Are paint-by-numbers considered "cheating" in the art world or are they actually helpful?

Answer 1

Yes, actually, you can glean knowledge and sharpen skills using paint-by-numbers. Does this surprise you? It did for me when I started again. I used to avoid them myself for the longest time because I did think this very thought, that I wasn't a "real artist" if I painted using paint-by-number, and while I don't necessarily recommend staying with them and not ever using a blank canvas, you can actually learn quite a lot about color blending and color mixing.

Not everyone enjoys paint-by-numbers. I know many a good artist who find them tedious. I love them and enjoy painting them on the side. I usually stick to florals that are not super complicated. This way, I can still practice brush strokes, blending, and detail. Once I have an idea of where my subject is and how it is formed, I sometimes don't even use the provided numbers and create my own interpretation. Paint-by-numbers are actually quite a fun way of honing skills.