Paint by Numbers Tips for Cosy Winter EveningsPaint by Numbers Tips for Cosy Winter Evenings

This is a collaborative post.

Once the clocks go back and the allotment is put to bed, the evenings suddenly feel very long. If you have been meaning to try something creative this winter, painting by numbers is one of the gentlest ways in, and a handful of simple paint by numbers tips will make your first canvas look far neater than you expect.

You do not need to be able to draw. The canvas arrives printed with outlined sections, each one marked with a number that matches a pot of paint, so your only job is to fill them in, one patch of colour at a time. If you fancy a look at what is out there, there are plenty of paint by numbers kits for adults, from quiet country cottages to harbour scenes and garden flowers.

Set Up a Corner Near the Light

The best spot is one you do not have to clear away every night. A corner of the kitchen table, a tray that slides onto a shelf, or a deep windowsill all work well.

Good light matters more than anything else. The printed numbers are small and several of the colours are close relatives, such as the two or three greens in a hedgerow, so sit by a window during the afternoon and switch to a daylight lamp once it gets dark. Keep these within reach before you start:

• a jar of clean water and an old tea towel for blotting your brush

• a few cocktail sticks for the tiniest sections

• your paint pots, with the lids on until you need each one

• a mug of tea, because it turns half an hour of painting into a proper little ritual

  
  

Prepare the Canvas and Paints First

Most canvases arrive rolled, so give yours a little care before the first brushstroke. If it has creases, lay it face down on a clean tea towel and run a cool iron over the back, then let it sit flat under a couple of heavy books overnight.

Next, take a photo of the blank canvas on your phone. It sounds fussy, but once a section is painted its number disappears for good, and being able to zoom in on the photograph afterwards saves a considerable amount of squinting.

Finally, stir each pot before you use it. Acrylic paint can separate a little in transit, and a quick stir with the back of a brush brings it back to an even, creamy texture.

Paint by Numbers Tips for a Neater Finish

This is where a little patience pays off. These are the habits that make the biggest difference to how the finished picture looks:

1. Start at the top and work down. Your hand will not smudge wet paint, and the sky usually sets the mood for the rest of the picture.2. Do the small sections first. Fill the fiddly details while you are fresh, then enjoy the larger areas when your eyes are tired.3. Paint one number at a time. For example, finishing every section of colour 12 before opening colour 13 means fewer pots open, less brush washing and less chance of muddying neighbouring shades.4. Outline, then fill. Trace the edge of each section with the tip of the brush, then pull the paint inwards towards the middle. You will stay inside the lines much more easily.5. Keep the paint thin and even. A thick blob dries with ridges and takes ages. A smooth, even layer looks far more like a real painting.

Paint quality decides how many coats you need. Pale colours over dark printed numbers are the usual trouble spot, and Davincified uses a high-opacity acrylic that covers the printed numbers in one coat, which saves a lot of going back over yellows and whites.

If your paint thickens as the evening goes on, stir in a single drop of water. Rinse your brush every time you change colour, and press the lids down firmly when you finish so nothing dries out before next time.

Start Small and Finish Something

The mistake many beginners make is choosing something huge. A big, crowded canvas can feel like homework by the second evening, and the unfinished kits pushed to the back of a cupboard are nearly always the oversized ones.

A mini kit is a small canvas you can complete in a few relaxed evenings, which makes it the easiest start for a complete beginner. When you are ready for something bigger, the number of colours is a useful guide: around 24 colours is the best balance between effort and detail, while 48 colours gives you the most detail but asks for more evenings and a steadier hand.

Try short sessions of twenty or thirty minutes. A single hedge or one stretch of sky is a perfectly respectable evening's work.

Paint a View You Already Love

Half the pleasure of a finished painting is how you feel about it on the wall, so choose your subject with care. Many of us already have a favourite view tucked away on our phones: a lane in blackberry season, the chalk downs at sunset, the dog asleep in front of the fire.

If one of those means more to you than any shop picture, you can turn a photo into a paint by numbers kit, and Davincified will make the canvas from your own snapshot. Pick a photo with clear light and a simple composition. Busy scenes full of tiny leaves are much harder to paint than a bold sky, a cottage and a hedgerow.

Your Paint by Numbers Questions Answered

Is there a trick to paint by numbers? Paint by numbers is a printed canvas divided into numbered sections, each matched to a pot of paint, so the real trick is order and light. Work from top to bottom, do the small sections first, paint one number at a time and sit somewhere bright. Those four habits fix most of the problems beginners run into. How long does it take to finish a paint by numbers? It depends on the size and the number of colours. A mini kit can be done in a few evenings, while a large canvas with 48 colours might keep you busy for several weeks of relaxed sessions. There is no rush, and most people enjoy the slow pace. Does paint by numbers teach you to paint? It will not make you a portrait artist overnight, but it does teach brush control, patience and how colours sit next to each other. Plenty of people find it a confidence boost before trying freehand watercolour or acrylics. What if I paint the wrong colour? Do not panic. Acrylic is wonderfully forgiving, so let the mistake dry completely, then paint over it with the correct colour, and nobody will ever know. This is where your phone photo of the blank canvas comes in handy.

Make It Part of Your Winter Routine

The habit sticks when you tie it to something you already do, so paint for half an hour after supper, or while a casserole bubbles away in the oven. Some people like the radio on quietly in the background, while others prefer the sound of rain against the window.

By the time the snowdrops are out, you could have a finished picture of a place you love hanging in the hall. That is a lovely thing to show for a few dark evenings, so get the kettle on and make a start.