Quick picks
- Just want to kill ten minutes: a browser game does the job.
- Want something on the wall: order a kit. Meadow's Embrace or Frozen Peak are tagged beginner friendly.
- Want your own picture: a custom kit from your photo.
- Not sure what to choose: the gift card.
Type online paint by numbers into a search bar and you get two very different things on the same page. Some results are games you play in a browser or on a phone, tapping numbered cells until a picture appears. Others are shops that sell a real canvas and acrylic paints, ordered online and delivered to your home. Both are legitimate. They just don't give you the same evening.
What online paint by numbers means on a screen
The digital versions are quick, and most are free to start. You pick a picture, you tap a number, a patch of colour fills in. There is no mess, nothing to buy and nothing to clean, so they suit a commute or a waiting room. Some sites go further and let you upload a photo to get a numbered template back as a file.
What you don't get is the object. Nothing dries, nothing smells of paint, and when you finish there is nothing to hang. The picture stays on a screen, and for many people that is exactly where the appeal runs out.
What you get when you order a kit online
A physical kit is a canvas with the outlines and numbers already printed, a set of acrylic pots matched to those numbers, brushes in several sizes and written instructions. You paint one numbered patch at a time. A finished canvas takes anywhere from a few evenings to a few weeks, depending on size and how often you sit down.
Ordering online is simple, but two choices matter before you pay: size and number of colours.
- 30 x 30 cm, 24 colours: the small square. Good for a first try, a shelf or a small gift.
- 40 x 50 cm, 36 colours: the usual choice. Enough room that the shapes stay comfortable, not so big that it drags.
- 50 x 65 cm, 48 colours: for people who already like long sessions and want a statement piece.
Fewer colours means larger areas and a quicker finish. More colours mean finer shading. If it is your first kit, 40 x 50 cm with 36 colours is the safest starting point, and our guide to choosing your first kit goes through the reasoning in more detail.
The frame is assembled by you: choose the DIY frame option and put the wooden bars together yourself, which takes a few minutes. Prices are shown in your currency, and shipping costs appear at checkout once you enter your address. Orders usually leave within 1 to 3 business days, and the delivery estimate for your country is shown before you pay.
Which kit to pick if you have never painted
Look for broad areas and soft transitions rather than hundreds of tiny shapes. Meadow's Embrace and Frozen Peak are both tagged beginner friendly, and so are Lemon Yard and Astronaut's Harvest. Browse the full beginner friendly collection if none of those appeals. For a seasonal gift, Christmas Cat carries the same tag.
Two small extras make the first session easier: a tabletop easel to tilt the canvas toward you, and the painter's extras set with finer brushes for the smallest numbers. Neither is required.
Turning a photo into a kit
This is where the two worlds meet. You upload a photo on the custom kit page, choose a size, and a numbered canvas is made from it. The photo decides the result, so use a sharp one: at least 1500 px on the short side, and 2500 px if you pick 50 x 65 cm. Simple pictures with a clear subject convert best. Our article on how the photo generator works shows what happens between the upload and the canvas.
Ordering before Christmas
If the kit is a gift, order by Friday 27 November to be on the safe side. If you are past that date or unsure of the picture, the gift card lets the person choose their own.
So which one is right for you? If you want a pleasant ten minutes, play the game. If you want something to hold, paint and keep, order the canvas. Browse the custom paint by numbers collection or the gift kits to see what is available.
