Expert Paint by Numbers Tips

Expert (and Epic!) Paint-by-Numbers Techniques & Tips:

We hope you had a fun time choosing from our vast collection of epic Paint-by-Numbers canvases and are well-prepared to embark on your journey of having one of the best crafts experiences of your life! But in case you want to enrich your experience even further and take your painting skills up a notch, we have decidedly compiled a list of all the techniques used by expert Paint-by-Numbers artists. Each technique has been tried and tested to make it a perfect and guaranteed technique that can help to enhance your experience of Paint-by-Numbers!

Keep on reading to find out these expert techniques as shared by expert Paint-by-Numbers artists!

1. Light it UP!

One of the most important techniques, and the most basic one, to perfect your craft of painting with numbers is that of providing yourself and your canvas with proper lighting. This is imperative to do so as it will help you in determining your focus and give you clarity and concision as you work with your canvas.

2. Paintbrush Protection

Paintbrushes are the most important component in that huge Paint-by-Numbers kit of yours. Why? Because paintbrushes aptly allow you to do the foundational work of this craft, which is to paint. You need to ensure that you clean and protect your paintbrushes thoroughly in order to keep them in perfect condition. Clean your paintbrushes using warm water and mild soap, in order to keep them in great position.

3. Smooth coverage

An issue that remains with painting is that it is often ruined in case of applying paint that has lumps in it. Lumpy paint is equal to smudged, smeared paint, which needs to be avoided at any cost. In order to avoid that, you should mix water with paint before application since the paint is mostly acrylic and easily soluble. However, for more challenging paints, use a flow improver, often available at Amazon.

4. Paint Protection Program

An important aspect of painting is to remember that paint is supposed to remain in a perfect condition, which is what will be reflected on your painting as you go on to put that paint on to the canvas. In order to make sure that your paint is in perfect condition, note the following points:

• Cover and cap the paint as properly as you can in order to avoid it from drying out.
• Ensure that your paint is not lump. As mentioned above, use a flow improver to make your paint smooth and lump-free.
• In order to make the paint stick better to the canvas that you are using, use clear gesso (easily available at crafts shops or Amazon). Clear gesso can be used in a manner that you apply a layer of gesso and let it dry thoroughly before starting the painting process.
• Please make sure that your paint dries properly as you work on the canvas.

5. Mix it so you don’t have to fix it

There are different methods for blending paint as indicated by the Paint-by-numbers kits. For simple kits, the blending technique is often quite simple. You are required to mix light colors of paintsfirst, and then mix the dark colors. It is imperative that you always leave a small space for the original colors to show through, in case you have missed any places while blending colors.

An important thing to note while you blend your colors is that you use a damp paintbrush to blend your colors. The water in the paintbrush allows the paint to flow in a manner that give it the flowy look that blending aims for.

In order to mix the paint, you can use the paint brush you are working with. However, in case that you are unable to use paintbrush on the very small areas of the canvas, you can use toothpicks.

6. Cover it up

An issue with Paint-by-Numbers kits, as faced by a lot of people, is that the numbers may keep showing through even after you have applied the paint on the canvas. in order to avoid that, use a double coating of the paint. The coat should be enough to cover the number but not so much so that the paint gets smudged and spreads onto other parts of the canvas.

An important thing to note while painting is that you should start at the top of the canvas and work your way down so that you do not smudge the paint and the drying paint remains above your hand instead of under or sideways. As you paint each portion, start in the middle of the portion (portion that is indicated so by the lines on the canvas) and work your way around it.

7. Digitize your instructions

A helpful technique of referring back to the instructions that help you to determine how and where to put the paint is to take a picture of the instruction manual on your phone and refer to it again and again. This is helpful because often the instruction manuals that come with Paint-by-Numbers kits are printed quite small and in tiny lettering, which makes them hard to access. In order to avoid the hassle, you can take a picture that can be zoomed in and out and used at your wish. Also, it is a very smart way of saving your manual and ridding yourself of the fear of losing it!

8. Paint it like pros

Painting is a craft that can only be perfected through practice and precision. However, one needs to learn the nitty gritty details that can help them determine how to perfect that art. Keeping this in mind, we believe that the beginners as well as intermediate and expert painters of Paint-by-numbers should always keep the following pointers in mind while painting.

• Light painting: This is the very basic technique on should employ why working on a canvas. Thin layers of paint help you to preserve the canvas texture as it is and allows you to clean up mistakes in case you make any. After a first successful thin layer, opt for a second layer to seal in your color.

• Highlight it: Sometimes, one may want to put in an extra flair to their painting. This can be done by highlighting your painting. In order to highlight your painting, you should select a lighter color than the painted area. Apply that color using a dry brush in form of streaks, until the paint gets a bit tacky. Apply with a light hand to the canvas, providing it with a texture.

• Streaks Rock: Streaks can be added to paintings in order to enhance their overall appearance. Streaks look wonderful when added to enhance certain features of the painting, such as hair or background. Streaking can be done easily. Simply paint fine streaks of lighter shade of paint over a darker shade, using fine, sharp strokes.

• Glossed Finish: An ending touch to your painting can be done quite perfectly using a clear gloss finish. A gloss finish helps to make the colors on your canvas to pop out and look more vibrant. Simply apply a layer of clear gloss (available at lots of crafts stores or your friend, Amazon) over a dried painting. Apply a layer horizontally first, let it dry, then apply a layer vertically, covering the whole painting. Make sure your painting is bone dry before applying, otherwise the paint may get smeared.

We hope this list of expert Paint-by-Numbers techniques help you to perfect your craft of Paint-by-Numbers. Remember, the key to perfecting any craft is patience, perseverance and concentration. In case you are not able to get the finish you have been seeking in the first try, do not lose heart! You are required to practice before you perfect it.

Using these tips, make sure you are able to achieve that perfect paint look that you have been seeking!

Happy Painting!