I've put acrylic paint tubes in my checked luggage on several occasions without problems. Though I do put the tubes inside a plastic bag just in case! Neither metal nor plastic tubes have leaked or burst, nor the one small tub of acrylic I once bought.
What I have heard is that you shouldn't pack too many tubes together. Instead you should spread them through your luggage so that they show up clearly in x-ray as tubes of something, rather than a dense mysterious mass.
Depending on where you're going, another option could be to order some paint through a mail order company in that country and get it delivered to where you're staying.

