Color by Numbers in Winter: Snow, Northern Lights and Long Evenings
Three color by numbers sets were genuinely made for winter: Winter Wonderland, Northern Lights and Starry Night. Each one is a set of two pre-printed canvases that share a single set of numbered markers, so one purchase gives you two matching paintings for the darkest months. Since then the winter shelf has grown a lot: there are now 40 Dutch Winter Paint by Numbers designs and 75 Christmas designs as well. Winter scenes lean heavily on white, ice blue and deep night tones, which makes the number of colors you choose matter more here than in any other season. Sets start from €59.95 with free worldwide shipping, and because you work with markers rather than paint there is no water, no brushes and no drying time.
In short
- Three classic winter themes: Winter Wonderland, Northern Lights and Starry Night — each a set of two canvases sharing one marker palette.
- And a lot more winter since: 40 Dutch Winter designs and 75 Christmas designs joined the collection.
- Snow is not one color. White and night-sky areas live on subtle shading, so up to 30 colors (Detailed) or up to 40 (Premium) earns its keep here.
- Eight sizes, 30×40 to 60×80 cm. A set of two canvases starts at €59.95; a single canvas at €49.95.
- Markers, not paint. No water, no brushes, no drying time — cap them and carry on tomorrow evening.
- January and February are the real season. The quietest weeks of the year are when a slow project pays you back.
Why winter is the season for this
From November onwards the evenings stretch out and the house goes quiet — precisely when a slow, hands-on project starts feeling like the reward at the end of the day rather than another task. If you want to know what that steady, repetitive filling-in actually does for a busy head, read why color by numbers is so relaxing. The markers are what make it a winter hobby rather than a weekend operation: nothing to rinse, nothing waiting to dry, so you work between dinner and bedtime, cap them and pick the canvas up two evenings later. That is the appeal of markers instead of paint. First canvas? Our beginners starter guide walks you through it.
The three winter sets, side by side
These three are the winter classics, and the easiest place to start. Beyond them the season now has a shelf of its own: Dutch Winter for skating weather, frozen canals and bare trees, and Christmas for trees, lights and animals in Santa hats.
| Set | The two canvases | Colour mood | Choose it if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Wonderland | Snowy Village · Winter Cabin by the Mountain Lake | Winter white, ice blue, warm lantern yellow, pine green | You want the postcard winter: snow, lit windows, warmth against the cold |
| Northern Lights | Log Cabin under the Northern Lights · Aurora over the Lake | Night blue, aurora green, purple, silver white | You like drama and colour in a dark sky rather than a white landscape |
| Starry Night | Star Observatory on the Hill · Camping Under the Stars | Night blue, indigo, silver white, lantern yellow | You want quiet, wide-open winter evenings rather than snow itself |
Winter Wonderland is the classic of the three: a village street with lit houses under the snow, and a log cabin beside a frozen lake at sunrise. Hung as a pair they read as one scene told twice.
Northern Lights is the most colourful winter option: a snowy cabin under a dancing aurora, and green-purple light reflecting in a frozen mountain lake. If you assumed a winter canvas means hours of pale blue, this set proves otherwise.
Starry Night leans into the long evening rather than the weather: an observatory under constellations, and a tent by a campfire beneath the Milky Way. It still feels right in March.
Want snow with a festive edge? North Pole Christmas and Woodland Animals in the Snow are two of the newer sets. Want something wintry but gentler? Cozy Cottages and Mountain Landscapes suit the season without a snowflake. Compare every theme in the color by numbers collection, or read why a set is always two canvases in sets of two canvases and how to choose a theme.
Snow is not one colour: which colour level to choose
On a summer garden, a bold palette does the work for you. On snow, ice and night sky, the effect depends on small steps between near-identical tones — the blue-grey in a shadow, the faint glow where lamplight hits snow. More colours means smaller sections and more of those steps.
| Colour level | What it gives you | On a winter canvas |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 20 colours (Essential) | Larger, clearly readable sections | The most relaxed option. Graphic and calm, with simpler snow shading |
| Up to 30 colours (Detailed) | More nuance and softer transitions | The sweet spot for winter: enough shades for snow and sky without tiny sections |
| Up to 40 colours (Premium) | The finest sections, the smoothest gradients | Best for an aurora or a deep night sky, where the gradient is the subject |
On a 30×40 cm set of two canvases the three levels are €59.95 (Essential), €72.95 (Detailed) and €85.95 (Premium). If this is your first canvas, Essential is the friendlier start: you finish sooner, and finishing is what makes you want the next one.
Which size fits a winter painting?
There are eight sizes, from 30×40 up to 60×80 cm. For a first winter project, 30×40 or 40×50 cm stays comfortable across a handful of evenings. Go bigger and a snowy landscape gains: wide skies and open snowfields need room to breathe. For the hours involved, see how long color by numbers takes; for the last step, read finishing, framing and hanging your canvas.
Your own winter photo on the canvas
If your favourite winter image is one you took yourself — a walk in the frost, the dog in the snow — you do not have to settle for a ready-made design. With Your Photo – Color by Number you upload your own photograph and we turn it into a numbered canvas with matching markers, from €49.95. Winter photos need care: bright, contrasty shots convert far better than flat grey ones, and which photo works for color by numbers gives you eight checkpoints.
Giving a winter set, honestly
We will be straight with you: when this article first went up there was no Christmas set at all. That has changed — there are now 75 Christmas Paint by Numbers designs, baubles, candlelight and all, with 40 Dutch Winter designs beside them. So you can give the date itself, or give winter — and a winter set makes a generous gift precisely because it is not tied to one day. Either way the gift is two things at once: quiet hours of colouring, and a painting for the wall. Our color by numbers gift ideas cover the occasion in more depth, and personalised Christmas cross stitch gifts is the stitching equivalent. The exact delivery time is shown at checkout, so around the holidays order in good time. And if the parcel is really for yourself, you might like starting color by numbers as a new hobby in January.
Frequently asked questions
Which color by numbers set is best for a winter scene?
Winter Wonderland is the most classically wintry, with a snowy village and a cabin by a frozen lake. Northern Lights is the most colourful, with an aurora over snow and water. Starry Night is the quietest of the three and works well into early spring. All three are sets of two canvases that share one marker palette. There are also 40 Dutch Winter designs and 75 Christmas designs to choose from.
Do snow and night skies need more colors?
They benefit from it. Snow and dark skies are built from many close shades rather than a few bold ones, so up to 30 colors (Detailed) is the sweet spot for most winter scenes, and up to 40 colors (Premium) is worth it for an aurora. Up to 20 colors (Essential) still gives a lovely, calmer result.
Can two people work on a winter set together?
Yes, and that is exactly why a set contains two canvases. Both use the same colour palette, so one box of markers serves both of you. Each person takes a canvas, and the two finished paintings hang together as a pair.
What size should I choose for a winter painting?
For a first project, 30×40 or 40×50 cm is comfortable across a few evenings. Snowy landscapes with wide skies do gain from a larger canvas, so 50×70 or 60×80 cm is worth considering if you have the wall space. Remember that a set gives you two canvases in the size you choose.
Is it still worth starting a winter set in January?
Very much so. January and February are the quietest weeks of the year, which is when a slow project is most welcome. Winter scenes stay seasonally right for months, and you can stop and continue whenever it suits you.
How quickly will my set arrive if I order for the holidays?
The exact delivery time is shown at checkout for your address. Around the holidays, order in good time rather than in the final week. Shipping is free worldwide with no minimum order value.