Paint by Numbers Size Guide: Which Canvas to Choose

You have found the design. You love it. Then the drop-down menu appears and asks a question nobody prepared you for: 40x50cm, 50x70cm, or 60x80cm?

Canvas size is the single most under-thought decision in paint by numbers, and it quietly shapes everything that follows — how fine the detail is, how many evenings the project takes, whether the finished piece looks right above your sofa, and how easy it is to frame. This guide walks through every size we offer, who each one suits, and the simple checks that will get you to the right answer in about two minutes.

Why canvas size matters more than you would expect

A paint by numbers canvas is divided into numbered regions. When the same artwork is printed larger, those regions get physically bigger — but there are also more of them, because a larger print can carry more detail without the sections becoming impossibly small.

That gives you a simple trade-off:

• Bigger canvas = roomier sections. Easier on your hand, easier on your eyes, more forgiving if your brush control is still developing.
• Bigger canvas = more surface to cover. A 60x80cm canvas has 4,800 cm² of area versus 2,000 cm² for a 40x50cm — roughly two and a half times the painting.

So "bigger is easier" and "bigger takes longer" are both true at once. The right size is the point where those two pull evenly for you.

Every paint by numbers size at a glance

Size-by-size: which one is actually for you

40x50cm — the sensible default

This is the size most people should start with, and it is the size most of our kits default to. It is big enough that the numbered sections stay comfortable to paint, small enough that you will finish it, and cheap enough that a mistake is not a disaster.

It also frames beautifully. At roughly 16x20 inches, it sits close to one of the most widely stocked ready-made frame sizes in the world, which means you are not hunting for a custom framer when you are done. If you are buying a kit as a present and you do not know the recipient's painting experience, this is the safe choice — browse our best selling paint by numbers kits to see what other first-timers pick.

40x60cm and 50x60cm — a little more breathing room

These two are the quiet overachievers. You get noticeably more space for detail than a 40x50cm without adding a month to the project. The 40x60cm suits vertical subjects — a lighthouse, a waterfall, a standing figure — while the 50x60cm's squarer shape flatters florals, mandalas and close-up animal portraits.

If you are drawn to intricate symmetrical designs, our mandala paint by numbers kits reward the extra centimetres.

50x70cm — the sweet spot for detail lovers

Once you have finished one or two kits, this is usually the next step. The extra surface lets fine features breathe: individual feathers, window lights in a skyline, the highlights in someone's eyes. Portraits and busy scenes benefit most, which is why it is a favourite for our portrait kits and city paint by numbers kits.

Handily, 50x70cm is a standard poster dimension, so off-the-shelf frames are easy to find in most countries.

60x80cm and larger — statement pieces

These sizes are for a specific job: filling a wall. Above a sofa, a bed or a sideboard, a 40x50cm canvas can look apologetic, while a 60x80cm or 60x100cm holds the space properly. Sweeping landscape and scenery kits are the natural fit, since wide vistas need room to be wide.

Be honest about the time, though. At two and a half to four times the area of a starter canvas, these are multi-week projects. They are wonderful if you want a hobby to sink into and frustrating if you wanted something finished by the weekend.

Match the canvas to your wall, not just your taste

A useful interior-design rule of thumb: artwork hung above a piece of furniture generally looks best when it spans about two-thirds to three-quarters of that furniture's width.

Run the numbers before you order:

1. Measure the furniture the painting will hang above — a 180cm sofa, say.
2. Two-thirds of that is roughly 120cm, so aim for a piece around 120cm wide. A single 60x80cm canvas hung in portrait orientation will look small; two of them side by side, or one 60x100cm turned landscape, will look right.
3. Cut a sheet of newspaper or wrapping paper to your candidate size and tape it to the wall for a day. It costs nothing and it settles the argument.

For hanging height, the standard gallery convention is to place the centre of the artwork at around 145–152cm (57–60 inches) from the floor, which is roughly average eye level.

Special cases worth knowing

Painting with children

Go smaller than you think. Younger painters lose interest long before a large canvas is finished, and the sense of completion matters far more than the size of the trophy. A 40x50cm kit from our kids paint by numbers range is usually the right call — and if two children are painting together, two small canvases beat one big one every time.

Custom kits made from your own photo

Size does extra work here. When you turn a photograph into a custom paint by numbers kit, a larger canvas gives the conversion more room to preserve the details that made you choose the photo — the shape of a face, a pet's markings, the texture of a wedding dress. For single-subject portraits, 50x70cm and up tends to produce a noticeably better likeness than the smallest option.

Working in a small space

Your table matters as much as your wall. A 60x100cm canvas needs somewhere to lie flat while you work and somewhere safe to dry. If you paint at a kitchen table that gets cleared for dinner, stay at 50x70cm or below.

A four-question checklist before you order

1. How many kits have you finished? None or one, choose 40x50cm. Several, you can comfortably move up.
2. How much detail does this design carry? Faces, cityscapes and dense foliage want more canvas. Bold abstracts and simple silhouettes do not.
3. Where will it hang? Measure the furniture below it and apply the two-thirds rule.
4. How long do you want this to last? A relaxing fortnight, or a project you can return to for a month?

After you choose the size

Two practical notes. First, larger canvases arrive rolled, so let yours relax flat for a day or two before you start — our guide to stretching a canvas using stretchers covers what to do next. Second, the bigger the canvas, the more it pays to have decent brushes and a proper setup; our beginner supplies checklist and paint by number accessories cover the essentials, and when you are finished, framing your artwork is where a well-chosen size really pays off.

Frequently asked questions

Is a bigger paint by numbers canvas harder?

Not per section — the numbered areas are physically larger and easier to fill in. It is harder in the sense that there is simply more of it, so it demands more patience and more time.

What is the most popular paint by numbers size?

40x50cm, by a wide margin. It balances detail, painting time and framing convenience better than anything else, which is why it is the default option on most of our kits.

Can I get the same design in a different size?

Yes. Every kit in our full paint by numbers collection offers a range of canvas sizes on the product page, so you can pick the artwork first and the dimensions second.

Ready to choose?

If you are still undecided, default to 40x50cm — it is the size that gets finished. When you have a wall that deserves something bigger, you will know, and the step up to 50x70cm or 60x80cm will feel earned rather than daunting. Browse the full range of paint by numbers kits and pick the size that fits your wall, your table and your patience.