Quick answer: Paint by numbers is no longer only a canvas for the wall. The same numbered method now comes as a set of coasters, a hardcover notebook whose cover you paint, a wooden door hanger, a working wall clock, a set of mini canvases, tree ornaments, greeting cards and a glowing LED panel. These kits are shorter (half an hour to a few evenings), the finished object is something you use, and they suit people who would never hang a painting but would happily paint a clock for the kitchen. Here is what each one is, how long it takes, and who it suits.
Some people love the idea of painting but have no wall space, or no patience for a thirty-hour canvas, or simply want the thing they make to do something. For them, the kits in this guide are the right door into the hobby. They use exactly the same numbered sections and matched paints as a canvas; only the object changes.
What you will find in this guide
Coasters
A set of coasters printed with numbered designs — house plants, botanical drawings, mandalas, butterflies, sunsets, Christmas — with paints and a brush. Each coaster is a tiny painting of about half an hour, and the set makes an afternoon. Seal them with two coats of varnish and they take glasses and mugs for years. They are the most giftable kit in the shop: small, useful, and finished before the giver has to ask how it is going. See the coasters collection.
Hardcover notebooks
An A5 hardcover journal with 160 lined pages whose cover arrives as a numbered template: you paint it, let it dry, and then use the notebook. Designs range from potted plants and lemon groves to cocktails — an Old Fashioned, a Mojito, a Piña Colada — and some come in a choice of colors. An hour or two of painting gives you a journal nobody else has. They suit people who write, people who sketch, and anyone who wants a quick first project with a practical result. See the notebook collection.
Wooden door hangers
A shaped wooden plaque with a numbered design, painted and then hung on a front door, a child's bedroom door or a garden gate. Designs are seasonal and playful — cats, Halloween scenes, welcome signs. Wood takes acrylic beautifully; two coats of varnish make it weatherproof enough for a sheltered porch. A hanger is two or three evenings and ends up being the first thing visitors see. See the Black Cat on Vacation door hanger and the rest in new arrivals.
Wall clocks
A clock face printed with a numbered design, the paints to finish it, and a working clock mechanism to fit behind it. Designs include an orange cat among flowers, a golden retriever with hearts, blue butterflies, and Van Gogh's Starry Night. It is the most satisfying kit in this guide because the result is both a painting and a thing that works: a kitchen or hallway clock you made. Allow three or four evenings. See the clock kits.
Mini canvases
Six small linen canvases, 15 × 20 cm, in one themed set with shared paints: the quickest way into canvas painting and a ready-made wall arrangement. We have a full guide to mini kits; the sets are in the mini paintings collection.
Ornaments, cards and LED panels
At Christmas the range grows: eight-piece sets of tree ornaments, six-card greeting sets, and acrylic panels that glow in an LED base. Our Christmas decorations guide covers all of them, with a calendar for getting them done before the season.
All kits at a glance
| Kit | Painting time | Result | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coasters | About 30 min each | Usable coasters | Gifts, hosts, first projects |
| Notebook | 1–2 hours | A5 journal, 160 pages | Writers, sketchers, teens |
| Door hanger | 2–3 evenings | Wooden sign for a door | Front doors, children's rooms, seasons |
| Clock | 3–4 evenings | Working wall clock | Kitchens, hallways, gifts |
| Mini set | 1–2 hours per canvas | Six small pictures | Beginners, wall groupings |
| Ornaments | 1–2 evenings | Eight tree decorations | Families, December |
| Cards | 15–30 min each | Six greeting cards | The people who matter |
| LED panel | 2–4 hours | Glowing light | Windowsills, gifts |
Painting on wood, card and acrylic
- Wood (door hangers, ornaments, clocks) is slightly absorbent: the first coat sinks in, the second covers. Plan on two coats everywhere.
- Card (greeting cards, notebook covers) must not get too wet. Thin coats, fully dry between them, or the surface buckles.
- Acrylic panel (LED lights) is smooth; paint sits on top. Thin coats, and handle by the edges.
- Coasters need sealing more than anything else in the shop — two coats of varnish, then 48 hours before the first mug.
- Small sections everywhere: the finest brush in the kit, loaded only at the tip. Our brush guide explains the grip.
- Paint all pieces of a set one color at a time, which keeps the pots fresh and halves the time.
Frequently asked questions
Are the paints the same as in a canvas kit?
Yes: numbered acrylic paints matched to the design, with brushes included. Only the object changes.
Which kit is quickest?
Cards, then coasters. A single card takes fifteen to thirty minutes; a coaster about half an hour.
Can the coasters actually be used?
Yes, once sealed with two coats of varnish and left to cure for two days. They then take hot mugs and wet glasses.
Does the clock kit include the mechanism?
Yes. The kit contains the printed face, the paints and brushes, and a working clock mechanism to fit behind it.
Can a door hanger go outside?
On a sheltered porch or inside a storm door, yes, with two coats of varnish. Direct rain and sun will shorten its life.
Which of these suits a child?
Coasters, ornaments and the mini canvases, from around age six to eight with help on the small sections. The door hangers are a good project for a child's own bedroom door.
Paint something you will use
Start with a set of coasters or a notebook if you want a result this weekend, or a clock if you want something that earns its place on the wall. When you are ready for a full canvas, our first-evening guide walks you from the box to the first stroke.
