Real Me of Beauty – Paint by Numbers
- Samm Oshen
- May 21
- 5 min read

In a world filled with constant perfection, curated aesthetics, and filtered faces, real beauty is often lost in the din. But what if beauty existed beyond the boundaries of white, 'pristine' backgrounds? What if beauty were about embracing our journeys, with all of the imperfect strokes? Enter paint by number. Paint by number can be more than a hobby, it can be utilised to express ourselves, explore our emotions, and reclaim our "real me."
The Real Me of Beauty is not found by following someone else's standards. It is found in the silence of a canvas, in a brush in your hand, in colors that speak to your soul. Regardless of whether you are an experienced painter or have never picked up a paintbrush, paint by number is expressing yourself through a simple medium that can open up gateways to something personal and profound.
Rediscovering Self Through Colour
There's something undeniably grounding about starting with a blank canvas and, piece-by-piece, completing it. Each piece corresponds to a number, paired with their color. As you fill in the shapes with the right colors, there is an interesting process that begins to occur – you begin to reconnect with yourself.
It's not only about producing an image. It's about realizing your patience, creativity, and focus - all of which can be drowned out in the busyness of life. As you create the painting, you are also creating/sorting yourself. You begin to see beauty, not only in the image in front of you, but in your ability to do it.
Rediscovering oneself is especially profound in custom paint by numbers kits when the item is deeply personal. A painting of a loved one, a pet, or a meaningful memory becomes the canvas that reflects one's emotional depth to oneself.
The Beauty of Imperfection
In traditional painting, there's a certain importance to "getting it right." To have the proportions accurate, the colours mixed, and the composition perfect. But paint by numbers allows you to bypass that concern. You follow a guide, of course, but within that guidee you can make small errors, go out of the lines, stick to your ideas.
Those mistakes don't detract from the art, they add more character to the art.
And isn't that the epitome of beauty? Not a filtered, perfected version of reality, but a value of beauty that embraces the flaws in others, in ourselves, our differences, and individuality. Every stroke of the brush brings you a step closer to beating the drum and defining beauty on your terms and not someone else's.
Calm, Clarity, and the Creative Flow
In today's busy digital life, we are constantly surrounded by information, distractions, and unrealistic expectations. Sometimes, we can't even see who we are.
Painting is a way to unplug from reality for a moment, to slow down, breathe and become aware of one simple, repetitive action.
Painting puts you in a flow state, a blissful state where you can finally be "in the zone". No stress, no comparing yourself to others, no multitasking, just you and your canvas.
When you engage in this process regularly, you may be surprised at what you discover about yourself. Perhaps you will remember how much fun a quiet hour can bring, maybe how you enjoy simplicity over the chaos, or maybe how connected you felt to the subject of your painting.
When you paint custom paint by numbers, and paint a familiar scene or face, there is a different kind of significance in what you create because it connects with you on deeper levels. It is no longer painting, it is memory; it is healing; it is a way to reconnect with what is truly important.
Creating Beauty Without the Pressure of Talent
Many folks don't partake in art-making because they believe they are "not good at it". They mistakenly believe that beauty is reserved for the few who are exceptionally talented and have studied techniques for years. Paint by Numbers destroys that myth.
Paint by Numbers democratizes creativity, saying: "You do not need to be an artist to create something beautiful; you have what it takes."
This is a profoundly liberating recognition. Structure gives you the confidence to try, play, and discover colour and technique, and by the time you finish, you have a piece of art that looks professional, even though it is from your hands.
This experience is the antithesis of beauty being unattainable. You possess the ability to unleash beauty through willing, joyful creation, and beauty is readily available when you believe you can find it.
From Canvas to Confidence
The first time you finish a painting, especially a custom paint by numbers design that has personal significance, there is a great sense of pride. You created something that didn't exist before. You were committed, you were present, and you finished.
That accomplishment extends to more than the artwork: it begins to flow through to your identity.
You may find yourself contemplating life differently. You might feel more courageous trying other things, less fear around creative risk, more acceptance of imperfection in your work and yourself. The canvas becomes a way for you to not just reflect but to expand yourself.
This subtle yet impactful change is also why many who initially start with one kit often come back for more. It's not an addiction to painting—it's an addiction to being seen, heard, and validated through creation.
Art That Tells Your Story
Unlike the basic wall art you buy in store locations, you paint by numbers artwork tells a story—your story. It may symbolise a season of life, a friend or loved one you miss, or a personal triumph that needed to be commemorated.
The act of hanging your finished painting in your home exposes another piece of who you are. It serves as a visual reminder of what you can do. It allows others to see you not behind filters or through facades, but through the colours and lines of a real thing.
And when you opt for a custom paint by number kit, the storytelling is even deeper. You're not painting an image chosen at random—you are breathing life into a portion of your personal story, one brushstroke at a time.
A Movement Toward Authentic Expression
Increasingly frequently, individuals are embracing hobbies that bring them back to their core selves: journaling, slow living, meditating, and painting (yes, painting). The resurgence of paint by number is simply one aspect of this big trend—a reaction toward hyper-productivity and superficial validation of achievement.
It is about going inward. It is about rediscovering that even in not moving, there is meaning. That even in the repetitive time spent, there is discovery.
Furthermore, beauty is not in perfection—it is found in the authentic representation of feeling, of self. It is in the colour. It is in the work. And it is in showing up for yourself.
Final Thoughts: The Real Me in Every Stroke
The authentic beauty within me is raw, genuine, and constantly in motion. There is no requirement for polish or expertise, just presence. And when you paint by numbers, there is no need to demonstrate anything. You simply need to show up and allow the process of painting to reveal who you rre.
Each painted shape and each colored number sends a message saying to the world, "This is me. This is my beauty."
So, the next time you roll out a new canvas or pick up a paint brush, remember: you are not just making art, you are revealing the real you, one beautiful colour at a time.
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