I'm getting back into painting. Which online art supply store offers the best deals on a complete set of professional-grade watercolor paints and paper?

Data as of Oct 5, 2026Based on 354 AI responses from ChatGPT Search and Google AI ModeReviewed by Dimitry Apollonsky · Oct 5, 2026

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For a complete professional watercolor set and quality paper, Blick Art Materials is the best fit for most buyers thanks to a large pro selection, frequent sales, and competitive pricing. If your top priority is the absolute lowest bundle price, check Jerry’s Artarama during promotions. Use Amazon only for convenience or occasional specific deals—compare prices first.

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I'm getting back into painting. Which online art supply…

For a professional-grade watercolor setup, I’d start with Blick Art Materials. Current listings show unusually strong discounts on both artist-quality paints and 100% cotton paper, making it the easiest place to assemble everything in one order.

Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolor Set - $102.81 (Walmart - Jerry's Artarama NC Inc)
Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolor Block - $48.84 (BLICK Art Materials)
Saunders Waterford Watercolor Block - $49.49 (Michaels)

Why Blick stands out

Paint: Blick currently lists professional-grade sets from Daniel Smith, Winsor & Newton, Schmincke, Sennelier and others, with many sale/clearance options. Daniel Smith Extra Fine paints, for example, are currently listed at 35–50% off list price.
Paper: Its selection includes Arches 100% cotton blocks at 38–52% off list, plus Saunders Waterford and Blick Premier professional-quality blocks at substantial discounts.
You can combine a professional paint set and good 140-lb/300-gsm cotton paper without having to split the order among multiple retailers.

Another retailer worth checking

Jackson's Art is particularly competitive if you're willing to shop around. Its current sale section includes watercolor paint, Fabriano paper, Holbein, and clearance items; its watercolor range includes Daniel Smith, Schmincke, M. Graham, Sennelier and others. Jackson's Art Jackson's Art Its paper selection also has discounted Arches, Saunders Waterford, Bockingford and Jackson's own Two Rivers paper.

Bottom line: For the simplest combination of professional quality + current discounts + one order, I'd shop Blick first, then price-check the exact paint set and paper size at Jackson's before buying.

If you tell me your budget (e.g. $100, $200, or $300) and whether you prefer pans or tubes, I can put together a complete professional watercolor kit at the lowest current prices.

Sources cited in this answer5

Welcome back to painting! Getting back into the medium with professional-grade materials makes a world of difference, especially with watercolors where pigment load and paper quality dictate 90% of your results.

When looking for a "complete set" of professional-grade watercolor paints (artist-grade tubes or sets) paired with top-tier paper (like 100% cotton Arches, Saunders Waterford, or Fabriano Artistico), a few major online art supply retailers consistently stand out for the best overall discounts, selection, and rewards programs.

Blick Art Materials (Blick Art Materials ) is widely considered the gold standard for everyday low pricing on fine art supplies. They feature massive, ongoing manufacturer discounts (often 30% to 50% off list prices on professional lines like Daniel Smith, Winsor & Newton, and Schmincke) and frequently offer free shipping thresholds. Pro tip: Instead of buying a rigid pre-made "complete set" which can sometimes include colors you won't use, look at Blick's curated starter sets (like the *Daniel Smith Extra Fine Essentials * Blick Art Materials ) and bundle them with a block of professional 100% cotton watercolor paper to easily hit bulk/promotional savings.
Jerry's Artarama (Jerry's Artarama ) is famous for its aggressive weekly sales, VIP club member discounts, and clearance blowouts. They often edge out competitors on specific brand bundles, house-brand professional papers, and large-format watercolor blocks. If you sign up for their email list, they routinely send out extra percentage-off coupons that apply to entire orders, including high-end paint sets.
Cheap Joe's Art Stuff (Cheap Joe's Art Stuff ) is another fantastic US-based online retailer beloved by watercolorists. They offer competitive everyday discounting on professional brands and frequently package custom "getting started" watercolor bundles that pair artist-grade paints with professional cotton paper at a packaged discount.

To help narrow down the best specific bundle for your budget:

What is your target budget for the paint and paper combined?
Do you prefer tubes (to squeeze into a palette) or a pan/half-pan set?

If you're buying in the U.S., Blick Art Materials currently looks like the strongest deal for a professional-grade watercolor setup, especially if you’re willing to buy paint and paper separately rather than insisting on a prepackaged kit.

Paint: Blick has professional brands and currently has active deals/free offers; its selection includes brands such as Schmincke, Daniel Smith, Winsor & Newton, and others.
Paper: Blick is particularly competitive right now. Arches 100% cotton watercolor blocks are 38–52% below list, while Saunders Waterford is listed at 43%+ off and Fabriano Artistico at 34–40% off.
Value alternative: Blick's own Premier Watercolor Blocks are professional-quality, 140-lb/300-gsm paper and currently 41–48% off list.
Rembrandt 100% Cotton Watercolor Paper Block - $42.00 (BLICK Art Materials)
Arches Aquarelle Watercolor Paper Block - $67.57 (Walmart)
Arches Aquarelle Watercolor Paper Block, Hot Press - $43.76 (Walmart - Blick Art Materials)

Jackson's Art is the other store I'd check before ordering. Its U.S. site advertises a lowest-price guarantee, and its current watercolor selection includes Daniel Smith, Schmincke Horadam, Holbein, Winsor & Newton, and its own artist-grade paints. Jackson's Art Jackson's Art It also has inexpensive 300-gsm blocks and premium Arches/Fabriano/Saunders Waterford options.

What I'd buy for getting back into watercolor

Rather than a giant 24–48-color set, I'd start with:

12–15 professional-grade colors from Daniel Smith, Schmincke Horadam, or Winsor & Newton Professional.
Arches, Saunders Waterford, or Fabriano Artistico, 140-lb/300-gsm, 100% cotton paper.
A 9×12-inch block for general practice.

That gives you professional materials without spending heavily on dozens of colors you may rarely use.

Bottom line: For the combination of current discounts, professional paper selection, and paint selection, Blick is my first price check; Jackson's is the comparison shop I'd check immediately afterward. Jackson's currently has some especially good prices on individual professional paints, while Blick's paper promotions are particularly compelling.

If you tell me your budget (e.g. $100, $200, $300) and whether you prefer pans or tubes, I can put together a specific professional-grade shopping list and compare the current total at Blick, Jackson's, and other U.S. stores.

Sources cited in this answer6

If your priority is professional-grade quality at the lowest overall cost, I’d start with Blick Art Materials.

Best overall value: Blick. Current listings show substantial sale pricing on professional watercolor paper—for example, Blick Premier 100% cotton blocks are around $28.43 for a 9×12" 20-sheet block, and Fluid 100 100% cotton blocks are about $27.17 on sale.
Best alternative: Jerry’s Artarama. Jerry’s is particularly competitive on watercolor supplies and has a broad range of discounted sets; its watercolor sets currently start around $31.99.
For a premium paint + paper combination: Look for a Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolour set paired with 100% cotton paper. For example, current listings show W&N Professional paper blocks discounted to about $40.39 at Blick, while Michaels has a 12-color professional set and professional cotton paper available.
If you're trying to maximize quality per dollar, I'd actually favor a 12–14 color professional paint set + one 9×12 or 10×14" 100% cotton cold-press block, rather than buying a huge 30–40 color set. You'll get professional pigments and much better paper without paying for colors you'll rarely use.
Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolor Set - $102.81 (Walmart - Jerry's Artarama NC Inc)
Blick Premier Watercolor Block - $28.43 (BLICK Art Materials)
Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper Block - $27.17 (BLICK Art Materials)
The Master's Choice Artist Watercolor Block - $52.99 (BLICK Art Materials)

My pick: Blick, especially if you're buying both paint and paper in one order. Its combination of professional brands, house-brand professional paper, and frequent sale pricing makes it the strongest value I found.

If you tell me your budget (e.g. $75, $150, $250) and whether you prefer pans or tubes, I can put together the best complete professional watercolor starter kit at that price.

Sources cited in this answer2

Welcome back to painting! Choosing where to buy professional-grade materials depends on whether you want a pre-packaged curated set (like a wooden box or metal tin assortment) or if you want to build a custom bundle of individual professional tubes and 100% cotton paper.

The top online art supply stores consistently offering the best baseline discounts, rewards, and inventory for professional-grade watercolor lines (such as Daniel Smith, Winsor & Newton Professional, Schmincke, or Sennelier) and archival paper (Arches, Saunders Waterford ) are outlined below:

Blick Art Materials (Blick Art Materials)
- The Deal: Blick is widely considered the gold standard for everyday low pricing on professional art supplies. They offer deep permanent discounts (often 30% to 40% off list prices) on professional watercolor sets and individual tubes.
- Perks: They frequently run free shipping thresholds, have massive stock on 100% cotton papers (like Arches blocks), and their house-brand professional items (like Blick Premier Watercolor Blocks ) provide an even higher budget-friendly value without sacrificing cotton content.[1][2]
Jerry's Artarama (Jerry's Artarama)
- The Deal: Known for aggressive coupon codes, VIP club member discounts, and "Factory Direct" savings. They frequently beat competitors on specific brand-name heavy sets and large-format watercolor paper sheets or rolls.
- Perks: Their "Value Series" and frequent promotional sales/clearance events on professional sets make it easy to score extra percentage-off coupons if you sign up for their email list before pulling the trigger.
Cheap Joe's Art Stuff (Cheap Joe's Art Stuff / cheapjoes.com)
- The Deal: Highly praised for customer service and specialized watercolor selections. They put together great custom trial palettes and competitive bundle pricing on artist-grade brands.
- Perks: Excellent flat-rate or promotional shipping and frequent catalog sales geared heavily toward traditional watercolorists.

Pro-tip for getting the absolute best deal: Instead of buying a massive pre-made manufacturer's wooden box set (which often inflates the price due to the packaging), look for a foundational "Introductory" or "Essentials" professional tube set (like a 6-tube primary set from Daniel Smith or Winsor & Newton) and buy a couple of individual sheets of professional 140lb cold-press cotton paper separately. It stretches your dollar much further into true artist-grade territory.

To help narrow down the best specific kit or bundle for you, let me know:

Do you prefer tubes (to squeeze into a palette) or pans/cakes (for portability)?
Do you have a specific budget range in mind?

Welcome back to painting! Choosing professional-grade (artist-grade) supplies makes a massive difference in watercolor because of the higher pigment load and lack of cheap fillers.

When looking for the best deals on a complete pairing of professional paints and 100% cotton paper, a few major online art suppliers stand out, each with its own pricing strengths:

Blick Art Materials : Widely considered the gold standard for overall value. Blick offers massive everyday institutional discounts, frequent brand-specific sales (like Winsor & Newton, Daniel Smith, or Holbein), and their own house brand of professional substrates. They also feature tiered volume discounts and flat-rate or free-shipping thresholds that make bundling paint and paper very economical.
Jerry's Artarama : Famous for aggressive coupon codes, "Factory Authorized" clearance sales, and their Jerry's Artarama VIP Club rewards. They frequently have steep markdowns on artist-quality watercolor tubes (such as Lukas 1862, Turner, or Schmincke) and professional cotton blocks like Arches or Saunders Waterford.
Cheap Joe's Art Stuff : Known for great customer service and a curated selection of pro materials. They run frequent weekly specials and have competitive bundle or introductory pricing on popular professional palettes and paper pads.

Tips for Maximizing Your Deal:

Buy Pro Tubes over Pro Pans: If you want the best financial value, buy a starter set of professional tubes (e.g., Daniel Smith or Winsor & Newton) and squeeze them into an empty metal pan tin. Pre-made professional pan sets carry a heavy assembly markup.
Don't Skimp on Paper: Ensure the paper is explicitly 100% cotton (such as Arches, Fabriano Artistico, or Strathmore 500). Student-grade cellulose paper will frustrate you with professional paints. Look for pads or blocks on sale via Blick or Jerry's rather than single sheets.

Sources cited in this answer3

If you’re returning to watercolor and want a complete professional-grade setup (paint + quality paper), the best deal usually isn’t the biggest “all-in-one” kit—it’s a curated bundle from a major art supplier or a good-value artist brand. I’d compare these options:

Store	Best deal style	Why it stands out
dickblick.com	Best overall value for pro brands	Frequent sales on top-tier paints like Daniel Smith, Winsor & Newton Professional, Schmincke, and Sennelier; you can pair a discounted paint set with professional paper. Blick lists many professional-grade sets and often advertises substantial savings on brands such as Daniel Smith and Winsor & Newton.
jerrysartarama.com	Best bundled kits and exclusive deals	Strong for “everything in one box” packages and value sets. For example, Jerry’s carries professional watercolor sets with sale pricing on some lines.
jacksonsart.com	Best for European luxury brands	Great selection of artist-grade sets from brands like Schmincke, Daniel Smith, Holbein, and others.
paulrubensshop.com	Best budget-friendly artist-grade bundle	Offers watercolor sets plus 100% cotton watercolor paper; their bundles can be much cheaper than traditional professional brands.

My picks by budget

Best value starter-professional setup (around $50–$100)

Paint: Paul Rubens 24-color set or similar artist-grade pan set
Paper: 100% cotton cold-press paper, 300 gsm (140 lb)
Why: You get paper that behaves like professional paper without spending $150+ immediately. Paul Rubens offers sets paired with cotton paper options at relatively low prices.

Best “serious artist returning to painting” setup (around $100–$200)

Paint: Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolors Essentials set or a small Winsor & Newton Professional palette
Paper: Arches Aquarelle watercolor paper cold press block
Buy from: Blick or Jackson’s
Why: Fewer colors, better pigments, and premium paper will improve results more than a huge 48–100 color kit. Blick regularly carries professional Daniel Smith and Winsor & Newton sets with discounts.

Best splurge setup

Schmincke Horadam Watercolours or Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour palette
Arches 100% cotton paper
A couple of high-quality brushes (a size 8 round and a larger wash brush)

What I would avoid

Huge “100-piece professional watercolor kits” under ~$50: they often include many colors but lower-quality pigments and paper.
Student-grade paper: watercolor paper matters enormously; 100% cotton paper is the biggest upgrade when returning to the medium.

My recommendation: Start with Blick for the best combination of discounts and trusted brands; choose a 12–24 color professional palette + Arches or another 100% cotton 300 gsm paper block rather than a giant kit. If you want the lowest-cost route that still feels professional, look at Paul Rubens’ paint + cotton paper bundles.

If you tell me your approximate budget (e.g., under $75, $100–150, or $200+) and whether you paint landscapes, florals, portraits, or illustration, I can narrow it to a specific shopping list.

Sources cited in this answer8

Best overall deal: Blick Art Materials

For a professional-grade watercolor setup, Blick Art Materials looks like the best one-stop choice right now. Its current watercolor selection has unusually deep discounts: Winsor & Newton Professional sets are listed at roughly 45–55% off list, while Daniel Smith Extra Fine is about 35%+ off.

Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolor Set - $78.95 (Walmart - Blick Art Materials)
Arches 140 lb Cold-Press Watercolor Block - $57.57 (The Merri Artist - merriartist.com)
Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolor Paper - $48.09 (Winsor & Newton NA)

What I'd buy

Paint: Daniel Smith Extra Fine or Winsor & Newton Professional. Both are genuinely artist/professional grade; Blick currently has particularly strong pricing on both.
Paper: Arches 140-lb/300-gsm, 100% cotton, cold-pressed paper. It's an excellent all-purpose surface for getting back into watercolor.
Budget-conscious approach: Rather than buying a huge 24–48-color paint set, start with a 12-color professional set. You can mix an enormous range of colors from a well-chosen palette and spend the savings on good paper.

How the stores compare

Blick — best overall value. Strong current discounts on the major professional paint brands, plus a huge paper selection and dedicated sale/clearance inventory.

Jackson's Art — best alternative. Its U.S. site has an excellent professional selection, including Daniel Smith, Schmincke, Holbein and Sennelier. It currently lists Daniel Smith sets from about $22.10 and Arches watercolor paper from $2.19 per sheet, although shipping can change the final comparison.

Michaels — worth checking for paper sales. Current prices include an Arches cold-press pad at $34.99 and a Winsor & Newton Professional 100% cotton 140-lb block at $44.99 sale price, but its paint-set pricing isn't as compelling as Blick's in this comparison.

My pick: Blick + Daniel Smith Extra Fine + Arches cold-press 140-lb paper. That gives you professional materials without paying for an oversized paint collection.

If you tell me your budget (e.g. $100, $150, $250) and whether you prefer tubes or pans, I can build you a complete shopping list—including paints, paper, brushes, palette, and masking fluid—at the lowest current prices.

Sources cited in this answer5

Best deal right now:

For professional-grade watercolor + paper, I’d pick Blick over the other major online art stores right now. Its current watercolor pricing is unusually aggressive: Daniel Smith Extra Fine sets are listed at 35–47% off list, Winsor & Newton Professional at 45% off, and Schmincke Horadam at up to 52% off.

A particularly good way to rebuild your kit is:

Paint: Winsor & Newton Professional or Daniel Smith Extra Fine. Both are genuinely artist/professional grade; I’d favor Daniel Smith if you want maximum color variety, and Winsor & Newton for a more traditional palette.
Paper: Look for Arches Aquarelle 100% cotton, 140-lb cold press. If you're painting regularly, buying sheets or a larger pad/block usually gives better value than small beginner pads.
Value alternative: Blick's own Premier Watercolor Blocks are 100% cotton, professional-quality paper, and the current sale price is substantially below the listed price.
Arches Aquarelle Watercolor Sheets and Portfolio Limited Edition - $87.63 (BLICK Art Materials)

How it compares

Jerry's Artarama is my runner-up. jerrysartarama.com It currently has some excellent watercolor and paper promotions, including New York Central 100% cotton paper and discounts on premium watercolor brands. It also offers free-shipping eligibility on qualifying $79+ orders.

The important distinction is that Blick currently has the stronger combination of professional paint discounts + premium paper selection, whereas Jerry's can win if a particular brand or bundle is on promotion.

My pick: Spend roughly $100–$175 on paint and $40–$80 on good cotton paper rather than buying a giant 36–48-color set. A carefully chosen 12–15-color professional palette plus excellent paper will take you surprisingly far.

If you tell me your budget (e.g. $100, $150, $250), I can put together the best complete watercolor shopping list—including paints, Arches paper, brushes, palette, and accessories—with current prices.

I'm getting back into painting. Which online art supply store offers the best deals on a complete set of professional-grade watercolor paints and paper?

I'm getting back into painting. Which online art supply store offers the best deals on a complete set of professional-grade watercolor paints and paper?

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