Needles Spires - Paint by Numbers Kit

Banded in rust red and pale cream, the sandstone spires of the Needles district crowd together like a stone pipe organ, and this kit asks you to paint every stripe of them. The tallest pinnacle in the middle climbs in broad ochre and sandy layers. Smaller fins press in on both sides, and only a narrow strip of overcast sky shows above their tips.

The lower half of the canvas is quieter. Muted olive sage and yellow-tipped rabbitbrush spread across the desert floor, with a few dark juniper clumps breaking up the silvery greens. Soft, diffused light keeps everything in earthy rose and dusty green, so blending the rock bands from terracotta into cream is the most rewarding part of the job. A pre-printed numbered canvas keeps those large, legible shapes easy to follow.

The kit suits hobbyists who like a calm, textured landscape, and it works well as a gift for anyone who has hiked Canyonlands or dreams of going. Pick up a brush and build these spires one layer at a time.