The terms "color by number" and "paint by numbers" are often used interchangeably, but they're actually different activities with different tools and results. Here's how they compare.
Color by Number
Color by number uses dry media - colored pencils, crayons, or markers - to fill in numbered sections. It's essentially a coloring page with a numbered guide telling you which color goes where.
Pros
- No setup or cleanup required
- Can do it anywhere (couch, plane, coffee shop)
- No drying time between sections
- Great for kids and beginners
- Supplies are inexpensive and portable
Best For
Quick relaxation, travel, casual coloring, and people who don't want to deal with wet media.
Paint by Numbers
Paint by numbers uses wet media - typically acrylic paint - applied with brushes. The result looks like an actual painting rather than a colored drawing.
Pros
- Finished result looks like a real painting
- Rich, vibrant, opaque color coverage
- Frame-worthy results even for non-artists
- More tactile and immersive experience
- Better color blending and smooth gradients
Best For
People who want a gallery-quality result, enjoy a more hands-on creative experience, or want to try painting without the pressure of starting from scratch.
Key Differences at a Glance
- Medium: Dry (pencils/markers) vs Wet (acrylic paint)
- Setup time: None vs 5 minutes (water, brushes, palette)
- Session length: 15-60 minutes vs 1-4 hours per sitting
- Paper: Regular printer paper vs thick cardstock or watercolor paper
- Cost: ~$5 (pencils) vs ~$15-25 (paint set + brushes)
- Portability: High vs Low (messy to transport wet paint)
- Finished look: Illustration style vs Painting style
Which Should You Try?
Try both! Color-by-number is a low-commitment way to relax on a weeknight. Paint-by-numbers is a satisfying weekend project that produces artwork you'll be proud to display.
We offer both: our coloring page library works beautifully with colored pencils and markers, while our paint-by-number collection is designed specifically for acrylic painting with full color palettes and numbered regions.