Once upon a time, paint-by-number kits were the beloved pastime of kids, bored retirees, and that one aunt who insists on gifting you her art every Christmas. But now? Paint-by-number is having a full-blown renaissance, and adults everywhere are embracing it like it’s the last coping mechanism left.

Why Is Everyone Painting Tiny, Numbered Sections Like Their Life Depends on It?

It’s simple: life is an overwhelming, chaotic void, and we need an outlet that doesn’t judge us.

• Therapy is expensive.
• Yoga requires flexibility.
• Meditating? Tried it—immediately thought about pizza.

But a paint-by-number kit? It offers a foolproof way to feel like a genius-level artist without needing any actual talent. Just match the number to the color, stay (mostly) in the lines, and boom—you’re basically the next Bob Ross.

The Thrill of Almost Messing Up

There’s nothing quite like the adrenaline rush of painting the wrong color in the wrong spot and realizing you now have to either fix it, pretend it was intentional (“Yes, this flamingo is supposed to have a dark green shadow—it’s avant-garde”), or just surrender and start drinking wine while painting.

Speaking of which, let’s talk about…

The Holy Trinity: Wine, Paint, and Denial

At some point, someone realized that sipping wine while painting a tiny, anxiety-inducing sunflower makes the whole experience even better. Enter the rise of paint-and-sip nights, where you and your friends can all pretend you’re in an art studio instead of just trying to drown out existential dread with Pinot Grigio.

The End Result? A Masterpiece (Sort of)

After hours (or, let’s be real, days) of carefully filling in little spaces, you step back to admire your work. Is it perfect? No. Did you follow the instructions exactly? Also no. Is there a weird smudge in the corner because your cat decided to “help”? Probably.

But does it spark joy? Absolutely.

In a world where everything feels chaotic, sometimes all we need is a little structure, a lot of color, and the satisfaction of finishing something that actually stays finished.

So, if you haven’t yet, grab a paint-by-number kit, pour yourself a drink, and prepare to unleash your inner artist—or at least someone who owns a very colorful collection of almost-masterpieces.