Painting-by-numbers literally saved my life when I had a breakdown last year

I could barely function and my anxiety was through the roof. I was crying all the time and everything felt like an overload.

Painting-by-numbers helped me to heal and gave me a break from the pain I was in. The act of painting each shape with a colour and being able to shut my brain off except for painting within the lines made such a difference to my recovery time, and I credit it with getting me to where I am today.

You probably remember “Paint-by-Numbers” kits from your childhood, but do you know the history of how they came to be? A mix between a coloring book and painting on a canvas, painting by numbers allows anyone to create a detailed work of art, even if they’ve never taken an art class. The simple art sets were first invented in the 1950s and they still remain popular for both kids and adults today.

Robbins came up with the concept for paint-by-number kits in the late 1940s while working for the Palmer Paint Company. Believe it or not, his concept was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci. “I remembered hearing that Leonardo used numbered background patterns for his students and apprentices, and I decided to try something like that

How to Paint by Numbers

 


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