Best beginner art supply sets

Start with the 162-piece wood-box artist kit. It's the one set that genuinely covers both drawing and painting — pencils, paints and brushes in a proper wooden case — and it's well rated by a decent number of buyers, so you're not gambling on an unknown.

Who the others suit:

• Shuttle Art 103-piece drawing kit — if you mainly want to sketch and shade first, with a big, well-reviewed pencil selection.
• KINGART mixed-media easel set — if you'd rather paint standing up and want an easel included.
• Milan Art beginner program kit — if you want structured lessons alongside the materials, not just supplies.
• Artist Essentials 20-piece set — if you'd rather start small and add to it as you learn.
• MIKOUJOS 72- and 145-piece sets — the budget route for a first try; the 145-piece is the better of the two.

A tip: buy paper separately — most kits skimp on it, and decent paper matters more than extra pencils.