Do I need 24 or 36 colours?
Without the source, canvas size and audience, there is no universal choice. Compare variants on the same image with other settings unchanged and inspect recognisability, paintability and the physical palette.
Practical guide
PaintGenAI
Choose a palette and review small regions.
Fewer colours do not necessarily mean fewer awkward regions. Colour count controls shades, while complexity, the source and canvas size affect geometry and readability. Review these decisions separately and save each variant's settings.
Request beta access01
The workflow
Prepare and review the pattern.
- 01
Fix the comparison conditions
Keep the source, crop and canvas size identical. Save the baseline settings. Change only colour count or only complexity; otherwise you cannot tell which change affected the result.
- 02
Review important details in the palette
Compare the colour layout with the source. Too few colours may merge necessary shades, while more colours can emphasise noise and gradient bands. Evaluate the face, outlines and main subject, not just the number of paints used.
- 03
Inspect geometry separately
Open the numbered pattern. Find narrow fragments, crowded groups and numbers lacking space. Try a simpler complexity level or a less noisy source, then check recognisability again. Do not discard important details solely to reduce region count.
- 04
Compare digital and physical readability
Review canvas size, numbers and brush access to regions. Screen zoom is not a substitute for a test print. Record the selected variant, palette and findings, and check real-paint matching before release.
One working context
What stays with the project.
- Identical source and canvas for controlled comparisons.
- Requested and actually used colour counts.
- Complexity, region count and saved result version.
- Review of important outlines, narrow fragments and number readability.
Practical answers
Project preparation questions.
Why do small regions remain with a limited palette?
Even a few colours can alternate in noise, small details or gradients. Colour count does not describe geometry: separately inspect complexity, background, narrow fragments and the intended size.
What do the published demonstrations show?
Both drawing demonstrations use 10 colours. House, tree and sun contains 22 regions; Mountains and water contains 61. Their sources and complexity levels differ, so this is not a controlled experiment or proof of a single setting's effect.
Can automated checks alone guarantee readability?
No. Review the pattern visually and make a test print at the intended size. Reduced-size public examples do not establish physical kit readiness.
PaintGenAI