Customised / Photo Paint By Numbers - Understanding our Product.

Here are some pointers to help you understand the product before you finalise the order, start your painting.

As mentioned on the product page, your image is designed to be an artistic representation of your photo. Not an exact replica. It is meant to be a fun and relaxing artistic project for you to hang in your home of give a s special gift. Please do not expect it to be of the quality of the great masters of art.

The conversion system, converts you photo into24 colours. This is despite your photo containing many 100's if not 1000's of colours. It would be an arduous task to paint several hundred if not tens of thousands of colours not to mention expensive to make and send.

Simply, the digital image file is analysed and the colours converted into a digital code which is then used to create the actual paints. Much in the same way as if you are using Photoshop, GIMP or similar type of image editing software where you can "Pick" a colour in the picture. The selected colour is never exactly the same as you see on the screen but it is pretty close. As it is with the paint by numbers paints, they will not be exactly as you see on your screen but they will be pretty close. 

Therefore many hues, shades and tones of the same colour in the photo may show as the same colour on the photo.

There are also differences in screens and devices and how the colours they show. Then there are different colour standards CMYK, RMB and Pantone colour systems - each providing a difference to your eyes and how the finished colour looks.

Hence the converter may actually see a different colour than you do for the same image.

So some blues may come as purple shade, dark greens and dark browns may be black, faces in the shade may be a greyinsh or brownish colour etc.

An important aspect of painting is the ability of the artist to replicate light and layer/bled paints to crate different effects, hues, tones, textures and colours. The converter unfortunately cannot, it takes the literal colour only. 

Having said that, the colours come together at the end and produce a wonderful painting you or your loved ones can be proud of. 

Here are some tips:

The Canvas:

Your kit will arrived rolled up. However we are restricted by length when sending them internationally. Therefore it is highly likely that your canvas will arrive in a creased condition. This has caused some concern amongst our customers but please do not worry. It will just need a quick iron (On the back - DO NOT IRON ON THE PATTERN)  and the creases should sort them selves out. 

The Photo:

• Try and send us a photo with a high resolution.

• The minimum required is 1200 pixels. in this dimension the photo is 40 pixels per center. Roe example, If you wanted say a 30 x 40 cm painting, the minimum recommended size would be 1200 x 1600 pixels per square cm. If you were to send the same photo in the dimension on 3000 x 4000 pixels you will have 100 pixels per cm.

• This would enable greater definition, detail and shades of colours in the painting.

• We will always check your image for quality, resolution and size. In most cases will will increase the resolution so you get the best quality image.However this is not always practical as there are a lot of variables involved including the quality of the camera, the exposure settings, focus etc.

• We recommend you wait till the painting is nearing completion before you judge it. As the painting progresses, the colours will blend together and the painting will materialise. Please don’t loo at the individual colours in isolation. In art as in life, individual colours blend together to the actual colour we see.

• Like all good art, the  painting is also designed to be viewed from a distance (on a wall – 2-3 meters)  rather than 30-40 cm’s. Then all of the colours will blend together in you eye to create the image you see.

The Picture subject:

• If you want pictures of people, try and then faces as close as possible, that way you will get more detail. People in the distant may result in a non detailed face in some cases.

 

• Shaded areas on white faces or skin will often generate a greyish colour or in the case of darker skin colours, a darker tone of the skin. 

• Landscapes create some issues with distant colours as they tend to blend and it is not possible to capture all the intricacies of the detail such as different shades of dark green etc.

• Cityscapes are the same. There is a lot of detail in buildings that may not replicate to a painting under this converting system. An artist may capture this, but the machine will not.

 

• Blues in sky and water often gets picked up as purple.

 

• If you are not totally happy with the colour in the kit, you can try and lighten it or darken it slightly; or if you feel really artistic, purchase a small box of paints and try and create the colour you want for that number. BUT BE CAREFUL,  any major changes may throw out the colour balance in the final image.   

 

• One painting of our daughter which  we gave to our family, we abstracted it by changing all the colours (numbers) and replacing them with vibrant almost psychedelic colours. The effect was amazing. 

 

• Often when you start (especially if it's your first painting), you may get a little disheartened. Be patient. Like all good works of art, they are best viewed from a distance and when finished. Colours will blend together in the whole picture. 

 

                                   This is our current project - Sept 2020

 

• if there are apparent colour differences especially in faces, try and blend a little on the colour lines like you work if painting normally - the effect can be fantastic. 

 

• When you paint, paint the number, not the area. Finish the number then go to the next number.

• Start with the lightest colours and finish with the darkest. That way you can make any alterations to the hue or tone as you go along.

• Buy a canvas from you local discount store - they have many different sizes. Make sure it is the same size as your canvas. using thumb tacks pin you canvas to the frame (we just pin it over the canvas already fixed to the frame.

• When your painting is finished and dry, buy a frame (We use our local Lo Costa store) . We use cloth/Duct tape which we get from the hardware store and tape it to the backing board. We remove the little tabs and gently tap some tacks into the frame to hold the painting. Holds fine for us and saves the expense of a pricey framing store.

• Of course if you want to get a special frame, the visit a framing store and get it professionally framed.

 

We just want to reiterate that we cannot guarantee the finished product. There are too many variables that may not be noticeable when we look at your photo. So please think carefully if you have any doubts about your image as we will not refund in these circumstances. Only if the there are manufacturing faults or canvas or any of the components. 

We hope that helps you a little bit. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@giftsactually.com.au

Kindest regards

Andrea and Robert Hansen