Best Watercolor Sets: Koi, Gansai Tambi & More

Six watercolor sets drawn in proportion, from the Sakura Koi pocket box to Holbein tubes — The six picks, each labelled with the use it is picked for.

Products compared

Product	Brand origin	Made in	Price range
Sakura Koi Water Colors Pocket Field Sketch Box, 24 colors (XNCW-24N)Sakura	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$$20–75 per item
Kuretake Gansai Tambi 48-color set (MC20/48V)Kuretake	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$$$20–75 per item
Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Sketchers' Pocket Set, 12 half pans (0390640)Winsor & Newton	United Kingdom	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$$20–75 per item
Daniel Smith 266 Watercolor + 22 Gouache Dot Cards (Try-It dot card set)Daniel Smith	United States	United States^*	Price range: $$$$20–75 per item
Schmincke HORADAM Aquarell metal box, 12 half pans (74 412)Schmincke	Germany	Germany^*	Price range: $$$$over $75 per item
Holbein Artists' Watercolor set of 12, 5 ml tubes (W401)Holbein	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$$$20–75 per item

Notes on these facts

Sakura Koi Water Colors Pocket Field Sketch Box, 24 colors (XNCW-24N): Made by Sakura Color Products Corporation (Osaka); sold in the US by Sakura of America. Country of manufacture not stated: Sakura of America's and Royal Talens' product pages don't name a country of origin, and the Amazon listing has no Country of Origin field. Resale listings disagree (one says China, another Japan), so we don't guess. Sakura is a Japanese company. Source. Price: example listing.
Kuretake Gansai Tambi 48-color set (MC20/48V): Made by Kuretake Co., Ltd. (Japan). Made in Japan: Kuretake's Japanese order site lists 原産国 (country of origin) 日本 (Japan) for the 48-color set (MC20/48V), and also for the 12, 18 and 24-color sets. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Kuretake's release date for the 48-color set; the Gansai Tambi line and its 36-color set are older.
Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Sketchers' Pocket Set, 12 half pans (0390640): Made by ColArt. Country of manufacture not stated: Winsor & Newton's US and UK product pages don't state a country of manufacture, and Amazon says only "Imported". Marketplace listings disagree (some say China, others France or the United Kingdom), so check the box. Price: example listing.
Daniel Smith 266 Watercolor + 22 Gouache Dot Cards (Try-It dot card set): Made by Daniel Smith (Seattle, Washington). Made in United States: Amazon US's listing for the 266 + 22 dot card set says "Handmade in the USA" (read October 23, 2026), and Blick says the Extra Fine Watercolors on the cards are handmade in the USA. Daniel Smith's own product page was behind a bot check when we tried to read it. Source. Price: example listing.
Schmincke HORADAM Aquarell metal box, 12 half pans (74 412): Made by Schmincke (Erkrath, Germany). Made in Germany: Schmincke's German production page describes its artists' colors as Made in Germany and gives its address in Erkrath; it doesn't name the factory for this box specifically. Schmincke's Amazon US listings also say its colors are made in Germany. Source. Price: example listing.
Holbein Artists' Watercolor set of 12, 5 ml tubes (W401): Made by Holbein Works, Ltd. (Osaka). Made in Japan: Blick's Holbein Artists' Watercolors page and Cass Art's W401 page (read October 23, 2026) say the paints are made in Japan. Holbein's Japanese shop page for W401 doesn't state a country. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).

Key takeaways

The Sakura Koi Pocket Field Sketch Box 24 holds 24 half pans and a water brush in a case of about 158 × 116 × 29 mm (6.2 × 4.6 × 1.1 in).
Kuretake's Gansai Tambi 48 set measures 235 × 295 mm and lists at ¥9,570 (about US$61) in Japan; Kuretake lists Japan as the country of origin.
Daniel Smith's current dot card set samples 266 watercolors and 22 gouache colors on five sheets of watercolor paper, per DeSerres.
Schmincke lists 139 HORADAM watercolor shades plus 50 supergranulating colors and marks its paints Made in Germany.
Koi and Cotman are student-grade lines; Daniel Smith, Schmincke HORADAM and Holbein Artists' Watercolor are artist grade.

What is the best watercolor set?

The Sakura Koi Pocket Field Sketch Box 24 is the best watercolor set for most beginners, but the best pick for bright Japanese pans, travel, trying colors or artist-grade paint is a different set. The Koi 24 is #1 for beginners because it’s the most complete kit here, with a water brush, sponges and a palette, so you need only paper.

Best for beginners: Sakura Koi Pocket Field Sketch Box 24. Why it’s here: the most complete kit here, 24 half pans with a 9 ml water brush, two sponges and a mixing palette in a pocket case of about 158 × 116 mm (6.2 × 4.6 in).
Best Japanese pans: Kuretake Gansai Tambi 48. Why it’s here: brighter, chalkier color than Koi in large solid pans of pigment and resin, which Kuretake says look opaque when thick and transparent when thin.
Best budget travel set: Winsor & Newton Cotman Sketchers’ Pocket Set. Why it’s here: half the Koi’s pans for travel, 12 half pans of Winsor & Newton’s lower-priced Cotman line and a travel brush in a pocket box with a palette in the lid.
Best for trying colors: Daniel Smith Dot Cards. Why it’s here: the cheapest way to try artist-grade colors, dots of 266 watercolors and 22 gouache colors on five sheets, before you buy tubes.
Best artist-grade pans: Schmincke HORADAM metal box, 12 half pans. Why it’s here: artist-grade half pans in a metal box with room for 12 more, from a range of 139 shades, made in Germany.
Best tube set: Holbein Artists’ Watercolor W401. Why it’s here: the only tube set, 12 artist colors in 5 ml tubes from a Japanese maker that Blick says first sold them in the 1920s.

How did we choose these picks?

We compiled these picks from published sources, not hands-on testing: makers’ specs and claims, Blick and other retailer listings, US availability and price band. We split student sketch kits from artist-grade paint, then picked one set for each step from a first box to building a palette.

How do the six watercolor sets compare?

They split into student-grade sketch kits (Koi, Cotman), a Japanese gansai set, and three artist-grade options for building a palette.

Set	Format	Colors	Grade	Extras	Made in	Band
Sakura Koi Pocket 24	Half pans, plastic case 158 × 116 mm (6.2 × 4.6 in)	24	Student	Water brush, sponges, palette	Not stated	$$$
Kuretake Gansai Tambi 48	Large pans, box 235 × 295 mm (9.3 × 11.6 in)	48	Not graded	A5 color chart	Japan	$$$
Cotman Sketchers’ Pocket	Half pans, plastic pocket box	12	Student	Travel brush, lid palette	Not stated	$$$
Daniel Smith Dot Cards	Dried dots on 5 sheets	266 + 22 gouache	Artist	None	United States (paint)	$$$
Schmincke HORADAM 74 412	Half pans, metal box 223 × 72 mm (8.8 × 2.8 in)	12	Artist	Room for 12 more pans	Germany	$$$$
Holbein W401	5 ml tubes	12	Artist	None	Japan	$$$

Kuretake lists the Gansai Tambi 48 at ¥9,570 (about US$61) with tax in Japan. On October 21, 2026 Cass Art listed the Schmincke box at £79.95 (about US$106), which is why it sits in our top band. The Schmincke box size is from an Australian retailer; Sakura and Winsor & Newton figures are from their own pages.

Which watercolor set is best for beginners?

The Koi 24 box is the easiest start, because the water brush, sponges and palette mean you need only paper. Sakura of America calls the paints student-grade and formulated to blend easily.

The Cotman Sketchers’ Pocket Set is the smaller option, with 12 colors chosen to mix the rest: Winsor & Newton’s US page lists lemon and cadmium yellow hues, two reds, ultramarine, cerulean, viridian, sap green, three earths and Chinese white. Its brush is a short travel brush, so many sketchers add a water brush; see our Pentel Aquash Water Brush guide.

Is Gansai Tambi better than Koi?

For bright, chalky color and large pans, Gansai Tambi; for a complete pocket kit, Koi. Kuretake lists Gansai Tambi as pigment and resin with the ACMI AP seal, and the 48 set comes with an A5 color chart.

The Gansai box is a desk set at 235 × 295 mm, while the Koi box fits a jacket pocket. Kuretake sells single replacement pans (MC21), so you can refill the colors you use most.

When should you move to artist-grade watercolor?

Move up when you know which colors you reach for, because artist-grade paint costs more per color. Daniel Smith’s dot cards are the cheapest way to choose: one set samples the whole range, and you wet each dot to try it.

Schmincke HORADAM comes in 139 shades plus 50 supergranulating colors, per Schmincke’s German site, and the 74 412 metal box has space for 12 more half pans as your palette grows. Holbein’s W401 tubes suit studio painters who refill their own pans; The Art Shop lists the 12 colors, from Crimson Lake to Ivory Black.

What paper should you use with a watercolor set?

Use heavy watercolor paper of about 300 g/m² (140 lb), not sketch paper, or the sheet will buckle. Our Arches watercolor block guide covers a cotton paper; the Canson XL Watercolor pad is a cheaper practice pad.

Where are these watercolor sets made?

Kuretake gives Japan for Gansai Tambi, Blick gives Japan for Holbein, and Schmincke says Made in Germany. Blick says Daniel Smith’s paints are handmade in the USA. Neither Sakura nor Winsor & Newton states a country for the Koi or Cotman pocket sets, so check the box.

Frequently asked questions

What watercolor set should a beginner buy?

A student-grade pocket set with a water brush, such as the Sakura Koi Pocket Field Sketch Box 24, so you can paint without a water cup. Move to artist-grade pans once you know which colors you use.

What is the difference between student and artist grade watercolor?

Makers sell artist grade as the higher pigment, more lightfast line and student grade as the cheaper one. Sakura of America calls Koi student-grade, and Winsor & Newton positions Cotman as its affordable line; Daniel Smith, Schmincke HORADAM and Holbein are artist grade.

Are half pans or tubes better?

Half pans are better for travel and sketching, because they are dry and ready to wet. Tubes like Holbein's 5 ml set give more paint per color and suit studio work, and you can squeeze them into empty pans.

Is Kuretake Gansai Tambi the same as watercolor?

It is a Japanese watercolor in large solid pans that Kuretake lists as pigment and resin. Kuretake says it looks opaque when thick and transparent when thin.

What are Daniel Smith dot cards?

Sheets of watercolor paper printed with labelled dots of dried paint. You wet a dot with a brush to try the color before buying a tube; the current set covers 266 watercolors and 22 gouache colors.

Which watercolor set is best for urban sketching?

A small box you can hold in one hand: the Koi Pocket Field Sketch Box or the Cotman Sketchers' Pocket Set. Add a water brush such as the Pentel Aquash if your set doesn't include one.

Where is Schmincke watercolor made?

In Germany. Schmincke describes its artists' colors as Made in Germany and is based in Erkrath, where it has made paint since 1881.

Sources (12)

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