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The best oil painting kits for beginners give you a usable palette of oil colors, bristle brushes sized for oil, a few primed surfaces and somewhere to prop the canvas, all in one box. What they rarely include is the one thing every oil painter needs on day one: a safe way to thin paint and clean brushes. Knowing that up front saves a frustrating first session.
This guide compares six kits that are actually built around oil paint, from a no-frills tube-and-brush set to sketchbox easel bundles and two mixed-media chests for people who have not committed to oils yet. Each pick is matched to a type of beginner rather than ranked by piece count, because a 187-piece box is not automatically a better start than a 30-piece one.
Quick answer: The ARTALLY 82-Piece Oil Painting Set is the most complete oil-specific starter here, with 24 colors, 10 hog brushes, five painting knives, a double dipper and a beechwood easel box. If you want a lighter, simpler first kit, the VISWIN Basic Oil Paint Set covers the essentials with 12 colors and a tabletop easel, and the Norberg & Linden XXL Oil Paint Set is the leanest way to get 24 colors and 25 brushes if you already have a table setup.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
- ARTALLY 82Pcs Oil Painting Set with Easel Box — Best overall oil starter kit
- VISWIN Deluxe Oil Paint Set with Beech Wood Easel Box — Best sketchbox kit for larger canvases
- VISWIN Basic Oil Paint Set with Tabletop Easel — Best simple first kit
- Norberg & Linden XXL Oil Paint Set — Best budget tubes-and-brushes set
- ESRICH 141PCS Deluxe Painting Set — Best for trying oil, acrylic and watercolor
- ARTALLY 187Pcs All-in-One Art Painting Kit — Best multi-media kit with a floor easel
| Product | Best For | Key Spec | Key Strength | Price Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARTALLY 82Pcs Oil Set | Committed oil beginners | 24 oil colors, 10 hog brushes, 5 knives | Easel box plus double dipper and brush washer | $$$ |
| VISWIN Deluxe Oil Set | Studio and plein air starters | 24 oils, easel holds canvases up to 34″ | Sliding canvas supports and storage drawer | $$$ |
| VISWIN Basic Oil Set | Testing oils on a smaller budget | 12 oils, 7.5″ x 11″ beech easel | Compact, no assembly | $$ |
| Norberg & Linden XXL | Painters who already own an easel | 24 x 12 ml tubes, 25 brushes | Metal palette and broad color range | $$ |
| ESRICH 141PCS | Undecided beginners | 24 oil, 36 acrylic, 24 watercolor | Two easels and surfaces for each medium | $$$ |
| ARTALLY 187Pcs | Families and gift buyers | 24 oil, 48 acrylic, 24 watercolor | Aluminum tripod plus tabletop easel | $$$ |
How We Chose
We compared these kits using the Amazon listing details and specifications checked in October 2026: what is physically in the box, how many oil colors and what tube sizes, whether the brushes are bristle or synthetic, what surfaces and easel are included, and how widely each kit is reviewed by Amazon buyers. We did not paint with these kits, so nothing below describes how a particular tube handles on canvas. Instead, we focused on whether each kit gives a beginner a workable oil setup.
- Oil-specific contents: oil colors in usable tube sizes, bristle or hog brushes, and painting knives.
- A full starter palette: at least a warm and cool of each primary, an earth or two, and a large white.
- Surfaces you can actually use: primed canvas panels or stretched canvas, plus oil paper for studies.
- Support: a tabletop or sketchbox easel that holds the canvas at an angle.
- Honest gaps: whether the kit leaves out solvent or medium, which nearly all of them do.
Best Oil Painting Kits for Beginners Reviewed
1. ARTALLY 82Pcs Oil Painting Set — Best Overall Oil Starter Kit
ARTALLY builds this kit around oil painting rather than bolting oils onto an acrylic chest. You get 24 oil colors milled with linseed oil, 10 hog hair brushes in a storage case, five wooden-handle painting knives, a stainless steel double dipper for medium and solvent, and a stainless brush washer. Surfaces are generous for a starter: eight canvas boards, one larger stretched canvas and a 10-page canvas paper pad.
The beechwood sketchbox converts into a tabletop easel that holds canvases up to 21 inches at an adjustable incline and folds to about 10.6 x 14.2 x 3.75 inches with a carry handle and a storage drawer. The listing states the paints dry evenly in about 10 days, which is a useful reminder that oil is a slow medium; plan on layering over days rather than in one sitting.
Best suited for: Beginners who know they want to learn oil specifically and would like brushes, knives, cups and an easel that match the medium.
Key features:
- 24 oil colors milled with linseed oil
- 10 hog hair brushes plus 5 painting knives
- Beechwood sketchbox easel, canvases up to 21 inches
- 8 canvas boards, 1 stretched canvas, 10-page canvas pad
- Double dipper cup and brush washer/holder, 1-year warranty
Pros:
- Hog bristle brushes suit thick oil paint better than soft nylon
- Dipper and washer cover studio housekeeping
- Enough surfaces for weeks of practice
Cons:
- No solvent or painting medium in the box
- The listing text calls it an acrylic set in one place, so read the contents list carefully
- Tabletop easel limits canvas size to about 21 inches
Buying consideration: Budget for odorless mineral spirits or a solvent-free brush cleaner and a small bottle of linseed or alkyd medium; the dipper is only useful once you fill it.
2. VISWIN Deluxe Oil Paint Set — Best Sketchbox Kit for Larger Canvases
VISWIN’s deluxe set pairs 24 oil colors with a beechwood sketchbox easel that has dual sliding canvas supports and, per the listing, accommodates canvases up to 34 inches. That extra height is the main reason to pick it over a compact tabletop easel: you can move up to a 16 x 20 or 18 x 24 canvas without buying new hardware.
The rest of the kit covers the basics sensibly. There is a stretched canvas, five canvas panels, 12 bristle brushes, a 15-sheet oil paper pad, a wooden palette, a palette knife, pencils with eraser and sharpener for the drawing stage, an oil pot and a brush washer. The paints are listed as meeting ASTM D-4236 and EN71 and as usable without additional medium.
Best suited for: Beginners who want one easel to grow into, including outdoor sessions, and prefer a slightly smaller brush and knife selection to a larger canvas range.
Key features:
- 24 oil colors, ASTM D-4236 and EN71 listed
- Beechwood sketchbox with storage drawer and adjustable angle
- Dual sliding supports for canvases up to 34 inches
- 12 bristle brushes, wooden palette, palette knife
- Oil pot, brush washer, pencils, eraser, sharpener
Pros:
- Easel handles bigger canvases than most kit easels
- Drawing tools included for the sketch stage
- Folds into a portable box for plein air
Cons:
- Only one palette knife
- Kit weight is listed at about 11.5 pounds
- No solvent or medium included
Buying consideration: If you mostly paint small studies at a desk, the larger easel capacity is wasted; the Basic version below costs less and is lighter.
3. VISWIN Basic Oil Paint Set — Best Simple First Kit
The Basic set is the stripped-down sibling of the Deluxe: 12 oil colors, a 7.5 x 11-inch beechwood tabletop sketch easel, one stretched canvas, four canvas panels, 10 bristle brushes, a 15-sheet oil paper pad, a wooden palette and a palette knife. No assembly is needed, and the whole kit is listed at about 6.5 pounds.
Twelve colors is a perfectly good number for learning to mix. Many painting teachers start students on a limited palette precisely because it forces you to understand color temperature and value instead of reaching for a premixed green. The trade-off is that you will burn through white fastest, and a kit tube of white rarely lasts long.
Best suited for: Curious beginners who want to find out whether they enjoy oil before spending more, and painters working in small spaces.
Key features:
- 12 oil colors, ASTM D-4236 and EN71 listed
- 7.5 x 11-inch beechwood tabletop easel
- 1 stretched canvas, 4 canvas panels, 15-sheet oil pad
- 10 bristle brushes, wooden palette, palette knife
Pros:
- Lightest and simplest kit with an easel
- Limited palette teaches mixing
- Ready to use out of the box
Cons:
- Small easel suits small canvases only
- No oil cup or brush washer
- Twelve colors may feel restrictive for landscapes
Buying consideration: Pick up a large tube of titanium white alongside it; white disappears faster than any other color in oil painting.
4. Norberg & Linden XXL Oil Paint Set — Best Budget Tubes-and-Brushes Set
If you already have a table easel, or plan to paint flat on a desk, this is the most direct route to a wide oil palette. The set contains 24 oil tubes at 12 ml each, covering primaries, earth tones, blues, greens and skin-tone shades, plus 25 brushes in bristle, nylon and foam, a metal palette and one 8 x 10-inch stretched canvas panel.
The brush count looks impressive, but the foam brushes are of limited use in oil beyond blocking in a toned ground. The bristle brushes are the ones you will reach for. Twelve milliliter tubes are small, so expect to replace your most-used colors first.
Best suited for: Beginners on a tight budget, and anyone who already owns an easel and canvases and just needs paint and brushes.
Key features:
- 24 oil colors in 12 ml tubes
- 25 brushes: bristle, nylon and foam
- Metal mixing palette
- One 8 x 10-inch stretched canvas panel
Pros:
- Widest color range in the lowest price tier here
- Includes skin-tone shades for early portrait attempts
- Compact box, about 10.5 x 8.5 x 2.5 inches
Cons:
- No easel
- Only one canvas
- Small tubes run out quickly
Buying consideration: Add a pack of canvas panels; one canvas will be gone after the first afternoon.
5. ESRICH 141PCS Deluxe Painting Set — Best for Trying Oil, Acrylic and Watercolor
Some beginners search for an oil kit when what they really want is to find out which medium suits them. ESRICH’s chest answers that with 84 paints split across 24 oil, 36 acrylic and 24 watercolor colors, a dedicated brush set for each medium (10 oil, 12 acrylic, 10 watercolor), and surfaces for each: A4 paper pads, four 8 x 10 canvases, two 11 x 14 and two 9 x 12 stretched canvases.
It also includes a wooden table easel and a foldable metal easel, five painting knives, wooden and plastic palettes, sponges and a foldable brush-washing bucket. The paints are listed as conforming to ASTM D-4236. At around 14.8 pounds it is the heaviest kit here.
Best suited for: Undecided beginners and households where several people will share supplies.
Key features:
- 24 oil, 36 acrylic and 24 watercolor colors
- Separate brush sets for oil, acrylic and watercolor
- Wooden table easel and foldable metal easel
- Stretched canvases in 8 x 10, 9 x 12 and 11 x 14 inches
Pros:
- Lets you compare media before committing
- Two easels for indoor and outdoor use
- Wide spread of canvas sizes
Cons:
- Fewer oil-specific tools than a dedicated oil kit
- Large and heavy to store
- No solvent for the oil portion
Buying consideration: Do not use the acrylic brushes for oil and then go back to acrylic without a thorough clean; keep each brush set with its own medium.
6. ARTALLY 187Pcs All-in-One Art Painting Kit — Best Multi-Media Kit with a Floor Easel
ARTALLY’s larger chest is the only kit here with a floor-standing aluminum tripod easel, which matters if you want to stand while painting or work on canvases bigger than a tabletop easel allows. A beechwood table easel is included too.
The oil portion is 24 colors with 10 oil brushes, alongside 48 acrylics with 15 brushes and 24 watercolors with 10 brushes. The listing also mentions canvas boards, stretched canvas, separate oil, watercolor and acrylic paper, plus a bonus apron and brush basin. Amazon showed this kit at two different price points during our check, so compare sellers before you buy.
Best suited for: Gift buyers, families and beginners who want to stand at an easel and try more than one medium.
Key features:
- 24 oil, 48 acrylic and 24 watercolor colors
- Aluminum tripod easel plus beechwood tabletop easel
- Dedicated brushes for each medium
- Medium-specific papers, canvas boards, apron and brush basin
Pros:
- Floor easel included
- Big acrylic range for quick practice between oil sessions
- Gift-ready packaging per the listing
Cons:
- Oil is one part of a much larger kit
- Lots of pieces to store
- Pricing varied between listings at check time
Buying consideration: If you already know you only want oil, the 82-piece ARTALLY set gives you more oil-specific tools for less space.
Buying Guide: How to Choose an Oil Painting Kit as a Beginner
Count the oil colors, then check what they are
A dozen well-chosen colors beats 24 random ones. Look for a warm and cool red, yellow and blue, at least one earth such as burnt sienna or raw umber, and a white. Kits that list skin tones or premixed greens are convenient, but you can mix those yourself from a basic set.
Tube size matters more than you think
Kit tubes are usually 12 to 22 ml. That is fine for colors you use sparingly, but white and your main earth will run out first. Expect to buy a 120 or 150 ml tube of titanium white within a month of regular painting.
Bristle brushes for oil, not just soft nylon
Oil paint is thick, and stiff hog or bristle brushes move it around with control. Soft synthetics are useful for glazing and detail later. A kit that only contains soft nylon brushes is really an acrylic or watercolor kit with oils added.
Easel type and canvas capacity
Tabletop easels are perfect for 8 x 10 to 12 x 16 panels. Sketchbox easels with sliding supports handle larger canvases and double as storage. A floor tripod lets you stand and step back, which helps you judge a painting from a distance.
What is missing from the box
Almost no beginner kit includes odorless mineral spirits, a solvent-free brush cleaner or a painting medium. You also need lint-free rags or paper towels and a lidded jar for used solvent. Plan for these before your first session.
Ventilation and safety
Oil paint itself is low-hazard, but solvents produce fumes. Paint in a ventilated room, keep solvent containers closed, and dispose of oily rags safely: lay them flat to dry or store them in a sealed metal container, because linseed oil soaked rags can self-heat.
Surfaces for practice versus finished work
Canvas paper pads and thin panels are ideal for color studies and mistakes. Save stretched canvas for paintings you want to keep. A kit with a mix of both encourages you to practice more without worrying about wasting canvas.
Keep Learning Before Your First Canvas
A kit gets you the materials; technique gets you results. If you want to understand which tube paints are worth upgrading to once your kit runs low, our roundup of oil paint reviews by brand compares the common student and artist lines.
Many beginners skip the toned ground and monochrome block-in, then wonder why their colors look chalky. The guide to oil underpainting tips walks through that first layer step by step. If you are eyeing an affordable upgrade from kit paint, read whether Van Gogh oil paints are good for students. And if you would rather start with a relaxed guided session, browse these sip and paint ideas for simple subjects.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Ignoring fat over lean. Each layer should contain a little more oil than the one below; thinning early layers with solvent and later layers with medium helps prevent cracking.
- Pouring solvent down the sink. Let used solvent settle in a closed jar, pour off the clear liquid for reuse and dispose of the sludge according to local rules.
- Squeezing out every color. Put out only what you will use in a session; oil skins over on the palette within a day or two.
- Cleaning oil brushes with water first. Wipe, rinse in solvent or a dedicated oil brush cleaner, then wash with soap and water.
- Working on one painting in one sitting. Oil rewards patience; let layers set before glazing or adding detail.
- Buying the biggest kit for the piece count. Many pieces are duplicates or media you will not use.
FAQs
What do I need besides an oil painting kit?
Odorless mineral spirits or a solvent-free brush cleaner, a painting medium such as refined linseed oil, paper towels or lint-free rags, and a lidded jar. A larger tube of titanium white is also worth buying early.
Can beginners use oil paint without solvent?
Yes. You can paint straight from the tube or thin with linseed oil only, and clean brushes with a vegetable oil wipe followed by soap and water. It is slower to clean up but avoids fumes.
How long does oil paint take to dry?
Thin layers are often touch dry in a few days, while thick passages take much longer. The ARTALLY listing estimates about 10 days for its paints, and full curing before varnishing usually takes months.
Is a 12-color oil kit enough to start?
Yes, if it includes a warm and cool of each primary, an earth and white. A limited palette is a common teaching approach because it builds mixing skills.
Are kit oil paints artist quality?
Most kit paints are student grade with more filler and less pigment than artist lines. They are fine for learning; upgrade your most-used colors first when you are ready.
Should I buy an oil-only kit or a mixed-media kit?
If you are sure about oil, an oil-only kit gives you better-suited brushes and tools. If you are undecided, a mixed-media kit like ESRICH’s lets you compare oil, acrylic and watercolor before committing.
Final Recommendation
For most people who have decided to learn oil painting, the ARTALLY 82-piece set is the strongest start because the brushes, knives, cups and surfaces all match the medium. Choose the VISWIN Deluxe if you want an easel that will handle canvases up to 34 inches, or the VISWIN Basic if you want a lighter, simpler first kit for small studies.
The Norberg & Linden XXL set is the right buy when you already have an easel and just need colors and brushes. If you are still deciding between mediums, the ESRICH 141-piece chest and the ARTALLY 187-piece kit let you try oil alongside acrylic and watercolor. Whichever you choose, add solvent or a solvent-free cleaner, a painting medium and a big tube of white before your first session.
