Written by Paul Worrall
I made one of these for my mum a couple of Christmases ago — an old photo of her and my dad from before I was born, turned into a paint by numbers canvas she could sit and paint herself. It’s the kind of gift that actually gets used rather than shoved in a drawer, and it’s a completely different product to a generic paint by numbers kit off a shelf, even though the two get lumped together constantly.
I’m Paul Worrall. I spent nearly a decade running digital marketing for ARTdiscount, one of the UK’s largest online art retailers, and I now run Discount Art Supplies — a price comparison platform used by over 41,000 UK artists every week. Personalised paint by numbers is a genuinely different category to review, since you’re judging a service as much as a product — turnaround time, how well they handle tricky photos, and print quality all matter as much as the paint itself.
Quick Picks
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Painting By Numbers Ltd
Based in Oxford and a member of Made in Britain, this is the one I’d point most people toward first simply on the strength of scale and reliability — they ship over 30,000 kits a year from their own UK workshop, so this isn’t a small side operation figuring things out as they go. Reviews consistantly praise the print quality on the framed canvas and how well the paint covers in fewer coats than some of the cheaper alternatives, which genuinely matters once you’re forty minutes into painting and losing patience.
They also handle bulk and corporate orders for events, which tells you something about how consistant their process is at scale. The one thing worth knowing before ordering: reviewers note that overly detailed or busy photos can produce some genuinely tricky small sections, so it’s worth picking a clean, simple image rather than a complicated group shot for your first attempt.
Figured’Art
Trusted by a genuinely large customer base — over 100,000 by their own figures — and one of the more established names in this space, with delivery inside 48 hours across the UK on top of their custom service. What stands out from customer feedback is how well they handle detailed or complex source photos; several reviewers specifically mention converting old, faded family photos and being surprised by how well the depth and lighting translated into the finished canvas.
With a catalogue of over 500 designs alongside the personalised service, it’s also a sensible option if you want to browse standard themes at the same time as ordering something custom. Worth noting the sheer breadth of their offering means the site itself can feel a little more commercial than some of the smaller UK operators, if you’re after a more personal, boutique feel.
Davincified
Positioned a step up on finish quality, with the numbered system specifically built to handle the shadows, highlights and mid-tones of more complex photos rather than flattening everything into basic blocks of colour. If you’ve got a photo with genuine lighting and depth to it — a proper portrait rather than a snapshot — this is the one worth the slightly higher price for.
Starting prices sit a little above some of the more basic UK operators, which reflects the more considered finish rather than being poor value, but it does mean this isn’t the cheapest way into personalised paint by numbers if budget is the main driver. For a genuine gift piece you want to actually frame and keep, though, it’s a reasonable step up.
Painted by You
The smallest, most personal option here — a UK-based, hand-finished service using proper oil paints rather than the acrylics most competitors use, with genuine one-to-one attention given to each photo submitted, even old or blurry ones. If you want the feeling of ordering from an actual person rather than a large operation, this is importent to know about, because it’s a genuinely different experience to the bigger companies above.
Being a smaller operation, turnaround naturally can’t match the scale of a company shipping tens of thousands of kits a year, and availability may vary depending on demand at the time you order. For a genuinely special one-off gift where the process matters as much as the result, though, it’s worth the wait.
Choosing the Right Photo
This matters more than which company you pick. A single clear subject — one face, one pet, one landmark — with decent lighting and contrast will consistantly produce a better result than a busy group photo or anything dim and blurry. If you’re recieving requests for a group shot or something with a lot going on in the background, most of the companies above will flag whether it’s suitable before starting work, so it’s always worth asking first rather than guessing.
FAQ
What photo works best for a personalised paint by numbers kit?
A well-lit, clear photo with one obvious subject — a face, a pet, a single scene — works far better than a busy group shot with lots of small detail. Simplicity almost always produces a better finished painting than complexity.
How long does a personalised paint by numbers kit take to arrive?
Most UK companies process and print the custom canvas within a few days of receiving your photo, with delivery typically inside a week to ten days. Always check the current processing time before ordering if you need it for a specific date.
Is personalised paint by numbers suitable for a beginner?
Yes — the numbering system works the same as any standard kit, so no painting experience is needed. Choosing a simpler photo makes it easier for a genuine first-timer.
Standard paint by numbers kits and the extra supplies to go with a personalised one — brushes, easels, finishing varnish — vary in price across UK retailers just as much as anything else. At Discount Art Supplies we compare prices across all the major UK art retailers in real time, so you can find the best current deal before you buy.
