Last updated: · Written by Marcus Richardson, founder of Paint A Moment
In short
Paint by numbers is not hard in the sense of needing skill: the drawing and colour mixing are done for you. What makes a kit feel hard is the size of the sections, how many near-identical shades sit side by side, and how small the canvas is. Pick the right level and a first kit is relaxing, not frustrating.
People ask "is paint by numbers hard?" for two different reasons. Some are worried they can't paint and will ruin it. Others have opened a kit, seen hundreds of tiny numbered shapes, and wondered what they have let themselves in for. Both are fair. Nobody needs artistic ability to finish one, but some kits ask a lot more patience than others, and the difference is built into the design long before the canvas reaches you.
We grade every design we sell before it goes on the site, using the same rules each time. This guide shares those rules, so you can judge any kit, ours or anyone else's, before you buy it.
Is paint by numbers hard for a complete beginner?
No, as long as the kit is graded for beginners. Every line is printed on the canvas and every colour is pre-mixed and numbered, so the whole job is matching number to pot and keeping inside the lines. There is no drawing, no mixing and no deciding what goes where.
Where beginners come unstuck is picking a kit for the picture on the box without checking the detail. A tiger or a lake reflection looks lovely finished, and it is also made of a great many small sections in five or six shades of the same colour. That is a big step up from a design with large, clearly separated blocks. Our beginner's guide covers the technique itself; this post is about choosing a kit you will actually enjoy finishing.
What actually makes a paint by numbers kit hard?
Mostly the design, not your painting. Four things decide it.
- Section size. Big shapes are quick and forgiving. Tiny ones need a fine brush, a steady hand and good light, and they are where most of the time goes.
- Similar shades next to each other. When numbers 14 and 15 are two browns that look almost the same in the pot, you have to check every section carefully. Mixing them up is an easy mistake to make.
- Canvas size. This one surprises people. The same design printed on a smaller canvas is harder, because every section shrinks with it. A 20x30cm version of a detailed picture can be fiddlier than the 40x50cm version.
- Colour count. More colours means more subtle shading and a more realistic result, but also more pots to track and more shades that sit close together.
Brushwork matters far less than people fear. Neat edges come from a pointed brush, thin coats and not overloading it with paint, and that comes quickly with practice.
How we grade beginner, intermediate and advanced kits
These are the criteria we use internally for every standard design in our range. The section sizes are averages measured on a 40x50cm canvas, and the times come from our own grading system, built on thousands of kits sold.
| Level | Average section size | Shades of one colour | Transitions | Typical time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Large, over 15mm² | Few, with strong contrast between neighbours | Mostly flat fills, very little blending | 5 to 10 hours |
| Intermediate | A mix of large and medium, some small detail | Often 3 to 4 shades of one colour | Some soft gradients in the focal area and background | 15 to 25 hours |
| Advanced | Mostly small to very small, under 8mm² | 5 or more shades of one colour, close together | Smooth gradients across the whole canvas | 25 to 40+ hours |
The jump between levels is bigger than the names suggest. An advanced design at 40x50cm can take four times as long as a beginner one, mostly because the sections shrink and the shading gets subtler. For a fuller breakdown by canvas size, see how long paint by numbers takes.
If you want to browse by level, our kits are sorted the same way: easy kits for a first go, intermediate kits once you have one or two behind you, and advanced kits when you want a proper project.
Should you choose 24, 36 or 48 colours?
Every standard design we sell comes in 24, 36 or 48 colours, and the custom kit has the same three detail levels. The choice changes the kit more than most people expect. It is the easiest way to make a kit easier or harder without changing the picture.
- 24 colours keeps the shapes bolder and the shades clearly different. This is where we point first-time painters and most gift buyers.
- 36 colours adds in-between shades, so fur, skin and skies look softer and more realistic. It suits anyone who has finished a kit before, or a confident beginner who is happy to take their time.
- 48 colours gives the most detail and the closest match to the original picture, with many shades sitting side by side. It is the choice for experienced painters who enjoy the concentration.
A beginner-graded design with 36 colours will still be more nuanced than the same design with 24. If you are torn, drop down a level of colours rather than a level of design: you keep the picture you love and make it gentler to paint.
What our customers say about difficulty
Our custom kit has more than 1,300 reviews, and they show the full spread of experiences. Robyn wrote: "It was very easy to paint by number and the final product looks professional." Laura, who bought hers as a Christmas present, said: "The paint by numbers are very easy to follow and I look forward to seeing the finished product."
Julia saw hers differently when it arrived: "It looks like it is going to be a very difficult paint by number but I can't wait to see the finished product." Both reactions are normal, and they come from the same kind of kit. What changes is the photo, the canvas size and the number of colours chosen.
Is a custom kit from your own photo harder?
It can be, and the photo decides it. We learned this over years of painting commissions at MegaPaws, our previous Etsy shop, where the team sold thousands of custom pet paintings. A close-up of one dog on a plain background turns into large, calm sections. A garden full of people, leaves and sunlight turns into thousands of small ones, whatever the colour count.
If you want an easier custom kit, choose a sharp photo with one clear subject and a simple background, then pick a larger canvas and the Standard detail level (up to 24 colours). If you want a challenge, go the other way. Our guide to turning a photo into paint by numbers explains what makes a good photo, and you can see the sizes and detail options on the custom paint by numbers kit page. You are always welcome to email us a photo first and ask how detailed it will come out.
Why is paint by numbers so hard once you start?
If a kit feels harder than you expected, it is usually one of these, and most have an easy fix.
- The light is too dim or too warm. Small numbers and similar shades are hard to tell apart under a yellow ceiling bulb. RNIB suggests keeping a task lamp below eye level and close to the work, and notes that a 5,500 to 6,500K daylight bulb is good for colours and small details (see RNIB's lighting advice).
- The brush is too big. Use the finest brush in the kit for the small sections and keep the larger ones for backgrounds.
- You are painting in random order. Working one colour at a time, or from the top down so your hand never rests on wet paint, is calmer and makes mistakes easier to spot.
- The sections are genuinely tiny. A magnifying glass or a clip-on magnifier helps a lot on detailed kits, and some of our reviewers mention using one.
- You are trying to finish in one sitting. Intermediate and advanced kits are meant to be spread over many evenings. An hour at a time is how most people enjoy them.
Treating the kit as something to sink into for an hour, rather than a job to finish, is the idea behind our guide to mindful painting.
Frequently asked questions
Is paint by numbers hard for adults who have never painted?
No. A beginner-graded kit with 24 colours needs no painting experience at all. The lines and colours are done for you, and the only skill is filling sections neatly, which improves quickly with practice.
Is paint by numbers easier with fewer colours?
Yes. Fewer colours means bolder shapes and shades that are easier to tell apart. Choosing 24 colours instead of 36 or 48 is the simplest way to make any design gentler to paint.
Does a bigger canvas make paint by numbers easier?
Usually, yes. The same design on a larger canvas has larger sections, which are quicker and more forgiving to fill. It takes longer overall, but each section is less fiddly.
What is the hardest type of paint by numbers?
Designs with very small sections, many close shades of one colour and smooth gradients across the whole canvas, such as detailed wildlife, water reflections and busy cityscapes, especially on a small canvas with 48 colours.
About the author: Marcus Richardson founded Paint A Moment after years of running MegaPaws, an Etsy shop where the team sold thousands of custom pet paintings. Every Paint A Moment kit is made and dispatched in the UK.
