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Painting by Numbers. Hmmm... what could that possibly mean?
Fear not, for that is what this Entry is about.
Painting by numbers is a quite simple principle: Toy company prints pictures on cardboard, with numbers indicating use of colours; customer buys set and follows instructions, ending up with something that is almost, but not quite entirely unlike the picture on the box.
A typical set contains:
1x cardboard box
1x paintbrush
About 8-16 different paint pots with paint
1x or 2x cardboard with numbers and shapes
1x or 2x (according to number of pieces of cardboard) paper with numbers for reference
1x instructions sheet (or printed on cardboard box)
Not included, but also needed:
1x jar or pot of clean(ish) water
2x square of kitchen roll
Equipment and how to use it:
Cardboard box:
1.Remove sellotape seal from box
2.Remove lid from box in vertical motion.
NB: It is advisable to have the lid (the one with the big picture on it) pointing upwards when the box is opened, to avoid the small pots of paint from falling out and making a mess of your carpet (laminate wood flooring, stone flooring, etc).
Paintbrush
1.Remove from small holder.
2.Remove small plastic tubing from bristly end (if included). This step is vital if you actually wish to paint.
Paints:
1.Remove from small holder.
2.Observe number on lid.
3.Open lid.
Cardboard:
1.Remove from box.
2.Place on worksurface.
Paper with numbers:
(see cardboard)
Instructions:
1.Remove from box (if printed on a separate sheet).
2.Read.
Actually starting:
This is where we get our hand dirty (literally). The advantage of painting by numbers is that almost all of the hard work is done for you. All the tedious choosing colours and deciding what to paint are done for you, and all that remains to do is to mix the paints and get started.
All of the numbers on the paint pots correspond with the numbers on the cardboard. Therefore if a particular area on the cardboard is marked with the number 7, you should fill that area (within the outlines) with paint number 7. Unfortunately, it is not always that simple. You may see on the board a number with a stroke in it, eg: 7/23. The stroke means mix the two colours together in a 50/50 mix, or mix slightly more of the lighter colour, to form a new colour. thus, 7/23 on the board would mean mix a 50/50 mix of colours 7 and 23. When mixing a new colour, it is advisable only to mix a small amount of the colour, or you may not have enough paint to finish the picture. Make sure that you keep the piece of paper with a copy of the cardboard in a safe place, as it will definitely come in useful.
First wet the paintbrush slightly and wipe gently on kitchen roll to remove excess water. then lower the paintbrush (bristle end first) into the paint pot with an appropriate number, and remove the brush with a small amount of paint on the end. Then fill in all of the areas with the same number as on the pot, starting with the larger spaces. When done, wash the brush carefully in the water. Resist the temptation to scrub the brush on the bottom of the jar, as this will spread the bristles out and make it nigh impossible to paint small details such as people in the distance, or flowers. When you have finished the entire painting, if there is paint left, you may wish to add extra dtail, such as buttons on people's jackets, or spokes on wheels.
When the entire sheet of cardboard is covered in paint and it is dry, you could even frame it and hang it on the wall, as a piece of your own artwork.
Could any people who have any sets please post below under the "Numbers" title and give me the numbers for paints, so that I can incorporate them into this article. Thank you. Only genuine sets please, no WHSmiths impersonators.
Enjoy your painting!
Fear not, for that is what this Entry is about.
Painting by numbers is a quite simple principle: Toy company prints pictures on cardboard, with numbers indicating use of colours; customer buys set and follows instructions, ending up with something that is almost, but not quite entirely unlike the picture on the box.
A typical set contains:
1x cardboard box
1x paintbrush
About 8-16 different paint pots with paint
1x or 2x cardboard with numbers and shapes
1x or 2x (according to number of pieces of cardboard) paper with numbers for reference
1x instructions sheet (or printed on cardboard box)
Not included, but also needed:
1x jar or pot of clean(ish) water
2x square of kitchen roll
Equipment and how to use it:
Cardboard box:
1.Remove sellotape seal from box
2.Remove lid from box in vertical motion.
NB: It is advisable to have the lid (the one with the big picture on it) pointing upwards when the box is opened, to avoid the small pots of paint from falling out and making a mess of your carpet (laminate wood flooring, stone flooring, etc).
Paintbrush
1.Remove from small holder.
2.Remove small plastic tubing from bristly end (if included). This step is vital if you actually wish to paint.
Paints:
1.Remove from small holder.
2.Observe number on lid.
3.Open lid.
Cardboard:
1.Remove from box.
2.Place on worksurface.
Paper with numbers:
(see cardboard)
Instructions:
1.Remove from box (if printed on a separate sheet).
2.Read.
Actually starting:
This is where we get our hand dirty (literally). The advantage of painting by numbers is that almost all of the hard work is done for you. All the tedious choosing colours and deciding what to paint are done for you, and all that remains to do is to mix the paints and get started.
All of the numbers on the paint pots correspond with the numbers on the cardboard. Therefore if a particular area on the cardboard is marked with the number 7, you should fill that area (within the outlines) with paint number 7. Unfortunately, it is not always that simple. You may see on the board a number with a stroke in it, eg: 7/23. The stroke means mix the two colours together in a 50/50 mix, or mix slightly more of the lighter colour, to form a new colour. thus, 7/23 on the board would mean mix a 50/50 mix of colours 7 and 23. When mixing a new colour, it is advisable only to mix a small amount of the colour, or you may not have enough paint to finish the picture. Make sure that you keep the piece of paper with a copy of the cardboard in a safe place, as it will definitely come in useful.
First wet the paintbrush slightly and wipe gently on kitchen roll to remove excess water. then lower the paintbrush (bristle end first) into the paint pot with an appropriate number, and remove the brush with a small amount of paint on the end. Then fill in all of the areas with the same number as on the pot, starting with the larger spaces. When done, wash the brush carefully in the water. Resist the temptation to scrub the brush on the bottom of the jar, as this will spread the bristles out and make it nigh impossible to paint small details such as people in the distance, or flowers. When you have finished the entire painting, if there is paint left, you may wish to add extra dtail, such as buttons on people's jackets, or spokes on wheels.
When the entire sheet of cardboard is covered in paint and it is dry, you could even frame it and hang it on the wall, as a piece of your own artwork.
Could any people who have any sets please post below under the "Numbers" title and give me the numbers for paints, so that I can incorporate them into this article. Thank you. Only genuine sets please, no WHSmiths impersonators.
Enjoy your painting!