I haven’t done a paint by numbers for years, and I thought it sounded fun, so I bought the Kitten Tea Cup PBN by Dimensions Paint Works. It is rated Beginner for ages 8 and up so it seemed a good place to start. One thing I appreciate is that the picture on the kit is representative of the finished product if you follow the instructions. Some paint by numbers kits either show the picture the kit is inspired by, or the kit as done by an artist using advanced techniques not mentioned in the instructions. For a kit that cost me less than ten dollars, I felt I got my money’s worth of enjoyment from it.

It comes with six colors, and instructions for two more by mixing two colors to make an additional shade of grey (black and white) and an additional shade of pink (red and white).

The kit comes with a hardboard canvas (as opposed to a regular flexible canvas). In retrospect, I would have started with the background instead of black, but it worked out fine.

While it was pretty simple as paint by numbers go, it was satisfying to see the image develop. I tried not to hurry and to take the time to appreciate the activity.

While I thought I’d mixed the colors in the proper proportion, the mixed grey came out lighter than the box. I’d chalk it up to user error, and in the future will pay closer attention to how the mixed color appears on the sample picture. I would up retouching in a couple of places to make it darker. I went over the white portions again a couple of times as the paint wasn’t opaque enough to hide the numbers with a single coat.

I could have spent a similar amount of time watching tv, or playing a video game, or any of a variety of more modern pursuits. I found painting this to be a relaxing and soothing experience. I would recommend the kit to anyone that hasn’t done a paint by numbers before, to a child, or to someone that just wanted to while away some time in a peaceful pastime.