Photo: Stock Photos from RossHelen/Shutterstock
When it comes to painting, everyone starts out on an even playing field—those that paint well have built their skills over time. Doing so, however, requires patience, and for you to put brush to canvas (or paper) and increase your aptitude stroke by stroke. We’ve seen this happen in a drawing; just a few years of drawing practice can mean the difference between a sketch that’s just okay and one that shows extraordinary talent.
We've put together a list of painting ideas that anyone can try.
Photo: Stock Photos from Photographee.eu/Shutterstock
What type of paint should you choose?
Choosing a type of paint for your work can be quite overwhelming at times given all the varieties out there. Some paint types can be more durable than others or can completely change the look of your final work of art. The right paint choice can be very important in accomplishing your artistic goal, depending on what you are creating. The different paint types vary in style and properties making a big impact on your next painting quest. Some popular types of paint are watercolor, acrylic, oil, and gouache. Read our comprehensive list of types of paint to get a better idea of which one is right for you and your project.
What supplies will you need?
Once you choose the paint type you want to work with, you can focus on other supplies. Outside of your paint set, you will need brushes, possibly a canvas or painting paper, and maybe even an easel if you're feeling fancy. We have recommendations for three of the most popular types of paint. Check out our guides for the best watercolor paint sets, top acrylic paint, and best oil paints that beginners and pros will love. Although these paints are the most popular, you can go beyond a brush and pick up a paint marker. We even have a guide for the best paint markers, too.
Once you’ve got your watercolor, acrylic, or even oil paint, you can get started right away on honing your craft. But even having all the right supplies can’t save you from the dreaded creative block; sometimes, you just can’t think of anything to paint! Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of prompts that are jumping-off points for your work. The easy painting ideas are divided into two lists—one is inspired by life while the other challenges you to use your imagination.
When looking through the list, consider the following: what sounds like fun to paint? What will challenge you to get better? Are there certain techniques you’d like to try? A leafy tree, for instance, gives you the opportunity to experiment with texture, while imagining these subjects in monochrome is a great exercise in understanding tonality, light, and shadow.
Photo: Stock Photos from Kuznetcov_Konstantin/Shutterstock
Easy painting ideas inspired by real life:
Your favorite coffee mug
Photo: olies/Depositphotos
A prickly pear cactus
Photo: AndreYanush/Depositphotos
Your furry friend
Photo: yakimenko/Depositphotos
A tranquil lake scene
Photo: Max5799/Depositphotos
Your eye and eyebrow (try observing from real life)
Photo: Nataliass/Depositphotos
A leafy tree
Photo: borojoint/Depositphotos
Your childhood home
Photo: Max5799/Depositphotos
Someone sitting on a chair
Photo: vad_1/Depositphotos
Fluffy clouds
Photo: cat_arch_angel/Depositphotos
A bouquet of flowers in a vase
Photo: Marinka/Depositphotos
A bird on a branch…
Photo: borojoint/Depositphotos
…or a wise owl
Photo: [email protected]/Depositphotos
A curling ocean wave (check out Ray Collins’ wave photographs for inspiration!)
Photo: balaikin/Depositphotos
Copy a masterpiece painting of an artist you admire
Photo: Rawpixel/Depositphotos
A bowl of fruit
Photo: natalia88/Depositphotos
Fish underwater
Photo: VitalikRadko/Depositphotos
A portrait of yourself when you were a kid
Photo: re_bekka/Depositphotos
Your hand or foot
Photo: vad_1/Depositphotos
Your favorite collection of things
Photo: Alexis84/Depositphotos
A building facade you’ve always admired
Photo: segun007/Depositphotos
Someone standing under an umbrella while it’s raining
Photo: Max5799/Depositphotos
A streetlamp illuminating a dark street
Photo: Marsea/Depositphotos
A peacock’s colorful plumage
Photo: DeepGreen/Depositphotos
The Eiffel tower, or any other memorable landmark
Photo: martinm303/Depositphotos
An avocado cut in half
Photo: AntonMatyukha/Depositphotos
Your mode of transportation (car, bike, scooter, skateboard…)
Photo: samot/Depositphotos
A reflective object such as a vase or glass
Photo: Wirestock/Depositphotos
Your favorite insect
Photo: DeepGreen/Depositphotos
A collection of seashells
Photo: Viktoria_Karpunina/Depositphotos
A pair of shoes
Photo: vad_1/Depositphotos
Take your art supplies outdoors and paint a park en plein air
Photo: Afonskaya/Depositphotos
Painting of different athletes
Photo: 7slonov/Depositphotos
Paint the night sky
Photo: KostyaKlimenko/Depositphotos
Mountain landscape
Photo: Elinacious/Depositphotos
The moon
Photo: svetas/Depositphotos
The beach
Photo: itmuryn/Depositphotos
A butterfly
Photo: sun_tiger/Depositphotos
A cherry blossom tree (with q-tips instead of a brush)
Photo: Marinka/Depositphotos
A pumpkin
Photo: shoshina/Depositphotos
The sunset sky
Photo: samillustration/Depositphotos
Paint on rocks instead of on canvas
Photo: Wirestock/Depositphotos
Paint your lunch or dinner
Photo: suslik83/Depositphotos
A shiny balloon
Photo: OlhaArt/Depositphotos
Someone who is doing an everyday activity such as sleeping, cooking, putting on makeup
Photo: Leonid_Eremeychuk/Depositphotos
Go big: show peonies blooming on a giant canvas or piece of paper
Photo: Valenty/Depositphotos
A snowy landscape
Photo: vad_1/Depositphotos
Good painting ideas inspired by the imagination:
A person with flowers growing from their head
Photo:Nongkran_ch/Depositphotos
Create an image inspired by your favorite song
Photo: agsandrew/Depositphotos
A majestic unicorn with a rainbow-colored mane
Photo: [email protected]/Depositphotos
Create a self-portrait in a Cubist style (try using a limited color palette)
Juan Gris, “Portrait of Pablo Picasso,” 1912. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Reimagine a scene from your favorite Disney film
Photo: Liuzishan/Depositphotos
Imagine a dog could walk and talk like a human. What would they say and do?
Photo: Gastello/Depositphotos
Create your own repeat pattern…
Photo: Molesko/Depositphotos
… or mandala-inspired design
Photo: outsiderzone/Depositphotos
A cat in a fancy hat
Photo: rm211171/123RF
Your dream home
Photo: luzaazure/123RF
Try painting with your fingers
Photo: golubovy/Depositphotos
The sky imagined in colorful swirls like in van Gogh’s Starry Night
Photo: whatawin/Depositphotos
A scuba diver swimming through a galaxy instead of the ocean
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A person made out of balloons
Photo: kamenuka/Depositphotos
Tiny people moving throughout a regular-sized world
Photo: Golsa Golchini
Hide a face in a repeating pattern (like Lee Wagstaff)
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A spooky scene in the woods (try painting it on a wood slice)
Photo: Melpomene Chatzipanagiotou
Animals in the place of humans
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Salvador Dali-inspired interior
Living underwater
Paint a fantastical garden of imaginative plants
Photo: nikahgeh/123RF
Merge two of your favorite animals into one
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Try painting in an Art Deco style, like Tamara de Lempicka
Photo: mayaartworks/Depositphotos
Hide a person's face in an unusual way
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Imagine that you're that you’re a giant
Photo: PHOTOGRAPHER NAME/123RF
A person whose skin cracks like porcelain
Photo: KseniyaOmega/Depositphotos
Create your own fairytale
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Fuse day and night into a single scene
Photo: maxfilitov/123RF
An easy quote
Photo: rawpixel/123RF
Metallic abstract
Photo: denisined/123RF
Geometric art
Photo: theromb/Depositphotos
Splatter art
Photo: tsyew/123RF
Animals outside of their natural habitat (look to Marina Kusraeva for inspiration)
Photo: Marina Kusraeva
A landscape inspired by an enchanted forest
Photo: altitudevisual/123RF
Life in the future
Photo: alfazetchronicles/123RF
Combine a realistic subject with abstract elements
Create a painting just of loops. What designs can you make with that?
Photo: braindamage/123RF
Something that slithers (doesn't have to be a snake or a slug!)
Personal self-portrait inspired by Frida Kahlo
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Painting Tutorials
Photo: Joanna Kosinska
If you don't have a vast knowledge of painting, any one of these ideas can be daunting to start putting pigment to canvas. Here are some painting tutorials to try which will teach you how to paint a particular subject while giving you confidence for future works of art.
Dream Your Own Abstract Floral Paintings — In this online course on My Modern Met Academy, artist Nitika Ale will walk you through painting techniques to create luscious acrylic blooms.
Dappled Light: Learn Abstract Paintings With Acrylics — Have you always admired the light as it shines through the trees? In another on-demand class on My Modern Met Academy, artist Megan Elizabeth shows you all you need to know about painting these beautiful scenes.
This Step-by-Step Tutorial Shows You How to “Grow” Watercolor Flowers on Paper — Get a supplies list and a look at all the steps involved in bringing flowers to life on the page.
Learn How to Paint a Colorful Sunset in Easy to Follow Steps — Want to recreate the beauty of the setting sun? Here's another step-by-step painting tutorial that will give you the foundation for it.
Fluid Art: How to Start Acrylic Pouring & Create Psychedelic Abstract Paintings — Pour your way into a masterpiece when you get the proper tools and practice the techniques of fluid art.
15+ YouTube Channels to Teach You How to Paint for Free — As expected, YouTube is chock-full of videos by artists who want to help you learn to paint. Here are 15 of our favorites.
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