Usually, everytime we hear about the phrase “paint by numbers,” the first thing that pops into our minds is the ready-to-paint pre-printed canvas marked with contours and numbers, specially designed for beginners who want to learn how to paint. But, do you know that painting by numbers is actually more than just kits? They’re a technique that can be taught to every beginner artist in order to have a solid foundation for how to start painting.
A lot of people want to learn how to paint, but for different reasons. Some want to be professional painters, while others want to learn how to paint to have a new hobby or to learn a new skill. The thing about painting is that it is quite an insurmountable task, if you don't have a foundation. It’s either you go to art school or attend art workshops. However, in this time of pandemic, opting for such is not a very practical idea because of quarantine protocols which have been applied to some places in the world. The good news is that there are plenty of alternatives from where you can help you learn how to paint. The first involves taking advantage of the internet. There are plenty of free tutorials available and you can connect to various social groups of aspiring artists on different online platforms. Moreover, painting by numbers kits can help you get familiarized with the basics of painting. With these, you can have a foundation for mastering your artistic skills.
For some art enthusiasts, paint by numbers kits are not the way to go if you want to learn this skill. They think that it’s methodical, uncreative, and formulaic. However, we beg to disagree. We believe that these painting kits are more than those words: they make painting accessible to everyone in a way that gives beginners and non-painters the confidence they need to become the artist they aspire to be. Let’s look at some technical art skills that you can learn from these kits, well-beloved by many.
Art Lessons You Can Learn from Paint by Numbers Kits
- Color Theory:
Understanding color is very important when it comes to painting. Color theory is more than just knowing the color wheel, mixing pigments, and studying the three basic color groups. It’s also about creating harmonious color combinations that can enhance the aesthetic quality of your artwork. With a paint by numbers kit, you can learn all about this by observing the relationship of colors through using numbers in the image and its overall physiological impact to the final outcome.
- Brushwork Precision:
Another technical painting skill that you can learn from paint by numbers kits is defining your brushwork. Brushwork precision is what can separate you from the rest of the artists. Once you master this skill, you can be considered a prodigy. Painting by numbers can teach you how and when to use different brushes, you can number each brush to make it easier for you to identify which is which. Moreover, you’ll learn when to make your paint strokes thin, thick, textured, and smooth. You’ll learn several techniques; how to paint delicately and pay close attention to the details; how to paint the smallest detail, when to blend and when not to. Furthermore, these kits will also teach you what much amount of paint you’ll need on the brush before transferring it to the canvas, as well as how to place the color precisely in the image: these two may seem like an afterthought and you may think they shouldn’t be regarded with importance however, they’re just as critical as color theory.
- Patience:
If there is something that every artist needs other than art supplies, it would be patience. Painting is not a race, it is rather a journey. When it comes to being an artist, patience is very necessary because you cannot rush a piece of art. Try looking at the story of different paintings and you’ll understand the necessity of patience. For instance, da Vinci’s painting “The Last Supper” took three years before it was completed, while Raphael's “School of Athens” took about four years. Try not to number the days you need to complete an artwork but rather, enjoy each moment you spend in front of your canvas.
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Light and dark values:
Knowing the concept of light and dark values is different from color theory. Toning is a very important concept in painting as it will give your colors a harmonious relationship amongst each other. To further understand the importance of tones and values, allow us to quote Henri Matisse--"When I have found the relationship of all the tones, the result must be a living harmony of all the tones, a harmony not unlike that of a musical composition."Painting by numbers allows you to study tones and values by showing you which tones of colors belong in certain places. If you want to apply this technique in an actual painting, try to identify the colors of your palette and number each of them: “1” has the lightest value up to “5” which has the darkest value and so forth. Then, do the same thing with your sketch and number each place with where the appropriate value belongs to it.
- Creative control:
Some think that paint by numbers kits leave no room for creativity because the instruction is already given. However, it depends on the person’s urge to experiment and bend the rules to make their artwork more personal and unique. These kits still allow you to decide what different techniques you want to apply such as overpainting, zigzag blurring, blending, and so much more. The pre-printed canvas is just a blueprint that helps you gain a clearer image for your artwork, but it does not 100% tell you what exactly to do.
Conclusion
Above all else, paint by numbers kits also teach us to be confident. This is really essential as an artist because it helps you to be bold with your style and be unique in order to stand out from the rest. These kits will not just teach you how numbers work with images, but also technical skills that you need to have in order to become a good painter.
Want your own Paint by Numbers kit? Order one from MiiCreative today and see the beauty of art from your canvas.
