replacement paint for paint by numbers

A Complete Guide to Replacement Paint for Paint by Numbers Kits

What replacement paint forpaint by numbers should you get if you run out ofpaint before you’ve completed your painting? Naturally, you don’t want to wait between six and eight weeks for a company in China to send you a new set of pots. Except for Ledgebay, we ship all of ournumbers kits from the U.S. with 2-5 day shipping.

Even if you still have plenty of paint, you may be unhappy with the quality of thepaints in your kit . Fortunately, finding replacement paint is a snap. Take a look.

What is Paint by Numbers?

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Paint by numbers is a kit that includes acanvas , paint containers, a set of brushes, and sometimes a frame. The canvas is divided into sections. Both the canvas and the paint containers are marked by the samenumbers . This way, you know where each color goes.

Consequently,paint by numbers is a greatintroduction to the world of painting for both adult andchildren beginners and an effective way ofreducing stress .

What Are Paint by Numbers Paints Made of?

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Somepaint by numbers paints are oil paints, but most are acrylic.Acrylic paint is popular among artists because it produces rich, bright colors, and it’s water-soluble and quick to dry. Moreover, thiskind of paint is also more heat-resistant and safer to handle than oils.

Why Would You Need Replacement Paint for paint by numbers?

Mostpaints that come with ready-made paint by numbers tend to be low-quality. Even worse, a lot of them have more binder than pigment, and often they arrive dried up in the paint pots. In addition, the lighter-colored paints are notorious for never being opaque enough.

Buying Replacement Paint

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Your budget and thecolor of the paint are your two parameters here. In other words, any store-bought paint is a good replacement for the paintprovided in your kit . As long as you use a color that’s close enough to the

original one, your finishedpainting will turn out fine.

That said, Arteza is a particularly popular brand ofacrylic paints , and for a good reason. Here are some of the areas where Arteza stands out compared to other brands:
  • Great value for money
  • Creamy consistency
  • Artist-grade paints
  • Excellent opacity that doesn’t require multiple coats
You can also use poster colors, gouache colors, or watercolors. However, keep in mind that watercolors will probably need several coats because of their transparent quality. As a result, they can be tricky for beginners.

DIY Replacement Paint

If you’re a DIY enthusiast or you’re looking for more frugal options, here are a few great options you can safely make at home.

Make Your Own Paint from Old Wax Crayons

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Instead of throwing away old wax crayon stubs, recycle them with this neatDIY paint recipe . Of course, you can try other crayons, but the wax kind melts best.

Here’s what you need:
  • Bowl
  • Spatula
  • Small containers for your paint
  • Any wax crayons you’ve got lying around
  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1 cup of water
  • Two tablespoons of salt
To melt the wax crayons, choose one of these options:
  • Hot water
  • Oven
  • Microwave
  • Hairdryer
  • A container to be left out in the sun

Steps:

  • Mix the water, flour, and salt.
  • Add flour if you want your paint to be thicker or add water if you want it thinner.
  • Break up your crayons.
  • Melt each color separately using one of the methods above.
  • Add a tablespoon of the flour mixture to each container and mix until you get a smooth, well-blended paint.

Make Your Own Watercolor Paints

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Below are the ingredients you need:
  • Three bowls
  • Mixing spatulas
  • One or more dry pigments
  • ½ cup of Gum Arabic Powder
  • ½ cup of hot water
  • ⅕ cup of honey or glycerin
  • Two drops of clove or thyme essential oil or one teaspoon of sodium benzoate

Steps:

  • In your first bowl, mix the hot water and the Gum Arabic Powder.
  • Mix in the honey, then the essential oil for short-term preservation, or the sodium benzoate for long-term preservation.
  • In your second bowl, add 9 tablespoons of your mixture.
  • Add one tablespoon of honey (or glycerin) and mix well.
  • In your third bowl, mix one part of your mixture with one part pigment.
  • Certain colors will need more or less pigment than others, so observe and adjust accordingly.
  • Allow it to dry into cakes in half-pans or a mini-muffin tray. Alternatively, you can store in airtight jars and keep in the fridge.

Make Your Own Poster Paint

These are the ingredients necessary to whip up your own poster paint:
  • A saucepan
  • One small container per color
  • 1/4 cup of flour
  • One cup of water (for the saucepan)
  • Three tablespoons of powdered tempera paint
  • Two tablespoons of water per container (to add later to each container)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of liquid starch or liquid detergent

Steps:

  • Add your flour into a saucepan.
  • Keep stirring the flour while adding the water until smooth paste forms.
  • Turn the heat on and keep stirring until the paste thickens.
  • Turn the heat off and move your saucepan off the stove.
  • Allow to cool, then measure 1/4 cup of the paste into each small jar.
  • Add the powdered tempera paint and two tablespoons of water into each container.
  • Use liquid starch if you want a matte finish or liquid detergent if you want a glossy finish.

Make Your Own Acrylic Paint

You can even make your very ownacrylic paint using these ingredients:

Steps:

  • Put on your gloves, goggles, and dust mask.
  • Measure out the recommended amount of pigment (as per the brand’s instructions) into your bowl.
  • Mix a few drops of water and mix to get a sauce-like consistency with as few lumps as possible.
  • Pour your acrylic medium and blend.
  • Add your acrylic retarder so that the paint doesn’t dry out.

DIY Paint Benefits

In addition to getting thepaint you need when you run out, making your own paint comes with other benefits:

Quality

Any paint you make at home will be better and less stiff and gluey than mostready-made paint by numbers paint.

Cost

Making your own paint will cost you less than mostreplacement paints or store-bought paint.

Customized Paint

Rather than wishing your paint was more opaque, thicker, or richer in color, you get to control the process and make only the paint you want.

Tips

Here are a few solutions to some common paint problems, as well as a few tried-and-true tips.

Measure Your Recipe

If you hit upon a formula that gives you a fantasticshade of color , you want to be able to reproduce it down to a tee.

In other words, make sure to measure everything and take meticulous notes. This eliminates wasting time and supplies on guesswork every time you need a fresh pot.

Work in Batches

If there’s acolor that requires mixing two paints , don’t mix a tiny bit of color every single time you paint a section. Instead, mix half of apaint pot’s worth and store it in a small container. Then remember to mark that pot with thenumber of the paint you’re replacing.

Rubbery Paint

Had enough trying to smear a clay-like blob ofpaint onto the canvas ? Instead, add water into the pot and stir. You may have to repeat this step multiple times until you get a workablepaint , but you’ll eventually end up with something usable.

No Waste

Check the lid of the paint pot and make sure to use thepaint that’s stuck to the inside of the lid before it dries out.

Go Darkest First

Start with the darkest number. Otherwise, if you paint your light sections first, you might accidentallypaint over something you’ve already colored in white or yellow.

Cover Those Numbers

Somepaints are so light that the number on the canvas will still be visible underneath three or four coats. But if you start with alayer of white paint first, you can solve the problem. After the whitepaint dries, apply your light-colored paint and watch the number disappear entirely.

No Gaps

Remember topaint over the outline dividing the sections on your canvas .

Faster Drying

If you have toddlers or pets who want to get those little hands or paws on your new project, it’s wise not to wait around for your paint to dry. Point your hair drier or heat gun at your freshly applied paint to avoid any wet mishaps.

Magnifying Glass

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Atabletop light is a great way to help you see those tiny numbers on thecanvas and provide good lighting.

Take a Break

Sittinghunched over your canva s with your eyes laser-sharp on all those tiny numbers is hard work. Therefore, it’s important to take breaks every one or two hours. Stretch, walk around the room and rest those peepers.

Final thoughts on replacement paint for paint by numbers

Whether you’ve run out of thepaints included in your paint by numbers kit or you simply dislike the quality, there are several ways to get replacementpaint for paint by numbers . It’s as simple as ordering a set of poster oracrylic colors or whipping up your own vibrant artistic brew. Now get painting!

Stay Tuned - We (Ledgebay) will be offering replacement paint sets FALL 2020!
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