Dolphin Underwater Reef Paint by Numbers

Dolphin Underwater Reef paint by numbers: what you paint

A dolphin climbs nose-up through the middle of the canvas, lit by yellow beams that break the surface and reach down into the water. Turquoise holds the centre, midnight blue frames the top and bottom, and the coral reef with a few small fish and rising bubbles runs along the lower part. The portrait format keeps the rays vertical, so the picture suits a narrow wall in a bathroom, a hallway or a child's bedroom. Detail is medium: the head, eye and dorsal fin are cut into tight shapes, while the seabed falls into wide graduated blocks. Level: intermediate. Twelve sizes run from 20x30 to 60x80 cm, and the work takes around 12 to 30 hours depending on the canvas you pick. Every fish design sits in our fish paint by numbers range; open water and shoreline scenes are in beach and sea paint by numbers.

Tips for painting this design

Paint the yellow beams first. They cross the full height of the canvas, so they give you a straight line to judge every later block against. Then the midnight blue edges, then the turquoise centre: load the wide brush lightly and work block by block so the steps between shades read as a gradient. The dolphin comes next and holds the tightest numbers, at the head and dorsal fin, where the fine brush and a thin layer keep the printed outline visible. Leave the reef and the small fish until last. 40x50 cm keeps the beams and the fish clear without stretching the work; go to 60x80 cm only if you want more room for the blues.

Sizes, colours and painting time

The design comes in 20x30 to 60x80 cm (9 sizes). You choose a 24, 36 or 48 colour kit, on rolled canvas, with a wooden frame to assemble or with the canvas already mounted on its frame (except in 50x70 and 60x80 cm, delivered rolled). Allow around 12 to 30 h depending on the size.

What's in the kit

• Canvas:Printed linen canvas with the dolphin, the light rays and the reef outlined and numbered, ready to paint as it arrives.
• Paint:Numbered acrylic pots holding the turquoise, midnight blue and yellow of the scene, with 24, 36 or 48 colours depending on the option you choose.
• Brushes:Three brushes: fine for the bubbles and small fish, medium for the dolphin, wide for the open water and seabed.
• Guide:Printed paper guide to check a number before you commit paint to canvas.
• Optional:Wooden stretcher bars to assemble if you want the canvas taut; without them it arrives rolled in a tube. You can also choose it already mounted on its frame, ready to hang.

Living roomChild's bedroomHallwayBedroomHome office

Without frame

The canvas arrives rolled in a tube. You paint it flat and frame it afterwards if you wish.

With frame

Wooden stretcher bars to assemble stretch the canvas. You paint on a taut surface and hang the finished picture on the wall.

Mounted canvas

The canvas arrives already stretched on its wooden frame. You start painting right away and hang the picture on the wall.