How to Utilise Painting by Numbers Kits and Leftover Tools

Painting by Numbers Kits have become a beloved pastime for children and adults alike, providing a structured yet creative avenue that allows any user to experience the process of painting. The kits generally include all of the essentials: pre-printed canvases, numbered paints, and brushes, making the user experience accessible and enjoyable! But what happens once the painting is finished, or we are halfway through the canvas? Most users are left with leftover materials - paint pots, brushes, partially filled canvases, and sometimes additional guides. 

Rather than letting these valuable supplies sit in a cupboard or go to waste, there are many creative and practical ways to repurpose supplies for either process-based creative use or applicable use in crafts, activities, or children's play. In this blog, we will outline how to utilise your finished kits or leftover resources for even more value and experience, in particular for families and art-lovers who want to benefit from painting by the numbers even more with a single drop of paint.

1. Create Mini Masterpieces with Leftover Paints

The vast majority of Painting by Numbers Kits genuinely have ample paint to make sure that you're covered. Oftentimes, any leftover paint is stored in small acrylic pots. You can easily use these leftovers to create mini artworks. Use whatever paper, cardboard or canvas board you have to create your spontaneous designs, whether they are abstract, simple nature scenes or patterns with colour blocks. These small pieces of outdoor fun can be turned into the following items:

• Greeting cards

• Bookmarks

• Gift tags

• Fridge magnets

Not only is this an enjoyable project, but it also gives children the opportunity to practice freehand painting once they have gained the confidence to paint together with the paint-by-numbers template.

2. Turn Extra Brushes into a Teaching Tool

If your collection of brushes is getting bigger from several kits, do not throw these brushes away! These brushes can be used and quickly become useful tools for young kids who are at the beginning stage of painting. For parents or teachers who have Kids Painting by Numbers, having a few extra brushes offers:

• Sharing supplies among several kids

• Allowing the kids to try different brush sizes

• Providing a backup when they lost track of one or damaged it.

You can even use older brushes to paint textures (sponging, dry brushing) or for craft projects with glue or decoupage. This allows you to reuse each tool while giving the kids different ways to create.

3. Host a Painting Party

Collect all your leftover paints, brushes, and any blank canvas boards you have and have a painting day! It can be birthdays, a rainy day, or family weekend fun. This is a great opportunity to use up leftover materials from past kits.

Set out a painting station with paper towels, cups of water and smocks, and then you can sketch simple shapes or patterns in pencil for younger participants to colour in whichever paint they decide is appropriate. Without the stress of having to follow numbered areas, you can ensure a free and relaxing art experience. 

Painting parties also help develop a love for painting in children and will encourage teamwork and communication when making shared art.

4. Craft Your Own DIY Paint-by-Numbers Template

If you enjoy Painting by Numbers Kits, why not personalise the process and create your template from an image? Simply print the image/grayscale, and trace the outline onto a blank canvas. Create shapes and sections based on the image and number them based on the colour zones of the image. You can convert leftover paint to provide a colored section.

This homemade paint-by-number project is an opportunity to have fun reliving a memory or creating a personalised gift for someone special to you. It is also a chance to be creative, combining the creative process with the predictability of a kit from the store and the DIY spirit.

This activity can work well with older children who have built some confidence from the Kids Painting by Numbers kits to stretch their artistic expression.

5. Paint Stones, Wood Slices, or Other Surfaces

Unused paint does not have to be confined to canvases. Use an array of surfaces, such as smooth stones, wood slices, or clay pots, to decorate. You can paint messages, animals, or exciting patterns on stones to create beautiful decor or gifts.

This activity also teaches younger artists about scale and balance, while providing a different tactile experience. Set up a painting station outdoors, while letting kids mess about and use their leftover supplies and create, while having fun outside.

These activities are also excellent for the classroom or club activity, particularly if the supplies are leftover from already used Painting by Numbers Kits.

6. Donate to Schools, Daycares, or Art Programs

If you do not want to reuse whatever leftover materials you may have, try donating your items to organisations that seek out art supplies. Many schools, daycares, after-school programs and community centres are more than welcome to receive brushes, paint, and yes, even partially used canvases.

This is a great way to support local education + creativity while not letting anything go to waste! Even lightly-used items can be reused in lesson plans, group murals or art-making sessions where kids are allowed to experiment and mix and combine colours as they see fit.

This would also be a good example to leave with the kids, showing them the value in sharing or sustainability by using art materials in creative ways.

7. Make a Keepsake Album of Your Paintings

Have you finished making several paintings and are not sure what to do with them? Instead of framing each one or piling them up, you can take pictures of each completed piece and then put those photos in a digital or printed keepsake album. 

You can write notes beside each photo, like the date you finished, your favourite part of the painting, or who you were thinking about when you painted it. You'll have turned your art-making experience into a memory book that is wonderful to look back on or share with others.

It's a lovely thing to do with children who continue to finish multiple Kids Painting by Numbers kits. They will be proud to look back and see their journey and how far they have come.

8. Use Leftovers for Mixed Media Art

One of the most enjoyable ways to explore your creativity is through mixed media art. You can combine leftover paints, cut-outs from canvases you've painted on, fabric scraps, and markers to create layered and textured projects.         

Mixed media art is both creative and green as well - it recycles leftovers of canvas or dried paint chips, and assembles them into a new visual form. The possibilities are more flexible and intuitive, and contrast nicely with the structure of the numbered painting kits.

Children have fun using their imaginations and exploring their creativity in mixed media projects, especially after feeling restricted to Painting by Numbers Kits.

Final Thoughts

The best part about Painting by Numbers Kits is that their life doesn’t end when you finish your last brush stroke! Whether you have leftover paints, brushes or canvas, the whole kit can lead to new opportunities for artistic expression! From facilitating painting parties and creating custom cards for friends and family to donating to local art programs and creating your templates, there are endless possibilities you can explore using materials left over from your paint-by-numbers kit. 

Developing a creative application for leftover materials can enrich your artistic experience, especially for young artists just starting their artistic journey with Kids Painting by Numbers! It helps young learners become resourceful and imaginative and learn that creating art is more than simply following instructions—it is creative expression, innovation, and fun! 

So the next time you finish a painting, do not fold up your supplies right away; rather, open your mind, pick up your brush, and let your leftovers lead you to make your next masterpiece.