How Many Colours Should a Paint-by-Numbers Kit Have?
The short answer for PhotoPBN: start at Standard 32 (recommended). The colour control runs from 8 simple to 56 detailed, with presets for Simple 10, Standard 32, Detailed 48, and Custom.
The longer answer is a tradeoff. Fewer colours are easier and bolder. More colours stay closer to the photo and take longer to paint.
What the colour count actually changes
When you pick a colour count, PhotoPBN builds a palette of that many paints and assigns every region one of those numbers. The colour key under the kit lists each swatch (with a hex code for matching or mixing).
- Lower counts (toward 8–10): large, poster-like areas. Shadows and highlights may merge. Fast to paint; less like a photograph.
- Mid counts (around 32): the default balance the site recommends for most photos.
- Higher counts (toward 48–56): more of the photo’s subtle shifts survive. More tiny regions. Closer likeness; more fiddly brushwork.
Detail is a separate control. Detail starts at Balanced. It sets the smallest area that gets its own number. Bold is easier (including for kids with a parent). Fine keeps small parts such as eyes, petals, and lettering. You can raise colours and still choose Bold detail, or keep 32 colours and move Detail toward Fine.
PhotoPBN’s live marks (use these exact numbers)
From the tool itself:
| Control | What you see |
|---|---|
| Recommended | Standard 32 (recommended) |
| Presets | Simple 10, Standard 32, Detailed 48, Custom |
| Slider range | 8 (label: “8 simple”) to 56 (label: “56 detailed”), with a centre tick at 32 |
| Detail | Bold ↔ Fine, default readout Balanced |
If someone tells you a paint by numbers generator “always needs 24 colours,” ignore the round number and look at your preview. On PhotoPBN, 10, 32, and 48 are the named presets; any integer from 8 to 56 is available under Custom.
How this compares to shop kits (industry context)
Boxed paint-by-numbers kits you buy in a craft store often include a fixed palette in sizes such as 24, 36, or 48 colours, depending on the brand and the design’s complexity. That is general product context, not a rule PhotoPBN enforces, and not a claim that one size is “most popular.”
PhotoPBN is not a boxed kit. It does not ship paints. It builds a template from your photo, in your browser, so you can aim near those familiar sizes (for example Custom 24 or 36, or the Detailed 48 preset) or stay on Standard 32.
Picking a count for common goals
I want a calm evening project. Simple 10 or a Custom value in the teens, Detail on Bold. Pick a photo with a clear subject – see Best photos for paint by numbers.
I want it to look like my photo. Stay on Standard 32 first. Check the Colour preview beside the Original. If skin, sky, or fabric still looks flat, try Detailed 48 or ease the slider toward 56. Move Detail toward Fine only if small features disappeared.
I am painting a face or a pet. Faces and fur need enough steps that eyes and edges do not merge. Start at 32; move to 48 if the preview loses what you care about. Crop tight before you upload so the face is large in the frame.
I am painting with a child. Prefer fewer colours and Bold detail. The homepage notes that Bold is easier, including for kids. An adult should run the tool and the printer.
I tried 56 and it is overwhelming. That is expected. Drop toward 32 or 10, or keep the colour count and switch Detail to Bold so tiny speckles merge into larger areas.
A practical way to decide (two-minute test)
- Open https://photopbn.com/#tool and add your photo.
- Leave Standard 32 and Balanced. Look at Numbers and Colour.
- Tap a palette swatch to spotlight one colour if you want to see where it lands.
- Nudge once: either the colour preset (10 / 32 / 48) or Detail (Bold / Fine) – not both at once – and compare.
- Download the PDF when the preview feels paintable, not when every pixel matches the photo.
Likeness and paintability pull in opposite directions. The “right” count is the one you will finish.
Related settings people confuse with colour count
- Paper (A4 / Letter) and orientation change the print layout, not how many paints you need.
- PNG / SVG downloads are alternate file formats; they use the same palette you already chose.
- Hide original only toggles the side-by-side comparison; it does not change the kit.
Bottom line
Use Standard 32 (recommended) unless you have a reason to move. Slide toward 8 simple for a bold, easy kit. Slide toward 56 detailed (or use Detailed 48) when the preview is still too far from the photo and you are willing to paint more areas. Pair the count with Bold, Balanced, or Fine detail on purpose.
Step-by-step from photo to PDF: How to turn a photo into a paint-by-numbers kit. After you download: Paint by numbers for beginners.