Number Artist Paint by Numbers Kits Review

Wall art is one of the hardest things to buy for a home: good originals are expensive and prints feel anonymous. Paint-by-numbers sits in an odd, useful middle — you end up with a canvas you made yourself, and the process is genuinely calming. Number Artist is one of the larger brands in the category, with roughly 750 designs, and its main claim is that the artwork is commissioned from its own artists rather than lifted from stock libraries.

Every standard kit follows the same format: a numbered linen canvas with a 16" x 20" (40 x 50 cm) painting area, numbered pots of fast-drying acrylic paint, a set of six brushes, a colour card, a reference sheet and a short guide. The total canvas is a little larger, about 22.5" x 18.5", which leaves margin for stretching or framing.

Pricing is built around difficulty, measured in colours. The unframed 24-colour version of a design is $24.95, the 36-colour version $29.95 and the 48-colour version $34.95; the brand estimates each step adds roughly six hours of painting. Framed canvases add $20 at each level, from $44.95 to $54.95. Most designs are listed as on sale against a $29.95 regular price, so treat $24.95 as the normal entry price rather than a deal.

Which version to choose: for a first kit, 24 colours unframed. More colours means smaller, more numerous areas and much longer sessions, which is satisfying once you know you enjoy it and discouraging if you do not. Framing is worth it only if you will hang the result immediately; a frame shop or an inexpensive stretcher frame is often cheaper.

The catalogue leans seasonal at this time of year — haunted houses and moonlit manors for October, a long run of Christmas scenes after that — alongside landscapes, animals, famous paintings and four-kit mini sets around $29.95 that work well as a trial or a gift. There is also a custom kit service that turns your own photo into a kit.

The return policy is better than most craft brands offer. Unstarted kits can be returned within 30 days of delivery with a free return label, provided everything is included and the canvas is unpainted; returns need approval first and must ship within seven days. Custom kits are not returnable, but damaged or incorrect orders are replaced. Damage and missing items must be reported within seven days with photos.

Shipping: orders are processed within up to two business days, Monday to Friday, with a 5 PM Eastern cut-off and no weekend dispatch. Delivery estimates are shown at checkout. If you are buying for a holiday, order a week earlier than you think you need to.

What buyers complain about is consistent and worth knowing. On detailed designs the numbers are tiny — a few reviewers mention using a magnifying glass — and occasionally a brush set or paint pot goes missing, which the brand handles with replacements. The brand reports a 4.9/5 average from more than 20,000 reviews on its own site; on-site ratings skew high everywhere, but the complaint pattern above is the useful part.

Who it suits: anyone wanting a screen-free evening hobby, gift buyers, and people who want a seasonal piece for a wall without paying for original art. Who should skip it: buyers with poor close-up vision choosing high-colour designs, and anyone expecting a gallery-quality painting rather than a satisfying handmade one.

Coupons: we did not find a verified public discount code at the time of writing. The everyday price of $24.95 is the realistic benchmark, and mini-kit bundles are the cheapest way to try several designs. Prices and policies were checked on numberartist.com at the time of writing.