Painting by numbers is a technique where a picture is divided into different shapes or parts that have numbers that correspond to a particular color shade or mixture. The goal is for the finished product (painting) to appear as the artist keeps applying corresponding paint numbers to it’s desired location.
Paint by numbers kit usually comprises of a picture that is divided into shapes, a small paintbrush, and the required paint colors you need to complete your painting.
Paint by numbers is not just for kids but also for anyone who is looking to practice the use of a brush, become a better artist, or someone who isn’t interested in painting but just wants to create something.
Apart from being a great tool for kids to learn (paint by number for kids), and one for anyone to practice, paint by numbers also offers some healing and relaxation benefits to users.
The healing power of paint by numbers
As mentioned above, paint by numbers users has reported countless number of times about the healing and relaxation power of the process, especially adult paint by numbers.
According to researchers of the American Art Therapy Association, forty-five (45) minutes of any creative activity will significantly reduce stress in your body and improve your mood.
While there is a countless number of creative activities we can engage in, we will be looking at how paint by numbers, in particular, can boost your health and improve your mood.
Let’s look at five different ways paint by numbers can improve your health.
1. A great way to relax
One of the most recurring words from paint by numbers users, when asked about the healing power of paint by numbers, is relaxation. The act of painting itself can be an escape from the bustle that comes with everyday living. Taking your mind off everyday stress through paint by numbers has a lot of therapeutic effects.
2. Makes you feel accomplished
Anyone who has ever done something difficult like run a marathon, or lose significant body weight through exercise, or passes a very tough exam, knows a thing or two about crossing the finished line. The act of painting can be very time consuming, but you are rewarded when your finished painting emerges as you keep striking your brush accordingly.
3. Be a host or member
Many paints by numbers fans (PNBers) now organize painting events mostly for friends. There are few things more enjoyable than sharing a fun moment with loved ones. That’s the power of paint by numbers. Your friends do not have to be art enthusiasts to join, they only have to be your friends.
Meetings like this present opportunity to catch up with your friends, to share ideas, get advice, and of course to compare canvas and have fun!
4. You become a real artist
Another great thing about paint by numbers is that you don’t have to be a real artist before you can paint. Paint by numbers makes you a real artist. No prior painting technique, painting ideas, knowledge, or training is needed, as all you need to do is applying the corresponding number color to a numbered shape or part of the picture. As you do this, the finished painting slowly emerges until you have a great piece of artwork at the end. Because you don’t need any prior knowledge, it is also called a DIY (do-it-yourself) painting by numbers.
5. Do what real artists do
You are also at liberty to do what real painters or art lovers do: decorate their houses with painting. But this time, the painting is yours. How would it feel to decorate your house with your art painting? Great, I guess.
Seeing your artwork which embodies your time, effort, and willingness generates a different kind of feeling. It can spur you to greater heights by inspiring you to do more. It’s just like starting at your Olympic gold medal and thinking of all the work and practice that went into it.
Apart from decorating your home with your art, it can serve as a perfect gift for someone you love! You can paint anything you want using paint by numbers: your pet, a favorite memory, or your loved ones, anything.
CUSTOM PAINT BY NUMBERS
As mentioned above, you may want to recreate a family picture, or having a painting of your pet done by yourself. This can be done using custom paint by numbers.
Custom paint by number offers a unique and personal way to recreate and preserve your memories. It can also, serve as a wonderful gift to someone you love. Think about receiving a personalized/custom painting of yourself from someone you love.
PersonalizeEverything offers these services. All you need do is to send us a picture of the memory or person you want to recreate and we will do the conversion and send you a paint by numbers kit.
However, before you send a picture:
• Choose carefully because the final painting will depend on the picture you select.
• Select pictures with high-quality close-ups, a good contrast, and good lighting.
• Avoid sending pictures that are blurring, poorly lighted, and have strong shadows.
• Simple backgrounds are generally more preferable.
• Crop your image to fit the canvas.
• Choose a portrait of a maximum of 4-5 people so that their faces can be seen more clearly.
The quality of your finished painting will depend on the quality and clarity of the picture you choose to recreate. This will help any software providing you with custom paint by number version of your picture to pick out the color shades correctly and number them accordingly.
How can I upload an Image and make my painting?
Painting by numbers is fun especially when it’s a painting of one of your favorite memories. This creative process of recreating a picture is very relaxing. Besides, it feels good to know that you have a painting of something meaningful and valuable to you when you are finished.
Before you can convert your picture to a custom paint by numbers pattern using the button above, there are things you need to know to get the best results.
Generally, you need to upload a very good picture, cropped to the size of the canvas you will be working with. The process of selecting and uploading a good picture is explained in more detail below plus other helpful tips.
Note: For most people, the concept of custom paint by numbers is to recreate a favorite picture. If you think about it, it makes much sense because no one wants to spend long hours on a painting they don’t like or one that means nothing to them.
So, before you start, make sure you select a picture that is one of your favorites, then upload it to your computer to make edit or cropping easier as the case may be. Also, you will be able to view the picture on a bigger screen to see the details and decide whether or not it’s a picture you like.
If you have multiple pictures of a subject you want to paint, you can upload them, make the comparison, then decide which one would best to make a customer paint by number pattern.
Selecting a good picture
We’ve touched on this subject before, but let’s explore in more detail some of the things that make a picture a good prospect for a custom paint by number pattern.
• It’s better to choose a picture with a background that is very simple and uncluttered, because, after conversion to a custom paint by number pattern, the picture will only have 24 to 36 different color shades depending on your option.
When a large percentage of those colors are spent trying to detail the background, the subject will be left with fewer color shades affecting some of its detail.
• To get the best results, the picture should have a minimum of 750 pixels in height and width. If you are using a mac, find your image in the Finders App. When you do, right-click on it and select Get Info to view the dimensions of your picture.
On a PC, when you select the image on windows explorer, the dimensions will be displayed at the bottom of the window screen.
• Generally, the fewer the subjects, the more clarity you will have. It’s best to have at most 4-5 persons in any group picture you want to paint, so you can see their faces more easily. However, keep in mind that paint by number picture versions has less quality compared to the original picture.
• It is not enough to pay attention to the number of persons in a picture you want to convert to a paint by number custom. You must ensure that the picture high quality, taken close up, and with good lighting. The close the subject is the lesser and simpler the background becomes.
Sizing your picture
Another important aspect of getting your custom paint by number patterned picture is making your picture the right size. This entails uploading the size of the picture you want to paint according to your canvas size. If you select a square painting canvas, it’s obvious you have to send a square photo for conversion. This will ensure you get the best result when producing your finished work.
There are a couple of free photo editing apps on your computer that can be used to crop your picture to the right size before uploading.
Occasions that may require custom paint by numbers
People opt for custom paint by number for many different reasons. While some casually use paint by numbers to create a painting to hang on their walls, there are special occasions that motivate others to opt for paint by numbers. Below are some of the few scenarios that might prompt personalized paint numbers picture:
• To gift a friend or family member, especially if you have a picture with them on a special day or event.
• You may decide to try a personalized paint by number to remember a special event like your graduation, baptism, wedding, bar mitzvah, or other landmarks you or a loved one has reached.
• To relieve stress or engage in something pleasurable. A creative process like painting helps to relieve stress. Also, you may wish to create something beautiful for your home.
• One can use custom paint by number to commemorate a loved one that has passed away. It’s common to want to honor the memory of someone you loved who passed away, whether it’s a pet, a friend, or a relative. Painting a picture of them can be one of the ways to reconnect with the memories you shared.
• As a group activity. It’s also fun to paint by numbers with friends. This can be done in so many ways. You can decide to work on separate custom pictures of you may decide to focus on one with each person taking turns to complete a particular color until the work is finished.
• A group of friends may decide to throw a paint by numbers birthday party by painting a custom picture of the celebrant.
Paint by numbers for adults can be used in any of the different scenarios above.
Conclusion
When you upload your picture after selecting, you will be given a kit with 24 or 36 different color shades depending on the one you choose, with numbers written on them. The canvas in your kit will have a detailed outline of the picture drawing that traces the segment of each color area on it.
These color areas will have a number written on them that corresponds to each of the colors you are received. All you need to do is apply the numbered colors to the corresponding numbered field. The colors may be acrylic paint, oil painting by numbers, etc.
Finally, every creative process is geared toward producing or making something meaningful and valuable. Paint by numbers helps you transform a digital photo into a valuable painting for your loved ones - friends, family - and for yourself.
You don’t need any prior training, you don’t even have to be creative, as long as you color within lines, you can use a paint by numbers kit!
Do I have to stretch the canvas before I paint?