Best Paint by Numbers Australia: Brands Compared and Reviewed

Not all paint by numbers kits are equal. The materials in the box determine the result you achieve.

Choosing a paint by numbers brand in Australia involves more than picking the lowest price. The canvas material, the colour count, the paint quality, and whether the brand offers custom kits all affect what your finished painting looks like and how satisfying the process is to get there.

This guide compares the most searched paint by numbers brands available to Australian buyers, including Craftoria, Artspark, and Paint On Numbers, across the criteria that actually matter. The goal is a fair and honest comparison so you can make an informed choice before you spend a dollar.

What to Look for When Comparing Paint by Numbers Brands

Before comparing any specific brand, it helps to understand the four criteria that determine whether a paint by numbers kit delivers a satisfying result for an adult painter. These are the same criteria used throughout this comparison.

For a detailed technical explanation of canvas quality differences, our canvas quality guide covers exactly what to look for when evaluating any kit.

Canvas Material: The Most Important Difference

Left: premium linen canvas with a tight, consistent archival weave. Right: standard cotton canvas with a looser, more irregular weave. The difference in how each holds paint is visible in the finished painting.

Canvas material is the single most visible quality difference between paint by numbers brands, and the one most likely to determine whether your finished painting looks like wall art or a craft project.

Budget and mid-range brands typically use cotton canvas. Cotton is widely available, inexpensive, and adequate for introductory kits. It produces a slightly soft, absorbent surface that can lead to uneven paint distribution and less defined boundaries between numbered sections.

Premium brands use 100% linen canvas, double-primed with archival gesso. Linen has a tighter, more consistent weave that holds acrylic paint on the surface rather than absorbing it. The result is crisper section boundaries, more even coverage, and a finished texture that looks like a genuine painting rather than a filled-in illustration.

Colour Count: What It Means for Your Finished Result

The same subject painted with 12 colours (left) and 48 colours (right). The colour count determines how realistic and detailed the finished painting looks.

The colour count in a kit is the clearest indicator of how detailed and realistic the finished painting will look. A 12-colour palette merges large areas of tonal variation into single flat sections. A 48-colour palette captures the gradients, midtones, and shadows that make a sky look three-dimensional and a landscape look convincingly real.

For adults who want a finished canvas worth framing and displaying, a minimum of 36 colours is the standard that produces a noticeably professional result. 48 colours is the right choice for portrait subjects, famous artwork recreations, and any design where fine tonal accuracy matters.

Brand Comparison: Craftoria, Artspark, and Paint On Numbers

The table below compares the three most searched paint by numbers brands for Australian buyers. Craftoria and Artspark figures are based on general publicly available product information and should be verified against current listings before purchase.

Craftoria and Artspark figures are approximate based on general publicly available information. Verify current product details before purchasing. Buy 2 get 1 free applies to all Paint On Numbers kits site-wide with no code required.

Craftoria Paint by Numbers: What Australian Buyers Should Know

Craftoria is one of the most searched paint by numbers brands in Australia and is widely available through Amazon Australia and the brand's own website. Their kits are positioned in the budget to mid-range segment, with pricing typically around $20 to $40 AUD depending on the kit configuration.

Craftoria kits generally use cotton canvas and offer colour palettes in the 24 to 36 colour range. For Australian buyers who want to try the hobby at a moderate price point, Craftoria is a reasonable option. The canvas quality is comparable to other brands in the same price range.

Where Craftoria falls short of premium suppliers is in linen canvas availability, the upper end of colour count, and custom kit options. If you want a canvas that looks genuinely professional when finished, a 48-colour linen canvas kit produces a measurably better result than a 24 or 36-colour cotton canvas kit at a similar price point.

Artspark Paint by Numbers: What Australian Buyers Should Know

Artspark is another Australian-market brand with a similar positioning to Craftoria. Their kits are available online and target the accessible end of the market, with pricing broadly comparable to Craftoria.

Artspark kits generally use cotton canvas with colour counts in the 24 to 36 range. The product range is moderate in size. For buyers who want a straightforward kit at an accessible price, Artspark is a functional option. For buyers who want linen canvas, 48-colour depth, or custom kit capability, Artspark does not currently offer those features across most of its range.

Paint On Numbers: What Separates It from Other Brands

A completed 48-colour linen canvas kit from Paint On Numbers. The combination of canvas quality and colour depth produces a result that reads as a genuine painting from any viewing distance.

Paint On Numbers differentiates from Craftoria and Artspark across four specific areas: canvas material, colour count ceiling, custom kit capability, and design range.

100% Linen Canvas

Every Paint On Numbers standard kit uses 100% linen canvas, double-primed with archival gesso. This is the material used by professional painters and produces a measurably different result from cotton canvas in terms of paint adhesion, section boundary clarity, and finished texture. Neither Craftoria nor Artspark currently offers linen canvas across their standard range.

Up to 48 Colours

Standard kits are available in 24, 36, and 48 colour palettes. The 48-colour option is not currently a standard offering across the Craftoria or Artspark ranges. For adult painters who want maximum realism in a landscape, portrait, or detailed wildlife design, 48 colours produces a result that 24 or 36 colours cannot match.

Custom Kits from Your Own Photo

Custom and personalised paint by numbers kits are available from $36 AUD, in four canvas sizes from 30x40cm up to 60x80cm. You upload any photograph and our artists design the numbered canvas by hand. Custom pet portrait kits are also available through a dedicated product. This option is not available through Craftoria or Artspark. For Australian buyers who want to paint a photograph of their pet, family, or a meaningful place, this is a significant differentiator. Our custom paint by numbers Australia guide covers the full process.

400 Plus Designs Across Eight Categories

The standard design range covers over 400 designs across landscapes, animals and wildlife, florals, abstracts, famous artworks, and more. This is significantly wider than the ranges available from Craftoria and Artspark. All designs are available in the standard 40x50cm size with the choice of three colour counts and three frame options.

Paint On Numbers AUD Pricing for Australian Buyers

All prices in AUD for a 40x50cm linen canvas. Shown automatically when visiting from Australia. Buy 2 get 1 free on all kits site-wide with no code required. Custom kits from $36 AUD across four canvas sizes.

Which Brand Is Right for You

The right choice depends on what you want from the finished painting and how you plan to use it.

If you want to try the hobby for the first time with minimal investment, a kit from Craftoria or Artspark in the $20 to $30 AUD range is a reasonable starting point. The cotton canvas and 24-colour palette will produce a result that satisfies as a first attempt, and the financial risk is low.

If you want a finished canvas that looks genuinely professional and is worth framing and displaying in your home, a linen canvas kit with 36 or 48 colours produces a measurably better result than any cotton canvas kit at a comparable price point. Paint On Numbers standard kits start from $31 AUD for a 40x50cm linen canvas with 24 colours, which is within the same price range as the premium end of the Craftoria and Artspark ranges.

If you want a custom kit from your own photograph, Paint On Numbers is currently the only option of the three brands that offers this for Australian customers.

For a broader comparison that includes retail store options such as Kmart, Big W, Officeworks, and Spotlight, our Australian retailer comparison guide covers the full picture.

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Author

William Murdock is the Founder of Paint On Numbers. He has spent years evaluating what separates a satisfying paint by numbers result from a disappointing one, and built this brand on the materials and standards that produce consistently professional finished canvases.