Top Picks for Vibrant Acrylic Colors: Unleash Your Inner Artist

Exploring the world of acrylic colors opens up a vibrant spectrum of creativity for artists and hobbyists alike. Whether you're a professional artist or just dabbling in DIY projects, choosing the right brand can make a significant difference in the quality and vibrancy of your work. With numerous options available, it's important to find brands that offer a good balance of affordability, pigment concentration, and consistency. Below, we invite you to discover some of the best brands for acrylic colors that cater to various needs and preferences.

Illustration of acrylic colours

Best brands of acrylic colours in 2025

Liquitex

Liquitex, established in 1955, revolutionized art with the first water-based acrylic paint, offering a wide range of products, including soft body and heavy body paints. Known for its innovative mediums and tools, Liquitex provides artists with a versatile system for both traditional and experimental techniques, with a commitment to quality and consistency. It was also the first to label products for ASTM standards, ensuring the highest quality for artists worldwide.

Golden Artist Colors

Golden Artist Colors, founded in 1980, is a leading US manufacturer renowned for its high-quality, professional-grade acrylic paints, offering a diverse range including Heavy Body, Fluid, and OPEN acrylics, as well as mediums. The company holds a significant share of the artist-grade acrylic paint market, which was valued at $456.1 million in 2023, and is projected to reach $606.4 million by 2030. Their products are known for exceptional pigment load, archival properties, and versatility, appealing to both amateur and professional artists. Additionally, the company is also recognized for its Williamsburg line of oil paints and QoR watercolors. You can explore their extensive product range.

Winsor & Newton

Winsor & Newton, established in 1832, is a renowned brand offering both professional and student-grade acrylic paints, with the Professional range boasting 80 vibrant colors that maintain their brilliance from wet to dry due to a unique resin technology that eliminates color shift, while the Galeria line provides a more affordable option with 60 colors that still deliver high-quality results. The brand showcases its commitment to both innovation and the needs of diverse artists since introducing their first acrylics in 1970. You can explore their wide range of acrylic paints.

Sennelier

Sennelier, established in 1887, is renowned for producing high-quality, artist-grade acrylic colors with a creamy texture and rich, glossy tones, featuring a broad palette of 120 shades with high pigment concentrations. By primarily using single pigments, they ensure optimal lightfastness and color stability. Additionally, the innovative packaging in pouches minimizes waste, reflecting their commitment to sustainability and eco-friendly practices.

Daler-Rowney

Daler-Rowney, a reputable brand established in 1783, is recognized for producing high-quality acrylic paints, including the System 3 range, which boasts excellent lightfastness and permanence, with some colors achieving a 4-star rating. Favored by both leisure painters and professional artists, this range offers versatility and a smooth, creamy consistency, making it suitable for diverse applications on various surfaces both indoors and outdoors. The brand also offers a range of acrylics, including Cryla, considered a professional-grade option with a rich, thick quality, and the Simply line, a more affordable range.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam, established in 1976 by Royal Talens, is a renowned producer of high-quality acrylic colors, offering a diverse range including the Standard Series with 102 colors, known for its lightfastness and a 100% acrylic resin binder for long-lasting results, and the Expert Series with 70 colors containing exclusive pigments for professional artists; their product line also extends to acrylic markers, spray paints, and auxiliaries providing a wide array of options for creative expression, making Amsterdam a preferred choice for artists globally due to its consistent quality and vibrant colors.

Arteza

Arteza, founded in 2015, is a notable art supply brand offering a wide range of high-quality acrylic paints with rich pigmentation and a smooth, creamy consistency. Available in various sets, including 24 and 60 tube options, Arteza caters to both beginners and experienced artists. While some colors may dry darker and have a lightfastness rating of ASTM III, many are rated ASTM I, ensuring color permanence for hundreds of years. The brand continues to expand its presence in retail locations such as Joann, Michael's, and Walmart, broadening their accessibility to art enthusiasts worldwide.

M. Graham & Co.

M. Graham & Co., founded 25 years ago by two artists, produces exceptional acrylic colors using a high-solids pure acrylic emulsion with 60% solids, enabling increased pigment loading for intense color and a creamy texture, along with a longer working time of up to an hour. Their paints are crafted in small batches using a traditional three-roller mill with no fillers, retarders, or opacifiers, ensuring quality and vibrant hues, making them a top choice for artists. You can find their products at M. Graham & Co. online store.

Grumbacher

Grumbacher, established in 1905, is an American brand trusted by artists for over a century, offering a range of acrylic paints known for their vibrant colors and excellent lightfastness. Their Academy line provides a student-grade option that performs well, often compared to professional brands. The company became an art supply empire by the 1960s, and today is owned by Chartpak Inc., who maintains the quality standards. They offer a variety of 48 intense colors, including metallic and iridescent options. You can explore their products at Chartpak's website.

Royal & Langnickel

Royal & Langnickel, a family-owned business since the 1950s, is recognized for producing quality art supplies, including richly pigmented and smooth acrylic paints that provide optimal coverage. While some users find their consistency to be on the thinner side, the vibrant colors and blendability make them a popular choice for artists of all skill levels. Additionally, Royal & Langnickel is considered a trusted brand that offers a wide selection of art materials, with over 60 years of experience in the industry.