Painting by Numbers has introduced the fun of creating art to millions of homes, and offers a simple meditative activity for everyone, young and old. Whether you are a child just discovering creativity or an older person looking for a relaxing pastime, painting numbered sections brings something satisfying. After the last stroke has been painted and your artwork is finished, what do you do next?
Too often, finished canvases get tucked away to collect dust. However, these pieces—representing hours of hard work, patience and love— are deserving of a second life, and no matter whether you've painted a traditional kit or a paint by numbers you have customised, there are many avenues for furthering the life of your completed masterpiece.
So here are six great options for repurposing your finished Painting by Numbers, from the joy of creating new art to the useful.
One of the best ways to reuse a completed painting is to display it. You've already dedicated time, focus, and love to painting it, so why not embrace that investment?
Don't just frame it and hang it;, try these innovative ways to showcase it in your home style:
Gallery Wall - You can create a wall with multiples of your finished paintings displayed in either a grid pattern or salon style. You can mix premade kits with made-up paint by numbers based on significant memories (or pets) for a great combination.
Upcycled Furniture - Wrap completed canvas art around cabinet doors, trays or old stools for adorning old furniture or giving old furniture new life.
Canvas Room Dividers - Stitch several canvases together or hinge them together to create a portable 'art wall' or room divider.
These ideas are creative ways to have your past project remain a part of your home style.
Nothing compares to the sentimental value of art created by your own hands. So, rather than buy an item in a store for a gift, take your completed painting and turn it into gifts for your family and friends:
Greeting Cards: cut small squares out of the paint you have done, and paste them on blank cards to use for birthdays, thank you notes, or seasonal greetings.
Mini Art Frames: Cut out a smaller section of a larger painting and put it in a small frame to give as a gift.
Canvas Coasters: Cover square cut-outs with a clear waterproof sealant and glue cork backing to make one-of-a-kind coasters.
If you are using paint by numbers kits that can be personalised, the significance will be heightened—imagine gifting a hand-painted version of a loved one’s pet or a shared memory.
Finished paintings are great educational resources, especially for younger children beginning their creative journey. Here’s how to use them in a learning context:
Story Starters: Use the painting as inspiration for writing or storytelling. Ask children to describe what’s happening in the scene or create a short story based on the artwork.
Colour Theory Lessons: Go over which colours were used and how blending or contrast was achieved.
Puzzle Games: Cut a painting into jigsaw shapes and have kids reassemble it. This turns your completed art into a fun puzzle while reinforcing visual-spatial skills.
In this way, your finished art becomes more than a keepsake—it becomes a learning opportunity.
If you're a crafter, the finished Painting by Numbers pieces will provide you with lots of options for creative reuse:
Scrapbook Embellishments - Cut out small scenes or flower images from the canvas and glue them into journals or memory books.
Mixed Media Art - Combine the painted pieces with fabrics, magazine cuttings, lace and stencils to create colourful, layered mixed-media pieces.
Collage Boards - Join pieces from different finished paintings to make a themed collage board - perfect for your seasonal home decor or as a vision board.
Scraps from customisable paint by number kits can also be a perfect complement to personalise craft projects, such as family albums or travel journals.
If you have created more paintings than can be reused by you, consider giving them a second life in some else's hands. Many local organisations will be happy to accept them:]
Use in Senior Homes: A happy painting can brighten someone's room.
Use in Hospitals and Clinics: Add colour and warmth to waiting rooms or pediatrics.
Use in Schools or Art Programs: Either use your finished artwork or donate unused materials for their learning and decor.
If the painting has sentimental value too—especially paintings created from custom paint by numbers—you could even donate them for charity auctions or a community fundraiser, because they are one-of-a-kind and personal, as well as great conversation pieces.
After a few years, you may have completed hundreds of paintings, all with a different mood, memory, or skill level. Rather than ramming them into a closet, there are ways to document your creation in a more meaningful way:
Art Portfolio Binder: Take high-quality pictures or scans of each painting and collate them into a digital or physical portfolio. Include a date, some level of difficulty, and whatever personal reflections you would like to share.
Before and After Timeliness: If you have returned to the same theme over time, such as landscapes or portraits, display some of your first and second landscape/portrait paintings side by side to see how your technique has developed.
Family Art Journal: If everyone in the household paints, assemble everyone's finished work into one family portfolio, capturing your colourfulness.
This project can become an artistic legacy, especially fun when customizab-paint by numbers kits have been used to capture special people, places, or pets over time.
Final Thoughts
Completed artwork is not worthy of being stored in a box. These works of art, which might include a custom portrait of your dog or a tropical beach scene from a summer afternoon, convey tales and capture moments of awareness. Giving them a fresh purpose makes those tales come to life once more, whether it be on your wall, in your presents, in your educational resources or somewhere else.
In addition to preserving creativity and cutting down on waste, repurposing your Painting by Numbers masterpieces honours your hard work. Your completed artwork can bring happiness long after the last brushstroke if you have a little imagination. Every recycled canvas you use, whether it's to make coasters, create a scrapbook or decorate your house, adds new beauty and meaning to your life.