Opening your first paint-by-numbers kit can feel like opening a puzzle: lots of little shapes, several paint colors, and one picture waiting to come together. You don’t need to know how to draw. You just need to know where to start, and this guide covers that first.
Where do you start when doing paint by numbers?
Start at the top of the canvas, with the darkest colors and the largest shapes, and work toward the side away from your painting hand. If you’re right-handed, that usually means top-left to bottom-right. If you’re left-handed, go top-right to bottom-left.
Here’s why each part of that works:
- Top first: your hand and wrist rest below where you’re painting, so you don’t smudge wet paint.
- Dark colors first: if a dark color slips over a line, you can cover it later with a lighter shade. Covering a dark mistake with a light color takes several coats.
- Large shapes first: filling big areas quickly makes the picture appear quickly, and it warms up your brush control before you get to the tiny sections.
Some painters prefer to finish one color at a time across the whole canvas instead. That works well too. It means you open fewer paint pots at once, which keeps the paint from drying out. Choose whichever method keeps you relaxed. There isn’t one wrong order.
Before you paint: understand the number key
A paint-by-numbers design divides an image into outlined areas. Each number matches a paint pot in the kit. Find a numbered area, match it to the right paint, and fill that shape.
Read your kit’s instructions first. The tips below assume water-based acrylic paints, which come in most kits. If your materials are different, follow the supplied directions.
Set up a simple workspace
- Pick a stable surface with good light, enough to read the smallest numbers.
- Protect the table, and put your water jar where you won’t knock it over.
- Keep a paper towel nearby to blot your brush.
- Take a clear photo of the blank numbered canvas before you start. Once paint covers a number, the photo will tell you what belonged there.
Use a little paint and a light touch
Load just a small amount of paint onto the tip of the brush. Trace gently along the outline first, then fill in the middle. Use the fine brush for narrow spaces and the larger brush for broad areas.
Rinse and blot your brush between colors, and close each pot as soon as you’re done with it. Don’t add water to the pots unless a color has started to thicken, and then add only a drop or two.
How to fix mistakes
- Wrong color in a section? Let it dry completely, then paint over it with the correct color. A light color over a dark one may need two or three thin coats.
- Can you still see the number through the paint? Wait for the first coat to dry and add a second thin coat. Brushing back and forth through wet paint makes coverage patchy.
- Not sure what number a section was? Check the photo you took before you started.
Finish each session so it’s easy to restart
Close every pot tightly, wash your brushes with water, and leave the canvas somewhere flat to dry. Jot down which color or area you want to paint next.
Your first session doesn’t have to finish a corner, or even a single flower. A few painted shapes are a great start.
Frequently asked questions
Should I paint light or dark colors first?
Dark colors first, in most cases. Mistakes with dark paint are easier to hide under later colors. Painting light colors first isn’t wrong, but any dark slip will need several coats to cover.
How long does a paint-by-numbers kit take?
Most adult kits take somewhere between 10 and 30 hours, depending on the size and level of detail. Many people paint for an hour or two at a time over a few weeks.
Is paint by numbers good for beginners?
Yes. The design does the drawing for you, so all you need is patience and a steady hand. Picking a design with bolder, larger shapes, like many florals or abstracts, makes your first kit easier.
Choose your first kit
Looking for a first project? Browse flower kits, animal kits, landscape kits, abstract kits, or every Joyful Hues kit. Get 10% off your order with code JH10.