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The best oil paint set for beginners is not the one with the most colors. It is the one that gives you a sensible range of colors in usable tube sizes, paint with a consistent buttery body, and, if you are starting from nothing, the brushes, palette and surfaces to begin painting the day it arrives. Oil paint is forgiving in many ways, since it stays wet long enough to blend and correct, but a poor set with stiff, chalky paint can make it feel much harder than it is.
This guide covers paint-only sets for beginners who already have brushes and boards, and complete kits with easels and accessories for those starting from scratch. Every pick lists what is included so you can judge value honestly.
Quick answer: The ARTALLY 82-piece Oil Painting Set is the best all-round beginner kit: 24 linseed-based oil colors, 10 hog bristle brushes, palette knives, canvases and a beechwood easel box. If you just need paint, the Ohuhu 24-color set gives a good range of named colors in 12 ml tubes at a low tier. The Norberg & Linden XXL set is a strong middle option with 24 paints, 25 brushes, a metal palette and a canvas.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
- ARTALLY 82Pcs Oil Painting Set with Easel Box — Best complete oil painting kit for beginners
- Norberg & Linden XXL Oil Paint Set — Best paint-plus-brushes starter set
- Ohuhu Oil Paint Set, 24 Colors — Best paint-only set on a budget
- RoseArt Premium Oil Paint Set, 24 Colors — Best named color palette
- DJAR 174 Pcs All-in-One Art Set — Best multi-media kit with a French-style easel
- ESRICH 141PCS Deluxe Painting Set — Best multi-media kit with two easels
| Product | Best For | Key Spec | Key Strength | Price Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARTALLY 82Pcs | Complete oil kit | 24 oils, 10 hog brushes, knives, easel box | Everything for oils | $$$ |
| Norberg & Linden XXL | Paint plus brushes | 24 x 12 ml, 25 brushes, palette, canvas | Lots of brushes | $$ |
| Ohuhu 24 Colors | Budget paint only | 24 x 12 ml | Named colors, low tier | $$ |
| RoseArt Premium 24 | Color selection | 24 x 12 ml | Clear color list | $ |
| DJAR 174 Pcs | Trying several media | 96 paints incl. oil, easel | Beechwood easel | $$$ |
| ESRICH 141PCS | Family or multi-media | 84 paints incl. 24 oils, 2 easels | Wood and metal easels | $$$ |
How We Chose
These picks are based on the Amazon listing details and specifications for each set as checked in October 2026, how well each set’s contents, tube sizes and color range fit a beginner learning oils, and how widely each is reviewed by Amazon buyers. We have not painted with these sets; paint quality descriptions come from the listings, and we point out where a listing is confusing or inconsistent.
- Color range: a usable spread including white, primaries and earth tones.
- Tube size: enough paint, especially white, to finish several paintings.
- Included tools: stiff brushes suited to oils, knives, palette and surfaces.
- Oil-specific focus: oil-only kits ranked above multi-media kits for oil learners.
- Clarity: listings that state contents clearly.
What a Beginner Actually Needs for Oil Painting
A practical starter kit for oils is shorter than most sets suggest: about ten to twelve colors including a large white, three or four stiff brushes in flat and filbert shapes, a palette knife, a palette, primed canvas panels, a solvent or solvent-free cleanup method and paper towels. Mediums are optional at first.
Sets with 24 colors are fine, but you will use some far more than others. Titanium white runs out first, followed by a blue, a yellow and an earth color. Plan to buy a large tube of white early regardless of the set you choose.
Brushes matter. Oil paint is thicker than watercolor, so stiff hog bristle or firm synthetic brushes move it better than soft nylon. Kits with hog brushes, like ARTALLY’s, are better matched to oils than kits with mixed soft brushes.
Best Oil Paint Sets for Beginners Reviewed
1. ARTALLY 82Pcs Professional Oil Painting Set with Easel Box — Best Complete Oil Kit
ARTALLY’s kit is built around oil painting specifically. It includes 24 oil colors milled with linseed oil, 10 hog hair brushes, 5 wooden-handle painting knives, canvases and a German beechwood sketch-box easel that holds canvases up to 21 inches at adjustable angles.
Hog bristle brushes and knives are exactly the tools oils need, and the easel box doubles as storage and a portable studio. For someone starting from nothing, it removes most of the guesswork. The listing includes a 1-year warranty on the kit.
You will still need a cleanup solution, either odorless mineral spirits or a solvent-free method, and you will want extra white before long.
Best suited for: Beginners starting oil painting from scratch who want a portable, all-in-one setup.
Key features (from the listing):
- 24 oil colors milled with linseed oil (listed)
- 10 hog hair brushes
- 5 wooden-handle painting knives
- Canvases
- Beechwood easel box holding canvases up to 21 in
Pros:
- Oil-specific tools
- Portable easel box
- Everything needed to start
Cons and limitations:
- Top tier for a beginner
- Tube sizes not stated in the bullets
- Solvent not included
Buying consideration: Check the canvas count and tube size on the listing images. If tubes are small, buy a 200 ml titanium white alongside the kit.
2. Norberg & Linden XXL Oil Paint Set — Best Paint-Plus-Brushes Starter Set
Norberg & Linden bundles 24 oil paint tubes of 12 ml each with 25 brushes, a metal palette and one 8 x 10 inch stretched canvas panel. The colors include primaries, earth tones, blues, greens and skin-tone shades.
The 25 brushes cover bristle, nylon and foam types for broad coverage, blending and detail. That variety helps beginners learn which shapes they like. A metal palette is easy to clean and durable.
Best suited for: Beginners who have a table to paint at and want paint, brushes and a palette in one box.
Key features (from the listing):
- 24 x 12 ml oil paint tubes
- 25 brushes: bristle, nylon and foam
- Metal palette
- 8 x 10 in stretched canvas
Pros:
- Lots of brushes to experiment with
- Includes palette and a canvas
- Mid tier
Cons and limitations:
- Only one canvas
- 12 ml tubes run out quickly
- Foam brushes are of limited use with oils
Buying consideration: Pick out the bristle brushes for oil work and keep the soft and foam brushes for other media.
3. Ohuhu Oil Paint Set, 24 Colors x 12 ml — Best Paint-Only Set on a Budget
Ohuhu’s 24-color set lists named colors including titanium white, lemon yellow, medium yellow, yellow ochre, flesh tint, orange, rose, vermilion, scarlet, crimson red, Prussian blue, cobalt blue and ultramarine blue. A clear color list is useful for beginners following tutorials.
The listing says the paint glides smoothly and dries quickly for a durable finish; oil paint drying speed depends on pigments and layers, so treat that as relative. It is non-toxic according to the listing.
Best suited for: Beginners who already have brushes and surfaces and want an inexpensive range of colors.
Key features (from the listing):
- 24 x 12 ml tubes
- Named color list
- Non-toxic (listed)
- Gloss finish (listed)
Pros:
- Low tier
- Useful named colors
- Compact for travel
Cons and limitations:
- Paint only
- Small tubes
- Includes “flesh tint” convenience colors you can mix
Buying consideration: Use this set to learn mixing and practice, then upgrade the colors you use most.
4. RoseArt Premium Oil Paint Set, 24 Colors — Best Named Color Palette
RoseArt’s 24-tube set lists colors including light green, deep yellow, orange, sap green, lemon yellow, yellow ochre, vermilion, cadmium red, alizarin rose, permanent red, titanium white, black, burnt umber and Payne’s gray. The listing describes maximum-strength pigment and a buttery texture.
One error to be aware of: a bullet describes “24 .4oz tubes of acrylic paint”, while the rest of the listing and details say oil. Confirm you are buying the oil set when ordering.
Best suited for: Beginners who want a recognizable palette with earth tones and grays included.
Key features (from the listing):
- 24 x 12 ml tubes
- Named colors including earths and Payne’s gray
- Semi-gloss finish (listed)
- Non-toxic (listed)
Pros:
- Good color list for landscapes and portraits
- Family brand with a long history
- Clear naming
Cons and limitations:
- Listing mentions acrylic in one bullet
- “Artist grade” claim unverified
- Small tubes
Buying consideration: Earth colors such as burnt umber and yellow ochre are the backbone of many beginner paintings; this set includes both.
5. DJAR 174 Pcs All-in-One Art Painting Set with Beech Wood Easel — Best Multi-Media Kit with French-Style Easel
DJAR’s 174-piece kit includes a beechwood tabletop French-style easel with brass-plated hardware and a leather handle, 96 paints across oil, watercolor and acrylic, 30 brushes, sketch and colored pencils and canvas panels.
It is a good fit for someone who wants to try oils alongside other media, or as a gift. Oil learners get fewer oil-specific tools than in the ARTALLY kit.
Best suited for: Beginners who want to explore several media, and gift buyers.
Key features (from the listing):
- Beechwood tabletop easel
- 96 paints: oil, watercolor, acrylic
- 30 brushes
- Pencils and canvas panels
Pros:
- Attractive, sturdy easel
- Huge variety
- Gift-ready
Cons and limitations:
- Not oil-focused
- Paint quality across media is unknown
- Top tier
Buying consideration: If oils are your priority, a dedicated oil kit is better value; choose DJAR if variety is the point.
6. ESRICH 141PCS Deluxe Painting Set — Best Multi-Media Kit with Two Easels
ESRICH includes 84 paints, 36 acrylic, 24 oil and 24 watercolor, plus a wooden table easel and a foldable metal easel, 12 acrylic brushes, 10 oil brushes, 10 watercolor brushes, paper pads and canvases. Paints conform to ASTM D-4236 according to the listing.
Separate brush sets for each medium are a thoughtful touch. It suits families or classrooms where several people will paint.
Best suited for: Families, shared studios and beginners trying multiple media.
Key features (from the listing):
- 84 paints incl. 24 oil colors
- Wooden table easel and metal easel
- 10 dedicated oil brushes
- Paper pads and canvases
Pros:
- Separate brushes per medium
- Two easels
- Good for groups
Cons and limitations:
- Heavy kit (14.8 lb listed)
- Oil paint quantity per tube not stated
- Not oil-focused
Buying consideration: Store oil brushes separately and clean them with an oil-appropriate method; do not mix them into the acrylic brush jar.
Your First Oil Painting Session
Set up near a window or with airflow. Tone a canvas panel with a thin wash of burnt umber or yellow ochre thinned with a little solvent and let it set. Sketch the main shapes with a thin brush. Block in big areas with your largest flat, working dark to light and thin to thick. Leave details and thick highlights for the end.
Clean brushes by wiping excess paint on paper towels, rinsing in solvent or a solvent-free brush cleaner, then washing with soap and water. Lay oily rags flat to dry or store them in a sealed metal container, because oil-soaked rags can self-heat.
Three easy first subjects
- A single piece of fruit: one simple form teaches light, shadow and edges without overwhelming you.
- A simple landscape: sky, distant hills and a foreground field show how colors cool and lighten with distance.
- A monochrome study: painting with only burnt umber and white teaches value, which matters more than color.
Buying Guide: How to Choose an Oil Paint Set for Beginners
Decide between paint-only and complete kits
If you already own brushes, a palette and boards, a paint-only set is better value. If you have nothing, a complete oil kit saves time and money on small items.
Check tube sizes, especially white
Most beginner sets use 12 ml tubes. That is fine for colors but not for white. Budget for a large white tube.
Look for useful colors
A good set includes titanium white, a warm and a cool yellow, a warm and a cool red, ultramarine, a second blue, burnt umber and yellow ochre. Extra greens and convenience colors are a bonus.
Prefer stiff brushes for oils
Hog bristle and firm synthetic brushes push oil paint around; soft brushes struggle with it. Kits that include hog brushes are better matched.
Consider oil-only versus multi-media kits
Multi-media kits are fun and giftable, but oil-only kits concentrate value on the tools oils need.
Plan for cleanup
Kits rarely include solvent. Decide whether you will use odorless mineral spirits or a solvent-free method and buy accordingly.
Keep Learning Oil Painting
Before your first session, read our guide on how to use oil paint thinner safely and sparingly. If you enjoy small-scale work, try using oil paints on miniatures. Buying for a child? Oil paint is not ideal for young kids, so consider our guide to using oil pastels for kids instead. For a full walkthrough, see how to start oil painting for beginners.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Buying a huge set and never learning to mix colors.
- Using soft watercolor brushes for thick oil paint.
- Running out of white in the first week.
- Using too much solvent in later layers.
- Painting in a closed room with open solvent jars.
- Throwing oily rags in a pile.
FAQs
What is the best oil paint set for beginners?
For a complete start, the ARTALLY 82-piece oil kit includes paint, hog brushes, knives, canvases and an easel box. For paint only, Ohuhu’s 24-color set is a good budget choice.
How many colors do beginners need for oil painting?
About ten to twelve, including a large white, warm and cool primaries and a couple of earth colors. Larger sets are fine but not necessary.
Do I need solvent for oil painting?
Not necessarily. You can paint with oil paint straight from the tube and clean brushes with oil and soap. Many beginners use a small amount of odorless mineral spirits for thinning and cleaning.
Are cheap oil paint sets good for learning?
They are fine for practice, though cheaper paint may have less pigment. Upgrade your most-used colors as you improve.
How long does oil paint take to dry?
Thin layers may be touch-dry in a few days; thicker paint can take weeks. Drying varies with pigment, thickness and conditions.
Is oil paint safe for kids?
Oil paint itself is generally safe to handle with care, but solvents and slow drying make it impractical for young children. Washable paints or oil pastels are better for kids.
Final Recommendation
Choose the ARTALLY 82-piece kit if you are starting oils from scratch and want oil-specific tools in a portable easel box. Choose Norberg & Linden if you want paint, plenty of brushes and a palette for less, or Ohuhu or RoseArt if you only need paint. DJAR and ESRICH are best for families or anyone who wants to try several media at once.
