Abstract Paint by Numbers: The Best Modern Kits in Our Collection
Summary
Abstract paint by numbers kits bring contemporary, gallery-quality designs to the numbered canvas format. This guide covers what makes abstract designs unique to paint, the best kits in our collection across figure work, portraiture, mandalas, and bold modern compositions, and how to approach them for the best result.
Abstract paint by numbers occupies a different creative space from landscape, wildlife, or famous art kits. The subjects are not photographic reproductions of things that exist in the world. They are compositions built from colour, movement, and emotion, and painting them is a qualitatively different experience from painting a mountain range or a Van Gogh masterpiece.
What many painters discover when they try an abstract design for the first time is that the absence of a recognisable subject is actually freeing rather than disorienting. There is no pressure to get the face exactly right or to make the sky look precisely like the reference. The colours are bold and deliberate, the sections are clearly defined, and the finished result looks genuinely contemporary on any wall. For painters who want something that looks like it belongs in a gallery rather than above a fireplace, abstract paint by numbers for adults is the right category to explore.
We stock over 30 abstract and modern designs in our Abstract and Modern collection. This guide covers the best across four distinct styles: contemporary figures, portrait work, mandalas, and bold modern compositions. All are paint by numbers for adults, from £24.99.
Abstract paint by numbers designs produce finished paintings that look genuinely contemporary. They suit modern interiors in a way that traditional landscapes and animal portraits cannot.
Why Abstract Designs Work Well for Paint by Numbers
The numbered canvas system is particularly well-suited to abstract compositions for a reason that is not immediately obvious. In a representational painting, the numbered sections must reproduce something that exists: the exact shade of blue in a particular sky, the precise tonal gradation in a fur coat. Deviations from the original are visible as errors.
In an abstract design, the numbered sections define the composition itself. There is no external reference to deviate from. The colour relationships between sections are chosen by the designer to work together, not to match a photograph. The result is that abstract kits are almost uniquely forgiving of small variations in technique while still producing a finished painting that looks exactly as intended: bold, expressive, and contemporary.
This is why many painters who feel intimidated by famous art reproductions or detailed portrait work find abstract designs deeply satisfying. The pressure of accuracy is removed. What remains is the pleasure of colour and composition working together.
Best Contemporary Figure Designs
Figure-based abstract designs are the most popular category in our collection. They combine the emotional resonance of a human subject with the freedom and boldness of an abstract palette.
Her Own Rhythm Paint by Numbers
Abstract and Modern Collection | Intermediate
A female figure in motion, rendered in bold expressive colour blocks of deep blues, warm ochres, vivid crimsons, and layered neutrals. The abstract nature of the composition means there is no single correct way to read the figure, and the colour relationships are designed to work together rather than to describe anything literally. The result is one of the most genuinely gallery-worthy finished paintings in the entire collection.
This is the kit that consistently surprises painters who are new to abstract work. The process feels more expressive and less prescriptive than representational kits, and the finished result looks like something you would choose to buy as a print. Browse the full Abstract and Modern collection for more designs in this style.
Now I See Paint by Numbers
Abstract and Modern Collection | Intermediate
A bold geometric portrait of a face broken into sharp angular planes of colour, drawing on the cubist tradition of showing multiple perspectives simultaneously. Every section of the face is a distinct geometric shape in a vivid primary or secondary colour: oranges, yellows, teals, greens, reds, and purples meeting at hard edges. The result is one of the most visually arresting designs in the collection, and the geometric precision of the composition makes every section clearly defined and satisfying to paint.
Light in Her Hands Paint by Numbers
Abstract and Modern Collection | Intermediate to Advanced
A child holding a glowing lantern aloft in near darkness, painted in the rich, gestural brushwork style of expressive portraiture. The lantern's warm golden light radiates against a deep teal and near-black background, casting the child's face in warm orange and amber tones. The dramatic contrast between light and dark is the defining challenge and reward of this kit: working through the deep background sections first, then building the luminous warm tones of the figure, produces a finished painting with extraordinary depth and emotional presence.
This is one of the most technically demanding figure designs in the collection, and one of the most rewarding. The expressive brushwork style means each section contributes to an overall texture and energy that reveals itself fully only at the end.
Best Abstract Mandala Designs
Mandala designs occupy a unique position in abstract paint by numbers. The radial symmetry of a mandala means that once you understand the pattern structure, every section is predictable and the whole composition builds with satisfying, meditative regularity. They are among the most calming abstract designs available.
Luminous Mandala Paint by Numbers
Abstract and Modern Collection | Intermediate to Advanced
A richly detailed mandala in a vibrant palette of jewel tones: deep purples, electric blues, warm golds, and rich crimsons radiating outward from a central point. The repeating radial structure makes the painting process deeply meditative: once the pattern logic becomes clear, working through each concentric ring feels purposeful and absorbing in a way that few other designs can match.
The finished result is one of the most striking abstract pieces in the collection. Mandalas have a visual complexity that makes them look far more difficult to produce than the numbered system actually requires, which means the gap between effort and impression is unusually large. For a more detailed discussion of the meditative benefits of this kind of repetitive, structured painting, read our paint by numbers wellbeing guide.
Wings Open Paint by Numbers
Abstract and Modern Collection | Intermediate
A butterfly with wings spread open over a wildflower meadow, painted in an expressive, gestural style that sits firmly in the abstract tradition. The wings glow with rich oranges, reds, teals, and purples against a luminous teal-green background painted with loose, energetic brushwork. The wildflowers below are rendered in vivid scattered strokes of yellow, red, pink, and white. This is not a naturalistic butterfly study: it is an abstract celebration of colour, light, and movement.
Best Bold Modern Compositions
Gentle Unfolding Paint by Numbers
Abstract and Modern Collection | Beginner to Intermediate
A flowing abstract composition of overlapping petal-like shapes in warm oranges, soft pinks, rich reds, golden yellows, and cool creams, set against a background of muted blues, greys, and warm peaches. The design is inspired by the opening of a flower but abstracted into pure organic shape and colour, without petals or stems. The large, clearly defined curved sections are among the most satisfying to fill in the entire abstract collection, and the warm palette stays cohesive and beautiful throughout the process.
For painters new to abstract work, this is the most approachable entry point. The sections are generous, the palette is harmonious, and the finished result has a warmth and elegance that works in any contemporary interior.
SoulSpark Vision Paint by Numbers
Abstract and Modern Collection | Intermediate to Advanced
A close-up, neon-saturated eye filling the entire canvas in a riot of electric pinks, magentas, oranges, yellows, greens, and blues. Paint splashes and drips frame the composition, giving the whole design a street art, graffiti-influenced energy that is entirely unlike anything else in the collection. The iris itself is a swirling spectrum of colour, and the fine eyelash sections provide the most detailed and precise work in the kit.
This is the boldest and most visually intense abstract design we stock. It is not for timid walls. The finished painting is a statement piece that completely defines any room it is in, and the process of building the neon palette section by section is genuinely absorbing.
How to Approach Abstract Paint by Numbers
Work by Colour Family, Not by Section
This principle applies to all paint by numbers kits, but it matters most on abstract designs. In a representational kit, the logical approach is often to complete one element (the sky, the animal, the flower) before moving to the next. In an abstract composition there are no such elements, just colour relationships. Load each colour once, paint every section of that colour across the entire canvas, then move to the next. The composition will emerge gradually and coherently rather than in isolated patches. For the complete technique, read our guide on whether to paint light or dark colours first.
Trust the Design
Abstract designs can look unresolved halfway through. A composition that is half painted, with some colours placed and others absent, often looks more like a mistake than a work in progress. This is normal and it resolves. The moment the final colour goes on an abstract canvas is often one of the most dramatic transformations in all of paint by numbers. Sections that seemed isolated suddenly connect. The composition locks together. Resist the urge to judge an abstract kit before it is complete.
Let the Dark Sections Dry Before Painting Adjacent Light Ones
Many abstract designs use very dark backgrounds with bright, luminous foreground elements. In these cases, the dark sections must be fully dry before you paint the lighter adjacent sections, otherwise the dark pigment bleeds sideways and produces a halo effect around the lighter colour. Give dark sections a full 15 to 20 minutes to dry before working on anything directly alongside them.
Abstract designs rely entirely on colour relationships rather than subject recognition. The additional colours in the 36 and 48 colour versions of these kits produce noticeably richer and more nuanced finished results than the 24 colour versions, because the subtle tonal variations within each colour zone are what give abstract paintings their depth and quality. For abstract kits specifically, the upgrade from 24 to 36 colours makes a visible difference to the finished piece.
Further Reading
For the essential painting technique that applies to every abstract kit, read our guide on whether to paint light or dark colours first. For the wellbeing and meditative benefits of structured painting, particularly relevant for mandala designs, read our paint by numbers wellbeing guide. For session planning and time estimates, read our guide on how long paint by numbers takes. And for our full ranked guide across every category, see our best paint by numbers kits UK 2026 guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is abstract paint by numbers?
Abstract paint by numbers kits feature contemporary designs built from colour, shape, and composition rather than recognisable subjects. They include figure-based designs, mandala patterns, and bold modern compositions. Like all paint by numbers, every section is pre-numbered and matched to a specific paint colour, so no artistic experience is required.
Is abstract paint by numbers harder than regular kits?
Not necessarily. Abstract designs vary considerably in complexity. Gentle Unfolding is one of the most accessible designs in the entire collection. Mandala designs like Luminous Mandala are more demanding due to section density. Most abstract figure designs sit at an intermediate level, similar in difficulty to a detailed landscape or wildlife kit.
What makes abstract paint by numbers different to paint?
Abstract designs are more forgiving than representational ones because there is no external reference to compare against. The numbered sections define the composition, and any small variations in technique only affect the result within the context of the design rather than making the finished piece look inaccurate. Many painters find abstract kits more relaxing and expressive than portrait or landscape work for exactly this reason.
Which abstract paint by numbers kit should I start with?
If you are new to abstract work, start with Gentle Unfolding. It is the most accessible abstract design in the collection, with large sections and a cheerful, harmonious palette. Once you have completed one abstract kit and understand how the style works, Her Own Rhythm is the natural next step.
How long does delivery take?
Allow 2 to 3 business days for processing, then 6 to 8 business days for delivery across the UK.
Shop Abstract Paint by Numbers
Browse all 30 designs in our Abstract and Modern collection. Contemporary figures, mandalas, bold compositions, and modern art-inspired designs. From £24.99, delivered to your door across the UK.
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