Paint by numbers kits are straightforward and easy to use. Even if you have no experience whatsoever, nothing can go wrong, right? Wrong. This article will explain How To Make Paint By Numbers Look Better and give actionable tips from experienced painters.
Even with a numbered canvas and exact shades, a lot can go wrong if you’re not serious about your paint by numbers project. In this article, we’ll teach you how to make paint by numbers pictures look better by analyzing the most common mistakes and the best way to avoid them.
- AFFORDABLE CANVAS: These canvas panels are an affordable and convenient alternative to premium stretched canvas - perfect for young artists.
- USE ANY MEDIUM: These canvases accept all Colorations Paints, collage materials and liquid media.
- PERFECT SIZE FOR YOUNG ARTISTS: These panels are 6" x 8" which is a size that invites and inspires creativity in young artists.
Contents
How to Make Paint by Numbers Look Better – What Can Go Wrong?
- PROFESSIONAL ACRYLIC PAINT SET - 12 x 12ml tubes of non-toxic artist quality acrylic paint to enjoy
- VERSATILE PAINTING KIT - for painting canvas, fabric, paper, ceramic, clay, wood, metal, nails & crafts
- LASTING VIBRANT COLOR - lay down highly pigmented matte acrylic paint colors that stay that way
Paint by numbers kits are available in various sizes and several designs that suit kids and adults. Even a first-timer can finish a flawless masterpiece that looks just like a famous painting with the help of the numbered canvas and high-quality paint.
Moreover, you can find several services that offer custom paint by numbers kits. These services allow you to upload your own photo to create a customized project. Your photo will be transformed into a numbered canvas, and you will receive a set that contains all the colors needed to finish your project.
Although these projects seem easy, making one paint by numbers mistake can totally ruin the whole experience. This is why it’s best to identify the most common rookie mistakes and avoid them to make sure that your project will be finished in the best quality.
Fixing a ruined paint by numbers kit can be quite challenging, if not impossible. Things can get out of hand if you run out of an essential color, or use the wrong shade. It’s always better and easier to avoid mistakes than fixing them.
Here are some of the most common mistakes that people make while working on paint by numbers kits, and the best way to solve them.
1. The Kit Feels Cheap
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First-timers might be tempted to pick the cheapest option when they’re looking for a paint by numbers kit. However, this can have a negative impact on the way your final project will look like. If you start with a cheap paint by numbers kit you will not be able to learn how to make paint by numbers look better.
Cheap kits will include a damaged canvas that might have wrinkled parts. These parts will hold the paint and will prevent it from running smoothly. The paint you receive might be of low quality, or you might run out of paint before your project is complete. The numbers might still show through if the paint is bad.
Whether you’re buying a custom-made or ready-made kit, you need to make sure that you’ve picked a high-quality one. Use a white pencil to cover the numbers, and add a small amount of color every time.
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2. You’re Too Tired to Finish Your Project
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This is probably one of the main reasons why people usually give up their paint by numbers projects. You need to make sure that you’ve picked a proper work area to finish your art project. The place should be well-lit, and you should have enough space to keep all the required tools within reach.
If you feel too tired, take a break. Listen to your body, and make sure that you stretch and stand every 30 minutes to avoid back and shoulder pain.
3. The Painting Warps
In some cases, the edges of the painting can warp, especially if you’re using water-based colors. This can damage the quality of your painting and might even make some of the colors run where they’re not supposed to.
The best way to handle this problem is to make sure that you’ve bought a framed canvas. Some websites offer this service, or you can install a frame before you start painting. This will keep the piece of canvas taut and will allow you to focus on all the details with no issues.
4. Some of the Areas Get Messed Up
If the painting is too wet, it might get messed up after you’ve finished a part because your hand and arm rub against the finished spot. Of course, you can wait until every single piece is completely dry before moving onto the next spot. However, this will significantly affect the time needed to complete your project.
The best solution is to start from the top, from the left corner and work your way down. This will help you avoid smudging any finished parts and allow you to see the way a completed part looks. If you’re left-handed, you should start from the top right corner to minimize the risk of smudging and messing up with the almost dry colors.
5. You’re Unable to Focus on the Painting Because it’s Too Complicated
Detailed paintings look amazing once they’re finished. However, a beginner might find them more challenging to complete. As a result, lots of people give up their work without completing the project because they feel that it will be impossible to finish.
If you don’t know where to start or think that the painting is too tricky, you should start with the background. The background covers most of the picture and highlights the objects, making them clear and easier to spot.
Darker colors will help you identify the objects you need to paint to complete the project. This will create an outline of what you need to paint, so you will be more able to focus on the other details of the painting.
6. The Painting Doesn’t Look Accurate
This will happen when you paint outside the borders. Remember that paint by numbers kits break bigger objects into simple shapes that you can trace and color. If you’re using a big brush, you’re likely to paint outside the borders and ruin your painting.
Use a small brush to work on the outlines of every shape. If it’s a big one, use a medium-sized or big brush to fill the inside of the shape.
7. You’re Not Getting the Right Shade
One of the perks of using paint by numbers kits is that they minimize guessing, so you can paint an excellent painting even if you don’t have any previous experience with mixing colors. However, if you’re not careful, you might ruin the painting by using the wrong shades.
You need to be extremely careful before you start painting any part. Make sure that you’ve picked the correct shade, so you don’t confuse shades that could be numbered by 6 or 9. Pay attention to the whole painting and paint all the parts marked using the same number before switching to another shade.
This will save time as you don’t have to switch back and forth between colors to complete the painting. Moreover, you can keep the shades that are no longer needed away to clear the work area.
However, in some cases, you might not be able to trace all the parts that need to be colored using the same shade. You can always fill in the missing parts once you’ve finished most of your painting.
Make sure that you’ve cleaned the brush before dipping it into a new color. This will guarantee that you’ll get the right shade, and you won’t mess up with the rest of the paint. Dry paint can ruin your brushes, so you need to keep a water bottle and a towel to clean the brush after every use.
8. You’ve Added too Many Layers
In some cases, you might decide to add another layer of paint to fix the shade and the way the painting looks. However, overdoing the painting will actually ruin it before the canvas absorbs all the paint. You might also have a bumpy texture that affects the way your project looks.
Wait until the paint has dried and use a scraping tool to remove any bumps. If you feel that the color is uneven, use a small brush to dab more color, only where it’s needed.
9. The Paint is Too Dry
This is a common problem because water-based colors can easily dry up if you don’t keep the lid on. If the texture isn’t creamy enough, you might not be able to color the painting properly. Moreover, the amount of paint you have might not be enough to last until the whole project is complete.
Use a dropper to add a few drops of water to restore the creamy texture of the paint. Make sure that you don’t add too much water, as this will make the paint too light and might ruin the canvas.
10. You’ve Used the Wrong Color
Although this can be a big problem, it’s not the end of the world. People make mistakes, and you might accidentally use the wrong color to cover a crucial part of your painting. Don’t panic because this can be fixed with some patience.
First, you need to make sure that the paint has completely dried off before attempting to fix this mistake. Adding another color on top while it’s still wet will only make things worse.
You can use a scraper to remove some of the paint, as long as you’re careful not to ruin the canvas. If this is not possible, add the correct color accurately. Wait until it has dried and look to see if you can still detect any traces of the old color. You can add another layer on top.
You’re Not Sure You’re Using the Right Color
You might have accidentally spilled some paint on a few numbers. This means that it will be quite difficult to complete your painting the way it should be done.
It’s recommended that you take a clear picture of your paint by numbers project, whether it’s your private photo or a famous painting. This way, you’ll have a permanent reference that you can check out whenever you feel confused.
- REAL LICENSED ARTWORK - Our paint by numbers for adults with the Ledgebay kit features designs from authentic licensed artwork. The artist makes...
- ROLLED PACKAGING - When it comes to protecting your paints, nobody does it better than Ledgebay. Their DIY painting by numbers for adults kit has...
- VACUUM SEALED - With our painting by numbers pack, you can keep your paint fresh and flexible for a long time. The vacuum-sealed design prevents...
Improve Your Painting Skills with Paint By Number Kits
Paint by number kits are a great way to improve your painting skills! With these number paint kits, you can create your own custom paint-by-number artwork with ease. The painting by number kits come with all the supplies needed: pre-printed canvas boards, paints, and brushes.
You simply follow the numbers on the canvas board to create stunning works of art. Paint by number kits are suitable for all skill levels, from beginner to advanced. With practice, you can create beautiful works of art and refine your painting skills in the process.
Whether you are looking for a creative outlet or just want to try something new, a paint by number kit offers an enjoyable way to do it.
How to Make Paint by Numbers Look Better – Wrap Up
Understanding the most common mistakes will help you avoid them to finish high-quality projects. Now you know how to make Paint By Numbers look better. Remember that practice makes perfect, and your next paint by numbers projects will definitely look better.
To view a complete gallery of all of our paint by numbers kits, CLICK HERE!
