Painting by numbers can be relatively easy and enjoyable, especially for those new to images or looking for a creative outlet. The numbered sections on the canvas correspond to specific colors, making it easier to follow and complete the picture. It can be a relaxing and satisfying way to create art, even for those who may not have much experience with traditional painting techniques.
It depends on the kit you purchase. You can get different levels of kits from beginners to experienced. The most significant difference is the level of detail.
You do not need artistic talent or painting experience to get a good result.
For Children
When you first come across a kid’s paint-by-numbers set, you’ll find that each one has bolder colors, and there aren’t any tiny spots, so these are an excellent place to start if you are a little apprehensive about starting them off with something too challenging.
If you want to give your child artistic freedom, let them pick the canvas so they are more likely to stick with it if they find the design more appealing, and the number of paints for these can be less daunting, which is perfect if your child is starting.
For The Canvas
For this, you can both have a good look at the spacing between each one and from here, you can identify your colors and let them get to work; you want to provide them with an adequate amount of water and a kitchen roll so they can use each color accordingly.
You might want to go up a size for the brushes and leave them out for your child so they can pick how they want to approach the painting, as making mistakes at this age is delicate and takes any pressure off the picture, having to be of a particular standard.
Learning With Colours
As this process also teaches patience, it allows you to go into the details of how colors work and what results come from mixing different ones, so your child will better understand how each works and allow them to build a technique of their own.
If you don’t want your child to feel too overwhelmed, encourage them to approach it in steps so it’s more manageable, and here you can show them that making mistakes is OK, as having fun with it builds confidence and builds on existing skills.
Make Your Canvases
You can start simply by creating your templates and drawing up numbers for your child to follow, or you can do a free paint and see what they come up with, so prepare for some mess in the area and on clothes.
For Adults
What Painting Do You Have?
On average, It can take 10-15 hours to complete a paint-by-number picture, so there’s a good chance that you may not be able to finish it in one sitting, which is fine because this won’t affect the quality of the end picture.
Most canvases that come with these kits are either made from cotton or linen, so you may have to unroll, stretch, or iron them, but this is completely fine as this material makes the canvas more resilient.
Gather Your Materials
A few brushes come with the set, a complete set of paint colors, the number of which you can find on the top, and a postcard with the finished painting as a reference guide.
It’s important to note that even if you follow the reference guide exactly, it might not turn out the same way that you see there, and it will be unique to you, so stick with the process and don’t be too disappointed if the result isn’t what you were hoping for.
With this, you can also use two cups of water. One will be for dirty paint water, and one will be for cleaning off the brush and some kitchen rolls to ensure your meetings are completely clean of any paint as you switch colors.
Prepare Your Brushes
At this point, it’s a good idea to look at your brushes for any signs of fraying or clumping, as this can affect the spread of your paint.
You can use scissors to make the brush thistles more precise, and you want to cut the frayed pieces as far on the brush as you can.
Check Your Paints
In a standard kit, you can find around 20-24 colors, and sometimes more, so before you go using them, it’s a good idea to determine which ones are transparent or opaque as you apply each onto the canvas, where you can make a list on a separate piece of paper.
When you open each piece of paint, you’ll notice that they are pretty creamy and thick in appearance, so you can dilute each one with a little bit of water so each one is easily spreadable on the canvas.
Now, you can use a sample of each and paint next to their corresponding number on the list, and after each, you can dab in the water and wipe any paint off with the kitchen roll so that you can do this for all numbers.
Once you’ve found a transparent color, like white and lighter shades, this tells you that the paint isn’t going to cover the number of lines on your canvas.
You can cover the corresponding number on the canvas with a blob and mark the pot so you know how to identify it.
If you cover the number, you may need help finding it later, and these transparent colors can be less forgiving than the darker ones.
Start Painting
Now you’ve identified each color, you can get to the task at hand. This might seem overwhelming initially, but as a tip, it’s a good idea to start with the darkest colors you have so you can start at the top left corner and make your way down with those colors.
This is ideal if you’re right-handed as it avoids you having to brush your hand or arm on the canvas and smudge any wet paint.
You can start from the top right corner and reach the lower left corner if left-handed.
You might notice that some of the numbers on the canvas are pretty small, so it can be easy to go out of the lines even if you go for a smaller brush, but you can use a toothpick or a smaller brush for these areas as you go for a quicker process.
If you make a mistake, that’s fine, as the paint will still be wet, and you can dab any areas with some kitchen roll to remove excess dye.
After this, you can make your way through the painting, but give yourself a break between colors.
Conclusion
If you’ve ever wanted to try painting, there’s never been a better time, as you can develop technique and unleash creativity.
Paint by Numbers is designed to be accessible and beginner-friendly, making it a relatively easy hobby. The numbered sections and corresponding paint pots make it straightforward to follow and fill in the colors correctly. However, the difficulty level can vary depending on the complexity of the design and the individual's comfort with painting. While it may require patience and attention to detail, painting by numbers is generally considered a hobby that people of all skill levels can enjoy.