Color by number online, made from real doodles
This free color by number game turns real doodles into pixel art puzzles. Each picture is a grid of numbered squares: pick a number, paint all of its squares and watch a cat, a rocket-shaped carrot or a smiling sun appear one colour at a time. There are 131 subjects, three sizes and several drawings of each, so you always have a new picture waiting. It is calm, satisfying and works on phones, tablets and computers without any download.
How to play
- Open Pictures and choose a size: Small (24×24) for a quick, chunky picture or Large (48×48) for a longer, more detailed one.
- Pick a picture. The grey preview shows the outline; the colours are a surprise.
- Select a number in the palette below the picture. All squares with that number are highlighted in grey.
- Tap or drag across the highlighted squares to paint them. Dragging paints a whole row in one swipe.
- Zoom in by pinching, pressing + or using Ctrl and the mouse wheel. Use the hand button or two fingers to move around.
- Finish every number. Completed numbers get a tick, and when the last square is painted your pixel art is revealed in full.
Tips for faster, tidier painting
- Start with number 1. It is always the dark outline, and painting it first makes the shape of the picture appear straight away.
- Drag, don't tap. Big background areas are much quicker if you sweep across them in long strokes. Correct squares are protected, so you cannot ruin them by dragging over them.
- Use the magnifier. When a number says it is not finished but you cannot see where, press 🔍 to jump straight to a missing square.
- Use the keyboard. On a computer, press keys 1 to 9 to switch numbers and Ctrl+Z to undo.
- Take breaks. Your progress is saved after every stroke, so you can close the tab and continue tomorrow from the Continue row.
How the pictures are made
Every picture starts as a quick doodle drawn by a real person. We trace its lines onto a square grid, close small gaps so shapes are properly enclosed, and then colour each enclosed area so neighbouring areas never share the same colour. The background gets a soft halo around the drawing, and the numbers are sorted so the colours you need most come first. The result is a set of simple, charming pixel art pictures that feel hand-made rather than generated from a photo.
Why color by number is so relaxing
Painting by numbers gives your hands something to do while your mind can wander. There is no time limit and no way to fail, yet every stroke brings the picture closer to finished, which makes it a gentle way to unwind or to keep children busy while they practise number recognition and fine motor control. If you prefer choosing the colours yourself, try our online coloring pages or start from a blank page on thefree drawing board. To test what other people's doodles look like before they become pixel art, play Guess the Drawing.
Color by Number FAQ
How do you play color by number?
Every square of the picture has a number. Choose a number in the palette at the bottom, then tap or drag over the squares with that number to paint them. When every square has the right colour, the finished pixel art appears.
Is my progress saved?
Yes. Every picture saves automatically in your browser as you paint. Open the Pictures menu to continue any picture you have started; the percentage shows how far you got. Nothing is uploaded.
The squares are too small on my phone. What can I do?
Pinch with two fingers to zoom in and drag with two fingers to move around. Numbers appear once the squares are big enough to read. You can also pick a Small 24×24 picture, which has bigger squares.
What happens if I paint a square with the wrong colour?
A wrong square shows a pale version of the colour and its number turns red, so mistakes are easy to spot. Paint over it with the right number, or press undo. Correct squares can never be painted over by accident.
How many pictures are there?
There are 131 subjects, each in three sizes (24×24, 32×32 and 48×48 squares), and the shuffle button gives you a different drawing of the same subject. That is hundreds of pictures, all free.
Can I download my finished picture?
Yes. Press the save button at any time, or Save PNG on the finished screen, to download your pixel art as a crisp PNG image.