Nicpro Watercolor Paint Set Review – 36 Colors Worth It?

Quick Verdict

The Nicpro watercolor paint set delivers a lot of kit for under $30 — 36 tubes, 10 brushes, a 25-sheet paper pad, and a palette all bundled in a gift box. For beginners and casual artists, it's a genuinely useful starting point. The paper quality surprised me the most; most starter sets skimp here. That said, the brushes show their budget nature quickly, and the tubes are small enough that heavy users will want to budget for refills. I'd recommend it without hesitation for anyone curious about watercolor — just manage expectations around professional-grade results. Score: 4.2/5

What Is the Nicpro Watercolor Paint Set?

I pulled this set out of its packaging on a quiet Saturday morning, curious whether a sub-$30 bundle could actually be worth using. The Nicpro watercolor paint set arrives in a colorful gift box that feels solid enough to survive shipping — andgift-giving. Inside, everything is neatly compartmentalized: 36 small tubes in a foam insert, 10 brushes bundled in a paper sleeve, the watercolor paper pad, a reusable palette, a color wheel guide, and a swatch sheet.

The tubes themselves are tiny — 12ml each (about 0.4oz), roughly the size of a travel-sized hand cream. For context, a standard student-grade watercolor tube usually holds 15ml, so you're getting slightly less per color. That didn't bother me for initial testing, but I noticed the tubes started drying out around the nozzle after the second week of regular use. You'll want to keep them capped tightly.

Key Features

• 36 pigmented watercolor tubes (12ml each), including 2 metallic shades for special effects
• 10-piece brush set covering flat, round, filbert, and liner shapes for varied strokes
• 25-sheet cold-pressed watercolor paper pad (140lb / 300gsm) — better absorption than typical starter stock
• Reusable plastic palette with wells for mixing colors cleanly
• Color wheel guide and swatch sheet to help beginners understand color theory
• Non-toxic and acid-free formula conforming to ASTM D4236 and EN71 safety standards
• Portable gift box design — compact enough for travel or outdoor painting sessions

Hands-On Review

I spent two weeks using the Nicpro watercolor paint set exclusively for my morning sketching habit. My first session was a quick sunset study — three washes layered over maybe 20 minutes. The pigment activated smoothly when I wet the tube tip and dragged it across the palette. Transparency was decent on the first wash, though some of the brighter hues (the yellows and oranges especially) went a little chalky on the second layer. That's not unusual for student-grade paints, but it's worth knowing if you're used to artist-grade tubes.

The brush set was my biggest frustration. By day four, two of the flat brushes had shed a few bristles into my wash — annoying when you're trying to keep a painting clean. The round brushes held up better, and the liner brush (number 10, the tiny one) turned out to be genuinely useful for fine details. I'd recommend picking up a few replacement brushes separately if you plan to paint regularly; budget around $10-15 for a mid-range set from Princeton or Da Vinci.

What surprised me was the paper pad. I expected the typical thin, tissue-like paper that comes with most budget sets — and I've been burned by that before. The 140lb cold-pressed sheets absorbed washes without immediately buckling. I won't say it's Arches-level (because it isn't), but for practice work and studies, it's genuinely pleasant to use. I filled half the pad during my two-week testing period without feeling like I was wasting decent paper.

The metallic shades — copper and silver — deserve a special mention. I wasn't expecting much from them, honestly. They performed better than anticipated: two thin coats gave a subtle shimmer that caught the light nicely on a small illustration piece. They won't replace dedicated metallic watercolors, but for occasional accents, they work.

Who Should Buy It?

• Complete beginners who want to try watercolor painting without spending $50+ on individual supplies
• Gift buyers looking for a birthday or holiday present for a curious teen or adult — the box is attractive and ready to wrap
• Travel-friendly artists who want a lightweight setup for painting outdoors or on trips
• Classroom or workshop facilitators needing multiple sets that are non-toxic and safe for mixed groups
• Art teachers introducing color theory basics — the included swatch sheet and color wheel are useful teaching tools

Skip this set if you're an experienced artist who needs consistent, lightfast pigments for finished work you intend to sell or display long-term. The color concentration and brush durability will frustrate you. Also skip it if you're looking for truly professional-grade anything — the marketing says "artist-grade," but the price point and tube size tell a different story.

Alternatives Worth Considering

If the Nicpro bundle doesn't feel like the right fit, here are two solid alternatives:

• Prang Watercolor Paint Set (16-24 colors) — A long-standing budget favorite. Smaller color range, but Prang paints have a slightly smoother consistency and better-known brand trust. Better for very young beginners or classroom settings where durability matters more than range.
• Arteza Watercolor Pencils Set — If you prefer a dry-medium approach that activates with a wet brush, Arteza's watercolor pencils offer better control for detailed work and come in a comparable price range. No paper or brushes included, though — you'd need to budget separately.

FAQ

Final Verdict

The Nicpro watercolor paint set earns its place as one of the better-complete starter kits available at this price tier. The color range is generous, the paper outperforms expectations, and the bundling makes it genuinely easy to just start painting. Two weeks in, I was still reaching for it — which says something. It's not replacing my Winsor & Newton tubes, but for quick studies, travel work, or introducing someone to the medium, it does the job without making you feel like you've wasted money. If you're on the fence, this is a solid buy. Check current price on Amazon.