Paint by Numbers for Adults

Paint by numbers for adults means a pre-printed canvas divided into numbered regions, painted with matching pre-mixed acrylics. Paint A Moment kits start at £21.99 across 41 designs, or £25.99 for a custom kit from your own photo. Most adults finish a beginner 30x40cm canvas in 5-10 hours across several evenings.

Adult kits differ from children's kits in three concrete ways: more colours, smaller numbered regions, and subjects chosen for a grown-up wall. This page covers how to pick a difficulty level, how long each level realistically takes, what is in the box, and what the evidence actually says about painting and stress.

What makes a paint by numbers kit suitable for adults?

Adult kits use finer detail and a wider palette. A Paint A Moment beginner design uses larger regions and a limited colour set, while advanced designs pack in far more numbered areas and finer gradients. The subjects also matter: landscapes, seascapes, florals and animal portraits are designed to be framed and hung, not stuck on a fridge.

The other difference is time. A children's kit is built to be finished in an afternoon. An adult kit is built to last: something you return to over two or three weeks, twenty minutes or two hours at a time. That is the point rather than a drawback.

Which difficulty level should I choose?

Choose Easy if you have never painted before or want something finished within a fortnight. Choose Intermediate if you have completed a kit before and want more detail without a big time commitment. Choose Advanced only if you have finished at least one intermediate kit and genuinely enjoy fine, slow work with a small brush.

The honest advice: most people should start easier than their instinct tells them. An unfinished advanced canvas in a cupboard is worse than a completed easy one on the wall, and the skills that make the second kit better (holding the fine brush steady, getting paint consistency right, working colour by colour) are learnt just as well on a simple design.

Difficulty levels compared

Level	Time to complete (30x40cm)	Detail	Best for	Browse
Easy	5-10 hours	Large regions, limited palette, clear boundaries	First-time painters; anyone who wants a finished piece inside two weeks	Easy kits
Intermediate	10-20 hours	Smaller regions, more tonal steps, some fine-brush work	Your second or third kit; people who found an easy kit too quick	Intermediate kits
Advanced	25+ hours	Dense small regions, subtle gradients, fine brush throughout	Experienced painters who want a long project	Advanced kits

Canvas size changes these numbers as much as difficulty does. The same design at 50x60cm takes roughly twice as long as at 30x40cm, because you are covering twice the area. Choosing between a harder small canvas and an easier large one, the easier large canvas is usually the better evening.

What is included in an adult paint by numbers kit?

Every Paint A Moment kit includes a pre-printed numbered linen-blend canvas, a full set of pre-mixed acrylic paint pots matched to that specific design, three brushes in fine, medium and broad, a printed full-colour reference sheet, a getting-started guide, and a branded gift box. You supply water, kitchen roll and a flat surface.

The pre-mixed paints are what make this workable with no painting background: pot 7 is exactly the colour that belongs in every region marked 7. The reference sheet shows the finished image in full colour, which matters more than you expect when a half-finished canvas looks like abstract chaos.

How long does paint by numbers take?

An easy 30x40cm canvas takes most adults 5-10 hours. Intermediate kits take 10-20 hours and advanced kits 25 hours or more. Larger canvases scale roughly with area, so a 50x60cm design takes about twice as long as the same design at 30x40cm. Most people work in sessions of 45 to 90 minutes.

Two things slow people down more than the difficulty rating. One is washing brushes between every colour instead of finishing all regions of one number first. The other is paint gone slightly thick, which makes coverage patchy and forces a second coat; a single drop of water fixes it. Our guide on how long paint by numbers takes breaks the estimates down by size and level.

Is paint by numbers actually relaxing?

There is real evidence that making art lowers stress hormones. In a 2016 study published in the journal Art Therapy, Kaimal, Ray and Muniz measured salivary cortisol in 39 adults before and after 45 minutes of art making. Cortisol fell in 75% of participants, and the effect was not linked to prior art experience.

That study used open-ended art making with markers, clay and collage rather than paint by numbers specifically, so it is fair evidence that the general activity helps and not proof about this format in particular. What paint by numbers adds is the removal of the blank page. You are never deciding what to make, which is the part that makes unstructured creative time feel like pressure rather than rest for a lot of people.

Anecdotally, the thing our customers mention most often is attention. A numbered canvas asks for exactly enough concentration to crowd out everything else, without asking so much that it becomes work. If you want to read further, we have written about paint by numbers and anxiety, whether creative hobbies reduce stress, and mindful painting.

How do I get a good result on my first kit?

Work one number at a time from the top of the canvas down, so your hand never rests on wet paint. Keep the paint about the consistency of single cream, thinning with one drop of water if needed. Use the fine brush for edges and the broad brush for large areas. Let each colour dry before painting a neighbouring one.

Five things that make the biggest difference

• Good light. The printed numbers are deliberately faint so they disappear under paint. A daylight bulb or a window seat saves a lot of squinting.
• Close the pots. Acrylic dries fast. Open one pot at a time and close it before you move on.
• Two coats on light colours. Whites, creams and pale yellows rarely cover the printed number in one pass. Let the first coat dry, then go again.
• Do not chase perfect edges. Small overlaps disappear once the neighbouring colour goes down. Trying to get every boundary surgical is the fastest way to stop enjoying it.
• Seal it when you finish. A clear acrylic varnish protects the surface and evens out the finish. See how to seal a paint by numbers canvas.

What can I paint?

Paint A Moment stocks 41 pre-designed kits from £21.99 across four themes: animals, landscapes, seascapes and florals. If none of those is right, a custom kit from £25.99 turns your own photo into a numbered canvas in nine sizes from 20x30cm to 60x80cm.

Browse by subject in animals, landscapes, seascapes and florals, or start with a custom paint by numbers kit from your own photo if you have a pet, a wedding day or a place that means something.

Frequently asked questions

Is paint by numbers suitable for complete beginners?

Yes. Every region on the canvas is numbered and every paint pot carries the matching number, so no drawing or colour-mixing skill is required. Start with an easy 30x40cm kit, which most adults finish in 5-10 hours.

How much do adult paint by numbers kits cost?

Pre-designed kits start at £21.99 and custom kits made from your own photo start at £25.99. Price rises with canvas size and framing option. Shipping is free worldwide with no minimum order.

What sizes are available?

Custom kits come in nine sizes: 20x30cm, 30x40cm, 30x50cm, 40x40cm, 40x50cm, 40x60cm, 50x50cm, 50x60cm and 60x80cm. For a first kit, 30x40cm or 40x50cm gives enough space for detail without becoming a months-long project.

Do I need to buy anything else?

No. The kit includes the canvas, all the pre-mixed acrylic paints, three brushes, a reference sheet and instructions. You only need a jar of water, some kitchen roll and a flat, well-lit surface.

What happens if I paint the wrong number?

Let the mistake dry completely, then paint the correct colour straight over it. Acrylic is opaque and the linen-blend canvas takes several layers without buckling or bleeding through.

Can two people work on the same canvas?

Yes, and larger canvases work well for this. A 50x60cm design gives two people room to work on different areas at the same time without knocking elbows or resting on each other's wet paint.

Do the numbers show through the finished painting?

They should not if you paint properly. The numbers are printed faintly, and a full coat of acrylic covers them. Pale colours sometimes need a second coat once the first has dried.

How should I frame or hang the finished painting?

Choose the DIY frame or pre-framed option at checkout and it is handled for you. If you ordered a rolled canvas, standard sizes such as 30x40cm and 40x50cm fit off-the-shelf frames from most high-street and online retailers.

How long does delivery take?

Pre-designed kits dispatch within 3-5 working days. Custom kits take 5 working days to produce after your photo is approved. Delivery is then 5-7 working days to the UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe, or 10-14 working days elsewhere.

What if I do not like the kit?

Pre-designed kits are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee if returned unopened in their original packaging. Custom kits are made to your photo so cannot be returned once shipped, which is why we send a design preview for approval before printing.

Where to start

If you have never done this before, pick an easy paint by numbers kit from £21.99 and read the beginner's guide before your first session. Paint A Moment is a UK business based in North Yorkshire, rated 4.9 out of 5 from 1,333 verified reviews, with free worldwide shipping, a 30-day money-back guarantee and PaintPoints rewards worth 10% back on every order.