How to choose the best photo for your custom paint by numbers
The photo you send us matters more than anything else. Pick a good one and your finished canvas will look just like the memory you love — here is exactly how to get it right.
Every custom paint by numbers kit starts with a single photo. Our designers can do a lot with that image — brighten it, tidy the background, tune the detail — but the sharper and clearer your starting photo, the more your painting will look like the moment you are holding on to. This guide walks you through choosing the best photo for custom paint by numbers, whether it is a portrait, a pet, or a whole family on a beach.
And if you are ever unsure? Do not overthink it. We send you a digital proof before we print, revise it for free until it is right, and re-do the whole thing free if the finished canvas does not resemble your photo. The photo just gives us the best possible head start.
The 30-second checklist. A great photo is: high-resolution (not tiny or zoomed-in), well-lit, in focus, with your subject filling most of the frame, a simple background, and — for group shots — five people or fewer. If your photo ticks those boxes, you are ready to start your custom canvas.
What makes a great photo
You do not need a professional camera. Most of the best paintings we make come from ordinary phone photos — they just happen to be clear ones. Here is what to look for:
- High resolution. Send the largest, original version of the photo. Screenshots, images saved from social media, and heavily compressed files lose the fine detail we need for faces and fur.
- Good, even lighting. Soft natural daylight is ideal. It reveals the true skin tones, shadows and highlights that make a portrait look alive.
- Sharp focus. The subject should be crisp, not soft or motion-blurred. If you can zoom in and still see the eyes clearly, you are in great shape.
- Subject fills the frame. The face or main subject should be the star. A person standing far away in a wide landscape leaves us very little detail to work with.
- Simple background. A plain or softly blurred background keeps all the colours and detail where they matter — on your subject.
- Five people or fewer. Smaller groups give each face enough room and enough colours to look like themselves.
What to avoid
Some photos fight against a beautiful result no matter how much care we take. If your favourite image has one of these issues, it is worth finding an alternative — or emailing it to us first so we can give you an honest opinion.
Do send
Bright, in-focus close-ups where faces are large and clear · original full-size files · one to five people · a calm, simple background · pets photographed at eye level.
Try to avoid
Blurry or low-resolution shots · heavy Instagram-style filters · strong backlighting that darkens faces · tiny faces lost in a big group or wide scene · sunglasses or hats hiding the eyes.
A closer look at the common problems
- Blur and low resolution. These are the number-one reason a portrait can look “off.” Detail we cannot see, we cannot paint. Choose the sharpest version you have.
- Heavy filters. Filters shift skin tones and flatten shadows. A natural, unfiltered photo gives us truer colours to work from.
- Backlighting. A bright window or sun behind your subject throws the face into shadow. Aim for the light falling on the face, not behind it.
- Tiny faces in group shots. If faces are small in the frame, they will be small — and hard to render — on canvas too. Crop in, or pick a closer photo.
Pet photo tips
Pet portraits are the most loved thing we make, and pets are wonderfully forgiving subjects — as long as the photo is clear. A few pointers for the best result:
- Get down to their level. Photograph your pet from eye height rather than looking down at them. It captures the expression that makes them them.
- Catch a calm moment. A still, alert pose is easier to render than mid-zoomies. Treats and patience help.
- Show the eyes. Bright, in-focus eyes bring a pet portrait to life. Avoid shots where fur or shadow hides them.
- Mind the fur detail. Long or multi-coloured coats hold a lot of detail — those pets shine at the higher colour levels (below).
How colour detail relates to your photo
When you order a custom canvas you choose a colour-detail level, and it should match how complex your photo is. More colours mean more subtle shading — which is exactly what faces, fur and busy scenes need to look right.
| Detail level | Colours | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Up to 24 | Simple subjects — pets with bold markings, landscapes, a single object |
| More Detail | Up to 36 | One or two people, detailed pets, richer backgrounds |
| Premium | Up to 48 | Close-up faces, group photos, weddings — anywhere likeness matters most |
Faces need 36 to 48 colours. Skin tones live in the subtle transitions between light and shadow; with too few colours those transitions collapse into flat blocks and the likeness slips away. If you are painting a person, a pet’s face, or a group, choose More Detail (36) or Premium (48). Not sure? Order any level — we will flag it honestly during proofing if your photo would look better with more detail. A bigger canvas helps too, because more surface means room for finer areas; see our size guide to pair the right size with your photo.
You approve it before we print it
This is the part that sets us apart, and the reason you never have to gamble on your photo. Most custom sites convert your image with a one-click filter and ship it blind — which is exactly why so many faces come back wrong. We do it differently:
- A real designer — not an automatic filter — turns your photo into a numbered design.
- We email you a digital proof to look over, usually within one to three days.
- You ask for free revisions until it looks right. We only print once you say yes.
- If the finished canvas still does not resemble your photo, we re-do it free.
So choose the best photo you can — then relax. The proof and the re-do guarantee are there so a custom paint by numbers is a joy to order, not a leap of faith. Want to see the whole journey from upload to finished wall art? Walk through how it works.
Not sure your photo will work? Email it to us with your custom order, or send it to [email protected] before you buy and we will give you honest feedback first. We would rather help you pick a better shot than let you order a photo that will not shine. For a deeper walk-through with example images, read our blog guide, how to pick the perfect photo for a custom painting.
Ready when you are
Once you have a clear, well-lit photo of the people, pet or place you love, the rest is the fun part. Choose your size, your frame and the colour detail that suits your image, upload your photo, and let us send you a proof. Whether it is a custom canvas from your photo or a personalized paint by numbers keepsake, we will make sure it looks like the memory before a drop of paint touches the canvas.