All About Painting By Numbers

In 1950 the Palmer Paint Company of Detroit were looking for new ways to market their paints. They came up with the ingenious painting by numbers system and it took the world by storm. In the fifties & sixties nearly everyone had heard of it and millions had bought one and enjoyed the experience. Painting by numbers is now making a well deserved comeback. Many parents today are desperate to get their children away from the tv, computer games etc. Believe it or not most kids when they start a painting will carry on until it is finished. The sense of achievement is far greater than a high score on a game console. That also applies to everyone else who has the time, or will make the time to relax into a real leisure activity.

What You Get

Every Paintfayre kit comes complete with everything you need to finish your painting.

The contents are: a pre-numbered canvas panel, all the paint pots with the colors to complete your canvas and paint brushes. We always supply more paint than you need.

The most popular size of canvas is 40cm x 50cm ( 16″ x 20″) Some subjects are in portrait format and others are in landscape.

What To Do

You do not need to mix or blend any colors, the right shade of all the colors are provided in the kit.

When using acrylic paint the drying time is pretty quick, 10-15 minutes is around normal unless you are applying very thick coats. The modern acrylics are far superior to the old paints. Today’s acrylics come in both gloss and matt. Many are indistinguishable from oil paint. If you wish to seal your artwork just apply one or two coats of clear acrylic sealer in gloss, matt or satin finishes. Acrylic paints are a great non toxic alternative to oil paint and will generally last longer that oils.

Children should be supervised when using the acrylic paints supplied with this product. Small parts will include brushes and pot lids. Avoid contact with mouth and eyes, in case of contact with eyes rinse immediately with cold water.

When changing  to another color ensure that the brush is thoroughly cleaned and dried. Always mix paint thoroughly before use. Before starting your painting place newspaper or cardboard under your painting to prevent any paint splashes. The paint should always be covered when not in use. The paint can be diluted with a little water if it begins to thicken or dry. Tip: Put small amounts of paint into a separate container when painting making sure that the original paint pot has the lid back on, this will increase the life of the paint. If lines or numbers appear through the paint then simply allow the paint to dry and apply a second coat of paint over any number and lines that can still be seen.

Take your time! A medium size painting should take you between 6 and 15 hours to complete, a more complicated painting can be completed in 10 to 20 hours. Always concentrate on one color at a time ideally with the darkest color first. Starting with the darkest color first will give you a good perspective of your painting right from the beginning.Try not to constantly change between colors. If you wish to have a darker or lighter painting, experiment by mixing the colors with lighter/darker colors for the required effect. Enjoy yourself! Don’t get frustrated with the painting. Try not to spend too long in one session trying to finish the painting as fast as possible. Pace yourself over a few days. Painting is a relaxing hobby. On large areas of the canvas add an extra layer to give some texture. The paint supplied is water based and in case of spillages dab with a water soaked towel/tissue.

To clean the brushes simply rinse in clean water, use your fingers to reshape the bristles and lay flat to dry.