How to Take the Perfect Photo for a Custom Paint by Numbers Kit
The quality of your custom paint by numbers kit starts with the quality of your photo. A great photo produces a stunning painting with clear details and beautiful colors. A blurry or dark photo produces a frustrating kit with muddy sections. This guide shows you exactly how to capture the perfect source photo.
At ArtistryByNumbers, we optimize every uploaded photo, but starting with a great image makes the result spectacular. Free Shipping (US, Canada, UK, EU, Australia) and Buy 2 Get 1 Free.
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Turn one of your own photos into a numbered canvas (from $19.95). We trace it, mix the paints to match, and ship the kit with brushes.
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- Bold and Free Painting by Numbers Premium Kit (from $19.95)
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The Golden Rules
1. Lighting Is Everything
Natural daylight produces the best custom kits. Shoot near a window or outdoors on an overcast day (soft, even light without harsh shadows). Avoid flash. It creates flat, washed-out images. Avoid backlighting. It puts your subject in shadow.
2. Resolution Matters
Use the highest resolution your camera or phone allows. At least 1000x1000 pixels for small kits, 2000x2000+ for large. More pixels = more detail in your painting.
3. Sharp Focus
Tap your subject on the phone screen to focus. Hold the camera steady or use a tripod. Blurry photos produce blurry paintings. There is no fixing this in post.
4. Simple Background
A clean, uncluttered background lets the subject shine. For pet portraits, a solid-colored wall or blanket behind the pet works perfectly. For family photos, nature backgrounds or plain walls work best.
Best Photos by Subject
Pet Portraits
- Get at eye level with your pet
- Use treats to get them looking at the camera
- Natural light, sharp focus on the eyes
- Head and shoulders framing works best
Family/Couple Photos
- Outdoor natural light is ideal
- Avoid group shots with more than 4 people (too small for detail)
- Close-up or half-body framing
- Genuine smiles and natural poses
Landscape/Travel Photos
- Golden hour (sunrise/sunset) produces the most paintable light
- Include a clear focal point
- Horizontal orientation for most landscapes
Adopted dogs are the hard case, and they get their own guide. Shelter photos break every rule above at once, and a black or very dark coat needs the exposure pushed deliberately past what looks correct on screen. Both are covered in photographing a rescue dog for a custom kit.
Photos to Avoid
- Blurry or out-of-focus images
- Very dark or very bright (overexposed) photos
- Screenshots from social media (low resolution)
- Group photos with 5+ small faces
- Photos with complex, cluttered backgrounds
No experience needed: just a good photo and our team does the rest. Joined by thousands of painters worldwide. Money-back guarantee.
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