Paint Sets for New Hobbyists: What to Look For Before You Buy

Quick answer

Buy a starter paint set that covers your chosen army's main colours plus a metallic and a wash or effect, rather than a giant box with colours you will never open. Check whether the paints are airbrush-ready, pre-thinned, or require mixing, and whether refills are available individually. A focused set with 10 to 15 useful colours beats a 40-pot bargain every time.

Walk into any hobby store and you will see paint sets ranging from tiny starter boxes to massive collections with more colours than most people use in a year. The problem is not that big sets are bad. The problem is that most new painters buy based on pot count instead of asking what they actually need to finish a miniature.

This guide gives you concrete decision rules for choosing a paint set. You will learn how to read miniature paint set contents, how to judge paint set value beyond the sticker price, and when a small focused set is the smarter buy than a large discounted one.

Start with your army, not the box

The single most useful thing you can do before buying any paint set is decide what you are painting first. A Space Marine army, a fantasy regiment, and a display bust all need different colour ranges. If you buy a set built around green skin and brown leather but your first project is a silver-armoured knight, you will be back at the store immediately.

Write down the four or five main colours on your first unit. Then look for a set that covers most of them. You do not need every shade and highlight pre-mixed. You need a base, a darker tone, a lighter tone, and something for metal, skin, or cloth. That is the real minimum.

If you are still deciding on an army, a neutral set with black, white, grey, red, blue, yellow, and a metallic will serve almost any project. It is not exciting, but it is the set you will actually use.

• List your army's main colours before you shop.
• A set that covers 70 percent of your scheme is better than one that covers 100 percent of a scheme you are not painting.
• Neutral starter sets are the safest choice if you have not picked an army yet.

Read the contents list like a painter

Miniature paint set contents tell you more than the front of the box. Look for whether the set includes metallics, washes, or effects, because those are the pots beginners most often have to buy separately. A set with ten base colours and no metallic means an extra purchase before you can paint a single sword.

Check whether the paints are standard acrylics, airbrush-ready, or pre-thinned. Airbrush-ready paints can be brushed on directly, but they behave differently on a palette and may need more coats. Standard paints give you more control with a brush but require thinning. Neither is wrong, but the set should match how you plan to paint.

Also check whether individual colours are sold separately. If a set contains a colour you love and you cannot buy it alone, you will be rationing that pot. Refill availability is a real value factor that most buyers ignore.

• Metallics and washes are the most common missing pieces in starter sets.
• Airbrush-ready paints are convenient but not always ideal for brush-only beginners.
• Confirm you can buy individual refills before committing to a set.

Judge value by cost per usable colour

A large set looks like better paint set value because the price per pot is lower. But value only counts if you use the pots. A 40-colour set where you use 12 colours has a real cost per used colour that is much higher than a 15-colour set where you use all of them.

Calculate roughly: total price divided by the number of colours you will genuinely open in your first three months. If that number is higher than buying singles, the big set is not a bargain for you. If it is lower and you will use most of the colours, it is a good deal.

Discounts on large sets are common, and they can be genuine. Just do not let a comparison price override the question of whether the contents match your project.

• Divide the set price by the colours you will actually use, not the colours in the box.
• A discounted set you half-use is worse value than a full-price set you finish.
• Comparison prices are only meaningful if the contents fit your army.

Where specialty paints fit in a first set

Metallics, fluorescent paints, and effect paints are often sold as separate specialty sets, and that is usually a good thing. They are not everyday colours, but they are the pots that make a miniature look finished rather than flat. A metallic set gives you armour, weapons, and trim without mixing your own silver from grey and white.

Effects like glow or rust are optional for a first project, but they are cheap enough to add later once you know you enjoy the hobby. Do not let a specialty paint drive your first purchase. Buy the core colours first, then add the fun pots once your base scheme is working.

If you paint a lot of armour or vehicles, a metallic set is worth buying early because it replaces several individual purchases. If you paint flesh and cloth, it can wait.

• Core colours first, specialty paints second.
• A metallic set pays for itself if your army has armour, weapons, or vehicles.
• Effects like rust and glow are add-ons, not essentials.

Mixing systems and triads: convenience versus flexibility

Some paint ranges are built in triads, where each colour has a base, a shade, and a highlight designed to work together. This is genuinely useful for beginners because it removes the guesswork of mixing your own highlight tones. You can pick a triad and paint a whole unit with consistent results.

The trade-off is that triads lock you into a system. If you already have a favourite colour from another brand, a triad set may duplicate it. Triads are best when you are starting fresh or want speed and consistency across many models.

If you already own a mix of paints, buy individual triads for the colours you are missing rather than a full set. That keeps your palette flexible without wasting money on duplicates.

• Triads remove highlight-mixing guesswork for beginners.
• They can duplicate colours you already own.
• Buy individual triads when you only need one or two colours.

Common buying mistakes to avoid

The most common mistake is buying a huge set because it is on sale, then discovering half the colours are too similar to each other. Another is buying only base colours and then realizing you have no metallic for weapons or armour trim. A third is ignoring whether the paints are designed for brush or airbrush, which changes how you thin and apply them.

A smaller mistake with big consequences is not checking whether the set includes a white and a black. Those two colours do more work than any other pot in your collection, and some themed sets omit them because they assume you already own them.

Finally, do not buy a set for a game system you have not committed to. Paint outlives armies. Buy colours you like looking at, because you will spend more time with them than with any single miniature.

• Check for black and white before you buy.
• Avoid sets with many near-identical shades.
• Buy colours you enjoy, not just colours tied to one army list.

Decision rules for choosing a paint set

• If you have not chosen an army yet: Buy a neutral starter set with black, white, grey, red, blue, yellow, and at least one metallic. Skip themed sets until you know what you are painting. Flexibility first, theme second.
• If your army is armour-heavy: Prioritize a set that includes metallics, or add a metallic set alongside your core colours. Do not rely on mixing silver from grey and white. Metallics are a need, not a luxury, for armour armies.
• If you already own some paints: Buy individual triads or single pots for the colours you are missing. Avoid large sets that duplicate what is already on your shelf. Fill gaps, do not rebuild your collection.
• If you are on a tight budget: A focused 10 to 15 colour set with black, white, a metallic, and your army's main colours will finish models. Skip effects and fluorescent paints until later. Fewer pots, more finished miniatures.
• If you plan to airbrush: Look for airbrush-ready paints that need no thinning and include mixing balls. They save prep time and give consistent coverage through the brush. Match the paint to your tool, not the other way around.

Products that show what good set contents look like

• Warpaints Fanatic: Metallics Set: Includes 10 metallics and a specialised blend of aluminum flake and mica for the best combination of coverage and sheen. If your army has armour, weapons, or vehicles, this replaces several individual metallic purchases and covers the most common gap in starter sets.
• Warpaints Air: Matt White: Airbrush-ready paint right from the bottle with no thinning required and pre-loaded mixing balls. White is the most-used pot in many schemes, and an airbrush-ready version saves time if you basecoat with an airbrush or want consistent coverage.
• Warpaints Fanatic Metallic: Greedy Gold: A rich gold metallic featuring a proprietary blend of aluminium and mica for coverage and sheen. Buying a single metallic like this is the right move when you only need one accent colour rather than a full set.
• Warpaints Fanatic Effects: Data System Glow: A one-coat fluorescent paint that makes it easy to create glowing lenses, power weapons, and magical spells. This is a specialty effect to add after your core colours are working, not a first purchase.

Who this buying approach fits

Best for

• New painters buying their first or second paint set
• Hobbyists returning after a break who need to rebuild a core palette
• Players who want to finish a unit without buying 40 pots

Not for

• Experienced painters who already own a full palette and only need single refills
• Collectors buying for display who want every shade pre-mixed
• Anyone committed to a specific brand system that already covers their scheme

A paint set is a tool, not a trophy. Buy the colours that match your first project, check for metallics and black and white, and confirm you can buy refills. If you follow those rules, you will spend less and paint more.