Hand numbered OR hand-numbered OR handnumbered ?

[ZINNN]

Hello everyone.

I'm a contributor to Discogs.com website which is the biggest online music database. Frequently, while editing different albums submissions I come across different ways of writing HAND-DONE.

Some people tend to write it all together:

Handpainted
Handwritten
Handstenciled

Others prefer to put hypnen in between both words:

Hand-painted
Hand-written
Hand-stenciled

And others write both words separately:

Hand painted
Hand written
Hand stenciled

Which form is the proper one ??

Thanks in advance for all your help!

[paul.moss]

Trouble is there are no rules. Look it up in a proper dictionary!

[Coolfootluke]

Hello everyone.

I'm a contributor to Discogs.com website which is the biggest online music database. Frequently, while editing different albums submissions I come across different ways of writing HAND-DONE.

Some people tend to write it all together:

Handpainted
Handwritten
Handstenciled

Others prefer to put hypnen in between both words:

Hand-painted
Hand-written
Hand-stenciled

And others write both words separately:

Hand painted
Hand written
Hand stenciled

Which form is the proper one ??

Thanks in advance for all your help!

I am not a teacher.

Some such words are established as single words---"handwritten" is one. Other than that, Americans tend to make one word, and Brits tend to use hyphens, as a general rule, but there is no reliable way to tell which is right without looking at a dictionary. This American would leave the other two separate.

If the term is not everyday, like "hand stenciled", it will follow the rules for two-word adjectives: hyphenate when it comes first and not when it follows. A hand-stenciled sign has been hand stenciled (but a handwritten note has been handwritten).

[ZINNN]

example:

"Limited to 50 hand-painted and hand-numbered copies.

Released in hand-stenciled, hand-painted and hand-numbered CD sleeve."

is this correct ?

[Coolfootluke]

example:

"Limited to 50 hand-painted and hand-numbered copies.

Released in hand-stenciled, hand-painted and hand-numbered CD sleeve."

is this correct ?

I am not a teacher.

The first one is good. The second needs something; I guess, "Released in a hand-stenciled, hand-painted and hand-numbered CD sleeve."