Paint by Us
Guide
Custom Paint by Numbers Gift
The appeal of a paint by numbers gift is that you are not giving an object, you are giving an evening. And when the picture is a photo that means something to the person — the two of you somewhere specific, their dog, the house they grew up in — it becomes a gift that is very hard to buy off a shelf.
Choosing the photo
This is the whole gift, and it deserves more thought than the settings. The ones that land hardest tend to be:
- A shared moment rather than a portrait — the two of you somewhere, rather than a posed headshot.
- Their pet, particularly one that has died. See pet portraits for handling older photos.
- A place with a story: a first flat, a holiday view, a childhood house.
- An old family photo, which converts surprisingly well because the grain simplifies into soft, calm regions.
Avoid anything you would not want them to look at closely for several hours. They are going to spend real time with this image.
Adding a dedication
The Personalised Gift Pack ($3.99) adds a To / From line and a short personal message printed onto the canvas page itself, so the dedication is part of the thing they paint rather than a card that gets thrown away. Keep it short — one line that means something beats a paragraph.
Why it works as a last-minute gift
There is no shipping. You upload the photo, check the preview, pay once, and the download is available immediately, so a gift can be put together properly in about fifteen minutes on the day. Print it at home on card, roll it with a ribbon, and add a set of cheap acrylics if you want it to feel like a kit.
That also makes it work across distance. Send the printed canvas, or send the file and paint the same picture together over a video call — each of you ends up with your own version of the same photo.
Occasions it suits
It fits the occasions where the expected gift is generic: anniversaries (especially the first, traditionally paper), Mother’s and Father’s Day, housewarmings, long-distance birthdays, and the hard-to-buy-for relative who already owns everything. It also works as a bereavement gift in a way most presents do not — it gives someone a quiet, occupying few hours with a picture of what they have lost.
For a project sized to be finished in one go, see weekend paint by numbers.
Try it on your own photo
The preview is free and takes about ten seconds — you can see the numbered outline and change the colour count before deciding whether to buy the download.
One-time $2.99. No account, no subscription, and your photo is never stored on disk.
Frequently asked questions
How is the gift delivered?
As an instant download after checkout — a print-ready PDF and a vector SVG. There is no shipping and no waiting, so it works even on the day.
What is in the Personalised Gift Pack?
Everything in the Base Pack plus a To / From line and a short personal message printed onto the canvas page itself. It is $3.99 rather than $2.99.
Can I print it on canvas?
Yes. The download includes a vector SVG that scales without quality loss, so a print shop can produce it on canvas or heavy stock at poster size.
What if they do not paint?
Most people who receive one have never painted. Paint by numbers requires no skill or drawing ability — that is the point of the numbered regions. A 12–16 colour canvas is a comfortable first project.