Coastal Paint by Numbers: Every UK Ocean Kit Reviewed
Summary
Paint on Numbers UK has ten coastal and ocean paint by numbers kits across a range of styles, from tropical beach sunsets and crashing surf to limestone sea stacks and lighthouse cliffs. This guide reviews all of them, organised by type, with a comparison table, individual kit details, and a technique section for painting ocean water convincingly.
Coastal and ocean subjects are among the most popular in paint by numbers, and for straightforward reasons: the colour palettes of blues, teals, warm sands, and golden light are naturally satisfying to work with, the large sections of sky and water build progress quickly, and the finished canvases work in almost any home. The range covers everything from calm tropical harbours to dramatic crashing waves, so the choice is really about mood rather than difficulty.
This guide covers every coastal paint by numbers kit currently available from Paint on Numbers UK, with enough detail to choose the right one before you order.
Quick Comparison: All Coastal Kits
| Kit | Type | Level | Colours | Canvas | Mood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beach Aerial View | Beach | Beginner | 24 only | 50x40 cm | Calm, aerial, minimal |
| Tropical Sailboat | Beach | Beginner | 24 only | 50x40 cm | Relaxed, tropical escape |
| Tropical Beach Sunset | Sunset | Beginner | 24 only | 50x40 cm | Warm, dramatic sky |
| Sunset Shore | Sunset | Confident beginner | 24, 36 or 48 | 50x40 cm | Tropical, atmospheric |
| Caravan Beach Sunset | Vintage / Lifestyle | Beginner | 24 only | 50x40 cm | Nostalgic, travel poster |
| Retro Beach Van | Vintage / Lifestyle | Beginner | 24 only | 50x40 cm | Retro, road trip |
| Just Me and the Sea | Landscape | Confident beginner | 24, 36 or 48 | 40x50 cm | Solitary, atmospheric |
| Sunset Lighthouse | Landmark | Confident beginner | 24, 36 or 48 | 50x40 cm | Dramatic, classic |
| Surfer Wave | Action | Beginner | 24 only | 50x40 cm | Bold, energetic |
| Tides of Time | Seascape | Confident beginner | 24, 36 or 48 | 50x40 cm | Dramatic, atmospheric |
Beginner Kits: 24 Colours, Simplified Palette
Six of the ten kits in this collection are fixed-palette beginner designs: 24 colours only, larger sections, straightforward compositions. They are the right starting point for anyone new to paint by numbers and produce genuinely striking results because the coastal colour palette- blues, teals, warm sands, and golden skies- is naturally vivid and cohesive at 24 colours.
Beach Aerial View | From £24.99
A top-down aerial view of a beach: turquoise ocean, golden sand, white foam waves, and beach huts. The aerial perspective is what makes this one different. Instead of painting a scene you stand inside, you are painting something seen from above, which gives the finished canvas a modern, almost abstract quality. The large sections of turquoise water and warm sand fill quickly, and the result is calm and contemporary.
Best for: First-time painters, anyone who likes clean minimal design, and anyone decorating a modern interior.
View Beach Aerial ViewTropical Sailboat | From £24.99
A white sailboat on calm turquoise water with seagulls, golden sand, and palm trees. The composition is clean and the palette straightforward: turquoise water, white sails, golden sand, and deep green palms. One of the most relaxing kits in the collection to paint, and one of the easiest to complete. The large water gradient sections fill smoothly, and the calm mood of the scene carries right through the process.
Best for: Beginners, sailing enthusiasts, beach lovers, and anyone who wants a kit that genuinely feels like a holiday.
View Tropical SailboatTropical Beach Sunset | From £24.99
A blazing tropical sunset with palms framing a sweeping crescent beach. The sky moves from deep purple at the top through coral and gold to a vivid orange burn at the horizon, with large and bold sections that fill quickly and establish the warm, dreamy mood immediately. The turquoise water below picks up the sky tones and shifts from deep ocean blue in the middle distance to pale glassy clarity at the shore. One of the most visually rewarding kits in the collection to paint.
Best for: Beginners who want drama and colour, anyone decorating with warm tones, travel and tropical enthusiasts.
View Tropical Beach SunsetCaravan Beach Sunset | From £24.99
A vintage caravan on a sandy beach at sunset, with dramatic cream and peach clouds, ocean waves, and orange wildflowers in the foreground. Painted in vintage travel poster style with rich warm tones. The towering sunset clouds are the most distinctive section: large, sweeping curves that fill quickly and establish the nostalgic, unhurried character of the design.
Best for: Vintage and retro design lovers, caravan and camping enthusiasts, anyone who wants something with character and warmth.
View Caravan Beach SunsetRetro Beach Van | From £24.99
A retro van parked by a calm coastal scene with orange-sailed sailboats, fluffy cream clouds, and a silhouetted tree on a golden sand foreground. The vintage travel poster aesthetic is clean and graphic. A companion piece in spirit to Caravan Beach Sunset, but with a different compositional character: cooler, more open, less dramatic in the sky.
Best for: Van life and road trip enthusiasts, vintage design lovers, and anyone who liked Caravan Beach Sunset but wants a calmer version.
View Retro Beach VanSurfer Wave | From £24.99
A woman surfer in a red bikini on a yellow surfboard, balanced mid-ride on a dramatic deep teal wave. The wave fills the upper half of the canvas, and the colour gradient from deep teal through lighter blues to white foam creates genuine movement and energy. The red and yellow surfer against the deep blue wave is one of the strongest visual contrasts in the entire coastal collection, and the finished canvas reads boldly from across the room.
Best for: Surfers and wave enthusiasts, anyone who wants the most dynamic and energetic design in the collection, bold wall art lovers.
View Surfer WaveRegular Kits: 24, 36 or 48 Colours
The four regular kits offer a choice of colour count, which changes the level of tonal detail in the finished painting. 24 colours are accessible; 36 gives more depth and separation in close shades; 48 gives the richest, most detailed result. These kits suit confident beginners and intermediate painters.
Sunset Shore | From £24.99
A tropical beach at the magic hour, with warm sunset tones flooding the sky and catching on the ocean below. Similar in subject to Tropical Beach Sunset but with more colour count flexibility, which means more control over the graduation from sky to water and more nuance in the palm and sand sections. A step up in quality for painters who want to get more out of a sunset scene.
Best for: Confident beginners who want a richer result than the fixed-palette sunset kits, intermediate painters who love warm coastal colours.
View Sunset ShoreSunset Lighthouse | From £24.99
A white lighthouse on a rugged cliffside at sunset, the sky ablaze in orange, amber, and crimson, reflecting onto the crashing waves below. The lighthouse silhouette against the warm sky is the compositional strength: a classic coastal landmark in a classically dramatic setting. More structural complexity than a beach or wave design, with the cliff, the building, and the sea all needing distinct treatment.
Best for: Confident beginners, anyone drawn to classic coastal imagery and strong architectural focal points.
View Sunset LighthouseJust Me and the Sea | From £24.99
A purple backpack resting on a grassy clifftop, with a rugged coastal cliff behind and a vast view of layered turquoise and deep blue ocean beyond. One of the most compositionally distinctive designs in the collection: the foreground detail of the backpack, grass, and wildflowers contrasts with the open expanse of the sea, creating a depth and sense of scale that flat beach scenes do not have.
Best for: Walkers and coastal hikers, intermediate painters who want more compositional complexity, anyone who wants something genuinely different from a standard beach scene.
View Just Me and the SeaTides of Time | From £24.99
Waves roll in steady layers of blue and white before dissolving into soft foam at the base of limestone sea stacks. The warm ochre and sandy gold of the rock faces balance against cool aquas and sea blues in a composition that has the quiet, geological patience of a place that has been there for millennia. The most atmospheric and accomplished design in the coastal collection, and the one that produces the most impressive finished result.
Best for: Intermediate painters, anyone who wants the most dramatic and timeless result in the collection, painters who enjoy complex foreground and background layering.
View Tides of TimeHow to Choose the Right Kit
| If you want... | Choose |
|---|---|
| The simplest, most relaxing first kit | Beach Aerial View or Tropical Sailboat |
| A warm, dramatic sunset | Tropical Beach Sunset or Sunset Shore |
| A classic coastal landmark | Sunset Lighthouse |
| A vintage, nostalgic feel | Caravan Beach Sunset or Retro Beach Van |
| The boldest, most energetic design | Surfer Wave |
| Something compositionally different from a beach scene | Just Me and the Sea |
| The most dramatic and impressive finished result | Tides of Time |
| Your own favourite beach or coastal photo as a kit | Custom Paint by Numbers |
Technique: How to Paint Ocean Water
Ocean Water Technique: 5 Key Principles
Why Coastal Subjects Are Ideal for Paint by Numbers
The ocean palette, blues and teals shifting to lighter shallows, foam whites, warm golden sands, and sunset oranges, is naturally well-served by the paint by numbers format. The large sections of sky and water build progress quickly and give a sense of momentum from the very first session. The format also handles the tonal gradation in ocean water well: rather than blending, the numbered sections step smoothly from deep colour to light, and the eye reads those steps as a gradient from a normal viewing distance. For more on how to get the most from any kit, read our guide on your first paint by numbers setup.
If you have a photograph of a coastal walk, a favourite beach, or a holiday that still means something, the Custom Paint by Numbers service converts it into a numbered canvas with matched acrylics for £29.99. Photos taken from a clifftop, a harbour wall, or looking back along a beach toward the light work particularly well. A personal coastal memory as a painting on the wall is a different thing entirely from a ready-made scene.
Current offer: Buy 2, Get 1 Free (add 3 to cart) / Buy 4, Get 2 Free (add 6) / Buy 6, Get 3 Free (add 9). Mix and match across the full collection. Free UK delivery on orders over £45.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which coastal kit is best for beginners?
Any of the six fixed-palette 24-colour kits are beginner-friendly: Beach Aerial View, Surfer Wave, Caravan Beach Sunset, Tropical Beach Sunset, Tropical Sailboat, or Retro Beach Van. Beach Aerial View and Tropical Sailboat are the two simplest compositions if you want the easiest possible first kit.
What is the difference between a beginner and a regular kit?
Beginner kits have a fixed 24-colour palette, larger sections, and simpler compositions. Regular kits offer 24, 36, or 48 colours, giving you more tonal depth in the finished painting. Regular kits are appropriate for confident beginners and intermediate painters.
Which kit produces the most dramatic finished result?
Surfer Wave has the strongest visual contrast. Tides of Time is the most atmospheric and accomplished design overall. Sunset Lighthouse is the most classically dramatic. The right answer depends on what kind of drama you are looking for.
How long do coastal kits take to complete?
Beginner kits with 24 colours: typically 8 to 12 hours. Regular kits at 48 colours with more complex compositions: 12 to 18 hours. See our guide on how long paint by numbers takes for a full breakdown.
Can I paint my own favourite beach as a kit?
Yes. The Custom Paint by Numbers service converts any photograph into a numbered canvas. From £29.99, with the same materials as a standard kit.
Related Guides
- Paint by Numbers Landscapes: the full landscapes collection reviewed
- How to Display Your Finished Painting: framing and hanging options
- Best Paint by Numbers Kits UK 2026: full ranked guide across every category
- Custom Paint by Numbers from a Photo: how to turn any photograph into a kit
- Your First Paint by Numbers: setup checklist and beginner tips
Shop Coastal Paint by Numbers
Ten designs from calm tropical harbours to dramatic limestone sea stacks. Premium linen canvas, everything included. From £24.99, free UK delivery over £45.
Browse All Coastal Kits Paint Your Own Beach