Articles
Dan Robbins
- Remembering Dan Robbins - A tribute and biography from 20 North Gallery
- New York Times Obituary, 4/6/2019
- Associated Press Obituary, via NY Post
- "Another Brush With Fame" by Lynn Van Matre (1998)
- "Paint by Numbers' No. 1 Man" - Chicago Sun Tribune 10/22/2000 (scan)
Smithsonian Exhibit
- Smithsonian's Online PBN Collection
- Paint by Number: Accounting for Taste in the 1950s
- Smithsonian Magazine "You, Too, Can Be A Rembrandt"
- "Art's Numbered Days" Smithsonian show review, Washington Post
- "What's Right With This Picture", NYTimes Smithsonian review
- Cabinet Magazine Interview with William L. Bird, Jr, Smithsonian curator
- Artists Proof of The Last Supper by Adam Grant Delivered to the Smithsonian
- Indianapolis Star article by Carl Hartman, 4/6/01
History and Collecting
- A user-submitted story of PBN collecting from Ronald Krueger
- Hyperallergic article looking at the history of PBN from an art-historical lens
- A well-sourced history from flashbak.com
- "Craft Master: The History of Paint By Numbers" by Deanna Dahlsad
- "The 'Why' of Collecting Paint by Numbers" by Deanna Dahlsad
- An appreciation of Richard "Dick" Hess, Palmer Paint designer in the 50's/graphic artist.
- "Brush up on the basics of this collecting craze" by Larry Rubin (1999)
- Lengthy blog article about the influence of PBNs on the art world by Sandy Donabed
- "Painting By Numbers: How Bad Was It?", NY Times, 10/9/1994
- "Getting Creative With Numbers" by KC Cederholm from Historic New England Fall 2017
- The most recent re-emergence of PBN popularity in the age of COVID-19
- Article and video about the 2007 Pine St Art Works PBN Exhibit (with video)
- Smithsonian article about PBN techniques and the first close-up photo of Mars
Documents and Photographs
- By the Numbers newsletter by Larry Rubin 1999-2002
- Dan Robbins Press Release
- Photos from the Springfield Museum of Art PBN Exhibit
- Mad Magazine PBN Cover Art
- "Paint by Number 'The Last Supper'" Musical Theater Flyer
- Photo of the "Craftint Girls"
- Craftint Letter to Vendors
- Craftint Dealer Aids
- Craftint Color Mixing Instructions
- Standard Toykraft's"Facts About Space" insert
- PBNs in the 1960's Home (Photos)
- EPCOT International Festival of the Arts 2021 PBN Mural
Advertising
Related Craft Catalogs
- 3D Pictorama Catalog (1953)
- Belle-Art Mosaic Catalog
- Craft Master's "Tile 'N Frame" Catalog
- Craftint's Kid-Ease set-- PBNs on die-cut panels
- Craftint Deco-Write Kits for Dealers
- Craftint Hobby Art Catalog for Dealers
- Craftint Wall Art Scroll PBNs
- CVH Taffeta Pictures 601-18, 1968
- CVH Taffeta Pictures 609-10; 613-18
- CVH Taffeta Pictures 621-8 (1963)
- CVH Junior Velvet Tableaux Sets (1966)
- Decorator Scrolls Catalog
- Exotic Golden Scrolls
- Hobby Time Mosaics Catalog (1956)
- Mosette Crushed Stone Design Kits Catalog (1961)
- Mosette Boutif C21-32
- Renwal Mosaics Catalog
- Sears Full Color catalog w/ PBN kits (1962)
- Teencraft Scrap 'n Snap Scrapbook Catalog
- Testors Full Wholesale Catalog (1959)
- Tole Craft paintable metal objects, 1-9
- Tole Craft paintable metal objects 5-6; 8-14
- Trimen Palette List of Pictures Available 10-19: 201-20
Other Craft and PBN-related Kits
Tile, Scroll and Misc PBN Kits
- Art Award Paint 'n Puff
- Craft Master Incredible Shrinking Pictures PBN Kit
- Craft Master Tile 'N Frame Kit (1953)
- Creative Enterprises Paint-a-Card kit
- Creative Paint 'n Foil
- Decorator Scrolls
- Deluxe Super-Art Stencil Painting
- Flexcraft Tile Painting Kit
- Framed Bible Paint-by-Number Set
- Hasbro's Oriental Scrolls
- Incredible Shrinking Magic Miniatures
- Jon Gnagy Tile Painting Set
- Kachina Sand Painting-By-The-Number Kit
- Kenner Art Gallery Shaded PBN Set
- Lumin Art PBN and Multi-craft Kit
- Masterpiece Canvas Series (10x8)
- Masterpiece Canvas Series (9x12)
- Masterpiece Canvas Series (12x16)
- Oil Painting Without Numbers
- Paintworks 9x12 (2001)
- Picturette Twins Ornamented Wall Plaques
- PLA Decorative Enamels
- Plaque Craft Tile Painting Kit
- Scrappy Paint Set
- Scroll Art Wall Panels
- Scroll Art 15x36 Wall Panel
- Standard "Four Seasons Wall Hangings"
- Stardust Powdered Rayon Kit
- "Stingray" Kit for the 1964-5 marionette-based TV program
- Teencraft Scrap 'n Snap Book
- Terry Touch Craft Kit
- Tile-Art by Lee Art Co.
- Tile Craft by Gold Mills
- Tile-Plak
- Transogram Paint Your Own Stained Glass Kit (1957)
- TransoMosaic Embossed Plastic Paintings
- Vis-a-Lens Overlay Painting Kit
- Wall Mural Pattern Kit
- Workman PBN Calendar 2003
- Workman PBN Calendar 2006
Object Painting Kits
Mosaic Kits
Wood Painting/Drawing Kits
Velvet Kits
3-D Kits
Watercolor Kits
- Lowe Picture Cards (#1)
- Lowe Picture Cards (#2)
- Mickey Mouse Club Paint 'n Frame
- Plasticast Watercolor Kit (1953)
- Saalfield Paint By Number
- Standard Toykraft Tom Sawyer
- Standard Solophone Tom Sawyer Kit (1931)
- Transogram Tales of Wells Fargo
- Transogram Rin-Tin-Tin
- Transogram Rin-Tin-Tin (Large)
- Transogram Superman
Color by Number Kits
- Bible Pencil Painting Set
- The Book of Knowledge
- Create You Own Flo-Line
- Faber Paint With Pencils
- Hasbro Pencil Craft
- Hasbro Pencil Craft Book 3
- Land of Make Believe Kit
- Mac Rey Paint Pen Kit
- Ten Commandments Pencil Painting Kit
- Venus Paradise Color By Number Kit
- Venus Paradise Coloring Set
- Venus Paradise Knighthood Kit
- Venus Paradise Picture-Pak
- Watkins Strathmore Color by Number Book
- Whitman Color By Number Book
- Whitman Farm Book
- Whitman Raggedy Ann Book (1969)
- Whitman Wonders of the World Book
Reproduction Kits
PBN Accessory Item Kits
PBN-Related Books
- Whatever Happened To Paint-By-Numbers? by Dan Robbins, Possum Hill Press, "A humorous account of what it took to make anyone an artist."
- Paint By Number Kit: Everything You Need to Re-Create 8 Vintage Masterpieces - Kit including "The Many Colors of a Cultural Phenomenon" by Larry Rubin
- Paint by Number: The How to Craze That Swept the Nation by William L. Bird, Jr.
Related Websites
- Artist Trey Speegle works with and collects Paint by Numbers
- Paint by Number Artists - Nice collection of work by artists that use or are influenced by PBN including Trey Speegle and Don Baum
- Segmation- "Paint by Number for the Digital Age"
- Velveteria - World Famous museum of Velvet Paintings!
- The art of Craft Master/Craft House designer Jack Wahl
Videos
- CBS Sunday Morning segment on the Smithsonian exhibit including interviews with Larry Bird and Trey Speegle
- Another segment from CBS Sunday Morning w/ Trey Speegle & some clips of Robbins, Bird, etc.
- 20 North Gallery Dan Robbins interview segment, Full Interview
- In depth interview on The Master Secrets with PBN artist Jack Wahl, including stories about the founding of Craft House, Adam Grant and much more. Part 1 Part 2
- Paint by Number Salon on Treasure Hunters Road Show
- Art Express, 2011 PBS program's well-made PBN overview
If you have a relevant site and want to swap links, or just have suggestions, get in touch: [email protected]