Mountain Village

Mountain Village is a paint by numbers kit for adults, taken from Abraham Hunter's painting of a stone bridge in an old village at dusk.

A humpbacked stone bridge crosses the stream at the center of a village of stone cottages, most of them with lamplight in the windows and smoke going up from the chimneys. A church spire stands above the rooftops on the left, wooded hills climb into mist behind, and the sun is breaking under the cloud on the right. Ducks and geese are out on the water below the bridge, a blue rowboat is moored against the near bank, and roses spill over the wall in the foreground.

It is the warmest-lit piece in the range. 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. A reviewer of this design found the print on the canvas light in places, so it is worth setting up under a good lamp. Most people paint with a lamp pulled close and reading glasses on. For the finest sections a magnifier helps.

Who it suits

Not a beginner's kit. Buildings mean straight lines and small window panes, and there are a dozen roofs, a spire and a bridge full of individual stones. The hills, the sky and the water are broad and forgiving by comparison. Choose it if you like architecture and are content to work in small areas for a while, and give yourself the 16x20 rather than the 12x16.

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 Mountain Village 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.

How do I keep the straight edges on the buildings clean?
Load the brush lightly and pull along the line rather than pushing into it, and turn the canvas so the stroke always comes toward you. A slightly dry brush gives a cleaner edge on a straight run than a fully loaded one.

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.