Best Art Supplies Worth Buying Right Now: Five Picks Put to the Test

Introduction

Some of the most interesting art supplies right now are coming from small and emerging brands rather than the usual big-name shelves. We spent time with five of them: two sets of acrylic paint markers, an 11-piece detail brush set, a paint by numbers kit from an independent artist, and a whimsical coloring book. Each was tested on paper, and the markers also went onto aluminum and glass, to see what actually holds up.

Grabby 20 Acrylic Paint Markers: Strong Pigment for the Price

Grabby sells these brush-tip acrylic markers in a 20-pen set for $25.99, and the box includes something genuinely useful: a small drawing pad with multiple paper colors and a swatch sheet, so you can test every shade before committing to a project. The brush nibs are generously loaded with paint, and application feels smooth and juicy from the first stroke.

Pigmentation is the standout here. Most colors are intensely saturated, and darker shades in particular go down flawlessly, often needing only one coat. A few colors fall short, including the green, a royal orange, and some of the pinks, but that inconsistency exists even in far more expensive marker ranges. Two practical notes: the pens carry no printed color names, so you identify them by their position in the case or by eye, and the pigment is strong enough that lighter shades essentially disappear if you paint over them. Against the thin, faded performance of cheaper alcohol markers on black paper, these hold up remarkably well.

Multi-Surface Testing: Where the Grabby Markers Shine

The marketing claims multi-surface use on glass, ceramic, porcelain, wood, rubber, stone, and paper, so we put that to the test. On an aluminum soda can the paint applied cleanly and dried to a smooth satin finish. On a plexiglass panel the markers performed beautifully, laying down crisp, even strokes that looked like they belonged on a much larger glass project.

One of the most surprising results came from the bleed test. Grabby promotes these as markers that do not show through the back of thin paper, and on a coloring book with noticeably thin paper, they genuinely did not bleed through. That makes them a realistic option for coloring books, sketchbooks, and other papers where heavy paint pens usually cause damage.

Grabby 11-Piece Miniature Detail Paintbrush Set: Good Handles, Mixed Bristles

At $15.99 for 11 miniature detail brushes, this set arrives in a cleverly designed box rather than flimsy plastic, which is a nice touch at this price. The handle shape is comfortable and the overall build feels better than the price suggests, though the thicker handles may not suit everyone used to slimmer brushes.

The catch is quality control. Out of the 11 brushes, two had frayed bristle tips from the start and were essentially unusable without trimming. The remaining nine performed well, holding their shape without shedding during detailed paint by numbers work. With a 4.9 star average across 839 sales, most buyers clearly get good ones, but check your set on arrival and keep the return option in mind.

Elise Brianne Design Paint by Numbers Kit: Small-Business Polish

This kit from Elise Brianne Design, a law student turned full-time artist with a physical store in Durham, North Carolina, stands out immediately for its packaging and presentation. The design is printed directly on canvas rather than paper, which changes the whole experience: the surface feels substantial, and the finished piece is ready to display. The kit includes three different brush sizes instead of the single brush most kits supply, plus a set of paints matched perfectly to the artist’s original artwork, which clearly took considerable effort to calibrate.

At $38, the quality easily justifies the price, and shipping was fast, arriving within about three days. The paint itself is super pigmented with nothing dried out, and the color palettes are genuinely lovely. A couple of minor frustrations: the white is not a pure white, so white flowers sit a little lost against a pale pink background, and the brushes occasionally developed a stray long hair during fine work. Overall it is a fun, relaxing project with impressive quality throughout.

Artex 36 Acrylic Paint Markers: A Close Competitor

Artex offers 36 brush-tip acrylic markers for $30, which works out cheaper per pen than the Grabby set. The pens have a satisfying look and feel, require no priming or shaking before use, and apply smoothly with rich, juicy flow. The set also has a matte finish that many painters will prefer, and several colors in the range are genuinely beautiful.

Performance is very close to the Grabby markers, with a few differences worth knowing. Artex pens are heavier in the hand, generally need a second coat to dry evenly where Grabby often needs one, and tend to show through thin paper. One blue pen in our set was noticeably dry and pulled at the paper, though every other pen in the box behaved normally. On aluminum and glass, application and results were essentially identical to the Grabby set. If finish preference or a better per-pen deal matters more to you than single-coat coverage, Artex is a very reasonable pick.

Secret Worlds Coloring Book: Charming Pages, Thin Paper

Secret Worlds by Karen Sue Chen is a coloring book full of tiny, delightful worlds: creatures living inside milk cartons, soda cans, and little suitcases. The illustrations are adorable and beautifully detailed, earning the artwork an easy 10 out of 10. The style has a nostalgic, miniature charm that makes each page feel like a small diorama waiting for color.

The paper, however, is quite thin. We would rate it around 8 out of 10 overall once paper quality is factored in. Even so, the acrylic markers tested here did not chew through the pages, which says more about the markers than the book. If you color with lighter tools or patient layers, the artwork alone is well worth it.

Buying Advice

If you want one set of acrylic markers, the Grabby 20 is the safer all-rounder: better single-coat coverage, less bleed, and a useful pad and swatch sheet included. If you want more colors for less money and prefer a matte finish, the Artex 36 is a strong alternative with nearly identical surface performance. The Elise Brianne paint by numbers kit is the easy highlight of the group for gift-giving or a relaxing weekend project, and the detail brush set is worthwhile if you accept the chance of a couple of duds. Add the Secret Worlds coloring book if cutesy miniature illustrations are your thing and you color gently.

Conclusion

None of these picks required expensive big-brand spending to deliver a satisfying result. The Grabby markers impressed most on pigment and paper-friendliness, Artex offers strong value in larger sets, the paint by numbers kit delivered genuine small-business quality, and the coloring book pairs beautifully with the right markers. Choose based on how many colors you need and how you like your finish, and you will not go far wrong.