Paint by Numbers Instructions

How does painting by numbers work?

Painting by numbers is a popular do-it-yourself trend that has captivated people of all ages in recent years – from schoolchildren to seniors. It's no wonder, because this hobby is not only fun but also relaxing, promotes motor skills and concentration, and requires neither prior knowledge nor artistic talent. All you need is a space to paint, some time and patience, and the right painting supplies. How does it work? It's simple: Our step-by-step instructions provide you with helpful tips and tricks to get started with this exciting new hobby and create impressive works of art.

The Principle of Painting by Numbers

Many people are familiar with painting by numbers from their childhood. For adults, however, it works the same way, only the motifs are more challenging. Your template is printed on a canvas and divided into small fields, each with a number. Each number represents a specific color (for example, 1 – white). The paint pots in your set are numbered accordingly, so you can quickly find the right color. You can decide which color to start with and then carefully paint the corresponding areas using the brush included in the set.

Tip: Close each paint pot after use to keep the paint fresh and prevent it from drying out.

The Correct Order

If possible, avoid changing colors too often to save time and minimize the effort required to clean your brush. It's more practical to use one color completely and paint all the areas of that color before moving on to the next. This saves you time and protects the colors from drying out by keeping only one paint pot open.

Tip: Let the paint dry completely before painting adjacent areas with the next color to avoid smudging or mixing the colors.

Color Selection Order: Tips
You can choose the order in which you choose the colors, but there are some approaches that make painting easier. Many painting-by-numbers enthusiasts develop their preferred order over time, which they apply to each new painting.

From Dark to Light
Start with the darkest colors and work toward the lighter ones. This makes the contrasts and mosaic structure of the painting easier to see.

From Light to Dark
Painting-by-numbers artists prefer to start with the light colors and then move on to darker tones. This has the advantage that mistakes can be more easily painted over if you go over the edge with the light colors.

Other Orders
From Large to Small
Start with the larger areas and then work toward the smaller ones. This way, you'll see progress more quickly, and the color contrasts become more apparent as you paint.

From Top to Bottom
Especially important for left-handed people: Avoid smearing fresh paint by working from top to bottom, and from left to right for right-handed people (vice versa for left-handed people).

Clean your brushes properly
Clean your brush thoroughly before each color change. This will prevent colors from mixing and preserve their clarity. Carefully dry the brush with a cloth before dipping it into the next color. Thorough cleaning is also important during longer breaks to prevent the bristles from hardening.

More tips for your paint by numbers project
Tip: Paint with the brush tip
Use only the tip of the brush for more precise painting and to apply paint sparingly. Even if the set includes enough paint, this will prevent overuse.

Tip: Lightly moisten your brush
Dip the brush briefly in water and pat it dry before dipping it into the paint. The residual moisture ensures that the paint can be applied more evenly.

Tip: A good painting space
A quiet painting space is important for a relaxed and successful experience. Make sure you have:

A sufficiently large table
A comfortable chair
Good lighting to clearly see color nuances
Tip: Painting on the go
You can also paint outside or on the go by attaching your canvas to a drawing board. This way, you can be creative anywhere!

Tip for advanced artists: Smooth transitions
The "zigzag technique" can be used to create smooth color transitions. Lightly blend the edges of the color patches with a clean brush before the paint dries to create a smooth transition.

What to do if problems arise?
Canvas has a crease
If your canvas is slightly creased during shipping, you can carefully iron the back of it to smooth out the creases.

Numbers are difficult to see
If the numbers on the canvas are too small, you can photograph the canvas and enlarge the image or use a magnifying glass to see details.