It is widely agreed that the best paints for polymer clay are water-based acrylic paints. But alcohol inks, mica powders, and oil paints get a fair shout, too.
Of all 4 options, acrylic paints are cheaper and easier to get. But unlike the rest, you might have to wait a couple of days before baking the painted raw clay.
If it is your first time working with polymer clay, and you are looking for some of the best options, try out one of the following:
Crafts 4 All Acrylic Paint Set
The Crafts 4 All Acrylic Paint Set comes in 24 different colors. But you can also get the pack with 12 colors. Having 24 colors, the Crafts 4 All Acrylic Paint Set offers a high degree of diversity while choosing the hues to paint your ceramic with. Each one of the paint tubes contains about 12 ml of paint.
Amongst the 24 colors are 5 shades of blue, 3 shades of green, 7 shades of red, 6 shades of yellow, 2 shades of grey, and black.
With so many shades and colors, you can readily mix to create new colors when you want. Thankfully, the texture is pretty consistent, so it is easy to blend.
Like many acrylic paints, the Crafts 4 All Acrylic Paint Set is water-based. So, even if your kids work with it and create a mess, you can clean with minimal stress.
The Crafts 4 All Acrylic Paint Set dries pretty fast. So, if you are working with it, you should monitor its drying process.
Arteza Acrylic Paint
If you want even more color options, you should check out the Arteza Acrylic Paint. It features 60 different colors, and each one comes in a 22 ml tube.
Worry not about keeping all 60 tubes organized; they come in a sturdy box with multiple trays, so they are always in order.
With the Arteza Acrylic Paint set, you get white, silver, black, mauve, a few shades of pink, and a few shades of grey. You get many shades of red, blue, yellow, and green. Since the 3 primary colors come in the most hues, it will not be hard to form new colors with this product.
Beyond its diversity, the Arteza Acrylic Paint is smooth and consistent. The individualized label on each color shade is one feature we really fancied. It tells you the color name, level of opacity, lightfastness rating, and pigment information.
Remember to store the Arteza Acrylic Paint under optimal conditions. From all indications, they could become too thick if not kept well.
Caliart 24 Colors Acrylic Paint Set
The Caliart 24 Colors Acrylic Paint Set offers 24 shades like the Crafts 4 All Acrylic Paint Set. But each of its tubes offers up to 59 ml of paint – more than the Crafts 4 All Set. This product works on polymer clay and other ceramics, and you may also use it on wood.
Whether you are a beginner or you have been painting polymer clay for a long time, the Caliart 24 Colors Acrylic Paint Set is uncomplicated to use. It has a uniform, creamy consistency, and its pigments are rich. So, blending is straightforward.
Like most water-based acrylic paints, cleaning the Caliart 24 Colors Acrylic Paint Set is easy. It is also relatively non-toxic, so your kids can work with it.
If you are ever unsatisfied with the product, the manufacturer offers a 100% money-back guarantee within a certain period.
Shuttle Art 30 Colors Acrylic Paint
Alongside the 12ml Shuttle Art 30 Paint Set, the Shuttle Art 30 Colors Acrylic Paint offers the second-highest number of color shades. With this product, you get 30 colors including red, green, blue, pink, orange, and yellow in multiple hues. You also get black and white.
Besides working on polymer clay, you can use the Shuttle Art 30 Colors Acrylic Paint on various surfaces. Some of them include glass, walls, rocks, wood, and leather.
Shuttle Art 30 Colors Acrylic Paint is thick, creamy, and consistent. The colors are rich, and you do not have to stress while mixing or blending.
The Shuttle Art 30 Colors Acrylic Paint dries pretty fast, and when dry, it is highly durable. It will resist water, and it attaches well.
SEISSO Mica Powder Pigment
Unlike the others, the SEISSO Mica Powder Pigment is mica powder, not acrylic paint. So, you can apply it to polymer clay and bake without having to wait. This cuts the painting process time of your craft short.
You may choose not to apply the SEISSO Mica Powder Pigment before baking. Application after baking is allowed, and it gives a metallic or pearl shimmer to polymer clay.
The SEISSO Mica Powder Pigment is available in 24 colors. You get multiple shades of red, blue, green, and gold. You also get silver-black, fantasy yellow, orange, and many more.
When you are not using the SEISSO Mica Powder Pigment for polymer clay craft, you can also use it in cosmetics.
12ml Shuttle Art 30 Paint Set
The 12ml Shuttle Art 30 Paint Set comes with 30 shades like the Shuffle Art 30 Colors Acrylic Paint. But each one of its tubes contains just 12 ml of fluid – one-third of what the Shuffle Art 30 Colors Acrylic Paint offers.
While the quantity of the 12ml Shuttle Art 30 Paint Set is not super impressive, its texture, intensity, and durability are topnotch. The paints are thick, creamy, and pretty vibrant on polymer clay. They also dry rapidly and remain in place for a long time.
Besides using the 12ml Shuttle Art 30 Paint Set on polymer clay, you can apply it on many other surfaces. It can be used on rocks, wood, eggs, fabric, and many more surfaces.
Arteza Craft Acrylic Paint Set of 20 Classic Colors
The Arteza Craft Acrylic Paint Set of 20 Classic Colors comes in 20 colors, 40 less than the Arteza Acrylic Paint. But while the Arteza Craft Acrylic Paint Set of 20 Classic Colors comes in 60 ml tubes, the Arteza Acrylic Paint comes in 22 ml tubes. So, with this product, you get more paint per container.
The Arteza Craft Acrylic Paint Set of 20 Classic Colors offers a matte finish. So, if you want some shimmer, try out the mica powder instead of this.
This product can be used on polymer clay, wood, glass, canvas, rocks, paper, and much more. Its soft consistency makes blending and mixing easy. So, in the larger picture, you are not limited to 20 colors.