Nova Color Key points:
- 10 beginner-friendly ideas from abstract to landscapes to seasonal themes
- Practice blending, shading, color mixing, and brush control
- Learn what to paint on a canvas without overthinking it
- Tips included for prepping your surface and choosing tools
- All ideas use each technique with artist-grade acrylic paint.
One day, you sit down to create—your favorite acrylic paints, brand-new brushes, and a blank canvas bursting with inspiration. You pick up your primer to begin, but a flood of inspiration rushes in—so many, you can’t decide where to start.
If you’re experiencing a creative block as a new artist, you’ve come to the right place. As a new artist, one question can feel enormous: how do I find canvas painting ideas for beginners that are simple and easy?
For many new and experienced creatives alike, putting the brush to canvas is the hardest step. With so many subjects and painting techniques to choose from, it can quickly discourage those just starting their creative journey.
Join us as we share easy canvas painting ideas for beginners that jumpstart your artistic experimentation and journey.
Easy Canvas Painting Ideas for Beginners
Acrylic painting on canvas is a great way to create original works of art. However, you’ll need to prepare your canvas to give your painting the best chance of success. This includes priming the canvas with gesso to give the surface more "tooth" for your paints to cling to.
In Brief: Priming a Canvas
Before your brushes touch the canvas, you’ll want a clean, sealed foundation. Nova Color recommends applying 2-3 thin coats of gesso, letting each layer dry fully before adding the next. This builds a consistently smooth surface and enhances paint adhesion and color vibrancy.
Use a wide, flat brush or roller to lay down the gesso. Apply long, even strokes across the canvas. After the final coat dries (usually within a couple of hours), lightly sand with a very fine grit if you prefer an ultra-smooth finish. Wipe away dust, and you’re ready to dive into your canvas painting ideas for beginners with confidence and a quality foundation.
Now that your materials are ready and your canvas is primed, it’s time to explore some easy acrylic painting ideas for beginners.
1. Artful Abstract
One of the best ideas to paint on canvas for beginners isn’t an actual thing at all. Abstract painting lets beginners explore bold techniques and fill the canvas without needing a defined subject.
Colorful swirls, splatters, and shapes come together to create a truly one-of-a-kind painting that you can proudly display. Pick colors that harmonize or contrast. Use brushes of different sizes and materials. Try adding texture or mixed media to see how far you can stretch each effect and stroke. There’s no need for a step-by-step tutorial for this DIY canvas painting, as you should let your imagination guide you.
2. Sunrise or Sunset
For a more structured approach, consider creating a sunrise or sunset painting. This canvas painting idea for beginners encourages you to practice blending colors and creating gradients. Focus your attention on the way shadows cast long in the early morning, late day, or even over a body of water. You’ll love working with warm, vibrant colors, and you can proudly display the finished piece in your home.
3. Flower Bouquet
Flowers are another great muse for budding artists. Start painting your favorite blooms or get creative with funky blossoms. You can make things more abstract or realistic depending on your preference.
Do you paint loose or detailed? Either way, flowers give you the chance to practice shapes, shading, and color mixing to find that perfect shade.
4. Ocean Waves
The ocean is a perfect large canvas painting idea for beginners who want to fill a large space. You can try your hand at painting a calm ocean or perhaps a churning sea. You can even capture waves crashing on the shore.
This easy acrylic painting lets you play with cool tones and bold brushwork to show the movement of water. Using intentional brush strokes and a thick type of paint, like acrylic, creates texture. For even more depth, mediums such as Nova Color’s 207 Nova Gel can be mixed with your acrylics to create a glossy, thick surface that mimics the shimmer and weight of real waves.
Check out what other artists are buying after reading!
5. Serene Landscape
Landscape Painting with acrylics might feel intimidating at first--but it doesn’t have to be. Understanding the basics of landscape painting is great for beginners. From there, you can begin capturing your favorite scenery or create a striking silhouette landscape with a dramatic sky.
6. Geometric Patterns
If you want something more defined as your first piece of art, work with masking tape to create stunning geometric shapes. This is a great way to work on precision and symmetry. Toss in interesting textures, add gilded or glitz with metallics, or go bold with neon.
7. Personal Portrait
Acrylic portrait painting for beginners can be a delightful learning experience. It’s a chance to begin working on realism or define your own style. Choose a muse such as your furry friend, a family member, or even yourself!
8. Whimsical Trees
We also added tree paintings to this list of easy canvas ideas for beginners. Why? Because of the naturally abstract depiction, you don’t need to perfectly replicate every pine needle, leaf, or brand.
A whimsical forest with vibrant and unusual colors for the trees can be eye-catching and fun. This painting idea helps you build backgrounds, practice fluid brushstrokes, and stretch your creativity.
9. Dark Galaxy
A starry night sky is a great painting idea on canvas for beginners. Simply fill the background of a large canvas with a dreamy background. Perhaps you want to create a stunning deep black and dark blues, or you can create depth and swirls with a paint-pouring technique.
Once that is dry, it’s time to get to work creating a magical galaxy. Different techniques, such as paint splattering, can help create a sky full of stars.
10. Holiday Cheer
Finally, don’t overlook how inspiring the holidays can be! From a plump pumpkin to a cheerful snowman, these canvas painting ideas for beginners also double as a festive holiday
Start Simple, Create Fearlessly
Every project, every idea begins with a single brushstroke, and every artist, beginner or seasoned, faces the blank canvas with a mix of hope and hesitation. The good news is you don’t have to overthink it. From experimenting with abstract textures or layering waves of ocean blue, these canvas painting ideas for beginners offer you a starting point, not a script.
Let yourself explore. Trust your eye. Choose subjects that stir inside you, be it the hope of a sunrise, the delicate beauty of a wildflower, or the whimsy or crooked winter trees. With every color you mix and every stroke you lay down, you’ll grow more confident in your ‘voice’ as an artist.
Your creativity deserves materials that meet you at your level and lift you higher. That’s why artists and hobbyists love and choose Nova Color—because every pigment, every jar, every brush-ready formula is crafted for big beginnings and fearless finishes.
Stock up on premium, artist-grade acrylic paints today and bring your next canvas idea to life in your way.
