Most Popular Paint By Number Subjects in 2026
Ever wonder what photos people choose when turning their memories into custom paint-by-number kits or other kinds of personalized artwork?
To answer this question, Paint Me Like analyzed 10,163 custom paint-by-number orders placed by customers across the United States & Canada. We categorized each order based on the primary subject featured in the uploaded photo and identified which types of images customers were most likely to transform into personalized artwork.
The results clearly showed that pet portraits dominate the custom paint-by-number market, with cats and dogs accounting for nearly half of all orders.
Key Findings
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Cats are the most popular custom paint-by-number subject, accounting for 26.2% of all orders.
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Dogs rank second with 21.8% of orders.
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Cats and dogs combined represent 48.0% of all purchases.
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More than half of all custom paint-by-number kits are pet-related.
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Couples, family portraits, and children account for nearly 28% of all orders.
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Landscapes and vacation photos represent just 3.2% of purchases.
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The top three categories account for more than 61% of all orders.
The Most Popular Paint-by-Number Categories
| Rank | Category | Orders | Share of Orders |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cats | 2,620 | 26.2% |
| 2 | Dogs | 2,180 | 21.8% |
| 3 | Couples | 1,310 | 13.1% |
| 4 | Family Portraits | 860 | 8.6% |
| 5 | Children | 620 | 6.2% |
| 6 | Weddings | 560 | 5.6% |
| 7 | Miscellaneous | 493 | 5.1% |
| 8 | Multiple Pets | 470 | 4.7% |
| 9 | Horses | 330 | 3.3% |
| 10 | Homes & Buildings | 240 | 2.4% |
| 11 | Vacation Photos | 180 | 1.8% |
| 12 | Landscapes | 140 | 1.4% |
| 13 | Vehicles | 90 | 0.9% |
| 14 | Other Animals | 70 | 0.7% |
Cats Take the Top Spot
Cat portraits were the single most popular category in our study, generating 2,620 orders and accounting for more than one-quarter of all purchases.
While dogs were close behind with 2,180 orders, cats ultimately claimed the top position. Together, cat and dog portraits made up nearly half of all custom paint-by-number kits ordered.
The popularity of pet portraits likely reflects the emotional bond many owners share with their animals. Unlike traditional photographs that may sit in a digital album, a custom paint-by-number kit allows customers to create a hand-painted tribute to a beloved companion.
More Than Half of All Orders Feature Animals
When combining all animal-related categories—including cats, dogs, multiple pets, horses, and other animals—pet-themed artwork accounted for 5,670 orders.
That means approximately 55.8% of all custom paint-by-number kits purchased featured an animal as the primary subject.
Animal Categories Combined
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Cats: 2,620 orders
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Dogs: 2,180 orders
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Multiple Pets: 470 orders
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Horses: 330 orders
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Other Animals: 70 orders
Total Animal Orders: 5,670
The findings suggest that people are significantly more likely to commission artwork featuring pets than any other type of photo.
Relationships and Family Memories Remain Popular
While pets dominated the rankings, photos featuring loved ones also performed strongly.
Couples, family portraits, children, and wedding photos generated a combined 3,350 orders, representing nearly one-third of all purchases.
These categories often commemorate life's most meaningful milestones, including engagements, anniversaries, weddings, and family portraits.
Relationship-Based Categories
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Couples: 1,310 orders
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Family Portraits: 860 orders
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Children: 620 orders
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Weddings: 560 orders
Total Relationship Orders: 3,350
Together, these categories demonstrate that customers frequently use custom paint-by-number kits to celebrate important relationships and memories.
Scenic Photos Are Surprisingly Rare
One of the more surprising findings from the study was the relatively low popularity of landscapes and travel photos.
Landscapes accounted for just 1.4% of all orders, while vacation photos represented 1.8%.
Combined, these categories generated only 320 orders—far fewer than even the horse category by itself.
The data suggests that when customers choose a photo to paint, they overwhelmingly prefer subjects with strong emotional connections rather than scenic views.
Homes, Vehicles, and Other Subjects Make Up a Small Share
Photos of homes, buildings, and vehicles were among the least common categories in the study.
Homes and buildings accounted for 2.4% of orders, while vehicles represented less than 1%.
Although these categories appeal to some customers, they remain niche compared to portraits of pets and loved ones.
What the Data Tells Us
The results of this study point to a simple conclusion: emotion drives purchasing decisions.
Whether it's a favorite cat, a loyal dog, a wedding photo, or a cherished family portrait, customers overwhelmingly choose images that represent meaningful relationships and memories.
The six most popular categories—cats, dogs, couples, family portraits, children, and weddings—account for more than 81% of all orders analyzed.
For most people, custom paint-by-number kits are not simply decorative art projects. They are a way to preserve and celebrate the people and pets that matter most.
Methodology
Paint Me Like analyzed 10,163 custom paint-by-number orders placed through its website. Orders were categorized according to the primary subject featured in the customer-submitted photo. Percentages were calculated using the total number of orders included in the study. Categories with fewer than 1% of total orders were retained to provide a complete view of customer preferences.
