10 Best Watercolor Sets for Mixed Media in 2026: Complete Kits for Layered Art

The best watercolor sets for mixed media make it easier to combine transparent washes with drawing, metallic accents, acrylic-style layers, and dry media. The right kit can save you from buying compatible paints, brushes, and paper separately.

We compared 10 options across color range, included tools, portability, paper compatibility, and beginner-friendliness to help you choose a set that fits your projects and budget.

Best 10 Watercolor Sets for Mixed Media Picks for 2026

Best All-in-One Palette – ARTISTRO 50-Color Watercolor Kit

For shoppers comparing watercolor sets for mixed media, the ARTISTRO 50-Color Watercolor Paint Set combines a broad half-pan palette with brushes, accessories, and a built-in mixing area. Its portable metal case makes it practical for classes, travel, and outdoor painting.

Best For: Beginners, hobbyists, and artists who want many colors and a ready-to-use watercolor kit.

Pros:

• Includes 50 vibrant watercolor colors for varied projects.
• Comes with eight brushes in multiple shapes and sizes.
• Portable metal case includes storage and a mixing palette.

Cons:

• Designed for watercolor paper rather than a broad range of surfaces.
• Paint is not water resistant after application.

This is a versatile choice when color variety and included tools matter most. The integrated organization also makes it easier to bring a complete setup to a class or creative session.

Best Complete Studio Box – 55-Piece Mixed Media Easel Set

This 55-piece kit is a strong option for shoppers seeking watercolor sets for mixed media alongside broader drawing and painting supplies. It includes acrylic and watercolor paints, brushes, colored pencils, notebooks, a drawing board, and a wooden box that doubles as a tabletop easel.

Best For: Students, families, beginners, and artists who want a broad creative kit with built-in setup and storage.

Pros:

• Includes 55 painting, drawing, and organization accessories.
• Wooden easel box provides storage and a stable painting surface.
• Portable design includes separated trays, notebooks, and a drawing board.

Cons:

• Its larger assortment may be more than needed for watercolor-only work.
• At 2.74 kg, it is less lightweight than a compact pan set.

Choose this set when variety is more important than a streamlined watercolor palette. The easel-box format gives beginners a convenient starting point while keeping mixed media supplies together.

Best Portable Everyday Set – Grabie 50-Color Watercolors

The Grabie 50 Color Watercolor Paint Set offers a generous palette in a sturdy metal case, making it a practical pick among watercolor sets for mixed media, travel, urban sketching, and general art projects. Its built-in mixing tray keeps color blending simple without extra equipment.

Best For: Beginners and artists who want a portable watercolor kit for travel, plein air painting, and sketching.

Pros:

• Provides 50 curated colors in a compact case.
• Includes six fine-point brushes for detailed work.
• Built-in mixing tray supports custom color blending.

Cons:

• Paint is not waterproof or water resistant.
• The supplied set is focused on watercolor rather than a full range of mixed media materials.

Grabie is a sensible choice for artists who prioritize portability and a straightforward setup. The broad palette and fine brushes cover everyday watercolor needs without requiring a separate mixing tray.

Best Metallic Effects – SoHo Urban Artist 48-Color Set

For mixed media artists who want shimmer rather than a conventional palette, the SoHo Urban Artist Metallic Watercolors Set supplies 48 metallic half pans. The colors are designed for highlights, embellishments, calligraphy, cards, journals, and contrast on both light and dark watercolor paper.

Best For: Artists and crafters creating metallic accents, dramatic highlights, lettering, cards, and journals.

Pros:

• Offers 48 shimmering metallic watercolor colors.
• Designed to show on light and dark watercolor paper.
• Portable case includes built-in mixing wells.

Cons:

• Metallic effects are more specialized than a traditional all-purpose palette.
• Paint is not waterproof or water resistant.

This set works best as a statement palette or complement to standard watercolors. Its metallic range is especially useful when a project needs reflective accents and stronger contrast.

Most Complete Kit – 152-Piece Wooden Easel Mixed Media Set

If you want watercolor sets for mixed media that also cover acrylic painting, drawing, and pastel work, this 152-piece kit offers a broad starting point. It combines watercolor paints and cakes with pencils, brushes, canvases, pads, and a tabletop wooden easel in one organized case.

Best For: Adults, beginners, hobbyists, and mixed media artists who want a portable all-in-one studio setup.

Pros:

• Includes 10 art media types, including watercolor paints, watercolor cakes, acrylics, and watercolor pencils.
• Comes with brushes, a water brush pen, palette knives, palettes, erasers, and other useful tools.
• Wooden case provides organized storage and incorporates a compact tabletop easel.
• Includes two pads and two 8-by-10-inch canvases for varied projects.

Cons:

• The large assortment may be more than someone seeking only watercolor supplies needs.
• The compact tabletop easel is designed for table use rather than full-size standing work.

This is the strongest choice when versatility and organization matter more than specializing in one watercolor format. Its broad selection makes it convenient for experimenting across media without assembling supplies individually.

Best Portable Palette – 48-Color Washable Watercolor Set

For shoppers comparing watercolor sets for mixed media, this compact pan set focuses on portable watercolor painting and easy color blending. It includes 48 colors, two brushes, and a water pen in a lightweight plastic box with a removable cover that doubles as a palette.

Best For: Field sketching, journaling, classroom activities, and beginners who want a lightweight watercolor kit.

Pros:

• Offers 48 colors with pigments described as vibrant, transparent, and easy to blend.
• Lightweight, sturdy box is suited to outdoor painting and travel.
• Removable cover can function as a palette for mixing.
• Includes two brushes and a water pen for painting with minimal setup.

Cons:

• It is primarily a watercolor set and does not include broader mixed media tools such as pencils or acrylics.
• No paper or other painting surfaces are listed among the included components.

This set is a practical pick when portability, color variety, and quick setup are priorities. Its washable, non-toxic formulation also makes it suitable for the stated adult and child age range, though it is not waterproof once dry.

Best Pencil-Based Option – 120+ Mixed Media Art Pencils

Among watercolor sets for mixed media, this collection is especially suited to artists who prefer controlled pencil techniques. It combines 30 watercolor pencils with colored, metallic, pastel, graphite, and charcoal pencils, plus blending tools, a waterbrush, sketchpads, and a 32-page guide.

Best For: Adult artists who want to layer watercolor pencil effects with dry drawing, shading, metallic, pastel, and charcoal techniques.

Pros:

• Includes 30 watercolor pencils alongside colored, metallic, pastel, graphite, and charcoal options.
• Provides a waterbrush, sticks, blenders, accessories, and five A5 sketchpads.
• Fabric zip case supports organized storage and travel.
• 32-page handbook and step-by-step water dragon tutorial support skill development.

Cons:

• It is pencil-centered rather than a traditional pan or tube watercolor set.
• The set is aimed at adults and may be less suitable for very young artists.

This kit suits artists who want to build mixed media effects through layering, blending, and water-soluble pencil work. It offers more drawing variety than a conventional watercolor palette, with supporting tools and paper included for experimentation.

Guided Starter Kit – 50-Color Watercolor Workbook

For shoppers seeking watercolor sets for mixed media with built-in instruction, this compact kit combines a flower workbook, 50 watercolor colors, brushes, a water brush, a color chart, sponge, and watercolor paper. The spiral-bound format and storage box also make it convenient for travel or painting outdoors.

Best For: Beginners who want guided practice, portable supplies, and an all-in-one watercolor activity.

Pros:

• Includes 12 flower patterns plus basic techniques and step-by-step guidance.
• Provides 50 blendable watercolor colors and several brush types.
• Includes cold-press watercolor paper, color chart, sponge, and portable storage.

Cons:

• The workbook’s flower-focused format may be limiting for artists seeking open-ended subjects.
• The set is centered on watercolor rather than a broad selection of mixed-media mediums.

This is a particularly approachable choice for learning and casual creative sessions. Its guided workbook and included materials reduce setup, while the compact case supports travel and gifting.

Full Mixed-Media Collection – 151-Piece Art Supply Set

If you want watercolor sets for mixed media that go beyond paint alone, this 151-piece collection offers watercolor cakes and tubes alongside acrylics, watercolor pencils, colored pencils, pastels, charcoal, sketching pencils, and accessories. Its aluminum case keeps the broad assortment organized for studio or travel use.

Best For: Artists and beginners who want one portable kit for drawing, painting, sketching, and mixed-media experimentation.

Pros:

• Combines watercolor cakes and tubes with acrylic paints, pencils, pastels, charcoal, and sketching tools.
• Includes a lightweight aluminum case with trays designed to keep supplies organized.
• Supports a wide range of uses, including coloring, drafting, drawing, painting, and sketching.

Cons:

• The large assortment may be more than a watercolor-only artist needs.
• The kit’s broad range can require more organization and learning across different mediums.

This is the most versatile option in the group for exploring multiple media. Choose it when variety and portability matter more than a focused watercolor setup.

Paper Refill Pack – 80-Sheet Cold-Press Watercolor Paper

For watercolor sets for mixed media that already have paints and brushes, this bulk paper pack supplies 80 cold-press sheets for practice, cards, and small projects. Each 5-by-7-inch sheet is 230 GSM and designed for absorption, texture, and reduced warping.

Best For: Beginners, students, families, and artists who need an economical supply of small-format watercolor paper.

Pros:

• Includes 80 sheets for regular practice, replacement, or sharing.
• Cold-press texture offers good absorption and helps distribute pigment evenly.
• Compact 5-by-7-inch size suits cards, invitations, sketches, and beginner projects.

Cons:

• This is paper only, so paints, brushes, and other supplies must be purchased separately.
• The 5-by-7-inch format may be too small for larger compositions.

This pack is a practical add-on rather than a complete art set. It makes sense for building a reusable paper supply or keeping plenty of small sheets available for experiments and handmade cards.

How We Picked the Best Watercolor Sets for Mixed Media

We focused on what matters when watercolor is only one part of the artwork. Each selection was evaluated for its color range, pigment versatility, brush and accessory quality, portability, and usefulness alongside pencils, pens, acrylics, or other media. Complete kits were considered for convenience, while standalone paint and paper options were judged on how well they support customization and repeat use.

We also looked for practical differences between compact watercolor collections, metallic palettes, beginner workbooks, large easel kits, and bulk paper packs. A high item count is helpful, but it does not automatically mean better value; the included materials need to suit the way you actually work.

Quick Comparison

• Best for broad color selection: 50-color watercolor sets from ARTISTRO and Grabie.
• Best for shimmer and accents: SoHo Urban Artist metallic watercolors.
• Best for beginners: The watercolor workbook kit or a complete mixed-media starter set.
• Best for full studio variety: The 152-piece and 151-piece art supply kits.
• Best for drawing-heavy projects: Castle Art Supplies’ mixed-media pencil set.
• Best for replenishing paper: The 80-sheet cold-press watercolor paper pack.

Key Buying Factors for Watercolor Sets for Mixed Media

Paint Formulation and Color Range

Choose a palette with enough hues for your style, but do not overlook mixing space and pigment behavior. Washable paints can suit children, classrooms, and casual practice, while artists creating layered work may prefer stronger, more controllable color. Metallic colors are useful for highlights, lettering, and decorative details rather than broad washes.

Included Tools

Brush pens and standard brushes serve different purposes. Brush pens are convenient for travel and controlled marks, while traditional brushes offer more flexibility with water and pressure. Large kits may include pencils, easels, palettes, and additional paints, but check whether the accessories are genuinely useful or simply increase the piece count.

Paper and Media Compatibility

Watercolor paper is essential for wet techniques. Cold-press, approximately 230 GSM paper is a practical choice for washes, light layering, and mixed-media embellishment. If you plan to add substantial acrylic, ink, or repeated wet layers, look for heavier paper or a sturdy mixed-media surface to reduce buckling.

Portability and Storage

A compact palette works well for travel, workshops, and quick studies. Aluminum cases and wooden easel kits provide better organization for larger collections but require more storage space. Consider whether the set can be closed securely and whether replacement supplies are easy to find.

Who Should Buy Which Watercolor Sets for Mixed Media?

Beginners should start with a workbook kit or a compact set that includes paint, paper, and brushes. Traveling artists will likely prefer a portable 48- or 50-color palette with brush pens. Illustrators and journalers may benefit from a versatile watercolor set paired with dedicated cold-press paper. Mixed-media artists who draw first should consider adding the 120-plus pencil collection to a smaller paint set. Families, classrooms, and gift buyers may get the most value from a complete easel or aluminum-case kit, provided they have room to store it. Finally, choose the metallic set if accent color and reflective detail matter more than an all-purpose palette.