Paint by Number Generator
Turn any photo into a custom paint-by-number template with a matching color key. Generate and download free as PNG - Pro adds print-ready PDFs and up to 24 colors. Your photo is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
Drop a photo to turn it into a paint-by-number
JPG, PNG, WEBP · your image is processed in your browser and never uploaded
Tip: fewer colors and more smoothing give larger, easier regions. Bump the colors up for a more detailed, realistic result.
How to make a paint by number from a photo
Upload a photo, choose how many colors you want, and the generator posterises the image into flat color areas, outlines each one, and numbers it against a color key. Painting by number is one of the oldest tricks for finishing a convincing picture without freehand drawing skill, and it pairs naturally with the grid method: use a drawing grid to transfer the outline accurately, then fill the numbered regions with color.
Because everything runs in your browser, you can experiment freely. Drag the color count down for a bold, graphic poster look, or up for soft, realistic shading. Increase smoothing to merge speckle into larger regions that are easier to paint.
Choosing your colors and detail
Fewer colors (4 to 8) give a striking, simplified result with big regions - ideal for children, beginners, and quick acrylic or gouache sessions. Around 10 to 12 colors is the sweet spot for most portraits and landscapes. Up to 24 colors (a Pro option) captures subtle gradients and skin tones for an almost photographic finish, at the cost of smaller areas to fill.
The smoothing control cleans up the noisy speckle that detailed photos produce. Light smoothing suits most images; strong smoothing is useful for busy backgrounds or textured subjects like fur and foliage.
Printing and painting your template
- Generate the template. Upload your photo, set the color count, and toggle the numbers on. Check the color preview to see roughly how the finished painting will look.
- Download. Grab the free PNG for screen reference, or export the Pro print-ready PDF with the color key for home printing on Letter or A4.
- Mix your paints. Use the numbered color key, which lists each color and its hex value, to mix or buy a matching set.
- Paint light to dark. Work the largest regions first and save the small detail numbers for last, letting each color dry before painting a neighbour.
Great uses for a paint by number maker
- Personalised gifts. Turn a wedding, pet, or family photo into a custom painting kit.
- Classroom and workshop activities. Generate a sheet per student and combine it with our grid drawing worksheets for a full art lesson.
- Mindful painting. A numbered template removes the blank-canvas pressure and makes painting relaxing.
- Scaling up to a wall. Combine the template with the Mural Scaling Calculator to paint a number-guided mural.
Frequently asked questions
- How does the paint by number generator work?
- Upload a photo and the tool reduces it to a small set of flat colors, traces the boundary between each color area, and prints a number inside every region that matches a color in the key. You then paint each numbered area with its color. All of the processing happens in your browser, so your photo is never uploaded to a server.
- What photos make the best paint by number templates?
- Pictures with clear shapes, good contrast, and a simple background work best: portraits, pets, flowers, landscapes, and still lifes. Very busy or low-contrast photos produce lots of tiny regions, so use fewer colors and more smoothing for those, or crop to the main subject first.
- How many colors should I use?
- Start around 10 to 12. Fewer colors give larger, easier regions and a more graphic look; more colors capture detail and shading but create smaller areas to paint. The free tool supports up to 12 colors and Pro supports up to 24.
- Can I print my paint by number template?
- Yes. Everyone can download the template as a PNG. Pro members can export a print-ready PDF sized for Letter or A4 paper with a numbered color key along the bottom, so you can print at home and start painting straight away.
- Is my photo uploaded anywhere?
- No. Like every Grid Maker tool, the paint-by-number generator runs entirely in your browser. Your image never leaves your device, which keeps personal and commissioned photos private.
- What is the color key for?
- The color key lists every number alongside its color and hex value. Use it to mix or buy your paints and to know which color goes in each numbered region. The Pro PDF prints the key on the same page as the template.