Painting by numbers Colors dried up? You can do that!

Painting by numbers Colors dried up - what to do?

As a popular hobby, painting by numbers is a creative activity for young people and adults that produces impressive works of art. In the process of painting, a certain problem can occur from time to time: The colors dry out. This can happen under certain circumstances even with extremely high-quality, normally long-lasting acrylic paints, such as those used by Schipper.
 

In this article, we explain exactly what you can do if your paint-by-number colors have dried out. We go into detail about how you can make the paint-by-number colors liquid again and provide you with helpful practical tips. These will enable you to prevent acrylic paints from drying out so that you no longer have to deal with the problem of dried-out acrylic paints in the future.
 

Dried-out paint by numbers - these are the causes 
Before we show you how to rescue dried-out acrylic paints, let's look at the causes of your paints drying out.

There are actually quite a few reasons why you might be annoyed that your paint by numbers paints have dried out. Firstly, storage plays a key role. If you store your paints without sealing them properly beforehand or store them in a very warm place that is not protected from the sun, they will often dry out. We will go into more detail on the correct storage of acrylic paints later in this guide. 

On the other hand, the age of the paints can also cause them to dry out. After opening, the colors do not last indefinitely. It is therefore advisable to only open the pots immediately before using them and to use them up within a few months if possible.

In addition, differences in handling influence the shelf life of the products. The longer the opened pots remain untouched - i.e. they are not stirred - the more likely it is that the paint will dry out. 

In addition, the quality of the paint is a factor that should not be neglected. Inferior, cheaply produced acrylic paints tend to dry out particularly quickly. Against this background alone, it is clearly worth investing in good quality paints. At Schipper, we only use acrylic paints of first-class quality, which can serve you well for a comparatively long time if used and stored correctly.

First steps and solutions for drying paints
Time to provide practical answers to the question "Paint by numbers dried up, what to do?". In the following, we will guide you on how to provide "first aid" if your paint by numbers colors have dried up. 
 

Make dried paints liquid again with water 
As acrylic paints are water-based, you can make these paints liquid again by adding water. Hot water is best for this, which you pour drop by drop into the pot. Then stir the dried paint thoroughly and wait for the water and dried acrylic paint to mix thoroughly. In this way, you can make acrylic paints liquid again without the need for special thinners.
 

Make dried paints liquid again with thinner 
Unfortunately, the water method only helps when it comes to water-based paints. For other products, you can try to make them usable again with thinner. The procedure remains the same: drizzle the thinner into the paint and stir patiently until the dried paint has reached the desired consistency. However, this only works if the paint has not yet dried completely, but has only become viscous. If the paint is already completely hard or lumps form when you try to dissolve it, it can unfortunately no longer be saved.
 

Make dried paint liquid again with oil 
If it is dried oil paint, you can try your luck with oil. It is important not to use any animal oils, as these would completely prevent the paint from drying later on. 
 

Storing paint by numbers correctly
To make the problem of "paint by numbers dried up" a thing of the past, you should take a closer look at the best way to store the products.

In principle, it is essential that the pots are kept completely airtight. If in doubt, double check that you have closed the lid properly.  You should also remove any dried paint stains from the edges of the pots or the inside of the lid before closing them. 

To avoid having to make your paints liquid again in the first place, you should also ensure that they are stored in a dry, cool place away from direct sunlight. It is particularly important to ensure that acrylic paints are not exposed to frost. 

If you follow these storage tips, there is a good chance that you will be able to say goodbye to dried (acrylic) paints for good.
 

Ordering paint by numbers - if all rescue attempts fail
If it turns out that you can't make your dried-up paint by numbers liquid again, you'll need an alternative solution. In essence, you have three options here.

On the one hand, you have the option of using other still usable colors to mix the required shade yourself. However, this requires a suitable color palette with liquid colors, a good feel for the right mixing ratios and, if necessary, patience - because you can't always get the right shade 100% right away.

On the other hand, you can reorder high-quality paint by number colors from Schipper with the set of  acrylic paints for painting, crafting and decorating. Included are 36 water-based acrylic paints, which you can use to replace your paints if they have dried up. 

If you bought the motif for which you need the dried-up acrylic paint from Schipper no more than three years ago, you can also use the practical Schipper replacement paint service. 
 

Conclusion: Dried-up paints - know your options
No question: If the acrylic paints have dried up, this can temporarily spoil the fun of painting. That's why it's important to always store your paints correctly to effectively prevent them from drying out. In addition, it is advisable to use high-quality paints instead of cheap products for the sake of longevity.

If the painting mishap has already happened and you find your paint by numbers paints have dried out, you have various options for action: You can try to see if you can make the affected paints liquid again or mix the required shade yourself. If none of this helps, you can always reorder the necessary paints. 

If you decide to buy new paints, Schipper is the right place for you. With one click you can discover our first-class acrylic paints as well as brushes, passe-partouts and other accessories for your painting fun. In addition, you should not miss our homepage. From there, you can access the exciting Schipper theme worlds and delve even deeper into the adventure of painting by numbers.