Simple Painting Ideas for Beginners
- How good?
- What are you painting?
The thing is that when you’re an expert, even the simplest of forms can be done masterfully. With the right shading and depth of perception, you can make something as simple as an apple look life-like.
However, let’s not pretend that the idea itself cannot make painting easier and give you an amazing result, even if you are a complete beginner
Here are a few painting ideas for beginners looking to create their first masterpiece.
1. Color block design
This is one of those ideas you’ve seen a thousand times on social media. It’s so beginner-friendly because you can actually use tape to cover parts of the canvas or paper, paint over it, and then remove the tape to get the final shape and color palette.
When looking for easy things to paint, it doesn’t get any easier.
At the same time, it’s a shortcut since if your taping game is on point, there’s really no way for you to go wrong with this one.
In a way, it’s ideal for those who want something beautiful to put on the wall, something they’ve made, but they don’t really want to wait for years until they’re proficient enough at painting to be able actually to create it.
With a color block design, you get a minimalist image. Now, a minimalist image, when done right, is flawless. The lack of complexity is not a deficiency; it’s a feature. As such, it’s perfect (or as close to perfection as art can get).
While it may seem like the easy way out and like you’re not really learning much, the truth is that you’ll learn so much about the proportion and the use of space. You’ll also learn that a pencil and a brush aren’t the only tools you can use to create visual art.
2. Color by Numbers
One of the best canvas painting ideas is to get yourself a custom paint by number with your photo. This way, you get all the perks of what we’ve discussed in the previous section (you get something beautiful you’ve made to hang in your living room), and you don’t have to settle for simple or minimalist.
This is probably the simplest way to break the fear of painting. A lot of people are interested in creating visual art, but they allow their insecurities to keep them at bay. With paint-by-numbers, failure is not an option… not really.
The thing is that a lot of beginners obsess too much about the creative aspect of their painting that they get completely lost. Fortunately, a paint-by-numbers kit will allow them just to tune out and paint.
Another great thing about this idea is the fact that they don’t have to think too hard about what they’re doing. They can just start painting, play some music, and imagine themselves as Van Gogh, out in the fields of Provence with their easel.
In other words, this approach is great for those who are just learning the ropes, as well as hobbyists who don’t exactly have too much time to dedicate to perfecting this art.
3. Ocean waves
Painting ocean waves can be a particularly great acrylic painting idea because it helps you focus on the fluidity of the motion. Instead of fixating on the details, think about the direction and the motion of the brush and put a lot of thought into it.
The mix of colors here is really simple. You’re usually going with blue and white, with an occasional grey. You can even go with yellow, orange, or even a hue of red if you want to paint the reflection of the sun on the surface, as well.
Ironically enough, and to your great benefit, these seaside motifs are incredibly calming. In a way, they’re like being in the presence of actual ocean waves. The repetitiveness of the motion helps you achieve the same effect.
Also, keep in mind that maritime motifs are one of the most popular things that most people will hang in their homes. This means that, thematically, it won’t stick out. Unlike these other people, you’ll know that this is an image of your own making. This concept is virtually priceless.
4. City skylines
Another amazing idea is to paint a city skyline with a basic shade for buildings. The best thing about this is that you get a chance to learn how to paint a semi-monochrome image (or even a fully monochrome one).
For someone who is just learning the ropes and looking for easy painting ideas, this one is really near the top of the list. First of all, you can focus on the shapes instead of worrying about the hues. A great way to start could be using a popular paint by numbers kit, which allows you to practice shape and color without the pressure of perfecting every detail. When it comes to it, you’re actually making silhouettes, and if the color overlaps between several structures, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
One of the most satisfying things here is that you’re creating these buildings with broad, sweeping strokes. This means that you don’t have to tire your graphomotor capabilities on painting small objects and perfecting details. That can come later, but for the time being, it’s as simple as it gets.
While some people love to paint abstract shapes, the fact that skylines consist exclusively of rectangles and lines makes it incredibly beginner-friendly. This way, you have an easy concept to stick to. People who are new to painting can easily get overwhelmed by it.
5. Simple animals
Next, you can try painting simple animals like birds, cats, and dogs. Now, when we say simple, we don’t mean to imply that these animals cannot be drawn photo-realistically with every hair fleshed out. Instead, you can take a minimalist approach to this painting.
One of the things that makes this an easy thing to paint is the fact that, while simple, it takes place in several stages. First, you outline. After that, you fill them with color.
By splitting two into two separate processes, you’ll have a more systematic approach. It also involves some basic planning since you’ll likely start drawing with a pencil, which means that you can erase the lines and rescale if the ratios seem to be off. In other words, this is one of those instances where you actually get to plan the painting before putting it to action.
Simple concepts and simple patterns make your life easier
The best part about these painting ideas for beginners is that they tick several boxes that are crucial for any beginner painter. First of all, each of these painting ideas will teach you an important lesson:
- Proportions
- Graphomotorics
- Motion of painting
- Shading
By abiding by these simple principles, you’ll become a much better painter without even noticing it.
It will also give you instant gratification of creating something beautiful right away, instead of having to wait for years for this to come to fruition (until you get “good enough”).
