33 Beginner Painting Ideas for Creative Inspiration in 2024

Unleashing your creativity can be fun and cathartic, so get inspired by these beginner painting ideas and let your creative energy flow. Painting is a great hobby and a creative outlet that anyone can do, whether you consider yourself an artist or not.

However, it can be intimidating to start a new creative hobby. Beginners may not know where to start, what to paint or what kind of supplies they need. It’s suggested that beginners use acrylic paints, according to Jerry’s Artarama, because they’re inexpensive, easy to use and easy to clean up. 

Acrylic paints can also be used on a variety of surfaces, which means you can paint on canvas, thick paper, and wood. They’re also easily purchased at art supplies stores, so they’re accessible for beginner artists. Now that you’re in the mood, you may be asking, “How do I start my first painting?” That’s where we come in. Check out these perfect beginner painting ideas for a great way to get the ball rolling.

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• Beginner Painting Ideas for Adults
• Beginner Painting Ideas for Kids

Beginner Painting Ideas for Adults

1. Get Inspired With Painting Classes

If you’ve always wanted to paint, but don’t know where to start, you should consider joining a painting class near you. There are painting classes in Boston, painting classes in Portland, painting classes in Sacramento and many other cities around the world. Led by expert artists, you’ll have a welcoming environment to learn the basics of the art. 

You’ll learn how to work with color and master building an image from the background to the finer details. With these classes, you’ll be learning by doing. Plus, you’ll end the class with a unique work of art you can be proud of.

2. Couples Portraits

Need a new activity to mix in with weekly dinner dates? Consider spending the evening painting with your significant other. Get canvases and paints and try a some couple painting ideas. You can paint portraits of each other, paint picture frames to show off all your memories or go to a park and paint the scenery. There are plenty of beginner acrylic painting ideas two people can do together.

3. Moonlit Floral Trees

Capture the beauty of a moonlit night with this beginner painting idea. A dark night sky with a glowing full moon illuminating a colorful, blooming tree will always be a compelling image. You can set the tree in a forest or on the banks of a lank, wherever you picture this tree. This would also be a beautiful oil painting for beginners because the colors will blend nicely.

4. Quote with Abstract Background

One of the best beginner painting ideas for adults is to put a quote on a canvas. Choose your favorite colors for an abstract background. Once that’s dry, paint a quote you love across the canvas. These simple projects will create a highly personal work of art.

5. Pour Paint Technique

Lovers of abstract art and unique techniques will love this beginner painting idea. Pour painting is one of the coolest acrylic painting ideas for beginners. It involves mixing acrylic paint with pouring medium that helps thin the paint. Then, you pour it over the canvas. This painting technique is a great way to play with color and try something new.

6. Pet Portrait

Your cute dog and sassy cat are one of your favorite family members. So, why not honor them with an adorable pet portrait done by you? With this beginner painting idea, you can recreate your pet on a canvas or watercolor paper. Then, you’ll have a work of art full of love to display in your home.

7. Abstract Painting with Simple Black Design

Here’s another abstract beginner acrylic painting idea to try. Use three to five colors to create an abstract backdrop on a canvas. Once the paint is dry, you can use black paint or a black permanent marker to make a simple black design over the top. In this beginner painting idea, you can create a geometric design or a sketch of a landscape.

8. Moon Phases

Into astrology or the celestial? Then, you may want to paint moon phases. Use a longer canvas and paint it black or navy blue. Add a sprinkling of stars for texture in the background. Then, paint each phase of the moon in a line across the canvas.

9. Tropical Sunset

If you’ve been fantasizing about a beach holiday, why not paint a tropical sunset? Paint a sunset over glistening blue water with silhouettes of palm trees on the beach or a sailboat on the horizon. Wondering what to start with when painting? With most beginner painting ideas, the background is the best place to start because you’ll be able to layer more easily.

10. Modern Starry Night

“The Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh is one of the most famous paintings. For a fun and challenging beginner painting idea, you can recreate a modern version of this famous painting. There are tutorials for a step-by-step painting idea for beginners to recreate this painting or you can make your own interpretation of the work of art.

11. Pine Forest at Night

Capture the mystical magic of a forest at night. You can find step-by-step painting ideas for beginners to create a pine forest illuminated by the moon. With this beginner painting idea, you can paint the sky black and the foreground a dark green. Use black or dark green to create the silhouettes of pine trees and white to make a glowing full moon.

12. City Skyline

This beginner painting idea is perfect for anyone who loves the hustle and bustle of the city. A basic city skyline can be easy for beginners to make with simple rectangular shapes. You can also make a skyline of your home city, a city you love or one that you’ve traveled to.

13. Succulents, Cacti or Houseplants

Love a leafy green plant? Put it on a canvas! With this beginner painting idea, you can paint a still life of a little succulent, a prickly cactus or a vibrant houseplant on a canvas. These are often easy items to paint because you can use basic shapes and colors to make your favorite flora.

14. Impressionist Water Lillies

“Water Lilies” is a famous painting by Impressionist Claude Monet. This painting features colorful water lilies floating on calm water. Recreate this painting in your own style. Try your hand at watercolor painting for beginners when making your own version of the famous water lilies.

15. Beachy Shore

Summer lovers will love this beginner painting idea for adults. Capture the fun of the beach from a birds-eye view. Paint half the canvas blue and the other half a sandy beige to make the appearance of waves crashing on the shore. Then, you can fill the shore with sunbathers, beach towels and umbrellas to create a fun beach day.

16. Constellations in Space

What is the best paint style for beginners? Abstraction, like splatter painting, is often a simple painting style for beginners to try. For this painting idea, you can paint the background black, then splatter on white paint to make it look like constellations. You can try a variety of painting styles on the same painting subject to find the style you like the most.

17. Flower Stems

What is the easiest thing to paint as a beginner? Flowers tend to be pretty simple for beginners to paint. To paint flowers, you can use simple shapes and colors to make the petals and green lines for the stems. With this beginner painting idea, you can paint flowers in a field, as a bouquet or in a vase.

Beginner Painting Ideas for Kids

18. Paint Pumpkins

During fall, kids can paint pumpkins for a fun seasonal activity. There are plenty of kid-friendly beginner painting ideas they can paint of the gourds. They can paint a traditional jack-o-lantern face or fall-themed icons like a witch, monster or black cat. Then, they can display their pumpkins as fall decor throughout the house.

19. Ice Cream Cone

If you’re looking for beginner painting ideas for kids, have them paint their favorite ice cream flavor on an ice cream cone or have them paint an ice cream flavor they came up with. Give them a variety of colors to choose from so they can get creative. Elevate this beginner painting idea by letting them add sparkles, buttons or beads to add to their flavors.

20. Colorful Unicorn

Kids have a big imagination, so allow them to create their version of a mystical being. With this beginner painting idea, challenge kids to make their own colorful unicorn. Provide them with plenty of colors so they can paint a pretty unicorn with a colorful mane.

21. Bright Sunflowers

Kids love bright colors and flowers and this beginner painting idea has both. Have kids use yellow and orange paints to create paintings of bright sunflowers. This is a great way for them to paint nature, especially when they’re outside. Take the kids to a park to have them paint their favorite flowers or flowers they find.

22. Field of Flowers

A field of flowers will be easy for kids to paint with simple colors and shapes. Paint the background green and allow them to use a variety of colors to paint flowers around the canvas. One of the best painting tips for beginners and in particular kids, is to use quick-drying paints so the colors don’t run when layered.

23. Tape Off Painting

A creative beginner painting idea on canvas is the tape-off method. Have them use masking tape across the canvas to create different designs, and then have them paint over it. Use a variety of colors or paint a design before removing the tape after the paint dries. You can even do this multiple times to reveal different levels of color.

24. Funny Retro Robot

Tell the kids to make their own funny retro robot in this beginner painting idea. Find metallic paint so the robot has a sheen to it. Then, allow them to add googly eyes, pipe cleaners, buttons and other craft supplies to customize their robot. These funny portraits will be a great way to express their personality and creativity.

25. Faux Stained Glass

Looking for summer painting ideas? Why not create faux stained glass? Buy glass paint, which dries more translucent than traditional paints. You can paint a design on a pane of glass, like in a picture frame, to create faux stained glass. There are also kits that come with all the materials. Once the design is dried, place it in a window that gets sun so you can watch it get illuminated by the rays.

26. Pretty Princess

With this beginner painting idea, kids will be able to paint their own princess characters. Have them paint a princess with a tiara and a dress. They can even add an animal mascot friend. Then, they can add glitter, sequins and sparkles to make the painting shine. You can also glue on fabrics to make the ball gown more dimensional.

27. Rocket Blast-Off 

Any kids who are interested in space will love this beginner painting idea. They can paint space with black paint and add stars with white paint. Then, have them paint a rocket blasting through the cosmos. They can also add a colorful planet in the distance that the rocket is on its way to explore.

28. Sweet Little Gingerbread House

During the holidays, this beginner painting idea will be a fun activity for kids to do. Have them paint a gingerbread house on a canvas. Then, you can use modeling paste to add the icing details to give the painting texture. Add in sparkles and plastic candies to give the painting fun details. These can make great holiday decorations or a fun tradition each year.

29. Colorful Rainbow in the Sky

A simple painting for beginners is a colorful rainbow with clouds in the sky. Kids can paint a blue sky with clouds and a colorful rainbow coming out of them. Use cotton balls to give the clouds some fun texture. This would also be a fun exercise to allow kids to learn about and paint different types of weather.

30. Under the Sea

Under the sea is a great a prompt for beginner painting ideas for kids. First, have them paint the canvas blue to make it look like water. Then, ask them to paint a variety of sea creatures on their canvas. Fish, sharks, turtles, whales and jellyfish are all welcome to join this fun composition. Add in details like bubbles and seaweed to make the painting more realistic.

31. Paint Picture Frames

If you’re looking for beginner painting ideas that aren’t on a canvas, this can be a fun idea for kids. Purchase wooden picture frames from the craft store for kids to paint. This open-ended activity will allow them to express themselves and their creativity without any limits. Have buttons, beads, stickers and other craft supplies to add the finishing details to the frames.

32. Fiery Dragon

Kids imaginations will run wild in this beginner painting idea. Prompt them to paint their version of a fiery dragon. They can paint a scary monster or a more friendly giant. By asking kids to paint mythical creatures, they can express their creativity and personality. Add sparkles to make the fire shine and sequins to make scales on the dragon.

33. Paint a Mug

Another non-canvas beginner painting idea kids can paint is a mug. You can use acrylic paint on ceramic mugs to create your designs. Have them paint a design on the outside of a mug.

Once the paint has dried, bake it in the oven at 350-degrees for about 30 minutes to make the design permanent. Kids will now have a favorite mug to use for dipping cookies in milk or drinking their hot chocolate. Mugs painted by kids also make great gifts for parents and grandparents.

Whether you’re an adult or a child, these beginner painting ideas will help you express your creativity. Painting is a wonderful hobby that anyone can start at any time. It’s a great way to develop a creative talent and fulfill you desire to create. 

Painting is a great way to explore the world and your perspective of it through different subjects and styles. You may have never picked up a paintbrush or maybe you’re looking for new inspiration. Whatever the reason, these beginner painting ideas will be a great way to jumpstart your creative process. 

For even more fun painting ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!