The adjective (from the image of a child) marked in advance in sections that are numbered according to the color to be used. The Stack Exchange network is made up of 180 communities that include Stack Overflow, the largest and most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge and develop their careers. What does it mean to paint by numbers in a paint by number kit consists of a prepared chalkboard printed with lines enclosing areas along with small cans of paint and a brush. Each can of paint is assigned a number and each area of the board has one of the numbers printed on it.
Andy Warhol produced several images inspired by paint by numbers kits called Do it Yourself, of which this is an example. The question quote compares the work with a painting produced by the process of painting by numbers (not, of course, Warhol's pieces). This comparison implies that the work is derivative, formulaic and lacking originality; in short, not very good at all. Painting by numbers is a system in which an image is divided into shapes, each marked with a number that corresponds to a particular color.
You paint on every shape and, ultimately, the image emerges as a finished painting. Be sure to check what type of paint the kit contains (acrylic and oil paints are the most common, although you do get kits with watercolors or pencils). Completing a paint-by-number project helps you learn to analyze a subject and observe areas of color. Painting by numbers or painting by numbers are kits that have a board on which marks are illuminated to indicate the areas to be painted, and each area has a number and a corresponding numbered paint to use.
It's tempting to paint to finish one section of the image at a time, but that will require a lot of brushing and wasted paint. By starting with the larger ones, you'll practice using the brush and painting more when you get to the smaller areas, which can be quite difficult to paint. The brush supplied is usually small, so you can paint the smaller shapes of the paint. Think of it like the paper (or canvas) that pulls paint out of the brush instead of using the brush to push the paint down.
We think that an acrylic paint is preferable to one with oil paint, since the paint dries quickly and water is used to wash the brush, so it's easier for a beginner. Keep a bottle of clean water handy to wash the brush (assuming it's an acrylic paint kit by numbers), as well as a cloth to clean and dry the brush. A paint by numbers kit will include a brush, small cans of paint in the colors you need and a printed outline of the image.
