10 Best Watercolor Sets

The Winsor and Newton Cotman Sketchers Pocket Box is a compact watercolor set ideal for beginners and hobbyists who value portability. It comes with 14 half pans of Cotman watercolors, which are student-grade paints known for decent pigment quality. While these pigments aren’t as rich or lightfast as professional artist-grade paints, they provide good color variety and are great for practice or casual painting. The box includes a built-in mixing palette in the lid and a small pocket brush, making it convenient for outdoor sketching or travel.

The set is small and lightweight, fitting easily in a bag, so it works well for on-the-go creativity. However, the paints are not waterproof and have moderate lightfastness, meaning colors may fade if exposed to strong sunlight over time. Also, since the pans are half-size, they use less paint but may require frequent refilling for heavy use. The included brush is functional but basic, so upgrading to a better brush might benefit serious users.

If you want a simple, portable watercolor kit with a good balance of quality and convenience for casual use or learning, this set is a solid choice. For professional artists or those needing more durable, vibrant pigments, higher-end sets would be better.

Derwent Academy Watercolour Pencils offer a neat option for those who want the look of watercolor without the mess of liquid paints. Since these are pencils rather than pan or tube paints, they provide more control, making them great for detailed work or layering colors. The set includes 24 colors, which is a good variety for hobbyists and beginners who want to explore different shades. These pencils are considered premium hobbyist quality, so the pigments are decent but not quite at the level of professional artist-grade paints.

The colors blend well when wet, leaving smooth, even washes without the rough pencil strokes you sometimes see. The included white pencil allows for subtle highlights or semi-opaque effects, which adds creative flexibility. Portability is a strong point here—the pencils come in a sturdy tin with a lid, easy to carry around and use anywhere. They also work best when paired with water brushes and watercolor paper, so you might want to invest in those as well for the best experience.

Since these are pencils, their lightfastness might not be as strong as traditional watercolor paints, and re-wettability depends on the paper used. For those seeking a mess-free, portable, and versatile set for watercolor-style drawing and painting, these pencils present a solid choice, especially suitable for beginners and hobbyists.

The Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Studio Set offers 45 half pans of watercolor paints, making it a great choice for artists who want a wide range of colors in one compact kit. These paints come in pan form, which is convenient and portable—ideal for painting both at home and on the go. The set is part of the Cotman line, which uses student-grade pigments that balance quality and affordability by replacing some costly pigments with more budget-friendly options. This means the colors have good transparency and strong tinting power, but may not be as rich or long-lasting as artist-grade paints. Lightfastness, or how well the colors resist fading, is decent but not top-tier, so it’s better suited for practice, studies, or casual artwork rather than professional pieces meant to last for decades.

The half pans re-wet easily, making it simple to reactivate the paint with just water. The included mixing tray and the compact case help keep the set organized and ready to use. This set also comes with a round watercolor brush, which adds to its value for beginners or hobbyists. Weighing just 430 grams, it’s light enough to carry around easily.

If you want a large palette of colors that are good quality but don’t want to pay a premium for artist-grade pigments, this set is a fitting choice. For those needing the highest pigment quality and lightfastness for professional work, a different range might be more suitable.