For many artists, the hardest part is not how to do canvas painting but getting actual ideas on what to paint on canvas. So, how do you find these canvas painting ideas?
Canvas easy painting for beginners usually starts with the least complicated subject and step-by-step instructions – the same way as many other crafts.
Why do we call painting on canvas a craft?
Because while beginners are learning how they can technically execute their painting ideas on canvas by using different tools and techniques they actually are learning the craft side of this trade.
Why not call yourself an artist right away? Well, many people do so but imagine doing the same thing in the music field. If you are just starting to play the piano and learning notes would you call yourself a performing musician?
What is the best wayfor beginners to learn about painting on canvas?
Besides art supplies and tools, you will need to learn a variety of painting techniques and go through guided tutorials. Without copying the best artworks with a deep understanding of how exactly it was accomplished it will be very hard to start creating your own masterpieces.
1. Painting colorful trees on canvas is always a good choice for beginners
One of the first oil or acrylic easy DIY canvas painting ideas for beginners on canvas would be painting Colorful Landscapes or trees using acrylic paints. Painting images of nature doesn’t require great drawing skills and can be one of the fast and fun things you can do with a blank canvas. How can you try to achieve the same effect? Pick a canvas, a set of basic acrylic paints, a wide brush (or palette knife), and voila – you’ll create your own beautiful landscape painting.
Source: etsy.com
2. Abstract Acrylic Pour Painting on Canvas is easy to master
Abstract paintings also allow beginners to create wall art without much artistic experience. If you simply can’t come up with any ideas on what to paint on canvas then Fluid Art such as Acrylic Pour painting would be a good choice for you!
For abstract easy canvas painting ideas, like the one below, look at this blog post describing multiple ways to enter the exciting world of Acrylic pouring. Still, there is much to learn about how acrylic paints behave on canvas.
Source: etsy.com
3. Try Abstract Painting on canvas with traditional brushes
For beginners, easy painting ideas on canvas often include a wide brush and just a few colors to get their artistic feet wet without extra headaches related to mixing a lot of different hues. If you’re looking for some pictures to paint easily, abstract ones are the most popular among beginners.
Source: etsy.com
4. Take a more graphical approach to painting landscapes
What a great idea for a modern-vibe landscape! You can duplicate the trend by creating distinct patterns and coloring them flat. Painting on canvas with too many details can be too challenging for beginners, so it would a good idea to simplify the whole composition. Just squint your eyes and all these extra details will disappear! Now you can paint!
Source: fineartamerica.com
5. Try Acrylic Pouring using white, yellow ochre, and black to give a modern look to your Abstract Painting
As it happens too often, the most common beginners’ painting mistake is dumping all available colors on canvas. Try to limit yourself to a few colors, especially in the beginning. Get pouring art supplies kit here.
Source: etsy.com
6. Take the “coloring pages” approach to painting – the idea here is to transfer a drawing onto canvas and then color it with acrylic paints
It looks challenging but learning to read and write was challenging as well, right? In reality, the idea to paint over a drawing is not much harder than to color pages with markers. Controlling the brush is only tricky in the beginning.
This example shows The Edge of Paradise painting which won first place in the Art for Trees National Art Contest. It depicts the wildlife of Costa Rica which is currently under the threat of deforestation. A rare and majestic jaguar, along with her cubs, a Howler Monkey, and a hummingbird, watch as man encroaches upon their land.
Source:fineartamerica.com
7. Use watercolor techniques on canvas even if you are painting with acrylic paints
Don’t be discouraged by the intricate drawing of the flowers – you don’t have to make it by hand. Tracing it is perfectly fine for a beginner. The idea here is to dilute acrylic paint with water and color the canvas with a fine brush as if you were working on your coloring pages.
Source: fineartamerica.com
Well, these particular painting ideas on canvas are not for pure beginners, they can be simplified and executed with pretty good results.
8. Experiment with mixed painting techniques and styles – sketch and then partially paint canvas creating a lively work-in-progress effect
Northwest Artist, Jennifer Lommers created this beautiful piece depicting a goldfinch perched high above under the canopy of a ponderosa pine tree. This art piece is part of a series of India Ink & Acrylic paintings created from nature drawings.
Source: fineartamerica.com
9. Painting aspen tree trunks with autumn foliage is one of the most popular and easy canvas painting ideas for beginners
Source: fineartamerica.com
10. Painting Tuscan pines with picturesque rolling hills is always a winning choice for both beginners and experienced artists
This Tuscan landscape definitely presents a challenge to beginners. Don’t give up on it without trying – it is easier than you’d think. Without overcoming challenges in our lives we’d all probably still be living in caves using sign language.
If you really like a certain canvas painting idea then go for it – at least you’ll know what you’ll need to work on to improve the result!
Source: fineartamerica.com
11. Sunflowers glowing with joyful summer light frequently are among the most popular easy painting ideas on canvas
Source: fineartamerica.com
Right away, you’d want to ask: “Why not Van Gogh?” Well, indeed Vincent Van Gogh is very famous for his paintings of sunflowers but here is a slight problem that may confuse some beginners. By looking at some of his paintings one may notice rather complex brush strokes patterns with pretty intricate silhouettes of sunflowers grouped together. Colors are also not as bright and distinct as in the sample above.
Following a brighter color scheme with a larger subject size is much easier for a beginner. Of course, you don’t have to repeat each and every detail here. Just combine all major color groups into larger blocks.
12. Take a designer-style approach to an acrylic canvas with one dominant color and a single object.
This sample is a great way to decorate an entryway with a fast and easy big wall art decor project. For your kitchen, it can be graphic pictures of a popular triad of fork-spoon-knife or a simple coffee cup. No matter what the subject is, just make the background look like an old painted wall to give the finished painting a vintage flavor.
Source:fineartamerica.com
If you’ll decide to create something similar, note that the textured background plays a very important role in this painting. use sponge or painting knife with 3-4 earth red and ochre yellow color hues. Once your beautiful texture is dry you may finish your canvas by painting any subject of your interest including kitchen utensils, favorite flower, or whatever is appropriate for the wall your painting will be hung on.
13. Make your canvas more interesting by attempting to paint in a surrealistic style combining common objects in unusual ways.
In this painting, you see a fantasy landscape with a combination of Fargesia Victualia, which is a family of bamboos found in alpine conifer forests of East Asia, in combination with slices of citrus fruit.
Source: fineartamerica.com
14. Follow the steps of great artists like EyvindEarle.
His painting style will work perfectly for those who are still obsessed with coloring pages. Do the same thing but color with paints instead of markers or pencils. The result will be rewarding – creating an incredible wall art piece!
Source: fineartamerica.com
15. Autumn trees with bright colors are just perfect for a quick and easy canvas painting when you don’t have a lot of time
We like this canvas painting idea for its simple shapes and bright festive colors. Give it a try!
16. Painting more realistic trees with one color accent will require a bit more skills but will make your canvas look more sophisticated
The trees here look more complicated than they are. Start with the background light gray tree trunks and work your way to the front dark ones. Then do the same with the foliage. The red tree is worked on the last. Use “fan” type brushes for the foliage. This canvas painting is actually a really fun idea and you’ll be amazed at your results.
17. Multi-panel wall art becomes more and more popular and birds are a very popular subject. It’s a winning combination for beginner artists.
18. Paint with a palette knife creating a mosaic of colors and textures
19. Design symmetrical 2-piece canvas painting using simple objects like trees
20. Give yourself a bit of challenge by painting a figurative art piece
Choose an angle to avoid painting a face and it will be easy enough even for a beginner.
21. A path in a forest with glowing foliage is simply enchanting!
22. Large-scale abstract canvasses are always very impressive
It can be done easily after practicing acrylic pouring techniques on a smaller canvas. Pour painting is actually a lot of fun and can be very addictive. This is truly the easiest canvas painting technique that most beginners can master in a short period of time.
23. For kids’ rooms try multi-panel wall art with easy-to-draw animals like whales or dolphins
If you don’t want to challenge yourself then painting something similar to the cute whale or giraffe would be a good and easy canvas painting exercise.
24. Birch bark has a lovely pattern which is not hard to paint
Apply gold leaf or copper leaf accent and you have a nice art piece for yourself or a hand-made gift for your loved ones!
25. Advanced but easy to paint portraits
Do you think that these ideas are too hard for you? Don’t worry – you need a challenge! Just get this best-selling “How to paint” book and this amazing acrylic paint set to see how easy and exciting painting can be…
To try your painting ideas get this perfect acrylic paint set from Arteza!
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
YouChat, Art Enthusiast and Expert
I'm deeply passionate about art and have spent years exploring various painting techniques and styles. My expertise extends to canvas painting, including acrylic and oil painting, abstract art, and traditional brush techniques. I've delved into the world of art supplies, from different types of canvases to a wide range of paints and brushes. My knowledge is not just theoretical; I've actively practiced and experimented with different painting ideas on canvas, allowing me to provide practical insights and guidance to beginners and experienced artists alike.
Canvas Painting Ideas and Techniques
Finding Inspiration for Canvas Painting
For many artists, the challenge lies not in the technical aspects of canvas painting, but in finding inspiration for their creations. The process of generating ideas for canvas painting can be as important as the execution itself. Beginners often struggle with this aspect, and it's essential to explore various sources of inspiration, from nature to abstract concepts.
Understanding Canvas Painting as a Craft
The term "craft" is often associated with canvas painting for beginners. This is because, in the initial stages, individuals are focused on mastering the technical aspects of painting, such as using different tools and techniques. As they progress, they transition from the craft side to the artistic side of the trade, eventually identifying themselves as artists.
Learning and Techniques for Beginners
For beginners, learning about painting on canvas involves more than just acquiring art supplies. It's crucial to delve into a variety of painting techniques and engage in guided tutorials. Understanding and replicating the best artworks with a deep comprehension of the techniques used is essential for aspiring artists to start creating their own masterpieces.
Specific Canvas Painting Ideas and Techniques
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Colorful Trees and Landscapes: Painting colorful trees on canvas is a popular choice for beginners, as it doesn't require advanced drawing skills and can be a fast and enjoyable activity. Acrylic paints and a wide brush or palette knife are commonly used to create beautiful landscape paintings [[1]].
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Abstract Acrylic Pour Painting: Abstract paintings, particularly acrylic pour painting, offer beginners the opportunity to create wall art without extensive artistic experience. This technique allows for the exploration of fluid art and the behavior of acrylic paints on canvas [[2]].
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Abstract Painting with Traditional Brushes: Abstract painting with traditional brushes is a popular choice among beginners, often involving a limited color palette and simple compositions to ease beginners into the artistic process [[3]].
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Graphical Approach to Painting Landscapes: Simplifying the composition of landscape paintings by creating distinct patterns and using flat colors can be an effective strategy for beginners, allowing them to focus on the overall impression rather than intricate details [[4]].
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Acrylic Pouring with Limited Colors: Beginners are advised to limit the number of colors used in acrylic pouring, as dumping all available colors on canvas can be a common mistake. Restricting the color palette, especially in the beginning, can lead to more cohesive and visually appealing results [[5]].
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Coloring Pages Approach: Transferring a drawing onto canvas and coloring it with acrylic paints is likened to coloring pages with markers, making it a manageable challenge for beginners. This approach can lead to impressive results, as demonstrated by the example of "The Edge of Paradise" painting [[6]].
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Watercolor Techniques with Acrylic Paints: Utilizing watercolor techniques on canvas, even when painting with acrylic paints, can be achieved by diluting acrylic paint with water and using a fine brush to color the canvas, similar to working on coloring pages [[7]].
These are just a few examples of the diverse canvas painting ideas and techniques available to beginners and aspiring artists. Each approach offers its own set of challenges and rewards, contributing to the development of artistic skills and creativity.
