What Paint Is Used in Paint by Numbers?
Most modern paint by numbers kits use water-based acrylic paint. PaintArtHub kits use water-based acrylic paint, with colours pre-mixed in numbered pots to correspond to numbered areas on the canvas.
Acrylic is well suited to paint by numbers because it dries relatively quickly, cleans from brushes with water while wet, and can be layered after drying when more coverage or a correction is needed.
Not every colour behaves exactly the same. Some paints cover printed numbers more easily than others, and acrylic can gradually thicken when a pot is exposed to air. Water can help in some cases, but routinely diluting paint can reduce coverage.
Knowing how the paint behaves makes it easier to decide when to add another coat, when thick paint can still be adjusted, and when a dried or damaged pot should be replaced.
What Is Acrylic Paint Made Of?
Water-based acrylic paint is made primarily from pigment, acrylic polymer binder and water.
Pigment provides the colour. The acrylic polymer holds the pigment in place after drying. Water keeps the paint fluid and workable while it is wet.
As the water evaporates, the acrylic polymer particles form a stable film containing the pigment. Wet acrylic can therefore be cleaned from brushes with water, while dried acrylic becomes much more water-resistant.
Acrylic formulations can also contain ingredients that adjust consistency, stability, flow and other properties. Exact formulations vary between manufacturers, so there is no single chemical recipe shared by every acrylic paint or paint by numbers kit.
For a numbered canvas, the practical result is straightforward: acrylic stays workable while wet and forms a stable coloured layer as it dries.
Why Is Acrylic Paint Used for Paint by Numbers?
Acrylic is used for paint by numbers because it dries relatively quickly, provides practical coverage over the printed guide, cleans from brushes with water while wet, and can be layered after drying.
These properties fit the section-by-section way a numbered canvas is painted.
It Dries Relatively Quickly
Acrylic dries quickly enough to let you continue working across different parts of a numbered canvas without waiting for the long drying times associated with traditional oil paint.
A canvas can contain hundreds or even thousands of small areas positioned next to one another, so this relatively short drying time is useful when moving between sections.
There is no single drying time that applies to every acrylic. Temperature, humidity, paint thickness and formulation all affect the result.
PaintArtHub acrylic paints are fast-drying, which suits the way a numbered canvas is normally worked across in sections.
It Can Cover the Printed Guide
Acrylic provides the covering power needed to hide the numbers and boundary lines on a paint by numbers canvas, but opacity varies between colours.
Different pigments naturally have different levels of hiding power. Acrylic ranges therefore include opaque, semi-opaque and transparent colours rather than every colour covering the surface in exactly the same way.
PaintArtHub custom kits use thick, high-opacity acrylic paints prepared for the individual artwork. Some pale pigments can still need another coat over a dark printed number.
If a number remains visible after the first layer, let the paint dry before applying another thin coat. Adding a second controlled coat is usually more effective than immediately adding water.
Brushes Can Be Cleaned With Water While the Paint Is Wet
Water-based acrylic can be cleaned from brushes with water while it is still wet.
This is useful in paint by numbers because a single painting session may involve several colour changes. Rinsing and drying the brush before moving to the next paint also reduces the chance of the previous colour affecting the new shade.
For the complete painting process, see our how to paint by numbers step-by-step guide, including how to match numbered paints to the canvas, fill each area and clean your brush between colours.
Once acrylic has dried inside the bristles, it becomes much harder to remove. Cleaning the brush soon after use is therefore easier than trying to remove fully dried paint later.
Dried Areas Can Be Painted Over
Acrylic can be painted over once the previous layer has dried.
If you accidentally use the wrong colour, let it dry and apply the correct paint over it. A light colour covering a much darker shade may require more than one coat.
The same layering method can be used when a printed number remains visible beneath a pale colour.
Why Not Oil Paint or Watercolour?
Acrylic offers the more practical combination: water-based handling while wet, relatively quick drying and useful covering power.
Oil paint dries too slowly for the section-by-section workflow used in most paint by numbers kits.
Watercolour is generally too transparent to cover printed numbers and outlines effectively.
Are Paint by Numbers Paints Different From Regular Acrylic Paint?
Paint by numbers paint is acrylic paint. The main difference is that the colours are pre-mixed and matched to the numbered design before you start painting.
Each required shade is prepared in advance and assigned to specific numbered areas. You do not need to mix an entire palette yourself.
In PaintArtHub custom kits, the colours are prepared to match the individual artwork rather than selected only from generic colour names.
Different paint by numbers manufacturers may use different pigments, binders, consistencies and formulations.
PaintArtHub paints are also supported by supplier compliance documentation, including EN71, CE and RoHS.
For the painter, the most useful distinction is the pre-mixed colour system matched to a particular design.
There is also an important difference between a canvas number and a paint colour code.
The number printed inside a canvas area only connects that area with one of the pots supplied for that particular design. It is not a universal acrylic colour reference.
Paint No. 12 in one painting can therefore be completely different from paint No. 12 in another.
When a PaintArtHub customer needs replacement paint, we use the separate four-digit paint code associated with the affected colour to identify the correct replacement. A description such as “light blue” or the canvas number alone is not precise enough.
When a customer reports a paint problem, a photo of the affected paint or canvas together with the four-digit code also helps us identify the exact colour and determine whether one or several paints are affected.
A pot carrying the same canvas number from another kit is therefore not a reliable replacement.
Why Do Some Paint Colours Cover the Numbers Better Than Others?
Some colours cover printed numbers better because different pigments have different levels of opacity.
Certain pigments block the surface underneath very effectively, while others naturally allow more of it to remain visible.
Paint formulation, pigment concentration and the thickness of the applied layer also affect coverage. Acrylic ranges therefore contain colours with different opacity levels.
This difference becomes particularly noticeable on a paint by numbers canvas because the paint is being applied directly over a printed guide.
Pale colours can need a second coat before a dark number underneath is completely hidden. Finish the area, let it dry, and then decide whether another thin layer is necessary.
Adding more coats is not the answer to every coverage problem.
If one pale colour needs a second coat, that can be normal paint behaviour. If several pots are unusually watery, badly separated, heavily dried, or still provide very poor coverage after reasonable application, the condition of the paints should be checked.
In PaintArtHub support cases involving a suspected paint problem, identifying the affected colour with its four-digit paint code and providing a photo gives us much more useful information than simply saying that “colour 8 is too thin.”
Can You Add Water to Paint by Numbers Paint?
Do not routinely add water to paint by numbers paint. Add only a very small amount if the acrylic has become too thick but is still soft and stirrable.
Fresh paint with a suitable consistency should normally be used directly from the pot. Adding water when it is not needed can make the paint more transparent and reduce its ability to hide printed numbers.
Different advice about adding water often refers to different paint conditions. Paint that is slightly thick is not the same as paint that has already dried or hardened.
If a colour has become thick, check its condition first.
1 The Paint Is Thick but Still Easy to Stir
Stir the paint thoroughly before adding anything.
Paint can become less even while sitting in a small pot, and mixing alone may restore a suitable consistency.
If it remains too thick, add a very small amount of clean water, mix again and reassess it before adding more. An acrylic paint mixer can also be used to improve the flow and consistency of acrylic paint that has become too thick.
2 A Dry Skin Has Formed on Top but the Paint Underneath Is Still Wet
Remove the dry skin rather than mixing the dried pieces back into the usable paint.
Check the paint underneath. If it is still smooth and workable, it may still be usable without adding water.
Hard flakes mixed into the paint can interfere with fine brushwork and small numbered areas.
3 The Whole Pot Has Dried Hard
Replace acrylic paint that has dried completely hard. Adding water is unlikely to restore it to its original painting consistency.
In practice, water is only useful when the paint is still soft and stirrable. Once it has hardened throughout the pot, replacement is the more reliable solution.
Can You Use Regular Acrylic Paint for Paint by Numbers?
Yes. Regular artist or craft acrylic paint can be used on a paint by numbers canvas.
The main problem is matching the original colour.
Two acrylic paints both described as “light blue” can use different pigments or mixtures and look noticeably different when placed next to one another.
You can mix ordinary acrylics to create a closer match, but test the colour before filling a large section. Acrylic may also look slightly different after drying.
If a PaintArtHub colour is missing, dried out or no longer usable, you can order an extra paint set for your painting. Each Extra Paint Set is matched to a specific painting rather than to a universal numbering system.
This is more reliable than trying to recreate the original shade from ordinary acrylic paint.
Do not use the canvas number as a universal colour reference. A pot carrying the same number from a different painting or another brand may contain a completely different shade.
How to Keep Paint by Numbers Paint From Drying Out
Keep paint by numbers pots closed whenever you are not actively using them.
Acrylic gradually loses water when exposed to air, so unnecessary exposure is one of the simplest causes of thickening and drying.
Open the colour you are currently using and close it again when you move to another one. Leaving a full row of pots open throughout a long painting session increases unnecessary exposure.
Press each lid firmly into place after use. If dried paint collects around the rim, check that it is not preventing the lid from sealing properly.
Keep unused paints closed and away from direct sunlight or excessive heat.
If a paint starts becoming thicker, deal with it while it is still soft and stirrable rather than waiting until the whole pot has hardened.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is paint by numbers paint water-based?
Yes. PaintArtHub paint by numbers kits use water-based acrylic paint.
The paints are supplied ready to use and can be cleaned from brushes with water while still wet. As the paint dries, the water evaporates and the acrylic binder forms a much more water-resistant paint film.
Water-based acrylic is also the standard type of paint used in most modern paint by numbers kits.
Why can I still see a number through the paint?
Different pigments have different levels of opacity. Pale or naturally more transparent colours can need a second coat.
PaintArtHub custom kits use thick, high-opacity acrylic paints, but individual pigments still vary in opacity. Let the first layer dry before adding another coat.
Do I need to add water before I start painting?
No. Do not add water to fresh PaintArtHub paint unless it has become too thick.
If the paint is still soft and stirrable but has thickened, add only a very small amount of clean water and mix thoroughly.
What should I do if a paint pot starts drying out?
Check whether the paint is still stirrable.
Thick but workable paint may only need mixing or a very small amount of water. Remove a dry surface skin if usable paint remains underneath. Replace paint that has hardened throughout the pot.
An acrylic paint mixer can also help improve the flow of slightly thick paint.
Can I use the same numbered paint from another kit?
No. Canvas numbers are not universal acrylic colour codes.
The same number can represent a completely different colour in another painting. PaintArtHub replacement requests use the separate four-digit paint code to identify the correct colour.
Is paint by numbers paint non-toxic?
Yes. PaintArtHub paint by numbers kits use non-toxic, water-based acrylic paints that comply with EN71 standards.
The paints should still be used as intended. Avoid ingestion, keep paints and brushes away from food and drinks, and wash paint from your hands after use.
The Bottom Line
Paint by numbers kits use water-based acrylic paint because it dries relatively quickly, cleans from brushes with water while wet and provides the coverage needed for a printed numbered canvas.
PaintArtHub kits use water-based acrylic paints prepared for numbered painting, with colours matched to the design and supplied ready to use.
Different pigments have different levels of opacity, so some pale colours can need a second coat. Do not add water automatically; use only a very small amount when paint has become too thick but remains soft and stirrable.
If paint has dried completely hard, replace it rather than trying to restore it with water.
