paint by numbers

 

Can you tell I have been keeping my agreement to work out every day?  Can you tell working out has replaced the time slot formerly occupied by blogging?  Bummer, I know, but I am being healthy and really trying to work blogging into a new time slot somewhere between bible study, working out, hygiene, cooking, cleaning, homeschool, cooking, cleaning, toddlers, cooking and cleaning.

So.  Paint by numbers!  I blogged last year about touring the Coastal Living Ultimate Beach House 2010, and noted that they had a couple paint by numbers in a hall bathroom that were darnright adorable.  Is “darnright” a word?  Anyway, I decided it was time to try one and see if I liked it / could handle it / could make one actually turn out good.  I had no success at finding a nice landscape paint by number set, which is what I was shooting for and what was in the Coastal Living house.  After a plethora of puppies and kittens and parrots and many long walks down craft store aisles, I finally found this mare and foal set that I thought I could do for Susie’s room…

Plus, it was very small (5x7) so I thought I might possibly actually be able to finish it.  Halfway done paint by numbers are not very attractive. 

Well I started in on it and it was more fun than I thought.  The paint has to dry in between applying different colors, so it was a nice little project for when I only had maybe ten minutes, but wanted to work on something creative.  It ended up taking me a couple weeks of doing  a little at a time, until it was finished.  I just left it out and worked at it when I could.  Here are some progress shots…

 

 

…and the finished work…

I was not thrilled with it at first… I thought it looked a little zebra-ish.  But I came to realize the cover example does, too, and it started growing on me.  Also, though, the colors on mine did no come out the same as the colors on the cover, so they won’t blend into Susie’s room as well, but I can go with it.  Here is a side by side of the cover and my results…

 

My colors feel a little darker, more moody and less sunny, but no one will know since they won’t be comparing the two once mine is framed, matted and on the wall.  One could certainly use their own paints and mix whatever colors they would like. 

If you are not artsy, don’t worry!  The set comes with everything you need including brush, paint, paint board, practice board and a sheet that shows all the spaces/numbers so that as you cover up stuff, you can still tell what color to fill in where. 

It was a fun process, and I highly recommend it if you like the look and, or, the process!  I certainly loved them in the Coastal Living house and there was a medieval nautical battle scene paint by number in a thrift store that I passed up, which still haunts me a little.  I might have to do some online searching and see if I can find any bigger landscape sets… or nautical scenes… or old barns… or…  what would you paint if you could cheat a masterpiece?