Is it cheaper to buy large tubes of paint?

Almost always yes. The price per ml drops significantly as tube size increases. A 120ml tube typically costs 1.5-2x the price of a 37ml tube but contains 3.2x the paint. For colours you use frequently (white, earth tones), buying 200ml or 500ml sizes saves significant money.

Why do some paint colours cost more than others?

Paint pricing is based on pigment cost. Cadmium, cobalt and genuine ultramarine pigments are expensive to produce. Student-grade paints use cheaper synthetic alternatives. Series numbers (1-5 or A-E) on professional paints indicate the pigment cost tier.

How much paint does a typical painting use?

As a rough rule of thumb, a medium-sized painting (60×80cm) in acrylics applied thinly to a medium thickness uses on the order of 50-100ml of paint total across all colours. Oil paintings tend to use slightly less. Large-scale or heavily impasto works can use several hundred ml, so always treat this as an order-of-magnitude estimate rather than a fixed figure. White is typically 30-40% of total paint consumption.

ArtCalcs

Paint Cost Calculator

Estimate the total cost of paint needed for your project based on volume, tube size and price.

Paint Needed

Total volume of paint required. Not sure? Estimate it with the Paint Volume Calculator first.

Tube / Tub SizePick a standard artist tube/tub, or choose Custom to enter the exact ml on your tube

Price per Tube / Tub

What one tube or tub of this size costs. Larger sizes usually cost less per ml.

Add wastage

Add extra paint for palette waste and mixing losses

How We Calculate This

Tubes needed = ⌈Total ml needed ÷ Tube size in ml⌉ (rounded up to a whole tube)

Total cost = Tubes needed × Price per tube

When wastage is enabled, your volume is multiplied by the wastage factor (default 1.1 = 10% extra) to allow for palette waste, dried paint and mixing losses. You can also add a few extra tubes as safety stock under Advanced options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Calculators

Paint Coverage Calculator

Calculate how much artist paint you need for any canvas or surface area based on paint type, thickness and number of coats. Free online calculator.

Colour Mixing Calculator

Work out pigment ratios to mix a target colour from primary colours by volume or weight. Covers acrylics, oils and watercolours.

Paint Dilution Calculator

Calculate the correct dilution ratio of paint to thinner or medium for your painting technique. Covers acrylics, oils and watercolours.

Palette Calculator

Plan how much of each paint colour to squeeze onto your palette for a painting session. Avoid waste and never run out mid-painting.

Colour Wheel Calculator

Find harmonious colour combinations using colour wheel theory including complementary, triadic, analogous and split schemes for artists.

Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities before purchasing materials.