20 Paint by Numbers Tips and Tricks for a Better Finished Painting
You've got the kit open, the canvas is laid out, and you're ready to start — but then you realise there's a difference between simply filling in numbered sections and creating something that actually looks good on a wall. Paint by numbers is forgiving by design, but a handful of practical techniques can dramatically improve your results, speed up the process, and make the whole experience more enjoyable.
These 20 tips cover the full process from setting up your space to displaying the finished piece. Some are aimed at beginners, others at people who've already completed a few canvases and want to step up their game. Take what's useful, ignore what you already know.
Setup and Workspace
The way you prepare before painting matters more than most people expect. A good setup prevents frustration and helps you paint for longer without fatigue.
1. Get Your Lighting Right
Poor lighting is the single biggest obstacle to accurate painting. Numbers and boundary lines on the canvas can be tiny, and squinting under a dim ceiling light leads to mistakes and eye strain. Position a bright, adjustable desk lamp so it illuminates the canvas directly from above or slightly to the side. Daylight-temperature bulbs (5000–6500K) give the truest colour representation, which matters when you're trying to distinguish between similar shades.
If you find yourself painting in the evenings regularly, a clip-on LED lamp or a ring light positioned over the canvas makes a noticeable difference. Some crafters also use a small magnifying glass for particularly detailed sections — especially helpful for canvases with 30+ colours.
2. Prepare Your Canvas Before Starting
Most canvases arrive rolled or folded, and a warped surface makes precise painting difficult. Unroll it and lay it flat under heavy books for at least a few hours — overnight is better. If the edges still curl, weigh them down with clean mugs or tape the corners to your work surface with low-tack masking tape.
Check the canvas against the reference image and the paint number legend before starting. Occasionally, a printed number can be hard to read. Identifying these trouble spots in advance means you won't be guessing mid-painting. If you're not sure which size suits you best, our paint by numbers size guide covers the options in detail.
3. Organise Your Paints by Number
Open every pot and check the contents before you start. Arrange the pots in numerical order on a tray or in a sectioned box — this saves enormous amounts of time during a session. When you're looking for pot number 14, you shouldn't be rummaging through a pile of unmarked containers.
Some experienced painters transfer their paints into larger pots or a wet palette to keep them workable for longer sessions. At minimum, keep the lids closed when you're not actively using a colour. Acrylic paint dries faster than you'd expect.
4. Keep Water and Cloth Within Reach
You'll be switching colours constantly, and every switch means cleaning your brush. Have two containers of water ready — one for the initial rinse, one for a cleaner second rinse — and a soft cloth or paper towel for drying. A damp brush leaves watermarks; a dry brush picks up pigment cleanly. This simple two-jar system is the difference between muddy colours and crisp ones.
5. Consider an Easel for Larger Canvases
If you're working on a canvas 40×50 cm or larger, painting flat on a table can strain your neck and back over long sessions. An tabletop paint by numbers easel holds the canvas at a comfortable angle and lets you step back to see the overall picture — something that's nearly impossible when you're hunched over a flat surface. Even a simple tabletop easel makes a significant difference.
For smaller canvases (20×30 cm or 30×30 cm), a flat surface works perfectly well. The key is to position the canvas so you're not bending your neck downward for extended periods.
Painting Techniques
These tips cover how to actually apply paint for the best results. Most of them are things you'll figure out eventually through trial and error — but knowing them from the start saves a lot of frustration.
6. Start with Light colous, Then Go Dark
Many hobbyists prefer to start their project with the lightest shades, such as whites, creams, and pale yellows, as these pigments are naturally more challenging to use when covering darker colors. By beginning with these lighter tones, any accidental "over-painting" onto neighboring areas can be easily corrected later with just a single coat of a darker shade. Since fixing a dark mistake on a light area often requires two or three layers of paint to achieve full coverage, starting with the lightest colors is a highly effective way to keep your canvas looking clean and professional throughout the entire process.
7. Paint Large Areas First, Details Last
Within each colour, tackle the bigger sections before the small ones. This gets you comfortable with the paint's consistency and the brush's behaviour before you need fine control. By the time you reach the tiny sections — a single eye highlight, a narrow line of reflection — your hand will be steadier and you'll have a better feel for how much paint to load on the brush.
8. Use the Right Brush for the Right Area
Most kits include three brushes: a wide flat brush, a medium round brush, and a fine detail brush. Use them as intended. The wide brush covers large areas quickly and evenly; the medium brush handles most mid-sized sections; the fine brush is for areas smaller than your fingernail.
The most common beginner mistake is using the medium brush for everything. It works, but you'll get better results — and have a more relaxing time — if you switch brushes as the section size changes. A couple of extra minutes per colour change saves visible brushstrokes in the finished painting.
9. Apply Thin, Even Layers
Load the brush with less paint than you think you need. A thin, even first coat is always better than a thick glob that pools in the corners of a section. You can always add a second coat once the first has dried — and for most sections, you'll want to. Two thin coats give much better coverage and a smoother finish than one heavy application.
If you find numbers or boundary lines showing through a light colour, don't panic — it's one of the most common issues in paint by numbers. Our article on why light paint doesn't always cover numbers explains exactly how to fix this with simple layering techniques.
10. Don't Overwork Wet Paint
Once you've laid down a coat, resist the urge to keep brushing over it. Acrylic paint begins to set quickly, and going back over semi-dry paint creates streaks, drags pigment off the canvas, and ruins the smooth surface you're aiming for. Apply the coat, leave it, and come back with a second coat once it's fully dry (usually 5–15 minutes depending on thickness and room temperature).
11. Try Simple Blending at Boundaries
This is the tip that separates a decent paint by numbers painting from one that looks genuinely impressive. Where two colours meet, the transition can look harsh — like a colouring book rather than a real painting. To soften these boundaries, use a slightly damp brush to gently feather the edge of a colour while it's still wet, blending it very slightly into the adjacent section.
You don't need to blend everywhere — just at the most visible transitions, like where a face meets a background or where sky meets horizon. Even subtle blending gives the finished piece a noticeably more painterly quality. Start conservatively: blend less than you think you should.
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Every painter makes mistakes. The good news is that acrylic paint is incredibly forgiving — almost anything can be fixed.
12. Fix Dried-Out Paint
If you find a pot has dried out (it happens, especially with colours you haven't used in a while), don't throw it away. Add two or three drops of water, close the lid, and let it sit for a few hours. Then stir thoroughly with a toothpick. Most dried acrylic paint can be revived to a workable consistency this way. For severely dried pots, a drop of acrylic medium or flow improver works even better than plain water. Our dried paint troubleshooting guide covers this in detail.
13. Correct Wrong Colours Calmly
Painted the wrong colour in a section? Let it dry completely, then paint over it with the correct colour. Dark over light usually covers in one coat. Light over dark may need two or three thin coats. Don't try to scrub or wipe wet paint off the canvas — you'll damage the printed surface and likely make things worse. Patience is cheaper than a new canvas.
14. Hide Visible Numbers and Lines
In the finished painting, faint outlines of numbers or boundary lines sometimes show through, especially under lighter colours like white, yellow, or pale blue. The fix is simple: apply an additional thin coat once the first is fully dry. For stubborn numbers, a white correction pen can cover the printed mark before you apply the first colour coat. This layering approach almost always produces a clean finish.
15. Clean Your Brushes Properly
Acrylic paint dries hard. If you forget to rinse a brush, the bristles can become stiff and unusable within an hour. Rinse brushes in water between every colour change, then reshape the bristles with your fingers before setting them down. At the end of each session, wash them thoroughly with soap and warm water, then store them bristle-up in a cup or laid flat. Never leave brushes standing in water — the bristles bend permanently.
If a brush does dry with paint on it, soak it in rubbing alcohol or a brush cleaner for 30 minutes, then work the bristles gently with your fingers. It won't be perfect, but it's usually salvageable.
16. Don't Fight Tiny Sections
Some sections are impossibly small — a single digit on the canvas that's barely 2mm across. For these, use the very tip of your finest brush with minimal paint. If the section is so small that precision seems impossible, here's a professional trick: use a toothpick instead of a brush. Dip the pointed end in paint and dot it carefully into the section. Toothpicks give you far more control for micro-sections than even the finest brush.
Finishing and Display
You've painted every section. The canvas is complete. These final tips will make the difference between a painting that sits in a drawer and one that genuinely looks good on a wall.
17. Apply a Final Varnish Coat
A clear varnish protects the finished painting from dust, moisture, and UV fading, and it gives the colours a richer, more unified appearance. Use a water-based acrylic varnish (available in matte, satin, or gloss finishes). Apply it in thin, even strokes with a clean wide brush, working in one direction to avoid streaks. Let it dry for at least 24 hours before handling.
Matte varnish is the most popular choice for paint by numbers — it reduces glare and gives the piece a natural, painted look. Gloss varnish intensifies colours and adds shine, which works beautifully for vibrant or colourful designs.
18. Give It a Final Touch-Up
Before varnishing, step back and look at the painting from a distance (2–3 metres). You'll notice things that aren't visible up close: thin spots where the canvas shows through, missed sections, or colour bleed at borders. Fix these small issues now — a five-minute touch-up session can transform the overall impression of the piece.
Check the edges especially. It's easy to miss narrow strips along boundary lines that aren't fully painted. A careful once-over catches 90% of what looks "off" about a finished painting.
19. Frame and Display Properly
A painted canvas without a frame looks unfinished. Stretching it over a wooden frame transforms it into something that genuinely looks like a real painting on the wall. Our framing and display guide walks through the process step by step. If your canvas came with a frame kit, stretching is straightforward — if not, ready-made frames for standard sizes like 40×50 cm are widely available.
Hang the finished piece in indirect light — direct sunlight will fade the colours over time, even with varnish. And if you're not sure which size canvas to tackle next, our paint by numbers size guide helps you pick the right one based on your experience level and available wall space.
20. Photograph Your Work Before Hanging
Take a good photo of the finished painting in natural daylight before you frame and hang it. Lay it flat on a clean surface, photograph from directly above (to avoid perspective distortion), and make sure there are no shadows falling across it. These photos are perfect for sharing online, keeping a personal record, or simply admiring how far you've come since your first kit.
Some painters keep a dedicated album of their completed works — it's genuinely motivating to see your skills improve from painting to painting.
Ready for your next project? Browse our paint by numbers collection for designs at every difficulty level, from simple landscapes to detailed portraits. And if you're just getting started, our beginner's guide to paint by numbers covers the full process from opening the kit to your first completed painting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best order to paint a paint by numbers canvas?
Start with the darkest colours and work toward the lightest. Within each colour, paint the largest sections first, then move to smaller details. This approach gives you confidence with the brush before tackling precision work, and it allows lighter colours to cover any dark overspill at section boundaries. Some painters prefer to work top-to-bottom to avoid resting their hand on wet paint — experiment with both approaches and see which feels more natural to you.
How do I stop acrylic paint from drying out in the pots?
Close the lids firmly after each use — even during a session, close pots you're not actively using. If a pot has already started to thicken, add a drop or two of water and stir with a toothpick. For longer-term storage between painting sessions, wrap the entire pot set in cling film to reduce air exposure. In very dry or warm climates, some crafters add a tiny drop of glycerine to each pot to extend the paint's working time.
Do I need to varnish a finished paint by numbers painting?
Varnishing is optional but strongly recommended if you plan to frame and display the painting. A clear acrylic varnish protects the surface from dust, moisture, and UV light, and it gives the colours a richer, more professional appearance. Matte varnish is the most popular choice because it minimises glare and looks natural. Without varnish, the painting is more vulnerable to fading and will collect dust more easily over time.
Can I make a paint by numbers painting look more like a real painting?
Yes — a few techniques make a significant difference. Blending colours at the boundaries between sections (tip #11) softens the "colouring book" look. Applying two thin coats instead of one heavy coat creates smoother, more even coverage. Varnishing unifies the surface sheen. And framing the finished canvas properly — stretched over a wooden frame, without glass — gives it the presence of a genuine oil or acrylic painting.
Is paint by numbers too easy for experienced painters?
Not necessarily. While the basic concept is simple, more complex designs with 30–40 colours and detailed compositions provide genuine challenge even for experienced artists. The real creative opportunities lie in blending, layering, and adding your own subtle touches to elevate the finished piece beyond what the kit alone produces. Many experienced painters enjoy paint by numbers precisely because it removes the pressure of composition and colour mixing, letting them focus purely on brushwork and technique.
