Painting with Numbers - Poisoning Frustrating

There's paint and paint, canvas and canvas and there are brushes and brushes.
Let's see what a Pepco kit painting by numbers looks like, I said to my son.

First impression: low budget, not very attractive, limited choice.
Since there was no example (read: open box) all I could do is buy the cat (the street view was yeck and reminded me of watercolour paintings, some bad replica stolen from...

Artist????
Is this the same brand Action sells?

Unpacking - first impression

• the mdf board isn't straight
• the 3 brushes are shit, 2 out of 3 need a haircut
• the paint is???? Nowhere I can find back what type of paint is used. Since it's waterbased I assume it's watercolour, a chemical Tempera
• plenty of not too attractive colours. It seems tge wirld lost pigment and colour since 2019.
• the spaces with numbers that should be filled are hard to see and some are so tiny there's no way to colour between the lines.

Needed

• good light
• a pair of glasses
• patience
• ventilation

Those stupid little pots with paint are hard to open 😡

Dilemma

• Should I straighten that mdf board first? I can sit on it.
• Is it wiser to draw my own cat?
• Shall I use my own brushes?
• How should I use that paint? No instructions are available. Is adding water needed? A wet or dry brush?
• Will I colour number by number or just from the top to the bottom?

_{brush without a haircut - I didn't use it}

Time is precious and the light won't last long so I decided to paint by number. The board on my deske, a tiny pot with "paint" in one hand and searching which spot to colour next.

I tried to add water after painting, a wet brush + a dry one. If it comes to it the result sucks.

What is the idea of this box? Is it meant for kids or adults I asked my children. The frustration increased. How on earth can one create something cool with shitty paint, brushes and a board not straight where the lines + part of the numbers can hardly be read!

The paint doesn't cover the numbers + the board. At least 2 if not 4 layers are needed to make it look better. If you didn't throw the set into the garbage by now.

While continue trying filling spaces I noticed the paint

• smells
• irritates my eye + lungs
• gives me a headache

Does it contain the same terrible ingredient some Gesso have? If that's the case this kit is not suitable + a danger to one's health.

I cut one of the brushes

• If you paint by numbers you have no idea what you are painting. There's no awareness, no learning process, just frustration (I hear my son scream again about the stupid brush, paint, pen, pencils ruining his art). All I can think of is that the child is right. This cheap shit should not be sold. It does not stimulate, does not relax and the end result is nothing to be proud about.

I gave up on painting. Will I finish this?
Perhaps in a few months to see what the result is if I use acrylic, watercolour or Tempera.

Advice

Don't buy.

Where would you be
Without critics
Without support?

_5.9.25