Better Than a Postcard—A Custom Davincified Paint By Number Memento

Since graduating college last year, both of my kids have relocated to the Boston area, and my husband and I visit them as often as we can. We drove up to see them one weekend in October and brought our sweet Shih Tzu pup with us. The fall colors were so beautiful, so we went on a few hikes together to enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery. I was recently gifted a Davincified paint by number kit. I chose a custom paint by number kit that would allow me to recreate a cute photo we captured during our get together of our Shih Tzu against the fantastic fall foliage during one of our hikes.

I chose a “Classic” Davincified paint by number kit so I could convert the striking photo of our pup into a one-of-a-kind painted postcard of sorts—Davincified offers all sorts of paint-by-number kit options. For instance, they offer a fun AI option that allows you to create a paint-by-number image/kit per your description, so you can create almost any kind of image you’d like.

I figured the painting would be a perfect souvenir of our weekend together. For my kid, I could choose to work with 24, 36 or 48 colors. Since I’ve only completed a paint by number kit only once before, I chose a 24-color kit, as I figured it might be better suited for someone of my skill level.

Completing My Paint By Number Kit

I opted to first work on painting the dog section of my painting, since my pup is the most important part! I was very pleased with how his face came out. But, as I started painting the rest of his body, the colors that were chosen for his fur had a camouflage look to it, with dark grays and greens—it must be because of the shadows that were cast on him in the forest.

Mochi is actually a light-colored dog, with his fur being a mixture of creams and tans. So I eventually went off script and created my own design for his fur—luckily, my kit included colors that were appropriate. Eventually, I also painted over his leash, as I didn’t like the way it looked across his body in the painting.

This design was more detailed than a previous paint-by-number kit I tried, which made it a great challenge. I think that’s because I accidentally chose a photo with a very difficult and busy pattern. In hindsight, a simpler portrait of my dog with a plain background or sky would have been a better starting point for me.

In all, it took me about a month to complete my painting—I only worked on it a few minutes a day on it, mostly as I streamed my favorite programs with my Amazon Prime membership.

As I was getting closer to finishing my painting, I went off-script again. I felt that my painting looked too loud and busy. (I tend to like soothing landscape paintings.) In addition, the small pond portrayed in the photo was translated on the paint-by-number canvas into an area of dark grays and blacks. I prefer a more colorful look, so I used the blue paints in my kit to amend the pond.

So, it’s at this point that I totally went from faithfully completing a paint-by-number to giving the painting my own flair! So once I had most of the painting roughed in, I worked on softening the background—I went from creating a more realistic interpretation of my photo to a more subjective/impressionistic one. I satisfied with the way it turned out!

Tips for Completing a Custom Paint-By-Number Kit

My Davincified paint-by-number kit had a number of features that were extra convenient:

• The paint-by-number sections were lightly shaded in different tones—like pink or yellow—making it easier to identify and group matching colors as I worked through the painting.
• The kit also included a paper printout of my paint-by-number canvas—which was a helpful reference. Also included was a color reference card of what my finished painting should look like and a color guide that showed all the paint colors included in my kit.
• The paint pots came in a convenient foam holder that kept all the colors organized and easy to find as I worked. The kit also included a set of paint brushes, and since I chose a stretched canvas, it came with hanging hardware so I could display the finished piece right away once it was completed.

Custom Paint-by-Number Tips and Supplies

The next time I complete a custom paint-by-number kit, I will definitely choose a simpler design since my artistic talents are limited. (And my eyesight isn’t the best, either.) I think choosing a photo taken in the middle of a forest with so many shapes and colors wasn’t the best move for me. I will also be sure to edit my photo (so it’s not too light or dark) before submitting my photo and ordering my kit.

Should you choose to complete a paint-by-number kit, you might want to also consider getting these supplies:

• Lighted magnifying glass:If you sometimes struggle to read small print, a lighted magnifying kit can make it much easier to see the tiny numbers on your canvas.
• If you’re like me and might want to personalize your canvas, a good acrylic paint set will be useful—I chose a set of 15 colors that also included a few paint brushes.
• If you decide to add your own colors to your painting, you may also want a paint palette to mix your paints. I got one that I could close securely—should I want to mix some paint and reserve some for later—and that has 18 wells and two mixing areas.
• If you are lazy like me and don’t want to constantly clean your brushes every time you move onto a new color, having some extra paint brushes is a good thing!

I am happy to have a painting of my sweet pup from a fun family trip—it’s a great souvenir! I hung the painting on the wall near the sofa in my family room, so I can remember all the fun times my family and I shared last fall!