Beginner Painting Ideas

Easy and Inspiring Beginner Painting Ideas for Your Artistic Journey

Unleash your creativity with this beginner-friendly painting idea! Perfect for those starting out on their artistic adventure, this easy, beginner guide will ignite your passion and help you create beautiful artwork with confidence. Let the colors flow and embark on a creative exploration with our beginner painting.

I may sometimes use affiliate links, which means a small commission is earned if you make a purchase via the link. The price will be the same whether you use the affiliate link or go directly to the vendor’s website using a non-affiliate link.

If someone were to ask me about the talent I wish I possessed, without a doubt, I'd choose the ability to paint. Both my mother and sister effortlessly create beautiful scenes on canvas, leaving me longing for that artistic superpower. I find myself surrounded by a lineage of talented family members, each gifted in their own unique way. Then there's me, discovering my creativity in my late twenties.

I enjoy watching others paint... Bob Ross anyone?  We have the Bob Ross channel included with our television package, and while I was sick with covid, Bentley and I would lay in bed and watch him paint the day away between naps.  

My grandpa found inspiration through Bob Ross, painting comes naturally to my mom, and then sis got that gene too.  Even my father showcases talent by crafting unique items from unconventional finds.

So, inspired by the calming strokes of Bob Ross, I thought when I am feeling up to it, I am going to give this one last shot.  AND... so I did... after watching a few YouTube videos that is.

Sometimes it amazes me what you can learn by watching a video. While I may not claim to be "video-worthy" ready to share, I captured the process of creating my lavender flowers scene to share with you today.   To create this painting, I went down several rabbit holes watching YouTube videos, all several days before I mustered up the courage to give this a try.

Here's a simple beginner DIY painting guide using readily available materials:

DIY Painting 

Materials:

1. 8x10 canvas
2. Paint Brush
3. Q-tips
4. Bamboo Skewer
5. Black Paint
6. White Paint
7. Green Paint
8. Purple Paint
9. 1 paper napkin or paper towel

Instructions:

• Place dollops of white paint on the canvas.
• Add two small dots of black paint on the long sides of the canvas.
• Brush the paint vertically from top to bottom, starting on the right side, moving to the middle, and then the left side.
• Use a paper napkin or towel to create texture on the canvas.
• Paint green stems using a bamboo skewer; add green paint to skewer, roll from side to side, and slide the skewer in a downward motion from the canvas.
• Add white paint to a textured napkin (mine had flowers embossed on it) for added texture to the painting.  You can do this by simply pressing the napkin to the canvas.
• Mix green with white and green with black for varied hues of green stems.
• Use a Q-tip dipped in purple paint to create flower dots along the green stems.
• Mix white with purple paint and black with purple paint for depth on the flowers.

A little too much black paint in my case... oops!

I used the flower indentations in the napkin as more texture to the painting

Hold the skewer in place as you pull it in a downward motion on the canvas

Here I have added white to my green paint for lighter colored stems

I have added black to green for darker colored stems

I have added black to purple for more dimension to the flowers

Add white paint to purple to give a more realistic look to the flowers

This was my first attempt, and I must admit, I'm thrilled with the outcome! The right tools, the ease of creation, and the tutorial videos played a crucial role. Jasmine, with Feeling Nifty provided me with the most influence as I decided to give painting one more try. I am so glad I found her tutorial, or I may have given up.

I thoroughly enjoyed this beginner painting experience, and I foresee more Q-tip paintings in my future. Despite the nerves, I'm eager to create one without assistance. If, like me, you never thought you could paint, I encourage you to give it one last try. After struggling with a paint-by-numbers project last week due to worsening eyesight, I realized the joy of creating freehand art. Painting has become my newfound passion, and I intend to explore it further despite the challenges.

Don't Forget to Pin for Later!

Ciao,

Cara