A quiet evening setup for a paint-by-numbers project, one of the simplest screen-free hobbies to start.
Most of us end the day with a screen in hand. The phone, the laptop, the television in the background. The hands are busy scrolling, but the mind never really gets to idle. A numbered canvas offers the opposite deal: your hands have a small, clear task, and your thoughts are allowed to wander.
Paint by numbers works because it removes the hardest part of painting, the blank page. Every region is mapped, every color is labeled, and the only decision left is which shade to pick up next. That makes it a friendly hobby for beginners and a welcome break for anyone who feels out of practice.
The catch is that kits vary a lot. Some arrive with thin paint and rolled canvas that curls for weeks. Others are polished enough to hang on the wall. This list ranks five kit companies by what each does best, so you can match the brand to the way you want to spend your evenings.
What to Look for When Choosing a Paint by Numbers Company
Start with the paint and the canvas. Thick, well-pigmented acrylics cover cleanly in one or two coats, while watery paint leaves you fighting through streaks. A pre-stretched canvas saves you from flattening a rolled one under books overnight, and it’s ready to frame when you finish.
Next, look at pattern range and difficulty. A relaxing kit has fewer colors and larger regions; a detailed one can take weeks and rewards patience. Good companies show you the numbered outline before you buy, so you know what you’re signing up for. Custom kits made from your own photo are a bonus if you’re buying a gift.
Finally, check the boring practical things: shipping time, return terms and any satisfaction guarantee. A kit you can send back is a much lower-risk purchase than one you can’t.
1. NumberArtist
NumberArtist website
NumberArtist builds its catalog around acrylic paint by numbers kits that arrive with premium paints and pre-stretched canvases, which removes the two biggest frustrations of the hobby before you’ve picked up a brush. According to the company, it offers more than 2,223 artist-designed patterns and has served over 450,000 customers, backed by a 30-day guarantee.
The breadth is the real draw. Beginners can start with bold, simple scenes, while experienced hobbyists can take on detailed landscapes and portraits without leaving the same shop. The finished piece also looks wall-ready rather than craft-table temporary, which matters if you want the evening’s work to earn a place in your home. The tradeoff is choice overload: with that many patterns, expect to spend some time browsing. Best for: anyone who wants one reliable place to start and grow.
2. Canvas by Numbers
Canvas by Numbers website
Canvas by Numbers says it offers more than 900 designs and has supplied over 200,000 painters. Its standout feature is the custom kit, which turns a favorite photo of a pet, a family or a place into a numbered canvas.
That makes it a thoughtful gift, and a good fit if you’d rather paint something personal than a stock landscape. Custom work does take longer to produce and ship than an off-the-shelf kit, so order early if there’s a deadline. Best for: gifts and personalized projects.
3. Winnie’s Picks
Winnie’s Picks website
Winnie’s Picks focuses on adult designs, with more than 200 to choose from, according to the brand. Its easier collections use fewer colors, which keeps a session low-pressure. It also lists custom kits with up to 48 colors for those who want more detail, and advertises US shipping in about three days.
A smaller catalog isn’t a weakness if you’re new to the hobby. Fewer choices means less second-guessing, and you can be painting by the weekend. Best for: first-time painters who want to start quickly.
4. Ledgebay
Ledgebay website
Ledgebay leans into the setup around the painting. It offers tabletop easel and frame options, and its custom kits are printed in the USA. If part of the pleasure for you is a tidy, inviting corner to paint in, this is the company that thinks about it.
A framed finished piece also feeds the bigger goal of a home that feels settled. Our guide to building a warm, comfortable home shows how handmade objects add texture to a room. Best for: people who want a display-ready result.
5. Figured’Art
Figured’Art website
Figured’Art sells pre-stretched, linen-blend canvases and is widely stocked through Michaels, which means you can pick up a kit in person. For anyone who likes to check paint and canvas in hand before buying, that’s a real advantage over online-only shops.
The tradeoff is range. In-store selection is limited to what the shelf carries, so the full catalog is easier to explore online. Best for: shoppers who prefer buying in a store.
Why a Slow Hobby Like This Helps
It’s tempting to dismiss paint by numbers as busywork, but the research on painting is encouraging. A 2026 meta-analysis of 45 randomized trials in Behavioral Sciences found that painting-based interventions led to considerably better mental health outcomes than control conditions.
A caveat is fair here. A 2025 review in the Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing pooled 35 trials with 3,167 participants and found that visual art therapy reduced adult anxiety, but its authors rate the evidence quality as very low. Those studies cover guided art therapy rather than kits, so treat the findings as a hopeful sign, not a prescription.
What it does suggest is that making something with your hands is worth protecting time for. If you’ve been wondering what else would make your days feel less rushed, our piece on finding your sense of purpose is a good companion read.
Choosing the Right Fit
Pick by need, not by hype. NumberArtist is the strongest all-rounder, thanks to its pre-stretched canvases, premium acrylics and huge pattern library. Choose Canvas by Numbers for a personalized gift, Winnie’s Picks for a gentle first project, Ledgebay if you want the easel and frame to match, and Figured’Art if you’d rather shop in person.
Whichever you choose, start small and give yourself permission to be slow. The point isn’t a perfect canvas. It’s an hour where nothing is being measured, a lesson explored in our post on how to stop performing and start living.
