How PBNify Turns a Photo Into a Paint-by-Number Design

Updated

PBNify converts a photo you upload into a numbered paint-by-number design with a matching color guide. You can generate the design for free, download a print-ready PDF, or order a complete kit with a printed canvas and paints. The whole process runs in three steps: upload, generate, then download or order. This works for any photo you own, as long as it meets the file requirements below.

What you need before starting

  • A photo file in one of these formats: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WEBP, HEIC, or AVIF.
  • A file size of no more than 20MB.
  • A device with a browser, since the generator runs on the site rather than as installed software.

If your photo is larger than 20MB, resize or compress it first. If it's in a format not listed, convert it before uploading.

Step 1: Upload your photo

Drag and drop your image onto the upload area, or tap to select it from your camera roll on a mobile device. The site accepts the formats and size limit noted above.

Step 2: Generate the paint-by-number design

Once the photo is uploaded, the generator converts it into a paint-by-number design. This happens in a few moments. The result is a numbered pattern plus a matched color palette.

Preview and edit before you commit

Before deciding what to do next, you can adjust the design:

  • Background removal — toggle it on or off instantly.
  • Crop options — choose from multiple crop settings.

The site states that what you see in the preview is exactly what you get, so use the preview to confirm the framing and background before moving on.

Step 3: Download for free or order a kit

You have two output paths, and you can preview the design before choosing either.

Free printable design

The free design includes:

Item What it gives you
Paint by number generated Your photo shown as a paint-by-number before you decide next steps
Printable canvas PDF A numbered design you can print at home for a DIY project
Color guide A matched palette telling you which colors to use

Download the print-ready PDF if you want to paint it yourself with your own supplies.

Complete custom kit

If you'd rather have everything shipped, you can order a complete kit. According to the site, the kit includes:

  • A 12 × 15-inch printed canvas with your custom design
  • Up to 60 paint colors
  • Two brushes

Kits ship from the company's facility in Columbus, Ohio, and tracking lets you follow the delivery to your door.

How to verify it worked

After generating, check three things in the preview:

  1. The numbered regions match the main shapes in your photo.
  2. The color guide palette looks reasonable for the image.
  3. Any background removal or crop you applied is reflected in the preview.

If the preview looks right, the downloaded PDF or ordered kit will match it, since the site says the preview equals the final output.

Common sticking points

  • Upload rejected — check the format is one of the six supported types and the file is under 20MB.
  • Design looks cluttered — try a crop option to focus on the main subject, or toggle background removal to simplify the image.
  • Deciding between free and kit — the free path suits DIY painters with their own supplies; the kit path suits anyone who wants the canvas and exact matched paints included.

What PBNify is and isn't

PBNify is a paint-by-numbers generator: it converts a photo into a numbered design with a matching color guide, and lets you preview, edit, download, or order that design as a kit. It also works as a color-by-number generator for printable designs. It is not a design tool for creating artwork from scratch — the starting point is always your own photo.