Personalised Paint by Numbers
A personalised paint by numbers kit turns your own photo into a numbered canvas you paint yourself. At Paint A Moment, custom kits start at £25.99, come in nine sizes from 20x30cm to 60x80cm, and include pre-mixed acrylic paints, three brushes and a printed reference sheet. You upload your photo after checkout using an emailed link.
This page covers how the process works, what the detail levels and formats actually change, how to choose a photo that will paint well, and how long it takes from order to doorstep. If you would rather paint a ready-made design, our best-selling paint by numbers kits start at £21.99.
How does personalised paint by numbers work?
You order the kit and choose your size, format and detail level at checkout. We then email you a secure upload link. You send your photo, we convert it into a numbered outline with a matched paint palette, print it onto linen-blend canvas, and post the finished kit with everything you need to paint it.
The order of those steps surprises some people: you pay first, then upload. There is no file picker on the product page. It keeps checkout quick on a phone, and it means you can order as a gift and forward the upload link to the recipient.
The five stages, in order
- Choose your options. Size, format, and detail tier. Prices start at £25.99 for the smallest rolled canvas.
- Check out. Free worldwide shipping, no minimum spend.
- Upload your photo. You get an email with an upload link. Send the highest-resolution version you have, ideally over 1MB.
- Approve the design. Our team maps the image to your chosen number of colours and sends a preview. Nothing is printed until you are happy with it.
- We produce and ship. Production takes 5 working days. Delivery is then 5-7 working days to the UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe, or 10-14 working days elsewhere.
What photo works best for a custom paint by numbers kit?
The best photos are sharp, well lit, and have a clear main subject filling most of the frame. Daylight beats flash. A modern phone camera is more than good enough. What does not work is a dark, blurry or heavily filtered image, or a face lost in shadow, because there is not enough tonal information to separate into paintable colour regions.
Two practical tips. First, crop mentally before you send: a photo where your dog fills the frame paints far better than one where he is a small shape on a large lawn, because every numbered region has to be big enough to fit a brush into. Second, watch the aspect ratio. If you have chosen a 40x40cm or 50x50cm square canvas, send a photo that is already roughly square.
Group photos need thinking about. Four faces on a 20x30cm canvas gives each face about the size of a postage stamp, which is not enough room to stay recognisable. For two or more people, go to 40x50cm or larger with Extra-Detailed or Premium. Our guide to turning a photo into paint by numbers covers image selection in more depth.
Which detail level should I choose: Standard, Extra-Detailed or Premium?
Standard uses up to 24 colours, Extra-Detailed up to 36, and Premium up to 48. More colours means smoother tonal blending and a more photographic result, but also smaller numbered regions and a longer painting time. Standard suits simple, high-contrast subjects. Premium suits faces, fur and anything where subtle shading carries the likeness.
A useful way to decide: ask what makes the photo recognisable. A bold silhouette against a sunset is captured cleanly by 24 colours. Your grandmother's expression, or the way light falls across a spaniel's coat, lives in the mid-tones, and mid-tones are what the extra colours buy you.
Detail tiers compared
| Tier | Colours | Best for | Region size | Typical time (40x50cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Up to 24 | Landscapes, buildings, bold single subjects, first-time painters | Larger, easy to fill with the medium brush | 10-15 hours |
| Extra-Detailed | Up to 36 | Pets, single portraits, wedding photos | Medium, fine brush needed in places | 15-25 hours |
| Premium | Up to 48 | Close-up faces, groups, anything with fine gradients | Small, fine brush used throughout | 25-40 hours |
What is the difference between the four canvas formats?
Rolled (no frame) ships flat and you frame it yourself afterwards. DIY frame includes wooden stretcher bars you assemble once the paint is dry. Pre-framed arrives already mounted on a wooden frame and is ready to hang. Canvas board is fixed to a solid wooden panel, so it stays rigid while you paint.
Which you want depends on where you will paint and what happens afterwards. Canvas board is the steadiest surface, which matters if you paint on your lap rather than at a desk. Pre-framed suits a gift, because the recipient never has to visit a framer. Rolled is cheapest and easiest to post on.
Formats compared
| Format | What arrives | Assembly needed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolled (no frame) | Canvas rolled in a tube | None to paint; framing is on you afterwards | Lowest cost, posting on, people who already have a frame in mind |
| DIY frame | Canvas plus wooden stretcher bars | Slot the bars together and stretch the canvas after painting | A gallery-wrap finish without paying for pre-framing |
| Pre-framed | Canvas already mounted on a wooden frame | None | Gifts, and anyone who wants to hang it the day they finish |
| Canvas board | Canvas bonded to a rigid wooden panel | None | Painting on your lap or a soft surface; a firm, non-flexing base |
What comes in the box?
Every Paint A Moment kit, custom or pre-designed, contains a pre-printed numbered linen-blend canvas, a full set of pre-mixed acrylic paint pots matched to your 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 table.
The paints are pre-mixed, which is the whole point: pot 14 is exactly the colour that goes in every region marked 14. If you run low, we send replacement pots free.
How much does a personalised paint by numbers kit cost?
Custom kits start at £25.99 for the smallest size in the simplest format. Price rises with canvas size, detail tier and framing option, so a 20x30cm rolled Standard kit sits at the bottom of the range and a 60x80cm pre-framed Premium kit at the top. Shipping is free worldwide with no minimum order.
Nine sizes are available: 20x30cm, 30x40cm, 30x50cm, 40x40cm, 40x50cm, 40x60cm, 50x50cm, 50x60cm and 60x80cm. For a first custom kit, 30x40cm or 40x50cm is the sweet spot: large enough that faces and fur read properly, small enough to finish in a couple of weeks of evenings. Orders earn PaintPoints rewards worth 10% back on your next kit.
Is a personalised kit a good gift?
It works well because the finished object is unique to the recipient and the process is the present, not just the parcel. The catch is timing: allow roughly three weeks from ordering to the kit arriving, since production takes 5 working days from photo approval plus 5-7 working days delivery to major regions.
If you want the photo to be a surprise, upload it yourself. If you would rather they chose, forward them the upload email. Either works. See our paint by numbers gift ideas, or browse ready-made animal kits and floral kits if you are short on time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I send my photo?
After you check out, we email you a secure upload link. You click it and upload your image directly. There is no upload box on the product page itself, so do not worry if you cannot find one before paying.
What resolution does my photo need to be?
Aim for a file over 1MB and the original rather than a screenshot or a version saved from a messaging app. Photos taken on any phone from the last five years are usually fine. Avoid images that have been cropped down heavily or compressed by social media.
Can I see the design before it is printed?
Yes. We send a preview of the numbered design once we have processed your photo. You can request changes free of charge, and nothing goes to print until you approve it.
How long does a custom kit take to arrive?
Production takes 5 working days 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 to other destinations. Shipping is free worldwide.
How long does it take to paint?
A 40x50cm Standard custom kit takes most people 10-15 hours. Extra-Detailed takes 15-25 hours and Premium 25-40 hours at that size. Most painters spread this over several evenings rather than doing it in one sitting.
Can I use a photo of two people or a group?
Yes, but choose a larger canvas and a higher detail tier. On a small canvas each face becomes too small to hold recognisable detail. For two or more people we suggest 40x50cm or bigger with Extra-Detailed or Premium.
Do I need any painting experience?
No. Each region on the canvas is numbered and each paint pot carries the matching number, so the skill involved is patience rather than technique. Our beginner's guide covers brush handling and paint consistency if you want to read up first.
What if I make a mistake?
Acrylic paint covers itself well. Let the wrong colour dry fully, then paint the correct number straight over the top. The linen-blend canvas handles several layers without any problem.
Can I return a custom kit?
Custom kits are made to your specific photo, so they cannot be returned once shipped. This is why we send a preview for approval first. If anything arrives damaged or a paint pot is missing, we replace it free of charge.
What if I run out of a colour?
Contact us with your order number and the colour numbers you need and we will post replacement pots free. This applies to custom and pre-designed kits alike.
Ready to start?
Order your custom paint by numbers kit from £25.99 with free worldwide shipping and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Paint A Moment is a UK business based in North Yorkshire, rated 4.9 out of 5 from 1,333 verified reviews. It started with a dog called Meg, which you can read about on our about page.
Still deciding? Our custom paint by numbers buyer's guide compares sizes and detail levels in more depth, and the beginner's guide walks through your first session.
Painting a dog, cat or horse? See our dedicated guide to custom pet paint by numbers for photo tips by coat type and the detail level to choose.
