Paint by Numbers for Beginners: The Guide to Getting Started

A box to open, colorful little pots, and an illustration waiting for your first brushstroke… Want to try your hand at paint by numbers, but you’re still hesitating when you see all those little areas? Don’t worry: you don’t need to know how to draw to get started. The drawing and colors will guide you, step by step. 

What materials do you need to prepare? Should you start with the light or dark colors? How can you cover the numbers without going outside the lines? At Petit Pinceau, we’ll guide you from choosing your first kit to the final touches. Get comfortable: your next creative break starts here.

How Does Paint by Numbers Work?

The principle is simple: each area of the illustration has a number associated with a paint color. Find the number on the drawing, locate the corresponding pot, and fill in the area. For example, all areas marked with the number 4 are painted with the color identified by number 4. As you work through the colors, the image emerges. 

There’s no need to come up with a composition or draw the outlines: you can focus on the pleasure of painting. A flower today, a piece of landscape tomorrow… You choose the pace of your creation.

How to Choose Your First Paint by Numbers Kit?

Choose a Design Suitable for Beginners

For your first project, we recommend an illustration with fairly large areas and easily distinguishable shapes. A highly detailed design may be tempting, but its small sections require greater precision. Look at the details of the design rather than relying solely on the size of the canvas. 

To help you choose, explore our selection of paint by numbers for beginners.

Several themes await you, including floral compositions, scenes with cats, and landscapes. 

Choose an Illustration You Really Like

Our tip: imagine your finished painting. Where would you like to hang it? What colors would you like to see in your home?

Choose a design that makes you want to open the kit, rather than one you’ve selected simply because it looks easy. The idea isn’t to pass a painting exam, but to enjoy watching your illustration come to life.

What Materials Do You Need to Get Started with Paint by Numbers?

Everything You Need in Your Petit Pinceau Kit

A paint by numbers kit provides the basic materials without having to choose each color and brush separately.

Our classic adult kits include a numbered illustration on thick cardboard, pre-filled paint pots, two vegan brushes, stickers for labeling the pots, and an instruction sheet. The canvas for classic designs measures 24.5 × 32.5 cm. For special sizes, check the contents listed on the product page for your chosen item. A Few Essentials to Prepare at Home

Add a container of water, a cloth or paper towel, and a protective cover for your table. Set up on a stable surface with enough light to read the numbers. Keep the pots close at hand without cluttering the area where you’ll place your illustration. 

An easel or magnifying lamp can complete your setup, but these accessories are not essential for getting started. Explore our paint by numbers accessories to customize your workspace for maximum comfort. 

Before You Start Painting: Good Preparation Habits

Label the Pots Before You Begin

Read the instructions, then place the numbered stickers on the pots according to the indicated color matches. Do this before you rearrange them: some similar shades can be difficult to distinguish at first glance. 

Use the Paint Without Diluting It

Petit Pinceau bio-based paint is ready to use: it does not need to be diluted with water. Use your container to clean the brush between colors, then wipe it before dipping it back into a pot. 

For your first session, we suggest keeping the instructions close by and starting with a single color. You can get settled at your own pace without trying to organize everything at once.

In What Order Should You Paint the Colors?

Do You Have to Start with Number 1?

No: the numbers identify the colors, not the steps to follow. You can start with number 1 to help you get organized, but you can also choose a large area that is easy to paint.

The best order for the colors is simply the one that allows you to make progress without getting lost in the design. For your first illustration, we recommend working in small sections, grouping areas of the same color together.

Light or Dark Colors: Which Should You Choose?

There is no required order. Starting with dark shades can help the main lines of the illustration emerge. You can also choose a light shade for your first attempts: what matters is matching the pot to the numbered areas. 

Our tip for getting started: choose a color that appears in several large areas, then paint the ones that are easy to reach. Next, move on to another shade. There’s no need to immediately find every tiny section of the same number.

Think About Your Hand Position

We recommend working from top to bottom. For right-handed people, starting on the left may be convenient. For left-handed people, starting on the right may be more comfortable.

Above all, keep this in mind: choose the next area so that you don’t place your hand on wet paint. You can turn your illustration to make a detail easier to reach.

How to Apply the Paint Precisely

Use Small Amounts of Paint and Choose the Right Brush

Among our paint by numbers tips, one simple technique is to load only the tip of the brush. You’ll find it easier to control a small amount of paint than a large drop. 

Hold your brush like a pencil. Use the finest brush for small details and the wider one for solid areas. Start by following the outline of the area, then fill in the center.

Our tip: for a narrow or hard-to-reach shape, turn the sheet rather than twisting yourself. Set up so that you can clearly see the tip of your brush.

Paint One Color at a Time

Keep only one pot open while working with a color, then close it carefully before moving on to the next. Rinse your brush every time you change colors. These habits help prevent the paint from drying out in the pots and reduce accidental mixing. 

You don’t need to finish the entire illustration in one go. For your first session, set a simple goal: paint a few leaves, the sky, or part of the background.

Cover the Numbers with a Second Coat if Necessary

Some light colors may leave the numbers visible after the first coat. A second coat may then be needed to cover them. 

Let the area dry before working on it again, then apply a thin layer rather than a thick coat of paint. The same principle applies to small corrections: wait for the first layer to dry.

Mistakes to Avoid When You’re Starting Out

Trying to Correct a Spill Immediately

Did you go outside the lines or use the wrong color? Wait for the area to dry, then cover it with the intended shade. Working on paint that is still wet risks mixing the colors rather than neatly correcting the mistake.

A small spill is no reason to give up on your creation. Carefully correct it without trying to fix everything in a hurry.

Leaving the Pots Open During a Break

Even for a short break, close your pots. If Petit Pinceau paint has completely dried out, adding water is not the recommended solution. Contact our Petit Pinceau customer service team with a photo of the pots in question, the kit reference, and the color numbers so our team can assist you.

Forgetting to Clean Your Brushes

Clean your brushes as soon as you finish your session, before any residue dries in the bristles. Regular cleaning, especially between colors, is essential for keeping your materials pleasant to use. 

Trying to Go Too Fast

Our final tip: don’t turn your creative break into a race against the clock. You can stop after a few areas, set your creation aside, and continue another day.

Give yourself permission to learn. Your first painting doesn’t need to be perfectly uniform to find a place in your home.

Your Painting Is Finished: Time for the Finishing Touches!

Before putting away your pots, take a step back. Our suggestion: look at the illustration as a whole, then check for any missed areas and still-visible numbers.

Let your painting dry completely before framing it. You can then choose a frame for paint by numbers, checking that it is compatible with the size of your creation.

On a shelf, above your desk, or in a corner of the living room: you choose the place where you’ll enjoy looking at it. You can also give it as a gift, with the satisfaction of saying, “I painted this!”

Start Your First Paint by Numbers Kit with Petit Pinceau

At Petit Pinceau, we design kits that make you want to create, even without experience. Our illustrations are created by paid artists without the use of AI. Our kits are made in France, assembled in partnership with ESATs, and come with bio-based paints. Discover all of our commitments. 

All that’s left is to choose your adult paint by numbers kit, prepare your little workspace, and open the first pot. One area at a time, take the time to create something you’ll be proud of.