Custom Paint by Numbers from Your Photo
Send a photo — a pet, a wedding, a family moment — and it comes back as a numbered linen canvas you paint yourself. Kits from $44.90.
Ideas for your custom kit
Your photo.
A painting to keep.
Drag to compare the original photo with the finished-painting example.
Original photoFinished paintingStart with a photo
that tells the story.
- Keep your subject closeFaces and important features should be easy to recognise.
- Look for clear, even lightAvoid heavy blur, deep shadows and strong filters.
- Leave room around the edgesKeep important details away from the crop and choose a quiet background.
How to make paint by numbers from a photo
Turn a photo into numbered linen. Review and production are in the four steps below.
- 01Upload your photoA pet, a couple, or a family group. Unsure is fine — we review it first.
- 02Reviewed within 1 business dayA person checks the photo. If it will not make a readable canvas, we email you first.
- 03Made in 3–5 business daysMapped onto linen in 24, 36, or 48 colors after approval.
- 04Then it shipsTracking goes out when it ships. Delivery timing is on the shipping page.
Custom paint by numbers questions
A few practical details for a painting made from your photo.
Ask our teamHow does a photo turn into a paint by numbers kit?
Your photo is mapped into numbered regions on linen, and each region is matched to a pre-mixed acrylic pot. You fill in the numbers, one color at a time. You're painting the moment back, not filling in a poster.
How to choose a photo for a custom kit
Can I make paint by numbers from a photo of my pet?
Yes — pet portraits are the most common custom order. You paint the face you already know. Close-up photos with clear eyes and markings translate best. Dog collection · Cat collection
Can I make paint by numbers from a picture or a photograph?
Yes. A phone picture or a photograph from a drawer works the same way: we map it onto numbered linen. Close subjects with even light make the best canvases.
How long does a custom kit take, including Christmas?
For a date-sensitive gift, check the current gift-planning guide and shipping policy before ordering. Planning dates are not delivery guarantees. See shipping details.
Will the finished painting look exactly like my photo?
Paint by numbers simplifies detail into shapes and colour groups. You'll still recognise the face or the room; it will not look like a printed photograph. The example images here are illustrations, not a preview of your specific result.
What is the difference between this and a printed canvas?
A printed canvas is finished when you unbox it. This kit you paint yourself. The time you spend is what makes it a keepsake, and why it works as a gift.
Can it arrive framed and ready to gift?
Yes. Ready-to-Hang versions ship on stretched wooden bars. Unwrap and hang after the paint is dry. A decorative outer frame is not included. Framed vs no frame
Which kit options can I choose?
Three sizes from a photo: 40 × 50, 50 × 60, or 60 × 80 cm (16" × 20", 20" × 24", 24" × 32"). Choose 24, 36, or 48 colors, with No Frame or Ready-to-Hang. Kits from $44.90. Ready-to-Hang ships on stretcher bars; a decorative outer frame is not included. First custom kit: start with 40 × 50 cm and 24 colors unless the photo is a group.
Can I include more than one person or pet?
Yes, but each extra subject makes individual features smaller. Keep the people or pets close, so the faces you care about stay the ones you paint.
What if my photo is not good enough?
We check whether your photo can make a readable numbered canvas before production. If important details are unclear, we ask for a better image. Check current processing information in the Shipping Policy. Change-of-mind refunds follow the 24-hour custom window in the full refund policy.
Can I cancel a custom order?
The current store policy allows cancellation and a refund within 24 hours of placing a custom order. After that it enters production and cannot be cancelled, returned or refunded for a change of mind. Review the full refund policy before ordering.
How is my photo used?
Your photo is used to produce and support your custom kit. You must have permission to use it. To request deletion, email help@diyartmuse.com.
What comes with my Custom kit?
Your kit contains one pre-numbered linen canvas based on your photo, a pre-mixed acrylic paint set in your selected 24-, 36- or 48-color palette, three nylon brushes, a small reference image, two screws and two wall hooks. Brush color and handle design may vary by batch.
How should I choose between 24, 36 and 48 colors?
24 colors gives you fewer paint pots to track. The 36- and 48-color options provide larger pre-mixed palettes. Compare the selected price, canvas size and photo before choosing. All three use number matching; more colors cannot restore a blurry face or missing detail in the original photo.
Are the images AI-assisted? Can I choose an entirely AI-free kit?
Custom product pages use AI-assisted lifestyle and finished-artwork illustrations, not customer submissions or exact previews. Your kit is based on your uploaded photo and selected options. We do not make a blanket AI-free promise for the design or production process. If this matters to your purchase, contact us about the specific kit before ordering.
Do I need experience, and what can I learn?
No drawing experience is needed: match each canvas number to its paint pot. You can practice brush control, edges and paint handling, while drawing and composition remain separate skills. Start with our beginner painting guide; Muse Guide offers painting help and ideas.
How long will it take to finish a kit?
Time varies with size, detail, your pace and session length. A 40 × 50 cm Custom kit with 24 colors has no fixed completion time; color count alone does not describe the work. Plan several sessions and, for a gift you paint yourself, allow time for drying too.
Is a Custom kit the right choice for my project?
Choose Custom to paint your own photo rather than an existing design. Compare photo clarity, dimensions, palette, finish and kit contents. A meaningful image with a clear subject gives you a starting point. For an existing design, browse the paint by numbers collection; a “best” label does not replace checking the details.
One photo. A painting only you can make.
Choose your canvas and begin with something personal.
Create your custom kit