Artkey Acrylic Paint Set - 24 colors 2 oz/59 ml Acrylic Paints Professional Artists Painting Kit for Canvases Fabric Rock Leather Easter Egg Wood Ceramic Glass Art Craft Painting

Why I reached for this set

I keep a rotating shelf of acrylics for everything from quick canvas studies to last‑minute school projects and weekend craft sessions. Recently I put the Artkey acrylic set through a month of mixed-surface testing: canvas, primed wood, terracotta, glass, plastic, and fabric. With 24 colors in 2 oz squeeze bottles, it promised the right balance of volume and variety. Here’s how it stacked up in day-to-day use.

What you get and how it’s packaged

The set arrives neatly organized in a sturdy box. Each bottle is clearly labeled with the color name and sealed with a screw cap. None of mine leaked in transit or during storage, and the caps thread on cleanly—small detail, big difference when you’re tossing paints in a tote. The 2 oz size is generous; you can cover a surprising amount of surface area before needing to restock, which is especially helpful for base-coating props, signs, and larger craft items.

Decanting is straightforward: I unscrew the cap and squeeze paint onto a wet palette or tile. The bottles make it easier to control portion size than tubes, and they’re less prone to popping a metal seam.

Color range and consistency

The 24-color spread hits the essentials: primaries, secondaries, a couple of earth tones, plus black and white. It’s not an exhaustive spectrum, but it’s broad enough to mix convincing skin tones, muted foliage, and bright accents without fighting muddy results. White and black are well-behaved mixers—white tints smoothly without chalking, and black deepens hues without immediately killing chroma.

Consistency is a medium-body, creamy “butter-like” texture that sits between heavy-body studio paints and fluid craft acrylics. Out of the bottle, it’s ready for brushes and sponge applicators; with a little water or medium, it also runs nicely through a small detail bottle or for scumbling with a stiff brush. Pigment load is solid for general art and craft work: not as dense as professional tube paints, but more saturated than bargain-bin craft options. Expect a slight darkening shift as it dries (typical for acrylics).

The finish leans matte to satin depending on thickness and substrate. If you want a uniform sheen, a final varnish or sealer evens it out.

Performance across surfaces

I tried to use the same techniques across different materials to see how the line behaved.

• Canvas (primed panel): Coverage is strong. Flat fields of color reach near-opaque in one coat and fully opaque in two. Blends are workable if you plan small sections, and glazing with a touch of medium yields even, streak-free transitions. No unusual brush drag, and minimal color lift when layering after the base has set.

• Wood (lightly sanded pine and craft plywood): Excellent grip with or without gesso, though gesso helps avoid raising the grain. Colors remain bright, and dry films are flexible enough for minor wood movement indoors.

• Terracotta pot: The porous surface takes paint beautifully. Two coats gave punchy color; I sealed with an acrylic clear coat to prevent chalking and moisture ingress. For outdoor exposure, a dedicated exterior sealer is a must.

• Glass jar: Degreased with isopropyl alcohol first. The first coat showed some transparency and slight streaking (expected on slick glass), but the second coat covered nicely. I let it cure 48 hours before handling and sealed for scratch resistance. For anything functional, hand-wash only and avoid lip-contact areas.

• Plastic (polypropylene organizer bin): Light scuff sanding and a plastic primer improved adhesion. Without prep, paint will mark with a fingernail. With prep and sealing, it stands up to gentle use.

• Fabric (cotton tote): A thin application straight from the bottle adhered well. For a softer hand and better washability, I mixed in a textile medium and heat-set with an iron through parchment. After a gentle cold wash, the colors held with only minor soft fading on the heaviest areas. Thick, raised applications will feel stiff and may crack; keep layers thin.

Mixing, layering, and special techniques

• Mixing: Primaries blend cleanly; oranges and violets stay lively without turning brown. Greens mixed from blue and yellow were slightly muted, which I found useful for foliage. If you want electric greens, start from a bright green in the set and tweak from there.

• Layering: Once touch-dry, layers build without tearing up the layer beneath. For glazing or subtle shadows, add acrylic glazing liquid—this set plays well with common mediums.

• Dry brushing and stenciling: The creamy texture excels here. It doesn’t flood under stencil edges as easily as very fluid paints.

• Impasto: The set isn’t a heavy-body workhorse. You can knife on modest texture, but for thick ridges that hold sharp peaks, you’ll want to add a gel or reach for heavier paint.

Dry time and workflow

Thin applications skin over in about 10–15 minutes at room temperature, and I could recoat in 20–30 minutes without lifting. That quick turnaround is great for multi-coat projects and classroom settings. The trade-off is a shorter open time for blending. A few simple tweaks helped:

• Work smaller sections.
• Mist the palette and surface lightly with water.
• Add a retarder or glazing medium for extended blending.
• Use a stay-wet palette if you’re painting for hours.

Durability and sealing

On porous substrates (canvas, wood, terracotta), durability is very good after a full cure. On slick surfaces (glass, certain plastics), the bond is serviceable for decorative pieces but benefits from primer and a topcoat. I recommend:

• Interior decor: water-based acrylic varnish (matte, satin, or gloss).
• Outdoor decor: exterior-rated clear coat.
• Mugs and drinkware: hand-wash only, seal, and leave a clear margin from lip areas. Even sealed acrylics aren’t guaranteed dishwasher safe.

Safety and cleanup

Low odor, water-based, and labeled non-toxic. I had no issues using it in a small studio with normal ventilation. Cleanup is easy: soap and water for brushes and palettes if you get to them before the paint cures. Dried acrylic is plastic—plan for a rinse bucket system and wipe excess from brushes before washing to keep sink pipes happier.

Value and who it’s for

With 24 colors at 2 oz each, you’re getting a lot of paint. The format is ideal for:

• Beginners who want variety without fuss.
• Hobbyists and crafters who paint across multiple surfaces.
• Classrooms, workshops, and paint-and-sip events.
• Artists who need an affordable, consistent set for studies, underpaintings, or base coats.

Advanced painters will still keep higher-grade, single-pigment tubes for color-critical work, but this set pulls more than its weight for everyday tasks and mixed-media projects.

Quibbles

No set is perfect. Here’s what I noted:

• Open time is short. You’ll want a retarder or glazing medium for extended blends.
• Pigment labeling is generic. There’s no detailed pigment code or lightfastness rating, which matters for archival fine art. For crafts and decor, it’s less of a concern.
• On very slick plastics and glass, it needs surface prep and a topcoat for best results.
• The satin-matte finish can vary slightly across colors and thicknesses; plan to varnish for uniform sheen.

None of these are deal-breakers, but they’re worth knowing so you can plan your workflow.

Tips to get the most from it

• Shake each bottle before use; gentle settling happens over time.
• Keep caps clean. Wipe the neck before closing to prevent dried rings that can cause air leaks.
• Prime porous surfaces lightly to reduce absorbency if you want maximal vibrancy.
• For fabric, mix with a textile medium and heat-set to improve feel and washability.
• Test on a scrap of your chosen surface; a quick swatch will tell you how many coats you’ll need.

Recommendation

I recommend the Artkey acrylic set for anyone who needs a versatile, budget-friendly acrylic that performs reliably across canvas, craft, and decor projects. The strengths are clear: a useful color range, creamy consistency, strong coverage, quick dry times, non-toxic cleanup, and practical 2 oz bottles that make sense for both home studios and group settings. It’s not a replacement for high-end, single-pigment heavy-body paints in archival gallery work or thick impasto, and you’ll want primers and sealers for slick or outdoor surfaces. But as a go-to workhorse for studies, classroom use, multi-surface crafts, and everyday painting, it’s an easy set to keep within reach and one I’ll continue to use.