Enchanted Woods

Enchanted Woods is a paint by numbers kit for adults, taken from Derk Hansen's painting of chickadees outside a snowbound cabin.

Four black-capped chickadees are working through the bare brush in the left foreground, one of them upside down on a twig the way they actually feed. Beyond them a log cabin sits under a heavy load of snow with lamplight in the windows, smoke lifting straight up from the chimney and a set of antlers mounted on the gable. Snow-covered spruce close in behind, a few red oak leaves are still hanging on, and the sky is the pale pink of an early winter morning.

Hansen has produced over 150 limited edition prints, and this is one of the quieter ones. Ledgebay licenses the original artwork rather than copying a stock image, so what you finish is a real painting, not a generic design.

What's in the box

• Pre-printed cotton canvas, rolled in a tube rather than folded, so it arrives without creases to iron out
• Full set of acrylic paints, vacuum-sealed so they arrive moist
• Four brushes in different sizes, wooden handles
• Printed instructions and a full-color reference photo
• An 11" x 17" printout of the design, useful if you'd rather not lean over the canvas
• Framed sizes also include a wooden tabletop easel

Choosing a size

The framed 12x16 and framed 16x20 arrive pre-stretched on a wooden frame, ready to hang the moment you put the brush down. No mounting, no separate frame to buy. The unframed 16x20 gives you the same canvas and the same paints for less. It is trimmed close to the printed edge, so it suits taping or mounting to a board rather than stretching over your own frame.

Will I be able to see the numbers?

The 16x20 is the easier of the two sizes on the eyes, and the 11" x 17" printout means you can check a section without leaning over the canvas. Most people paint with a lamp pulled close and reading glasses on. For the finest sections a magnifier helps, and plenty of our customers keep one on the table.

Who it suits

Reviewers of this design agree on two things: it comes out beautifully, and there are a lot of small areas. The bare branches in the foreground are the reason. If you enjoy that kind of close work it is one of the most satisfying kits we sell, and more than one customer calls it a stress buster. If you would rather paint in broad areas, Be Still or Moonlight Bay will suit you better.

Common questions

Do I need any painting experience?
None. Every section is printed with a number that matches a numbered pot, so there is no drawing, no color mixing and nothing to work out in advance. Start with the biggest areas and work down.

How long does Enchanted Woods take?
Longer than most. Budget nearer 25 hours than 15 on a 16x20. There is no rush and nothing spoils if you leave it a while.

Will my finished painting look exactly like the photo on the box?
Close, not identical, and that is true of every paint by numbers kit. The printed reference is a photograph of the original oil painting, which has blended edges a numbered canvas cannot reproduce. What you get instead is a cleaner, slightly graphic version of the same scene.

What if a color runs low or dries out?
There is a matching replacement paint set for this design, so a dried pot never ends the project. If a pot has only thickened, a drop of water and a stir usually brings it back.