Best Oil Painting Sets for Travel and Plein Air: Our Top Picks for UK Painters

There's something genuinely appealing about heading out with a self-contained oil painting set and nothing else weighing you down. No dismantling your studio palette, no decanting mediums into separate containers, no wondering if you've packed everything. A good plein air travel kit can make the difference between actually getting out to paint and perpetually meaning to. But the wrong set can feel like a disappointment fast: colours that don't mix well, tubes that run out after a session or two, a palette that's more awkward than useful. This article cuts through the options and points to sets that genuinely work for outdoor painting in the UK, from serious artist-grade kits to budget-friendly starts for painters just making the leap from studio to field.

Are Oil Painting Sets Actually Worth It?

Honest answer: sometimes yes, sometimes no. It depends entirely on where you are in your painting practice.

Sets make a lot of sense if you're starting out with oils, building a dedicated travel kit that lives separately from your studio setup, or looking for a gift for a painter in your life. The convenience of a curated selection is real, and a well-chosen set removes a lot of early decision fatigue.

Where sets can let you down is when they prioritise variety over quality. A 24-colour student-grade set might look impressive in the tin, but if the pigment load is weak and the colours shift when they dry, you'll spend more time frustrated than painting. Many experienced painters find they never use half the colours in a set, which means paying for paint that sits untouched.

The honest rule of thumb: a six-colour artist-grade set will serve most painters better than a twenty-four-colour student set. Quality matters more than quantity, especially outdoors where your palette tends to simplify anyway.

What to Look for in a Plein Air Oil Painting Set

Paint Quality and Pigment Load

The difference between artist-grade and student-grade oil paint comes down to pigment concentration and consistency. Student paints are cheaper because they use less pigment and more filler. In practice, this means you need more paint to get the same colour strength, colours can look chalky or flat when dry, and mixing becomes harder because the paints don't behave predictably.

For outdoor work, this matters more than you'd think. When the light is changing and you're mixing quickly, you want paints that respond honestly. Check for lightfastness ratings when buying: AA or A ratings indicate colours that won't fade significantly over time. Most artist-grade sets will list these; many student-grade sets won't.

Tube Size and Portability

For outdoor use, 40ml tubes hit a useful sweet spot. Large enough to last through several sessions, small enough to carry without bulk. Some sets use 10ml to 21ml tubes, which suit travel well if you're not painting very large, though they'll run out quickly if you paint regularly or use a lot of white.

Studio-sized tubes of 150ml or 200ml have no place in a field bag. They're heavy, they get paint on everything, and they're awkward to cap and re-cap on a windy hillside.

Colour Selection for Outdoor Work

A sensible plein air palette doesn't need to be large. A warm and cool version of each primary, an earth tone or two, and titanium white will take you through most UK landscapes. The problem with some sets is that they include colours that look attractive in the packaging but aren't especially useful outdoors: fluorescent tints, unusual browns, novelty greens.

Look for sets that include reliable workhorses: ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow or yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a good mixing white. If a set includes colours you don't recognise and can't immediately picture using, that's worth noting.

The Case and Kit Design

A well-designed set does more than hold the tubes. The best field sets include a case that doubles as a palette, stores tubes securely so they don't rattle loose, and is light enough not to add meaningful weight to your bag. Compact tin or wooden box sets designed specifically for field use are generally preferable to bulging fabric pouches where tubes migrate to the bottom and lids get lost.

If a set doesn't include a case at all, factor in the cost of a pochade box or suitable field bag before comparing prices.

Our Top Pick: The Michael Harding Plein Air Painter Set

If you're an oils painter who's serious about working outdoors and you want a set built specifically for that purpose, the Michael Harding Plein Air Painter Set earns its place at the top of this list. Michael Harding is a UK manufacturer with a strong reputation among working artists, and this set reflects that: it's not packaged for the gift market. It's designed for painters who intend to use it.

Jackson's

Michael Harding : Oil Paint : Plein Air : Painter Set : 10x40ml

10 X 40ml Tubes In The Following Colours: 1 X Titanium White No. 2 (PW6 & PW4, Average Drying Speed, Opaque, Excellent Lightfastness, Low Oil Content) 1 X Yellow Lake (PY 74, Slow Drying Speed, Transparent, High Tint, Excellent Lightfastness, High Oil Content) 1 X Cadmium Red (PR

Jackson's · £137.00

The colour selection in the Painter Set is one of its strongest arguments. Rather than padding the set with colours that photograph well in a catalogue, the range is built around what you actually need outdoors: warm and cool options across the primaries, a solid range of earth tones, and a reliable white. For UK landscapes, whether you're painting the Shropshire hills, the Norfolk coast, or a Scottish loch in October, this palette has enough range without creating unnecessary complexity. You won't find yourself wishing for colours that aren't there.

On performance in the field, Michael Harding's paints hold up well. The pigment load means you're using less paint to achieve clean, strong colour, and the consistency is even across the range. Tubes are well-made and don't split or leak with regular use, which matters when you're carrying them in a bag over rough terrain. Drying behaviour in UK conditions (more on that shortly) is typical of conventional oils: slower in cold weather, which actually gives you useful working time outdoors, but something to account for when transporting wet panels.

One important note: at £137.00, this is a meaningful investment, and the set doesn't include a case. That's not a criticism of the paints themselves, but it does mean you need to budget for a pochade box or a suitable field bag separately. For a complete beginner still deciding whether they want to paint outdoors regularly, this may not be the right starting point. For someone who's already comfortable with oils and wants a dedicated plein air kit that won't let them down, it's a genuinely strong choice.

Jackson's

Michael Harding : Oil Paint : Plein Air : Painter Set : 10x40ml

10 X 40ml Tubes In The Following Colours: 1 X Titanium White No. 2 (PW6 & PW4, Average Drying Speed, Opaque, Excellent Lightfastness, Low Oil Content) 1 X Yellow Lake (PY 74, Slow Drying Speed, Transparent, High Tint, Excellent Lightfastness, High Oil Content) 1 X Cadmium Red (PR

Jackson's · £137.00

Also Worth Considering

Not every painter needs or wants to spend £137 on their first outdoor oil kit. Here are four alternatives that cover different budgets, experience levels, and practical circumstances.

For beginners or those on a budget: The Daler-Rowney Georgian Water Mixable Oil Starter Set is one of the most sensible entry points available for UK painters. At £41.00 for ten 37ml tubes, it's affordable, and the water-mixable formula means you can clean brushes with water rather than solvents. If you're painting in a small flat, sharing a space, or simply not ready to deal with turpentine, this is a genuinely practical starting point. The paints are student grade, so colour mixing can feel a little less responsive than artist-grade alternatives, but for learning the basics of outdoor painting it does the job. Don't dismiss water-mixable oils as a beginner compromise: plenty of experienced painters use them outdoors by choice.

Jackson's

Daler-Rowney : Georgian Water Mixable Oil Paint Starter Set : 37ml : Set Of 10

Georgian Water Mixable Oil Colours Offer Artists The Possibility Of Experiencing Oil Painting Without The Need For Solvent-based Mediums. An Alternative To Traditional Oils, This Range Of Colours Can Be Thinned, Mixed, And Washed Using Water And As Such Is Ideal For Use Indoors A

Jackson's · £41.00

For intermediate painters wanting artist-grade quality without the full plein air price: The Winsor and Newton Artists' Oil Paint Introductory Set offers ten 21ml tubes of artist-grade paint at £58.00. Winsor and Newton is one of the most widely used and trusted names in UK art materials, and the Artists' range is a reliable, honest product. The 21ml tubes are on the smaller side for regular outdoor use, but they suit painters who want to evaluate their palette preferences before committing to larger quantities. The colour selection is balanced and sensible, and the pigment quality is a real step up from student ranges.

Jackson's

Winsor & Newton : Artists' : Oil Paint : Introductory Set of 10x21ml

This Introductory Set Contains A Larger Selection Of 10 X 21ml Tubes Of Artists’ Oil Colour. Includes: Winsor Yellow, Crimson Alizarine, Green Ultramarine Hue, Winsor Blue (Red Hue), Winsor Green, Yellow Ochre, Indian Red, Burnt Umber, Ivory Black, Titanium White. Actual Contents

Jackson's · £58.00

For painters who want to avoid solvents entirely: The Winsor and Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oil Paint Sets are the most established water-mixable option on the UK market. Available from around £65.00, the Artisan range has good coverage, mixes reliably, and handles in a way that feels closer to traditional oils than most alternatives. If you're heading out on location and want to keep your kit simple and solvent-free, this is the most field-tested route to that goal. The 12ml tubes in some configurations are on the small side for regular painting, so it's worth checking the set size before buying.

Jackson's

Winsor & Newton : Artisan : Watermixable Oil Paint Sets

Winsor & Newton Artisan Watermixable Oil Paint Sets Contain Paints Developed To Look And Handle Like Conventional Oil Colour. Their Key Difference Is That They Can Be Thinned And Cleaned Up With Water, Removing The Need For Hazardous Solvents. This Makes Them Suitable For Artists

Jackson's · £65.00

For experienced painters looking to step up: The Michael Harding Plein Air Master Set at £207.00 extends the palette of the Painter Set for artists who've found their outdoor voice and want more range. This isn't a recommendation for most readers of this article: it's a significant investment that only makes sense once you know exactly what you need from your outdoor palette. But if you've been using the Painter Set for a season and found yourself consistently reaching for colours it doesn't include, the Master Set is the natural next step.

Jackson's

Michael Harding : Oil Paint : Plein Air : Master Set : 10x40ml

10 X 40ml Tubes In The Following Colours: 1 X Titanium White No. 2 (PW 6 & PW 4, Average Drying Speed, Excellent Lightfastness, Opaque/High Tint Power, Low Oil Content) 1 X Cadmium Yellow (PY 35, Average/Fast Drying Speed, Slightly Transparent But Opaque, High Tint Power, Excelle

Jackson's · £207.00

Portable Oil Paints and UK Travel: What You Need to Know

Solvent Safety in UK Homes

Oil paints themselves are not particularly hazardous. The real concern in small or poorly ventilated spaces is the solvents used to thin them and clean brushes: turpentine and white spirit both produce fumes that accumulate quickly in a small room. If you're working in a flat or a shared house without easy ventilation, this is a practical issue, not just a health caution footnote.

The simplest solutions are either switching to odourless mineral spirits (lower fume output than standard white spirit, widely available from UK art suppliers), or moving to water-mixable oils entirely and eliminating solvents from the process. If you do use conventional solvents, never pour them down the drain: allow used solvent to settle, decant the clean portion for reuse, and take the residue to your local household waste recycling centre.

Flying with an Oil Painting Set

Oil paints themselves are generally accepted in checked luggage on most airlines. The issue is solvents: flammable liquids are restricted under IATA regulations and most airline policies. If you're travelling abroad to paint and want to take your kit on a plane, this is worth thinking through carefully.

The simplest solution is to fly with a water-mixable set and plan to source any mediums you need at your destination, or simply to paint without them. If you intend to travel with conventional oils, check the specific rules of your airline and the IATA dangerous goods guidance before you pack. Rules vary between airlines and routes, and what's permitted in checked luggage on one carrier may not be on another. Do not assume: verify directly.

Painting in UK Weather

Britain's outdoor painting conditions are not always forgiving, but they're not as hostile as they're sometimes made out to be. Overcast light is actually excellent for colour observation: it's diffuse, consistent, and lets you see tonal relationships clearly. The main practical challenge is that oil paints dry more slowly in cold and damp conditions, which describes most of the UK year outside of July and August.

This slower drying is genuinely useful for blending and working wet-into-wet outdoors. Where it becomes a problem is in transport: a panel painted outdoors can stay tacky for hours longer than expected in autumn or winter. If you're heading out regularly, a wet panel carrier is worth investing in. It prevents panels touching each other and lets you transport work without smearing.

Should You Build Your Own Kit Instead?

It's worth saying clearly: many experienced plein air painters don't use sets at all. They've settled on six or seven colours they know and trust, and they buy those individually, often in sizes that suit how much they paint.

If you already know which colours you reach for consistently, buying individually gives you more of what you actually use and none of what you don't. A custom kit of five or six artist-grade tubes can cost similar to a ready-made set, sometimes less, and you won't end up with half a tube of a colour that's never made it onto your palette.

Where building your own kit makes less sense is at the beginning. Choosing your own palette from scratch when you're still learning how colours interact is genuinely harder than it sounds, and a well-chosen set removes that obstacle. The sets recommended in this article are curated thoughtfully enough that they're worth using as a starting point, even if you eventually diverge from them as your practice develops.

Our Final Recommendation on Oil Painting Sets for Plein Air

For painters who are already comfortable with oils and want a dedicated outdoor kit that doesn't require compromise, the Michael Harding Plein Air Painter Set is the clearest recommendation here. The artist-grade pigments, practical tube size, and purpose-built colour selection make it a set you can trust in the field. It's an investment at £137, but it reflects what you're actually getting.

If you're newer to oils or working with a tighter budget, start with the Daler-Rowney Georgian Water Mixable Starter Set. It's affordable, solvent-free, and gives you a real working set of colours without the ventilation concerns. Water-mixable oils are a practical choice for many UK painters, not a stepping stone to something better.

For those in the middle, the Winsor and Newton Artists' Introductory Set offers a trustworthy route into artist-grade paint at a price that feels more accessible. And if you're already reaching for the top of the shelf, the Michael Harding Master Set is there when you're ready.

Whatever you choose, the main thing is getting outside. The light in Britain is genuinely extraordinary, the landscapes are varied and endlessly paintable, and the best way to get better at outdoor painting is simply to do it more often.