The Rule of Isolation: Cropping Your Photo for Paint by Numbers
Executive Summary
When ordering a Custom Paint by Numbers Kit, what you leave out of the photo is just as important as what you keep in. Our mapping algorithm does not know the difference between a person and a bookshelf. It will attempt to map every object in the frame. This guide explains how to use cropping and background removal tools to isolate your subject and prevent microscopic, unpaintable cells.
In our previous guide, we covered the necessity of adjusting your contrast to create clean boundaries. However, perfect contrast will not save a photo that contains too much visual noise.
The most common complaint from first-time custom kit buyers is that the numbered cells are "too small to paint." In almost every case, this happens because the user uploaded a wide-angle shot with a cluttered background. To fix this, you must apply the rule of Subject Isolation.
1. The Visual Noise Problem
Our conversion software is incredibly thorough. If there is a tree with a hundred leaves behind your subject, the software will draw a line around every single leaf. If there is a patterned rug on the floor, it will map every shape in the pattern.
- Wasted Detail: A canvas has a finite amount of space. If the software is forced to use its processing power mapping a messy living room, it has less resolution available for the important details, like the faces of the people in the photo.
- The Fatigue Factor: Painting hundreds of tiny, meaningless background shapes is exhausting and takes the joy out of the hobby.
Figure 1: Visual Noise vs. Isolation. A busy background generates thousands of tiny zones. A clean background generates large, relaxing blocks of color, allowing the focus to remain strictly on the subject.
2. How to Crop: The 70 Percent Rule
The simplest way to fix visual noise is to crop it out using your phone's basic editing tools. When prepping a photo for a canvas, you should follow the 70 Percent Rule.
Your primary subject should fill at least 70 percent of the total image frame.
If you have a photo of your dog sitting in the yard, do not upload the whole yard. Open the photo, tap the crop tool, and pull the borders tightly around the dog's head and chest. By forcing the subject to take up the majority of the frame, you guarantee that the software will dedicate all of its detail mapping to the fur and eyes, resulting in a highly realistic portrait.
3. The Background Removal Hack
Sometimes, a crop is not enough. If the subject is standing directly in front of a highly complex pattern, you need to remove the background entirely. Thankfully, modern smartphones make this incredibly easy.
On most current iOS and Android devices, you can simply open a photo in your gallery, press and hold your finger directly on the subject, and wait for a glowing outline to appear. The phone will instantly "lift" the person or pet out of the photo. You can then copy and paste this isolated subject onto a plain white or solid-colored background using a basic note or layout app.
Uploading this isolated image creates the perfect paint by numbers template. You get maximum detail on the subject and a beautiful, solid-color background that requires very little effort to paint.
Technical FAQ
What if I actually want the background in my painting?
Does the aspect ratio of my crop matter?
Will cropping make my photo too blurry?
Ready to Isolate Your Subject?
Crop out the noise and guarantee a beautiful result. Upload your perfectly isolated photo to our custom generator today.
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