Frequently Asked Questions

The best site is the one whose kits match what you're looking for. Before you order, check these points on the product page:

• The canvas : a pre-printed woven canvas holds paint better than card or paper.
• The paints : numbered pots ready to use, one colour per number, no mixing needed.
• How clear the outline is : photos of the blank canvas with crisp numbers and areas suited to your level.
• Exactly what's in the kit : number of brushes, whether a frame is included, size in centimetres.
• Costs and delivery times : the delivery price to the UK and the dispatch time shown before you pay.
• Contact : a visible customer service email address and written returns terms.

At paintbynumbersuk.co.uk, every kit contains a pre-printed linen canvas, numbered acrylic paint pots ready to use and 3 brushes. The catalogue has more than 1,000 designs, plus a kit made from your own photo. Orders are dispatched within 48 hours and delivery is free in the UK. For any questions: contact@paintbynumbersuk.co.uk.

Adult paint by numbers works by matching each numbered section on the printed linen canvas with the numbered acrylic paint pot. Paint one area at a time, using the paper chart to check the colour and number. You do not need to mix colours. The complete kit includes three brushes, so you can choose the fine, medium or wide brush for each section. Painting time varies by size, from about 10 hours for a 15 x 15 cm canvas to around 20 to 40 hours depending on the size.

Clean your brushes straight after every session in warm water with a little mild soap, and never leave them standing upright in water, as this can distort the synthetic bristles. For acrylic paint, the key is not to let it dry in the ferrule, the metal part that holds the bristles.

1. Rinse the brush in warm water before the paint dries, working the water through the bristles.
2. Add a little mild soap and gently work it into the bristles, avoiding the ferrule where possible.
3. Rinse well until the water runs clear.
4. Reshape the tip with your fingers and leave the brush to dry flat or head up.

To make your brushes last longer, follow this routine after every use and store them flat or head up, never resting on the bristles. Replace a brush when the bristles are splayed, damaged or no longer hold their shape, as this will affect the accuracy of your painting.

Paint by numbers is suitable for beginners, including people who have never painted. The printed linen canvas has outlines and numbers to guide you as you work, and each numbered section matches a numbered acrylic paint pot. You do not need to mix colours. The fine, medium and wide brushes help you practise different painting techniques while creating a finished picture. A paper chart is included to help you match the sections and colours.

To paint on canvas, lay it flat on a table or set it on an easel, in good light so you can see the colours and edges clearly. Work from the large areas to the small ones, and from dark colours to light, letting each coat dry before adding the next. Thin acrylic slightly with water if it drags, and keep brushes rinsed between colours.

1. Set up your canvas flat or on an easel in good light.
2. Start with the large areas and the darker colours.
3. Let each coat dry, then move on to the details.
4. Rinse and dry your brush when changing colours.

With paint by numbers, the design and colours are already worked out: you simply match each numbered area to its numbered pot and follow the guide.

If you use a frame, assemble and stretch the canvas before painting so the surface stays taut. Work in thin layers rather than one thick coat, and allow the paint to dry fully between them.

For a first canvas painting, choose a paint by numbers design with few colours and large, open areas. These are the most forgiving: there is less switching between pots, fewer small sections to fill, and the printed numbers are easier to read. Simple subjects such as a single flower, a landscape with a broad sky, or a bold animal shape work well. Avoid designs with lots of tiny detail or many similar shades until you have some practice.

Paint by numbers is the simplest way to start, because the design is printed on the canvas and each colour comes in a numbered pot, so you are not mixing paints or drawing the image yourself. Work in thin layers rather than loading the brush heavily, and paint the largest areas first. Rinse the brush between colours and blot it dry.

If you are unsure, a smaller canvas with 24 colours is a sensible place to begin.

Paint the background first, then work through the petals from darkest to lightest, and finish with the highlights. This order keeps the flower reading clearly against its surroundings and stops you having to paint around finished detail.

1. Lay in the background and let it dry fully.
2. Block in the darkest petal tones, following the shape of each petal rather than colouring flatly.
3. Build up the mid tones, then the lighter ones, keeping edges soft where petals curve away.
4. Add highlights last with a fine brush, along with any outlines or stamens.

Acrylic dries quickly, so keep the brush moving and load it lightly for fine work. A fine brush suits outlines and small centres, a medium brush handles most petal shapes, and a wide brush is useful for backgrounds.

To stop your acrylic paints drying out too quickly during a long session, use a wet palette (a palette with dampened kitchen paper covered with greaseproof paper, or a purpose-made stay-wet palette). Only squeeze out the amount of paint you need each time and keep the pots firmly closed. Lightly mist your mixes with a water spray bottle as you work. Avoid painting in a room that is too hot, too dry or in a draught, and choose a room at a moderate temperature (around 20°C) with normal humidity. For particularly long sessions, invest in an acrylic retarder medium that you can mix into your paints to slow their drying time considerably without altering the colours.

Use synthetic (nylon) brushes for acrylic paint, as they cope well with the medium and rinse clean in water. Natural hair brushes are better suited to oils and can be damaged by acrylic, so keep them separate. For most work, a fine round brush handles detail, a flat brush covers larger areas, and a medium brush sits between the two.

For paint by numbers, very fine tips (00 to 0) help you stay inside the small numbered areas, especially on detailed designs. Load the brush lightly and keep the tip pointed rather than pressing down hard, which splays the bristles. Rinse the brush in water between colours and dry it on a cloth so the paint does not dry in the ferrule.

Paint by numbers suits adults who want a calm hobby without knowing how to draw: you go at your own pace, in short sessions, and end up with a real picture to hang.

Adult paint by numbers: browse the collection

A paint by numbers kit on a theme they like, a personalised kit made from a photo, or a practical accessory: a table easel, fine detail brushes, a magnifying glass with a light.

Paint by numbers gift · Accessories

Painting can help some people concentrate and relax, although the experience varies from person to person. Our paint by numbers kits are a hobby rather than art therapy. The printed outlines and numbered paint pots provide a clear activity to follow at your own pace. Art therapy is supervised by professionals who use it as part of professional support. Painting at home does not replace that support. If you need help with your wellbeing, speak to an appropriate professional about the support available.

To make brown paint, mix red and green, or combine the three primary colours (red, yellow and blue) in roughly equal amounts. Start with small quantities and adjust as you go, since the exact shade depends on the proportions you use.

1. Mix red and green, or red, yellow and blue in similar amounts to create a basic brown.
2. Add a little yellow for a warmer, more golden brown.
3. Add a little blue for a cooler, greyer brown.
4. Add white to lighten the brown, or more of the darker colours to deepen it.

Keep your mixes small and test them on scrap paper or canvas before applying them to your main work. Acrylic paint dries fairly quickly, so mix only what you need for the area you are painting.

In a paint by numbers kit, you do not need to mix brown at all. Every brown in the picture is already supplied in its numbered pot, ready to use.

To make purple paint, mix red and blue, adjusting the ratio and the type of red to control the result. A red that leans towards pink (magenta) with a cool blue gives a bright, clean purple, while an orangey red turns the mix dull and muddy. Add white for a lilac, or a little black or blue for a deep purple.

1. Put a small amount of red on your palette.
2. Add blue gradually, a little at a time, mixing as you go until you reach the purple you want.
3. Adjust the tone: more red for a warmer purple, more blue for a cooler one.
4. Lighten with white or deepen with a touch of black or blue.

If you are using our kits, there is no need to mix at all: every colour is already prepared in a numbered pot, matched to the pre-printed numbered linen canvas. You can choose a rolled canvas in a tube or a wooden stretcher frame to assemble.

To make green paint, mix yellow and blue. More yellow gives a soft, light green, while more blue gives a deeper fir green. A small touch of red will make the green look more natural for foliage, and adding white lightens it.

1. Put a little yellow on your palette.
2. Add blue gradually, mixing as you go, until you reach the shade you want.
3. Add a tiny amount of red if the green looks too bright or artificial.
4. Add white to lighten the tone.

It is easier to add colour than to take it away, so start with yellow and add blue in small amounts. Keep your brush clean between colours so the mix stays true.

In our kits, every colour is already ready in a numbered pot, so no mixing is needed. Each kit includes a pre-printed numbered linen canvas, numbered pots of acrylic paint, three brushes (fine, medium and wide) and a paper colour guide.

To make beige paint, start with white and add a very small amount of brown, or a little yellow with a touch of red. Add the colour drop by drop, because it is easy to darken a beige but much harder to lighten it again.

1. Put a generous amount of white paint on your palette.
2. Mix in a tiny amount of brown, or a little yellow plus a touch of red.
3. Stir thoroughly and check the colour on a scrap of paper or canvas, as wet paint can look different once dry.
4. Add more colour in very small amounts until you reach the tone you want. If it goes too dark, add more white.

Beige covers a wide range, from a warm sandy tone to a cooler grey-beige, so adjust the balance of yellow and red to suit the light in your room and the colours around it. Keep notes of your mix if you need to match it later.

In our kits, every colour is already ready in a numbered pot, so there is no mixing needed. You can choose a rolled canvas in a tube or a wooden stretcher frame to assemble.

Mix white paint with a small amount of black to make grey. Add the black gradually, as it can quickly overpower the white, and stir well before adding more.

For a warmer or cooler grey, mix two complementary colours, such as blue and orange, then add white to lighten the result. Adjust the balance of the colours to change the tone.

Paint by numbers kits need no colour mixing. Each numbered acrylic paint pot matches the pre-printed linen canvas and paper chart. Choose a canvas with a wooden frame, or a rolled canvas supplied in a tube without a frame.

Work on a palette or a plate with a clean brush. Always start with the lighter colour and add the darker one in small amounts. Mix enough paint for the whole area: matching exactly the same shade later is difficult.

The primary colours make the secondary ones: yellow + blue = green, red + yellow = orange, red + blue = purple.

Paint dilution chart

Varnish is not essential, but we recommend it for protecting a finished paint by numbers picture. A clear acrylic varnish shields the pigments from dust, moisture and UV light, which helps prevent fading over time. It also evens out reflections and restores the richness of the colours, giving a more even, professional finish. You can choose gloss, satin or matt depending on your preference.

Wait until the paint is completely dry before varnishing — at least 24 hours, and longer if any areas were painted thickly. Then follow these steps:

1. Wipe the canvas gently with a soft, dry cloth to remove any dust.
2. Choose a clear acrylic varnish, either spray or brush-on, and work in a well-ventilated space.
3. Apply a thin, even coat, following the product instructions. Avoid over-brushing, which can disturb the paint.
4. Leave it to dry fully before adding a second coat if needed.

Our kits use acrylic paint on pre-printed numbered linen canvas, so an acrylic varnish is the right match. If you chose the option with a wooden stretcher frame, varnish once the canvas is mounted and the paint is dry. If you have the rolled canvas option, you may prefer to varnish before framing. Either way, varnishing is a simple step that helps keep your finished picture looking its best for years.

Choose an acrylic varnish made specifically for acrylic paintings, either water-based in a jar or in a spray can. Avoid varnishes intended for wood or furniture, as these can yellow over time and may not be compatible with acrylic paint.

Varnish is worth applying to a finished paint by numbers piece. It seals the acrylic paint, protects the surface from damp and dust, and brings out the coloured pigments. A matt or gloss finish is a matter of personal preference; both do the same protective job.

1. Make sure the canvas is completely dry before you begin.
2. Apply the varnish in thin coats rather than one thick layer.
3. Brush or spray in one direction only, and let each coat dry before adding the next.

If you are framing your painting, varnish it first and allow it to dry fully. Take your time with it, work in a dust-free space, and the finish will protect your work for years.

Choose satin if you want a middle ground between the liveliness of gloss and the calm of matt. Gloss varnish brings the colours back to life but creates reflections, which can be distracting on a canvas hung where light falls across it. Matt removes reflections and gives a softer, more even look, though it can slightly mute the depth of the colours. Satin sits between the two and is often chosen for a paint by numbers hung in a bright room, where you want some richness without a hard shine.

Think about where the finished piece will go. In a bright room with windows opposite the canvas, matt or satin will be easier on the eye. In a dimmer hallway or a room where the painting is lit from the side, gloss can lift the colours nicely. If you are unsure, satin is the safest all-round choice.

Whichever you pick, apply thin coats with a soft brush, working in one direction and letting each coat dry fully before the next.

Frame a canvas after checking if it is stretched on a wooden frame or still rolled. A stretched canvas can hang as it is, or you can place it in a frame suited to the stretcher frame’s depth. A floating frame leaves the painted edges visible.

1. Stretch a rolled canvas on a wooden frame, or mount it on rigid card before framing.
2. Measure the outside edges of the wooden frame, rather than the painted area.
3. Choose a frame that matches the canvas depth.
4. Fit the canvas according to the frame instructions, keeping it square and secure.
5. Use a suitable wall fixing for the finished weight.

Our framed option includes a wooden frame that you can assemble before hanging or framing.

Choose a frame based on the exact size of the canvas (40x50 cm, 30x40 cm and so on) and on whether it is stretched or not. For a canvas on a wooden frame, pick a frame that is deep enough. A simple frame in light wood or black keeps the colours of the painting in the foreground.

To stretch a canvas onto a wooden frame, lay the canvas painted side down on a clean table, place the frame on the back, fold the edges over and fix them starting from the middle of each side, alternating opposite sides, then finish with the corners. Our canvases keep 3 to 4 cm of white margin for this.

1. Place the canvas face down on a clean, flat surface.
2. Centre the wooden frame on the back of the canvas.
3. Fold one edge over the frame and fix it at the middle of that side.
4. Repeat on the opposite side, pulling gently to keep the tension even.
5. Work through the remaining two sides in the same alternating way.
6. Finish by folding and fixing the corners neatly.

You do not strictly need a wooden frame to mount a canvas, but it does make stretching easier and keeps the canvas taut while you paint. It also lets you show the finished picture like a real decorative piece at home. Suitable frame kits are also available among our paint by numbers accessories.

Famous pop art paintings include Andy Warhol's Campbell's soup cans, Roy Lichtenstein's comic-style canvases and Keith Haring's bold figures. Our pop art kits take that same spirit of bright colour and strong outlines, but they are our own designs rather than copies of any artist's work.

If you like a particular look, browse the category and pick a design that suits you. A larger canvas gives larger numbered areas, which makes small details easier to paint, while a smaller canvas is quicker to finish.

Pop art uses flat, bold colour, clear outlines and everyday subjects, often with a comic or street-art feel. In our kits that style is already drawn onto a numbered canvas, so you simply match each number to its pot of acrylic paint.

Each kit includes the pre-printed canvas, numbered pots of acrylic paint, 3 brushes and a colour guide. You can choose from 12 canvas sizes, with or without a wooden stretcher frame. A larger canvas gives larger numbered areas, which makes small details easier.

We have 61 designs in this category, including a Multicolour Pop Art Wolf, a Street Art Raccoon in a Yellow Hoodie, a Graffiti Hoodie Panda, a Graffiti Llama and a French Bulldog Pop Art kit. There are also animal and landscape options such as a Pop Art Cat Head with Pink Flowers and a Chalet under the Northern Lights.

Every kit contains a pre-printed numbered canvas, numbered pots of acrylic paint, 3 brushes and a colour guide. You can order with a wooden stretcher frame or without a frame, in which case the rolled canvas arrives in a tube.

These kits suit beginners because the design is already on the canvas and each area carries a number that matches a pot of paint. We do not give a set time, as it depends on the canvas size and how much detail you choose.

As a guide, a smaller canvas is quicker to finish, while a larger canvas gives larger numbered areas, which makes small details easier. Each kit includes the numbered canvas, acrylic paints, 3 brushes and a colour guide, and delivery by post to the UK and Ireland is free.