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Paint by Numbers Generator
Make your own paint-by-numbers kit from any photo. The tool reduces the picture to a set of paint colors, merges tiny areas into paintable shapes, draws smooth numbered outlines and builds a matching palette, ready to print as a PDF or save as PNG.
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Creating template…
Paint palette Click a color to highlight its regions
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How to use the Paint by Numbers Generator
- Add a photo: drop it on the box, paste it or press Choose photo. A sample landscape is loaded so you can see the result right away.
- Choose the number of colors: 8-12 for kids and beginners, 18-30 for detailed paintings.
- Set the detail and minimum region size: larger regions are easier to paint, more detail keeps small features.
- Check the views: Outline shows the template, Colored shows the finished painting, Overlay shows both.
- Download the PDF (outline + color reference) or the PNGs, print the outline and mix paints to match the palette.
How a photo becomes a paint-by-numbers template
- Smooth: a light blur removes noise and fine texture so areas of similar color hold together.
- Pick paint colors: k-means clustering groups the pixels into the number of colors you chose. It works in the CIELAB color space, where distances match how different colors look to the eye.
- Clean up: each pixel takes its nearest palette color and a 3 × 3 majority filter (run twice) removes stray pixels.
- Build regions: touching pixels of the same color form a region. Regions smaller than the minimum size are merged into the neighbor they share the longest border with, repeating until none are left.
- Outline and number: borders are traced once for both neighbors and smoothed, and every region gets its number at its most interior point (found with a distance transform), sized to fit.
Recommended settings
| Who is painting | Colors | Minimum region | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Young kids | 6-10 | 400-800 | Low |
| Beginners | 10-16 | 150-300 | Medium |
| Intermediate | 16-24 | 80-150 | High |
| Advanced, photo-realistic | 24-36 | 20-80 | Very high |
Tips for painting your template
- Crop first. Fill the frame with your subject; backgrounds create many regions that add work but little interest.
- Print the outline light. The light gray option is thin enough to disappear under acrylic paint.
- Transfer to canvas with graphite transfer paper, a light box or a projector, or print directly on canvas paper.
- Mix colors before you start and label pots with their numbers. Paint dark colors first and large regions before small ones.
- Too many tiny shapes? Raise Minimum region size or Smoothing. Losing important details (eyes, text)? Lower them or increase Detail.
Frequently asked questions
How does the paint by numbers generator work?
The photo is lightly smoothed, then k-means clustering in the CIELAB color space picks the number of paint colors you ask for. Every pixel takes its closest color, a majority filter removes noise, and connected areas of the same color become regions. Regions smaller than the minimum size are merged into the neighbor they share the longest border with. Finally the borders are traced, smoothed and numbered.
How many colors should I choose?
Kids' and beginner templates usually have 8-15 colors. Commercial adult kits often use 20-30 colors. More colors give more realistic shading but more regions and more paint pots to mix.
What does minimum region size do?
It is the smallest area, in pixels of the working image, that may stay a separate shape. Raising it removes tiny specks that are hard to paint and leaves fewer, larger regions; lowering it keeps small details like eyes and highlights.
Which photos work best?
Photos with a clear subject, good lighting and not too much fine texture: pets, portraits, flowers, landscapes and buildings. Crop out busy backgrounds first. Very detailed images (foliage, crowds) produce many tiny regions.
How do I match the paint colors?
Each palette entry shows the HEX and RGB value of the target color. Mix acrylics to match the swatch on the printed reference page, or use the CSV to look up the nearest colors in your paint brand. Screens and printers show colors slightly differently, so compare under daylight.
What size should I print it?
The PDF scales the template to fill a Letter or A4 page. For bigger canvases, download the outline PNG (2400 px on the long side) and print it larger or transfer it with carbon paper or a projector; light gray lines are designed to be covered by paint.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. All processing happens on your device with JavaScript and the Canvas API. Nothing is sent to a server.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.
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