We think that painting your own DIY Canvas can be an incredibly therapeutic and satisfying experience and at the end of it, you get something new to hang in your home.
You may have ordered something fun from our Paint By Numbers / DIY Canvas collection and are now wondering to yourself, “What is the best way to paint my new canvas?”. Luckily, we’ve put together a handy beginners guide to painting a DIY Canvas to get you started.
Some handy tips before you begin:
- Find a nicely lit area to start on your painting so you can see your work clearly.
- Make sure your surface is protected - a plastic table cloth or some newspaper will work well.
- Have a container of water close by to clean your brushes in between colors.
- Also, be sure to have a cloth or some paper towel to dry your brushes in between washes.
Next we can start the painting process…
CORRESPOND THE NUMBER WITH THE CORRECT COLOR
We have found it works best to paint all of one number (color) before moving on to another number (color). This can be done on the entire canvas or you can complete small sections (with all the numbers) at a time.
This is a personal preference - do you want the whole painting to come together evenly or would you like sections to be completed?
Before starting another number (color), let the paint dry completely or you risk smudging.
Clean your brushes every time you are done painting or done with a color. Use lukewarm (not hot) water and a mild soap. Wash thoroughly enough so that no color runs onto a cloth or paper towel. This will also prevent any colors mixing or bleeding into each other. Let the brushes dry before using or it will make the paint thin and it may run.
COVERING THE NUMBERS
It may take an extra layer of paint to cover the numbers completely. It works better if you do a couple of light coats instead of one thick coat. Allow for drying time between coats.
Another painting tip for your DIY Canvas, is to start at the top and work your way down, working on the smallest areas first, as this will help prevent smudging the paint with your hand!
SOME MORE PAINTING TIPS
- If you need to, use a magnifying glass to paint the smaller, trickier areas.
- If you’re a complete painting beginner, practice some brush strokes on a piece of paper to get used to how much or how little paint you will need on your brush. This will save you from going over any borders or putting on too much paint on your actual canvas.
- Don’t rush your painting, give plenty of drying time between colors and paint carefully to avoid mistakes. It will be worth it in the end!
FRAMING YOUR D-I-Y CANVAS
Allow your painting to completely dry before framing your completed canvas. We have our own framing kits at Addicted Paint By Numbers, that include everything you need to build a sturdy frame in minutes or purchase one at your local craft store.
Enjoy!