ARTISTRO Watercolor Sets Review: 24-Color and 100-Color Options for Beginners

Starting your watercolor journey can be exciting, but choosing the right kit is essential for a smooth learning curve. For beginners, the ideal set should offer a balanced palette, good pigment quality, and easy portability. ARTISTRO offers two popular options: the ARTISTRO 24 Color Watercolor Paint Set and the Watercolor Paint Set, 100 Vivid Colors in Portable Box. Both are designed to cater to different needs, from compact travel to expansive color exploration.

In this review, we’ll compare these two beginner-friendly watercolor kits side by side. We’ll evaluate their packaging, pigment performance, ease of use, and overall value. Whether you’re a hobbyist, student, or aspiring artist, this guide will help you decide which watercolor set best suits your creative style and budget.

Unboxing and First Impressions

The ARTISTRO 24 Color Watercolor Paint Set arrives in a sturdy tin box that doubles as a palette. Inside, you’ll find 24 half-pan watercolors, a mixing tray, and a water brush pen. The tin box is compact enough to slip into a bag, making it ideal for sketching on the go. The pans are securely fitted, and the colors are arranged in a logical spectrum, which helps beginners quickly locate shades.

The Watercolor Paint Set, 100 Vivid Colors in Portable Box comes in a larger, lightweight plastic case with two layers of pans. The case includes a built-in mixing area and a silicone water well. With 100 colors, the variety is impressive—from bright primaries to subtle earth tones. However, the pans are smaller, and the case is bulkier, so portability trades off for more color options.

• Tin box of the 24-color set doubles as a palette with mixing area.
• 100-color set includes a silicone water well and dual-layer storage.
• Both sets include a water brush pen for immediate use.

Color Selection and Pigment Quality

The 24-color set focuses on essential colors, including a good range of blues, reds, yellows, greens, and earth tones. The pigments are semi-moist and activate quickly with a wet brush. Beginners will find it easy to mix secondary and tertiary colors from this curated palette. The opacity is consistent, and the colors remain vibrant even after drying.

With 100 colors, the Watercolor Paint Set, 100 Vivid Colors in Portable Box offers unparalleled variety. You get multiple shades of each hue, including metallic and neon options. The pigments are slightly softer, which makes them easy to lift. However, some colors may appear less saturated than the 24-color set due to the added fillers needed to produce so many pans. For beginners who want to experiment without mixing, this set is a treasure trove.

• 24-color set: semi-moist formula, good for mixing and learning color theory.
• 100-color set: includes metallics and neons; pans are smaller but numerous.
• Both sets are non-toxic and AP certified safe.

Ease of Use for Beginners

The ARTISTRO 24 Color Watercolor Paint Set is extremely beginner-friendly. The included water brush pen lets you paint without needing a separate water cup, which simplifies the process. Simply squeeze the brush to release water, dip into the pan, and paint. The mixing tray is spacious enough for basic color blending. The tin box’s hinged lid can also be used as an additional mixing surface.

For the Watercolor Paint Set, 100 Vivid Colors in Portable Box, the learning curve is slightly steeper due to the number of colors. Beginners might feel overwhelmed by choice, but the included color chart helps with identification. The silicone water well is convenient for cleaning brushes between colors. It’s a great set for artists who prefer pre-mixed hues and want to jump straight into painting projects.

• 24-color set: one integrated tool for painting and mixing.
• 100-color set comes with a color chart and silicone water well.
• Both sets include instructions for beginners.

Performance on Paper and Versatility

We tested both sets on cold-pressed watercolor paper (140 lb). The 24-color set produced clean washes and allowed for easy layering. Colors lifted well when rewetting after drying. The water brush pen delivers a steady flow of water, making it suitable for wet-on-wet techniques. The set also works well on mixed-media paper and even heavy cardstock.

The 100-color set performed admirably on watercolor paper, with the metallics adding a subtle shimmer. Because the pans are smaller, you may need to rewet them more frequently. The larger number of colors reduces the need for mixing, which can speed up your workflow. Both sets are also usable on other surfaces like canvas and wood, though watercolor paper yields the best results.

• Both sets produce vibrant colors on watercolor paper.
• 24-color set excels for learning wet-on-wet and layering.
• 100-color set offers pre-mixed shades for quick painting.

Pros and Cons

Every watercolor kit has strengths and weaknesses. We’ve summarized the key points for both sets to help you decide.

• ARTISTRO 24 Color Watercolor Paint Set: Pro – compact tin box, excellent mixing potential, includes water brush; Con – limited palette size for advanced users.
• Watercolor Paint Set, 100 Vivid Colors in Portable Box: Pro – huge color variety, metallics and neons, silicone water well; Con – bulkier case, smaller pans, some colors less vibrant.

Which One Should You Choose?

If you are a true beginner who values portability, simplicity, and learning how to mix colors, the ARTISTRO 24 Color Watercolor Paint Set is the perfect companion. Its tin box is travel-friendly, and the limited palette encourages you to practice blending. It also makes a great gift for young artists or anyone new to watercolors.

For artists who prefer having many colors at their fingertips without mixing, or those who enjoy detailed projects that require specific shades, the Watercolor Paint Set, 100 Vivid Colors in Portable Box is a better fit. It’s also ideal for character design, card making, and journaling where you want a precise hue immediately. Both sets offer excellent value, but your choice depends on your preferred painting style.

Choosing the right watercolor kit can make your first painting experience more enjoyable. Whether you opt for the curated simplicity of the ARTISTRO 24 Color Watercolor Paint Set or the expansive palette of the Watercolor Paint Set, 100 Vivid Colors in Portable Box, you’ll have quality materials to start creating. We recommend the ARTISTRO 24 Color Watercolor Paint Set for beginners who want a compact, all-in-one solution that encourages learning through mixing.