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If you've never picked up a craft kit before, two of the easiest starting points are paint by numbers and diamond painting (often sold as Diamond Dotz here in Australia). Both are designed for absolute beginners. Both produce a frame-worthy result. Both are calming in a way that scrolling never quite manages.

So which one suits you? Here's a straightforward comparison, plus a recommendation at the end based on what you're actually looking for.

Quick definitions

Paint by numbers is exactly what it sounds like. You get a printed canvas with numbered areas, a set of small numbered acrylic paint pots, and a few brushes. Match the number, fill the area, repeat. The result is a real painting with brush texture, the kind of thing that looks handmade because it is.

Diamond Dotz is a more modern craft. You get an adhesive printed canvas, sparkly resin facets ("dots") in coded colours, and a wax-tipped applicator pen. You pick up each dot with the pen and place it on its matching square. The result is a glittering, mosaic-style picture that catches the light from across the room.

Materials and what's actually in the box

It helps to know exactly what you're working with before you start, especially if you're setting up a space for it.

Paint by numbers kits typically include

• A canvas printed with faint numbered outlines, usually pre-stretched on a wooden frame or rolled flat.
• Small pots of acrylic paint, one per number, already colour-matched so there's no mixing involved.
• A handful of brushes in different sizes, from fine detail tips to broader ones for filling large areas.
• A printed colour reference sheet showing the finished image.

Diamond Dotz kits typically include

• An adhesive canvas with a peel-back protective film and printed symbols showing where each colour goes.
• Small bags or trays of resin facets, sorted and coded by colour and symbol.
• A wax-tipped applicator pen and a small block of tacky wax to help the pen pick up each facet.
• A tray or organiser for sorting the facets as you work, which is worth having even if it isn't included.

Time investment

Neither craft is quick, and that's rather the point. Both are meant to be spread across several sittings, not finished in one go.

A small paint by numbers canvas, say 30 x 40 cm, usually takes somewhere between 8 and 15 hours of actual painting time. Larger areas fill quickly with a broad brush, but fine detail sections and multiple thin layers can slow things down, especially if you're waiting for one colour to dry before starting an adjacent one.

A similarly sized Diamond Dotz kit tends to take a little less time, around 6 to 10 hours, because there's no drying time built in. The pace is steadier too. Placing one facet takes only a second or two once you find your rhythm, so progress feels continuous rather than stop-start.

Mess and cleanup

This is one of the biggest practical differences between the two crafts, and it's worth thinking about honestly before you buy.

Paint by numbers involves wet paint, a water cup for rinsing brushes, and paper towel for the inevitable drips. It's not a messy craft by any means, but it does need a dedicated surface, ideally one you don't mind getting a splash on, and a few minutes of cleanup at the end of each session. Brushes need rinsing properly or they harden and become useless.

Diamond Dotz, by comparison, is almost entirely mess-free. The worst that happens is a stray facet rolling under the couch. There's no water, no drying time, and nothing that needs washing up afterwards. This alone makes it the better choice for crafting in bed, on the couch, or anywhere you can't easily set up a workspace.

Portability

If you like to craft on the go, on the train, in a waiting room, on a weekend away, portability matters more than people expect.

Paint by numbers doesn't travel well. Open paint pots can spill, brushes need a rinse cup nearby, and a half-finished wet canvas is awkward to pack away safely. It's really a craft for a fixed spot at home.

Diamond Dotz travels far better. Once the canvas is unrolled and stuck down, you can fold or roll a partially finished section carefully, pack the facets in their tray, and pick up again wherever you land. Many people keep a small Diamond Dotz kit specifically as a travel project for this reason.

Cost considerations

Entry-level kits in both crafts are similarly priced for a given canvas size, so cost isn't usually the deciding factor. Where it can matter is in the running costs. Paint by numbers kits occasionally run short on one colour, particularly a shade used heavily across a large area, and you may need a top-up. Diamond Dotz kits are measured more precisely by facet count, so shortfalls are less common, though they can happen on very large or very detailed designs. Either way, a quick email to us sorts out a replacement if you bought the kit from us.

Finished look

The two crafts produce genuinely different results, and this is often the real deciding factor once people see both in person.

A finished paint by numbers piece looks like a proper painting. Up close you can see brush strokes and slight texture variations, and it sits comfortably in a traditional or modern frame alongside other artwork. It has a soft, painterly quality that photographs particularly well in natural light.

A finished Diamond Dotz piece looks like a mosaic crossed with a gemstone. The facets catch and scatter light as you move past it, which gives it a shimmer that a flat painting simply can't produce. It suits a floating frame or shadow box that lets a little depth show around the edges.

Head-to-head comparison

Choose paint by numbers if…

• You like the smell of real paint and the feel of a brush in your hand.
• You're nostalgic for school art class.
• You want something that looks like a genuine painting hanging on the wall.
• You can dedicate a workspace for a few sessions, since paint dries and brushes need rinsing.
• You enjoy seeing rapid progress, as large blocks of colour fill in quickly.

Start with our paint by numbers kits. Look for a 30 x 40 cm canvas with a subject that holds your interest. Looking at the same scene for 10 hours, you'll want to genuinely like it.

Choose Diamond Dotz if…

• You'd rather avoid wet media and cleanup.
• You want a craft you can do on the couch with a movie on.
• You love sparkle and shimmer in a finished piece.
• You like crafts you can pause and return to without any setup time.
• You find repetitive, gentle motions soothing. It's the same appeal as colouring books.

Start with our Diamond Dotz range. A 30 cm round or square is a good first kit, big enough to feel substantial, small enough to finish in a fortnight of evenings.

Which personality suits which craft

Beyond the practical differences, it often comes down to temperament as much as anything else.

If you're someone who likes to see a project through in fewer, longer sittings and enjoys the ritual of setting up a proper workspace, paint by numbers will likely suit you better. It rewards patience with something that genuinely rivals a hand-painted piece, and the process itself, mixing your attention between brush and canvas, can be quietly meditative in its own right.

If you're someone who craves a sense of constant, tangible progress and prefers to fit crafting into small pockets of time throughout the week, Diamond Dotz is usually the better fit. There's something particularly soothing about the repetition of picking up one facet and placing it down, over and over, without needing to think much at all. It's an easy companion for a podcast or a show in the background.

Neither is more "serious" than the other. Both are simply different routes to the same outcome: time spent making something with your hands instead of scrolling through a screen.

What if you want to try both?

Honest answer: try Diamond Dotz first. It's the lower-pressure option, with no wet paint, no drying time, and no risk of muddied colours. If you finish your first kit and want a more traditional painting experience, paint by numbers is the natural next step.

If you're buying for someone else as a gift, Diamond Dotz also has a higher "wow factor" once finished, and tends to be the safer choice for someone you don't yet know is into crafting.

What you don't need to worry about

People over-research these decisions. Here are a few things you can stop worrying about.

• "What if I can't draw?" Neither kit requires drawing or any artistic skill. They're paint-by-letters and dot-by-square. Anyone who can read a number can do either.
• "What if I get bored?" Pick a kit with a subject you genuinely like, not one that just looked technically interesting. The subject matters more than the technique.
• "What if I make mistakes?" Both crafts are forgiving. Misplaced dots peel off cleanly with a fingernail. Painted-over numbers can be re-covered once the layer dries.
• "Will it look professional?" Yours will look exactly like the box. Both kits include detailed, repeatable placement instructions.

FAQ

How long does each craft take? A small first kit takes 6 to 12 hours of total time, usually spread over 3 to 7 evening sessions. Larger kits scale roughly in line with their size.

Can children do these? Both kits suit ages 8 and up. Younger children may need help with the smaller dots (Diamond Dotz) or fine brush work (paint by numbers). Diamond Dotz facets are a choking hazard for children under 3.

What if I run out of paint or dots mid-kit? Email us and we'll organise replacements for any kit you bought from us.

Do I need to seal the finished work? It's optional. Paint by numbers benefits from a light matte varnish to protect the acrylic. Diamond Dotz are sealed as soon as you press them onto the adhesive canvas, so there's no extra step needed.

Do I need any tools I don't already own? No. Everything required is in the box for both crafts, right down to the brushes and the applicator pen. You just need a flat surface and, for paint by numbers, a cup of water.

Ready to start?

If you're still torn, our recommendation is to start with a small Diamond Dotz kit. It's the gentler introduction, both to this style of craft and to the idea of slow, finite, finishable creative time. Browse our Diamond Dotz range or our paint by numbers kits to choose your first project, and remember that either one is simply a way to craft your way to calm.