Two activities that make my boring days exciting are writing and painting. Although I love painting a lot, I sometimes run out of ideas. It can happen to the best of us, and there’s no need to worry. There are hundreds of interesting painting ideas out there that you can rely on, whether you’re a beginner or a pro.
In this article, I am going to discuss the top 20 painting ideas that are interesting and suitable for beginners and pros alike. So, let’s get into it.
Top 20 Painting Ideas for Beginners and Pros:
Describing painting ideas to people is like sharing a dream. You never know how it will look until it’s already pasted on the canvas. Still, I’ve tried to elaborate on these ideas as openly as possible.
Curious about the most iconic painting ideas? Don’t forget to go through into my previous piece about Famous Painting in the World, personally written to inspire and inform!
1. Geometric Abstract Art:
Let’s begin with something simple yet fun to create as a painter. You can try creating geometric abstract art on a canvas with the help of acrylic paint. When I started painting in my earlier days, I always focused on creating something simple so that my painting could be finished quickly.
An abstract art containing a geometrical shape is one of the best painting ideas for beginners. It’ll finish quickly, and you can use it as a home décor item as well.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Tape off random geometric shapes on the canvas.
- Fill each shape with colors. Try using different colors for each shape.
- Remove the tape.
- Voila. The painting is ready.
2. Starry Night:
Well, I’m not talking about the legendary Starry Night of Vincent Van Gogh since it’ll be a bit difficult for beginners. I’m talking about painting a simple starry night containing cosmic objects.
Painting the sky is always a great idea when you don’t know what to put on the canvas. It’s easy, and quick, and you can add different perspectives to it as a pro-level painter.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Begin by painting a deep blue color with a black shade.
- Draw stars, the moon, and shooting stars.
- Add extra objects such as trees or houses.
- Fill in the colors to finalize the painting.
3. A Sunset In Hawaii:
Now, let’s get a little bit creative with the ideas and paint a sunset in Hawaii. Sunsets are pretty easy to draw as well as paint on canvas. That is because people can usually visualize them easily.
It sounds like a difficult theme to capture, but it’s pretty easy in reality. You need to paint a simple sunset on the ocean. Then, add palm trees to give the painting a Hawaiian theme.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Sketch the sunset on the ocean. Make the sun halfway under the ocean.
- Paint the sketch and add colors to the sky as well.
- Add palm trees and color them.
- Add extra objects like birds or people on the beach for finalization.
Pro Tip:
Instead of adding detailed palm trees, only add their silhouettes.
4. A Blossom Tree:
If you’re looking for the best acrylic painting ideas, painting a blossom tree would be great. It is one of those ideas that are suitable for both beginners and professionals.
As a newbie, you can focus on making it in order to practice painting branches, leaves, grass, etc. On the other hand, a pro-level painter can add more depth to the scenery around the tree to practice art.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Add a background color (I’d recommend using a greyish theme).
- Draw a sketch of a tree trunk.
- Now, use acrylic paint to paint small leaves for the tree.
- To add a little creativity, paint some fallen trees on the ground.
5. Mount Fuji:
Mount Fuji is, perhaps, one of the most creative objects to paint on your canvas. The special thing about this idea is that you can add loads of creativity to it. Mount Fuji is somewhat of a symmetrical object when it comes to painting.
You can easily sketch and paint on it in different colors that represent the natural tone of the mountain. Professional painters, on the other hand, can add depth to the perspective by adding objects like trees and people.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Begin by creating a simple Mount Fuji sketch.
- Add colors to it, such as white for the snow and blue-grey for the mountain.
- Add depth by including other objects, such as trees.
6. Peacock:
Personally, I love painting different birds and animals because it’s a very fun thing to do. For you, I’d recommend trying to paint a peacock. It can also be considered as one of the best watercolor painting ideas. You can attempt it using paints.
It’s a beautiful bird and you’ll enjoy painting it. Also, it’ll help you use multiple colors, which is good for practicing art. You can either make a simple picture of the bird or add depth in the perspective to add a bit more creativity.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Sketch a peacock’s body and the feathers of its tail.
- Start adding colors to each section.
- Try to use natural-looking colors like gold and turquoise in the feathers.
- Add background elements for a better look.
Pro Tip:
Try painting the whole body of the peacock to give your painting a creative look.
7. Bright Vegetables:
If you want to improve the way you use colors in painting, this idea is the best for you. Painting bright vegetables will challenge your color theory as a professional painter and provide a new challenge as a beginner. It is one of those easy painting ideas that does not require a lot of inspiration as well as creativity.
Keep in mind that you should make the vegetables a bit brighter than their actual color. It will give the painting an extremely artistic look while giving it a very unique aesthetic.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Sketch different types of vegetables on the canvas.
- Start painting colors on the vegetables.
- Make sure to use bright and shiny colors.
- You can switch the colors of vegetables to make the painting more artistic.
8. A Tree Silhouette:
A simple yet creative painting idea that you must try out is making a tree silhouette on the canvas. It may sound like a simple idea, but its final version will look amazingly artistic.
The best way to create this painting is by using a combination of a bright-colored background and a black silhouette of the tree. To make things more interesting, you can add multiple branches of the tree. Also, putting a bird’s silhouette on the tree is a good idea.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Paint the background with multiple colors.
- Sketch the shape of the tree.
- Fill in the black color in it.
9. A Half Sunflower:
This is one of the very creative canvas painting ideas that you can try to make. It is simple, yet it will test your artistic skills. The basic concept behind this idea is to show half of a sunflower coming out from the edge of the canvas.
It creates a beautiful and artistic painting that is very attractive because of its unique look. As a beginner, you’ll have the opportunity to practice your sketching skills while creating details of the flower.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Create the sketch of the half sunflower on the edge of the canvas.
- Add a background color (preferably black).
- Add colors in the sketch of the follower to finalize the painting.
10. The Solar System:
If you’re into painting cosmic objects, presenting the solar system on your canvas would be an amazing idea. The best thing about this idea is that it can be presented in a number of different ways.
You can use your own imagination to decide which perspective you want to use to paint the system. In general, you’ll have to use a dark background and add the planets in the scene.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Start with painting the dark background
- Add tiny stars in the back for depth.
- Make sketches of different planets.
- Add colors in the sketches to finalize the painting.
Pro Tip:
Only add a few main planets in the painting to keep it clean and attractive.
11. Woods Under The Moonlight:
People who are transitioning from beginners to pro level can try out the idea of painting wood under the moonlight. It’s a great pick for those who want to work on the element of perspective while painting.
Just like several other ideas, this one can also be shaped in multiple ways. However, I prefer painting a moon, some trees, a lake, and mountains. Capturing all of these things can be challenging, it will help you improve your painting skills.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Start with painting the moon and the night sky.
- Then, paint mountains and the lake below them.
- After that, sketch trees.
- Paint the trees and finish the painting.
12. The Skylines of New York:
Let’s shift our focus toward painting urban landscapes. The best way to do that is by painting the skylines of New York. The idea is great for anyone who wants to improve their painting skills when it comes to making buildings.
The basic concept here is to make a landscape painting of New York buildings with the Empire State Building to give the painting an iconic look.
General Painting Guidelines:
- You can begin by sketching the outlines of the buildings on the canvas.
- Add a sky color (preferably something portraying sunset or sunrise).
- Paint the buildings in order to finish.
Pro Tip:
Focus on detailing the Empire State Building finely to give the art a perfect New York City look.
13. A Bird’s Eye View Of The Beach:
This idea is one of the most creative and unique ones in this list of top painting ideas for beginners and pros alike. In this concept, you have to create a painting of a beach from a bird’s eye view. It is a simple concept, but it will look very pretty once you have finished it.
Some part of the canvas will be covered by the beach, and the rest of it will be the sea. You can add further objects to beautify the painting more.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Sketch the beach properly.
- Now, paint the beach as well as the ocean.
- Sketch any additional object that you want to add, such as a boat (optional).
- Paint the object.
14. Fishes:
This idea is basically as simple as it sounds. In this concept, you can create one or multiple fish that are portrayed underwater. It’s a pretty basic yet creative painting idea that both beginners and pro-level artists can try out.
Again, you’re allowed to use your own imagination while making this painting. You can pick any type of fish that’s easier (or even challenging) for you to paint. Then, add multiple other things, such as leaves and water bubbles, for more depth.
General Painting Guidelines:
- First of all, begin with sketching the outline of the bodies of the fish.
- Then, create details on its body.
- Now, draw underwater leaves and water bubbles.
- Paint each object.
15. Boat In The Ocean:
For our next idea, we are going to the world of oceans again. However, instead of being underwater, we’re going to paint a boat above the water this time. It’s a very creative idea that you can try out to test your painting skills while improving them at the same time.
You can pick any type of boat that you want to make on canvas. However, make sure to give a perspective of sunset or sunrise to make the art more beautiful.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Begin with sketching the boat.
- Now, paint the sky as well as the ocean.
- Try adding multiple objects, such as trees and clouds, for a better depth.
16. An Elephant Silhouette:
Creating paintings of wildlife animals has always been a fun thing to do for many people. People create different types of animals in order to portray their painting skills.
This specific concept, however, includes making an elephant silhouette. The elephant’s body is easy to draw, and you have to focus your attention only on the background.
General Painting guidelines:
- Sketch the whole body of the elephant.
- Sketch a sunset or sunrise in the background.
- Paint the objects to finalize the painting.
Pro Tip:
You can add multiple elephant silhouettes in the painting for more depth.
17. A Giant Keyhole Opening:
Well, now I’m going to make things even more interesting for you. For that, you should definitely try painting a giant keyhole opening. It’s one of the most creative painting ideas.
Following this idea will help you improve your imagination, and you’ll be able to create different types of unique stuff. In this idea, you have to create a giant keyhole and surround it with different objects, such as a human being.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Sketch the keyhole.
- Sketch the object inside the keyhole, such as trees or a sunset.
- Paint the objects according to preferred colors.
18. Rain In The Jungle:
Another fun idea that you should definitely give a try is painting the rain in the jungle. The concept is pretty much clear, and there’s nothing much you have to do except use your imagination.
As a beginner, you can add a simple tree and a stream. Adding some stones might be a good idea. As a professional, however, you can add other objects, such as a hut, to make the painting more attractive.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Begin with sketching the main objects (hut, trees, etc.).
- Now, paint each of these objects with relevant covers.
- Use your skill to create a rain effect with the paint.
19. A Heart In The Fence:
It is a very beautiful and bright painting idea that every beginner should try out. It’s a simple painting that includes the shape of the heart on a fence.
In this shape, there are different flowers, giving the painting an aesthetic look. The idea is pretty straightforward and requires both sketching and painting.
General Painting Guidelines:
- Draw the fence.
- Now, draw a heart shape in it.
- After that, sketch different flowers.
- Now, paint each section.
20. Desert Dunes:
Last but not least, painting desert dunes is another one of the most creative and interesting ideas that you should try out. It is a straightforward concept and includes multiple desert dunes under the sunlight.
The beauty of this concept lies in the freedom that it offers. It means you can make tweaks to the idea and modify it according to your taste pretty easily. For example, you can add a person riding a camel or a horse on these dunes.
General Painting Guidelines:
- First of all, sketch the dunes and the sun.
- Now, paint these objects carefully.
- As a professional, you can make the dunes as detailed as you want.
Pro Tip:
Make sure to keep the painting as simple as possible to master sketching and painting the shape of the dunes.
Conclusion:
Well, there you have it. Painting is all about having fun until you run out of ideas. It’s a pretty natural thing, and you shouldn’t be worried about it. If you’re facing a painter’s block, you can try out the discussed painting ideas.
These ideas are both simple and creative. This makes them accessible to painters of all skill levels. Feel free to use your creativity to give these concepts a more visually appealing finish.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
1. What is the easiest thing to paint as a beginner?
As a beginner, painting anything won’t be as easy as it looks. Still, there are some ideas that you can begin with. For example, you can paint a simple geometric art.
2. Which type of painting is best for beginners?
Beginners should focus on starting with acrylic painting. It uses acrylic colors, which are relatively easy to handle and paint with.
3. How do I get an idea for a painting?
Getting an idea for painting requires using your broad imagination. You can take a walk around the corner and see any natural object and then paint it.
4. What kind of paintings sell best?
Well, it depends on what type of audience you’re targeting. However, oil paintings are one of the best-selling types of paintings due to their unique and artistic nature.
