Custom Paint by Numbers Size Guide: What Canvas Size Should You Choose?
Choosing the right canvas size for a custom paint by numbers kit is not simply a matter of counting how many people are in your photo.
When customers ask us which size they should choose, we normally look at four things:
- How complex the photo is
- How large the main subjects appear in the photo
- How many colours the customer has selected
- How the finished painting will be used
As a practical starting point, our usual recommendations are:
| Type of Photo | Suggested Starting Size |
|---|---|
| Simple photo with one clear subject | 30 × 40 cm |
| More detailed portrait or two people | 40 × 50 cm |
| Three or more people | 50 × 65 cm or larger |
| People photographed from a distance | 50 × 65 cm or larger |
| Highly detailed photo with 48 colours | Usually 40 × 50 cm or larger |
The examples below show three common starting points: a 30 × 40 cm canvas for a simple single-person portrait, 40 × 50 cm for two people, and 50 × 65 cm for a photo with three people.
The key thing to remember: The more detail your photo contains, the more useful a larger canvas becomes. A larger canvas gives small numbered areas more physical space, making a detailed design easier to see and paint.
These are guidelines rather than fixed rules. A simple portrait may work well on a 30 × 40 cm canvas, while another customer may choose 50 × 65 cm or larger for the same type of photo simply because they want a larger finished painting.
Why Does a More Detailed Photo Need a Larger Canvas?
A paint by numbers design breaks an image into individual colour areas.
A simple image with one clear subject and a plain background usually contains fewer complex sections and can often fit comfortably on a smaller canvas.
If your photo contains several people, detailed clothing, hair, facial features or a complicated background, the design will usually contain more individual painting areas.
When all of these areas are fitted onto a small canvas, some sections can become very small. This can make:
- Numbers harder to read
- Small sections harder to distinguish
- Detailed areas more difficult to paint accurately
A larger canvas gives these individual painting areas more physical space.
To put the difference into perspective, a 30 × 40 cm canvas has an area of 1,200 cm², while a 50 × 65 cm canvas has an area of 3,250 cm². That means the 50 × 65 cm canvas provides about 2.7 times as much canvas area.
The comparison below uses the same image and the same colour count on both sizes. You can see how the additional canvas area gives the numbered sections more physical space, making the numbers and individual colour areas easier to distinguish.
A larger canvas is not only about making the finished painting bigger. For a detailed image, it can also make the numbered areas easier to see and more comfortable to paint.
Which Canvas Size Should You Choose?
30 × 40 cm: A Good Choice for Simple Photos
30 × 40 cm is usually suitable for a relatively simple image.
We often recommend this size when:
- There is one main person or pet
- The subject is photographed close to the camera
- The background is simple
- The image does not contain many small details
- A smaller finished painting is preferred
For example, a clear close-up portrait of one person against a simple background usually does not require a very large canvas.
However, the recommendation may change if the photo contains more detail or if a higher colour count is selected.
40 × 50 cm: A Practical Choice for More Detailed Photos
When a photo becomes more detailed, we will often recommend moving up to 40 × 50 cm.
Typical examples include:
- Two-person portraits
- Couples and wedding portraits
- One person with a pet
- More detailed single portraits
- Photos with more clothing, hair or background detail
- Detailed designs using more colours
In our experience helping customers choose sizes for custom orders, 40 × 50 cm is a practical middle ground.
It provides more painting space than 30 × 40 cm without making the finished canvas particularly large.
For a photo of two people, this is normally where we would start unless the subjects are very small in the image or the photo contains a particularly large amount of detail.
50 × 65 cm and Larger: Better for Multiple or Distant Subjects
For photos containing three or more people, we normally recommend starting at 50 × 65 cm.
We may also recommend this size when there are fewer people but they are standing far from the camera.
The reason is that what matters is not only the number of people in the photo, but also how much of the image each person occupies.
For example, three people photographed close together will usually have much larger faces in the image than three people standing in the distance at a wedding or in front of a landscape. On a small canvas, distant faces may have very little physical space available for individual features.
A larger canvas gives the design more room to represent the subjects and can also make smaller painting areas easier to work with.
This is why we generally recommend 50 × 65 cm or larger for:
- Family photos
- Wedding or graduation group photos
- Several pets
- Other group photos
- People standing far from the camera
- Photos where individual faces occupy only a small part of the image
For a large group or a particularly detailed scene, moving to an even larger canvas may be worthwhile.
If you are creating a custom paint by numbers portrait from a dog or cat photo, our Custom Pet Paint by Numbers Tips will explain what to consider when choosing and preparing your pet photo.
Consider the Number of Colours as Well as the Canvas Size
Canvas size and colour count should not always be considered separately.
Our custom paint by numbers kits are available with different colour options, and increasing the number of colours allows more colour variation to be represented in the design.
However, a more detailed colour design may also contain more individual painting areas.
The example below shows the same eye area represented with 24, 36 and 48 colours. As the colour count increases, more colour variation and smaller individual painting areas can appear in the design.
This is why the same canvas size can feel very different depending on the colour option you choose.
24 Colours
A 24-colour design is generally simpler.
Because there are fewer colour variations, the design may contain fewer small colour transitions and can often work well on a smaller canvas.
For a simple portrait or pet photo, 30 × 40 cm can therefore be a reasonable combination.
36 Colours
36 colours provides a middle ground between simplicity and additional detail.
For a simple image, 30 × 40 cm may still be suitable.
For a more detailed portrait or a photo containing two people, we would usually consider 40 × 50 cm or larger.
48 Colours
48 colours is normally chosen when the customer wants the highest level of colour variation and detail available from our standard options.
For a detailed photo, we rarely recommend combining 48 colours with our smallest 30 × 40 cm canvas.
For detailed 48-colour designs: We normally recommend starting at 40 × 50 cm rather than 30 × 40 cm. For several people or a particularly complex image, 50 × 65 cm or larger may be more suitable.
The goal is to give the additional detail enough physical space rather than squeezing many small painting areas onto a small canvas.
If you are unsure which colour option is right for your photo, our 24 vs 36 vs 48 Colours: Which Should You Choose? guide will explain the differences in more detail.
A Simple Way to Choose Your Size
When we help customers decide, we usually think about it in this order.
Step 1: Look at the Overall Complexity
Simple single subject: 30 × 40 cm may be enough. Two people or noticeably more detail: consider 40 × 50 cm. Several people, small faces or a complex scene: start at 50 × 65 cm.
Step 2: Look at How Large the Subjects Appear
A close-up subject needs less canvas space than someone standing far from the camera. If the important subjects appear small in the photo, consider moving up a size.
Step 3: Check Your Colour Choice
For a detailed 48-colour design, we normally recommend at least 40 × 50 cm. Simpler 24-colour designs can often work well on a smaller canvas.
Step 4: Think About the Finished Painting
You can always choose a larger canvas if you want a bigger finished piece for display. Our recommendations are mainly intended to help you avoid choosing a canvas that is too small for the amount of detail in your photo.
What If None of the Standard Sizes Fit Your Photo?
Sometimes the problem is not the size of the canvas, but its proportions.
A particularly wide landscape photo, panoramic image or unusually shaped photo may not fit the standard canvas sizes without cropping part of the original image.
If keeping the entire photo is important to you, we may be able to produce a special custom canvas size that is not listed on the product page.
You can contact us with your photo and the approximate size you would like. We will check whether a suitable custom size can be made and provide the corresponding price.
Need Help Choosing?
If you are still unsure which canvas size is suitable, you can contact us before ordering and send us your photo.
We can look at the complexity of the image, the number and size of the subjects, and your preferred colour option to give you a practical size recommendation.
Our recommendations are mainly intended to help you avoid choosing a canvas that is too small for the amount of detail in your photo. You can always choose a larger canvas if you prefer a bigger finished painting for display.
If you have not yet decided which photo to use, read our How to Choose the Best Photo for Custom Paint by Numbers guide first. A clear, well-composed photo is just as important as choosing the right canvas size.
You can also explore our full range of Personalised Paint by Numbers UK options, or create your own custom paint by numbers from a photo once you are ready to choose your canvas size and colour option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I choose a larger canvas than you recommend?
Yes. Our size recommendations are practical starting points rather than limits.
For example, a simple single-person portrait may work well at 30 × 40 cm, but you can still choose 50 × 65 cm or larger if you want a bigger finished painting.
Can I order a canvas size that is not listed on the product page?
In some cases, yes.
If your photo has unusual proportions and the standard sizes would require too much cropping, contact us with your photo. We can check whether a special custom size is available and provide the price.
Should I choose the photo or the canvas size first?
In most cases, choose the photo first.
Once you know which image you want to use, it is easier to judge the appropriate canvas size based on its complexity, subject size and proportions.
