Who we are
About PBNify
Hi, we’re Peter and Pat.
We met while working in tech in Columbus and started Paintable Pictures together in 2020. We learned paint-by-number by building the products, assembling the kits, talking with customers, and seeing what people actually enjoyed painting. In 2024, we took over PBNify, and today we run it together.
Peter Schrock
Co-founder
Peter builds PBNify, from the website and design tool to how every kit gets made and shipped. His goal is to make turning a photo into a good design feel simple.
Pat Carroll
Co-founder
Pat leads our mural business and many of the partnerships that have helped Paintable Pictures grow. He works closely with customers and retailers, then brings what he learns back to the products we make.
Our vision
Know what you’re going to paint
A photo makes a good paint-by-number when the design still feels like the person, pet, or place you chose and is enjoyable to paint. PBNify shows you that design first.
Upload a photo, adjust the design, or try another. Print it at home, or have us turn it into a complete kit.
See the actual design
Upload a photo and see your paint-by-number design for free. Compare it with the original, make changes, or try another picture. If you order a kit, the design you choose is the design we print on your canvas.
Made in Columbus
We assemble every kit in our Columbus, Ohio studio: a numbered canvas, matched paints, and brushes. Most kits ship within 1–3 business days.
Our history
How we got here
PBNify’s story starts before ours, with a free tool built by Daniel Munro. Years later, his project and ours came together.
2015
Daniel Munro creates PBNify
PBNify was originally created by accomplished computational biologist Daniel Munro back in 2015. His free, open-source generator gave anyone a way to turn a photo into a paint-by-number design. You can still find Daniel’s original code on GitHub and a slightly modified version of the original site at legacy.pbnify.com.
2020
Peter and Pat start Paintable Pictures
Pat Carroll buys a custom paint-by-number kit for his mother’s 66th birthday. It ships from China and arrives five weeks later—too late for the birthday. He and his buddy Peter Schrock put their heads together and start Paintable Pictures, figuring they can build a better custom paint-by-number kit right here in Columbus, Ohio.
2021
Paintable Pictures makes the Uncommon Goods Winter Catalog
Our custom kits earn a spot in the Uncommon Goods Winter Catalog, the first of several holiday seasons there.
Late 2022
Paintable Pictures launches paint-by-number murals
We begin making large-scale paint-by-number murals for events and brand activations. Our first two projects grow into more than 200 murals shipped across the country for events including F1, NASCAR, the Super Bowl Experience, and Ed Sheeran’s album launch.
2023 & 2024
Oprah’s Favorite Things
Our Paint Your Photo kits, which let you print your own design at home, are selected for Oprah’s Favorite Things in 2023 and again in 2024. That first holiday season also brings national television coverage and appearances in more than 20 holiday gift guides.
2024
Paintable Pictures acquires PBNify.com
After getting to know Daniel, we acquire PBNify.com and begin building a new version of the project. By then, we had spent four years learning which photos make good paintings and how to match designs to real paints.
2024–2026
Paint Your Photo reaches national retailers
The Paint Your Photo line reaches more than 1,000 stores nationwide, including HomeGoods, Blick Art Materials, Learning Express, and Nordstrom, along with national television appearances on QVC. In 2026, Target brings the line to more than 800 locations.
2026
The new PBNify goes live
We launch the new PBNify. The generator is still free, with better designs made to print well at home. If you want a complete kit, you see the exact design we’ll print on your canvas before you order.