Last updated: · Written by Marcus Richardson, founder of Paint A Moment
In short
Seal the painting first, then decide. The usual routes are framing and hanging it, adding it to a gallery wall, giving it as a gift, or donating it to a care home, hospice or charity auction. Selling a finished paint by numbers is legally risky, because the underlying artwork is normally licensed for personal use only.
Seal the painting first, then decide. The usual routes are framing and hanging it, adding it to a gallery wall, giving it as a gift, or donating it to a care home, hospice or charity auction. Selling a finished paint by numbers is legally risky, because the underlying artwork is normally licensed for personal use only.
What should you do first, before anything else?
Seal it. Varnish protects the acrylic from dust, fingerprints and knocks, and it fixes the uneven sheen you get when some colours dry matte and others dry glossy. It takes about 20 minutes of work and makes the difference between a canvas that looks finished and one that looks like a project.
Do not skip this even if you are only storing the piece. Unsealed acrylic picks up dust that then bonds into the surface, and it is more likely to crack if the canvas gets folded or stretched later. Our full guide to sealing a paint by numbers covers which varnish to use, matte versus gloss, and how long to leave the paint to cure first. It is worth reading before you buy anything.
The short version: let the paint cure for at least 72 hours, work in a dust-free room, apply thin even coats, and let each coat dry fully. Then everything below becomes easier.
Check how your kit shipped before you frame it
Before you go hunting for a frame, it is worth checking which option you actually chose at checkout, because it changes what is left to do. We sell three ways to receive a kit: No Frame, DIY Frame (about £7 more), and Pre-Framed (about £15 more). If you cannot remember which you picked, run a finger along the edge of the canvas. A raised wooden lip means it is already on a frame; flat and floppy means it is not.
| Checkout option | What you get | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| No Frame | Rolled canvas with no wooden support underneath | Stretch it onto stretcher bars yourself, mount it on foam board, or slot it into a standard picture frame with the glass removed |
| DIY Frame (+£7) | Canvas plus a flat-pack wooden stretcher frame | Assemble the frame and stretch the canvas over it, about 10 to 15 minutes with a staple gun or the thumb tacks we include, then hang |
| Pre-Framed (+£15) | Canvas already stretched taut on a frame before it shipped | Add a hook to the back. No assembly needed |
None of this changes whether you should frame the piece, only how much work is left before you can hang it. If you know you will always want a painting ready to hang, our custom kits and most best-selling standard kits can be ordered Pre-Framed next time, which skips this step entirely.
How do you frame and hang it?
Match the frame to the canvas in centimetres, not inches. Paint by numbers canvases are metric, so a 40x50cm painting needs a 40x50cm frame, not a 16x20 inch one. IKEA RÖDALM covers 30x40cm, 40x50cm and 50x70cm from around £7 to £15. A rolled canvas needs stretching or flattening first.
Framing is the single thing that most changes how a finished paint by numbers reads. The same canvas pinned to a corkboard looks like a hobby; in a plain black or oak frame it looks like a picture someone chose. For the full walkthrough, including stretching a rolled canvas onto stretcher bars and which UK retailers stock the right sizes, see our guide on how to frame a paint by numbers.
When you hang it, use two fixings rather than one so it cannot tilt, and put the centre of the painting at about 145cm from the floor. Keep it out of direct sunlight. Acrylics are stable but strong daily sun will shift the colours over a decade, and a south-facing wall opposite a window is the worst spot in the house.
How do you build a gallery wall from several paintings?
Use frames of one colour and finish so mixed canvas sizes still look deliberate, keep gaps between frames at a consistent 5cm to 8cm, and lay the whole arrangement out on the floor before you drill anything. Three to seven pieces works better than an even number.
A few things that make a paint by numbers gallery wall work rather than look like a school corridor:
- Pick a through-line. All landscapes, all one colour family, or all painted by the same person. Random subjects in random sizes read as clutter.
- Anchor with the largest piece. Put your 50x70cm or 60x80cm painting slightly off-centre and build the smaller ones around it.
- Template with paper. Cut newspaper to each frame size, tape it to the wall with masking tape, and live with the layout for a day before committing.
- Leave room to grow. If you paint regularly you will want to add to it. Plan an arrangement that can extend sideways.
Is it worth giving a finished painting as a gift?
Yes, and it lands better than most people expect, particularly when the subject means something to the recipient. Frame it before you give it. An unframed rolled canvas puts the work of finishing it onto the person receiving it, which rather undercuts the gesture.
The strongest version of this is painting a scene the recipient has a connection to: their house, their dog, the view from a holiday you took together. A personalised kit made from a photograph lets you do exactly that, and a custom kit starts at £25.99 with the photo uploaded after checkout.
Two practical notes. Give it in a frame with hanging hardware already fitted. And say nothing about it being a paint by numbers unless asked, not to deceive anyone, but because most people simply see the picture, and the origin of the outline matters far less than the fact that you spent 15 hours on it.
Where can you donate a finished paint by numbers?
Care homes, hospices, hospital wards, community centres, schools and charity shops all take donated artwork, though most prefer it framed and ready to hang. Ring first rather than turning up. Charity auctions and raffles are another route, and small local ones are usually glad of the donation.
Who to approach, roughly in order of likelihood:
- Care homes and hospices. Often actively short of cheerful, calm wall art in communal spaces and corridors. Ask for the activities coordinator.
- Hospital wards and GP surgeries. More red tape, often infection-control rules requiring glazing and wipeable frames, but worth asking.
- Schools and nurseries. Bright, simple subjects go down well. Offer the frame too.
- Charity shops. They can sell framed art, but be aware of the copyright point below and be upfront with them that it is a completed kit.
- Charity auctions and raffles. Best for larger, more impressive pieces. School fairs, sports clubs and local fundraisers.
- Community fridges, libraries and village halls. Almost always have blank walls and no art budget.
Can you legally sell a finished paint by numbers?
Usually not, without permission. The image on a paint by numbers canvas is someone's copyrighted artwork, licensed to you for personal use. Selling the finished piece can infringe that copyright. Check the seller's terms and contact them before listing anything. This is general information, not legal advice.
The point that trips people up is that the painting is genuinely your labour, but the design is not your intellectual property. When you buy a kit you are buying a licence to paint it yourself, not the rights to the artwork underneath. Many manufacturers state "personal use only" explicitly in their terms; some allow resale of finished pieces; a few sell separate commercial licences. The only reliable way to know is to read the terms of the specific kit you bought and, if they are unclear, email the seller and keep the reply.
Three further things worth knowing:
- Do not present it as original work. Even where selling is permitted, describing a completed kit as your own original composition is misleading to the buyer and can be a separate problem under consumer protection rules.
- Marketplaces enforce this. Etsy, eBay and similar platforms act on copyright complaints, and listings can be removed and shops suspended without much warning.
- Old master reproductions are not automatically safe. Copyright in the original painting may well have expired, but the paint by numbers version, with its specific colour separation and outlines, is a new work with its own rights.
If you want to sell your painting, the clean solution is to paint something you own the rights to. A custom kit made from your own photograph puts you in a much stronger position, though you would still need to check the kit maker's terms. If you are unsure, take proper advice rather than relying on a blog post.
Which option is right for your painting?
Frame it if you like it and have wall space. Gift it if the subject suits someone. Donate it if you have run out of walls. Store it flat if you are undecided. The table compares effort, cost and what each route suits.
| Option | Effort | Approx. cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frame and hang | 1 to 2 hours | £7 to £20 off the shelf | Your best piece, in a room you use daily. |
| Gallery wall | Half a day | £30 to £100 for a set | Three or more finished canvases, hallways and stairwells. |
| Gift it | 1 to 2 hours | Cost of a frame | Pieces with a personal subject. Frame before giving. |
| Donate | A phone call plus delivery | Free, or frame cost | Calm, cheerful subjects. Care homes and hospices. |
| Sell it | Checks first | Listing fees | Rarely advisable. Only where the kit terms clearly permit it. |
| Store flat | 15 minutes | Under £10 | Undecided pieces, or moving house soon. |
How should you store a finished canvas?
Store it flat, never rolled, in a dry room at stable temperature. Lay a sheet of acid-free tissue or plain greaseproof paper over the painted surface, then stack canvases face to back with paper between each one. Slide the stack under a bed or behind a wardrobe rather than into a loft.
Rolling a finished canvas is the most common mistake. Dried acrylic is a plastic film, and rolling it paint-side in can crack the surface along the roll. If you must roll one, roll it painted side outwards around a tube at least 10cm across.
What if you never finished it?
You have four decent options: finish only the parts that matter and leave the rest as deliberate negative space, hand it to someone else to complete, use it as a practice canvas for blending and brush control, or write it off and start a smaller kit. None of these is a failure.
Most abandoned kits are abandoned because the design was too detailed for the time available, not because the person disliked painting. If a 48-colour canvas stalled, an easy 24-colour kit at 30x40cm will very likely get finished, and finishing one is what builds the habit. Our beginner's guide covers the order of work that stops people stalling in the first place, and the best paint by numbers kits UK 2026 roundup flags which designs are realistically achievable.
The half-finished canvas itself is still useful. Paint over a section and practise wet blending on it, test a varnish before you use it on a finished piece, or cut it down and mount a good corner of it as a small framed study. There is no rule that says a canvas has to be completed as printed.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to varnish a paint by numbers when I finish it?
It is not compulsory, but it is strongly recommended. Varnish protects the acrylic from dust and handling, evens out the mix of matte and glossy patches, and reduces the risk of cracking if the canvas is later stretched or moved. Let the paint cure for at least 72 hours first.
Can I sell a finished paint by numbers painting?
Usually not without permission. The image is normally copyrighted artwork licensed to you for personal use only, so selling the completed piece can infringe that copyright. Check the terms supplied with your specific kit and contact the seller if they are unclear. This is general information rather than legal advice.
Can I sell a paint by numbers made from my own photo?
You are in a much stronger position, since you own the rights to your own photograph, but you should still check the kit maker's terms because the numbered rendering itself may be covered. Never describe a completed kit as an original composition when selling it. Take proper legal advice if significant money is involved.
Where can I donate a finished paint by numbers in the UK?
Care homes, hospices, hospital wards, GP surgeries, schools, community centres and charity shops all commonly accept donated artwork. Most prefer it framed and ready to hang. Ring ahead and ask for the activities coordinator or manager rather than turning up unannounced with a canvas.
How do I store a finished paint by numbers canvas?
Store it flat, never rolled, in a dry room with a stable temperature. Place acid-free tissue or plain greaseproof paper over the painted surface and stack canvases face to back with paper between them. Keep them out of lofts and garages, where damp and temperature swings cause the real damage.
Can I roll up a finished paint by numbers?
Avoid it if you can. Dried acrylic is a plastic film and rolling puts the surface under stress, which can crack the paint. If you have no choice, roll it painted side outwards around a tube at least 10cm in diameter, and unroll and flatten it as soon as possible.
What can I do with a paint by numbers I never finished?
Finish only the main subject and leave the background as deliberate negative space, pass it to someone else to complete, or keep it as a practice canvas for blending and varnish tests. You can also cut out a successful section and frame it as a small study. Starting a smaller kit is often the better next step.
Should I frame a paint by numbers behind glass?
Not usually. Glass reflects light and presses against the brush texture of the acrylic. A float frame, which holds a stretched canvas with a small shadow gap and no glazing, suits painted canvases better. Use glass only where a venue requires it, such as some hospital settings.
How many finished paintings do I need for a gallery wall?
Three to seven works well, and odd numbers tend to look more natural than even ones. Keep the frames a single colour and finish, and leave a consistent gap of 5cm to 8cm between them. Lay the arrangement out on the floor or template it in paper before drilling.
Will a paint by numbers fade over time?
Acrylic on canvas is a stable medium and a sealed painting kept out of direct sunlight will hold its colour for decades. Strong daily sun will shift the colours over many years, so avoid hanging one on a wall that gets direct afternoon light through a window.
Looking for your next project? Browse the best sellers or kits designed for adults, all with free worldwide shipping and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
