Our readers keep the lights on and my morning glass full of iced black tea. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.7 Best Artist Oil Paint | The 37ml Tube That Changes Everything

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This is the set that art instructors consistently recommend, and for good reason. The Gamblin Introductory Set delivers a curated selection of six 37 ml tubes—Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red, Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo Green, Yellow Ochre, and Ivory Black—along with a generous 150 ml Titanium White and a pre-primed birch wood panel. The paint body is consistently buttery and stiff, ideal for both brush and palette knife work, holding peaks beautifully for impasto technique.

What sets Gamblin apart is the pigment-to-medium ratio. These paints contain no fillers or extenders, so you get maximum tinting strength from every squeeze. Artists report that even heavily thinned washes retain strong color, and the colors mix cleanly without turning muddy. The lightfastness across the set is ASTM I, ensuring archival permanence. The birch panel is a thoughtful touch for immediate plein air work or testing.

The main trade-off is the initial investment. However, considering you receive a full 150 ml of Titanium White (which you will burn through fastest) and real cadmium pigments rather than cheaper substitutes, the cost-per-gram of usable paint is competitive. This set eliminates the guesswork for someone ready to move beyond student-grade supplies.

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If you buy only one tube of oil paint in your life, make it a high-quality white. The Gamblin Titanium White in the 150 ml format is the gold standard for mixing. Its buttery, stiff body holds crisp edges and stands up to heavy brush and knife manipulation without collapsing into a greasy puddle. This is the white that underpins a vast range of techniques, from thin glazes to thick impasto highlights.

The pigment load in Gamblin’s white is noticeably higher than in many student lines. When you mix it with a Cadmium Red or Ultramarine, you need far less white to achieve a pastel tint, which means your mixtures stay cleaner and more saturated. The oil absorption is well-calibrated—the paint is stiff without being tacky or drag-heavy on the brush. Artists consistently rate this as their go-to white for reliability.

The sole caveat is the size. At 150 ml, it is a commitment to a single color. But white is typically the most-used color in any oil painter’s palette, often consumed at 3-4 times the rate of other hues. Buying in bulk saves significant cost over multiple smaller tubes. For any painter who works in volume or values consistent mixing results, this is the white to stock.

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Winsor & Newton’s Winton line represents a rare balance: professional-grade pigment handling at a price that students and serious hobbyists can justify. This 10-color set includes 21 ml tubes of Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine, Phthalo Blue, Viridian Hue, Yellow Green, and Burnt Sienna. The consistency is even and buttery, holding brushstrokes well while remaining fluid enough for smooth blending and knife work.

What elevates Winton above other student-tier lines is the color formulation. Winsor & Newton individually formulates each color to maximize the natural properties of its specific pigment, rather than using a one-binder-fits-all approach. This means the Phthalo Blue handles differently from the Burnt Sienna, the advantage being that each behaves optimally for its pigment chemistry. Lightfastness is strong across the set, with most colors rated ASTM I or II.

The 21 ml tube size is adequate for learning and small-to-medium canvases, but heavy users will quickly exhaust the more popular colors, particularly the white and earth tones. The set does not include a brush or palette, so factor in those separate purchases. For a painter seeking a reliable, predictable paint that won’t fight unpredictably on the canvas, this kit is a smart step up.

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Williamsburg, now owned by Golden, produces paint that is still largely handmade in small batches. This Signature Colors set of 9 x 11 ml tubes is a gateway into a world of uniquely historical and high-chroma pigments. The set includes colors like Unbleached Titanium, Venetian Red, and Yellow Ochre Pale, each ground to a very fine particle size that yields extraordinary luminosity in thin films and rich depth in thicker applications.

The body of Williamsburg paint varies by pigment—some are ropy and long, others are stiffer—reflecting the natural character of each pigment rather than standardizing them into a uniform texture. This requires some adaptation but rewards the painter with colors that feel alive and responsive. The Unbleached Titanium, for example, has a creamy, slightly grayish-buff tone that is superior for skin tones and neutral tints compared to a bright white. Color mixing is transparent and clean, with no muddying from fillers.

The 11 ml tubes are small and come at a premium price. These are not economical for covering large areas but are ideal for building a specialized palette of unique, low-volume colors. The packaging is minimal yet effective. For the painter who obsesses over color nuance and appreciates the craft of paint-making, this set is a treasure.

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Flake White (lead white) is the traditional white of the Old Masters, and Williamsburg’s rendition honors that heritage. This 37 ml tube contains basic lead carbonate (PW 1) ground to a very fine consistency, producing a paint that is ropy and long—meaning it pulls into strings rather than forming a stiff peak. It has a warm, almost pearlescent sheen that Titanium White cannot replicate, making it indispensable for rendering flesh tones and soft atmospheric transitions.

The semi-opaque coverage of this Flake White allows for layered, ethereal effects in glazes. When mixed with colors, it modifies the hue in a subtle, warm manner rather than the chalky, cold shift typical of Titanium White. The ASTM I lightfastness rating assures archival stability. Williamsburg’s manufacturing process ensures the lead carbonate is thoroughly dispersed and the grind is defect-free, which eliminates the gritty inconsistency found in some lesser flake whites.

The obvious downside is toxicity—lead white requires careful handling, no airborne dust, and no ingestion. It is not suitable for children or painters who work in poorly ventilated spaces. Additionally, the 37 ml tube is small for a white, though this is standard for lead whites due to their density and cost. This is a specialist’s tool for specific classical techniques, not an everyday mixing white.

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Daler-Rowney’s Georgian line is a reliable student-grade paint that punches above its tier in volume. This 10-tube set provides 38 ml per tube—a generous amount compared to the typical 21 ml or 37 ml sets. The color selection includes Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine, Viridian, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber, and Ivory Black. The triple-milled archival paint has a smooth, buttery texture that blends evenly and performs well with both brush and knife.

A standout feature is the drying time. Georgian oil paints are formulated to dry faster and more evenly across the palette, reaching a touch-dry state in roughly 4-5 days. This is a boon for students and hobbyists who work in layers and don’t want to wait a week between sessions. The consistency is uniform across all colors, simplifying the learning process. The paint is also low-odor, making it less offensive in shared spaces.

The compromise is in pigment concentration. When mixing, especially with Titanium White, you may find you need more paint to achieve the same tinting strength as a premium brand. The colors are decent but lack the luminosity and depth of higher-end lines. This is a paint designed for practice, learning, and volume work rather than gallery-quality final pieces.

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For the painter on a tight budget who still wants a full spectrum of colors without mixing every hue, the MyArtscape 24-color set is a compelling entry point. Each of the 24 tubes contains 21 ml of paint, totaling over 500 ml of paint for the set. The colors are rich and vibrant, with a glossy finish that requires little additional medium to achieve a strong sheen. The texture is creamy and smooth, making initial brushwork forgiving and easy to blend.

Where this set excels is in its variety—24 distinct colors including multiple blues, greens, earth tones, and a decent selection of warm and cool primaries. This allows a beginner to start painting immediately without needing deep color theory knowledge. The paint covers well and dries to a consistent gloss. The 1-year replacement guarantee adds a layer of confidence for first-time buyers.

The obvious trade-off is in pigment quality and lightfastness. While the set claims high lightfastness, individual pigments are not ASTM-rated, and the binder-to-pigment ratio is lower than professional lines. Colors may fade over time, especially in direct sunlight. The 21 ml tubes are also smaller than the Daler-Rowney set. For practice paintings, studies, or learning color mixing, this set delivers extraordinary value, but it is not archival-grade material for serious works.