20+ painting ideas for all art lovers.
Whether you’re creating art with the kids or decorating for an upcoming festival, these painting ideas offer hours of creative fun. Use your scanned artworks to create posters, collages and more in Adobe Express.
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Fun painting ideas for the whole family.
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Easy painting ideas for kids.
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Creative canvas painting ideas.
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How to make the most of these painting ideas.
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Acrylic painting ideas.
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Wall painting ideas to decorate your home.
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Tips for your painting adventures.
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One of the most beautiful things about art is its accessibility – art is for anyone, anywhere. From kids just learning how to scribble to art lovers exploring their talent, art is a worldwide gift we can use to express ourselves and connect with others. If you've been curious about painting but aren't sure how to begin, this list of creative painting ideas is the perfect place to start.
Fun painting ideas for the whole family.
Looking for fun ways to spend quality time together? Whether you're decorating for Ganesh Chaturthi, creating a school project or want to explore your artistic side as a family, these painting ideas will have you bonding, laughing and getting messy in no time.
Family portrait.
Start your family art adventure with a cute and easy painting idea: a family portrait. Work as a team to paint your family onto a large poster board, using a photograph for inspiration. Turn it into a fun caricature where everyone looks like a cartoon, create a blend of realism and fantasy in a Ghibli art style, or try an abstract twist where each family member picks a shape and colour that reflects their personality.
Festival-inspired art.
Celebrate an upcoming festival by creating festival-inspired art. Use a large poster board or cloth to paint colourful scenes and symbols, such as fireworks and diyas for Diwali, colour splashes for the Holi Festival and sugarcane or pots of milk for Pongal. Get creative painting depictions of Gods and Goddesses for festival pandal backdrops or use removable chalk markers to paint your windows with vibrant festival murals. Upload your artwork in Adobe Express to create loads of festival banners for Diwali, Krishna Janmashtami, Dussehra, Raksha Bandhan and more.
Decorative bunting.
Another cute and easy painting idea for an upcoming festival, celebration or just because it's fun, is decorative bunting. All you need is paper, string, a hole punch and paint. First, cut out your preferred shape – such as circles for mandalas or hearts for Valentine's Day – and punch a hole on either side. Next, decorate your shapes with patterns and then weave your string along the back of your shapes to create a continuous garland ready for hanging. You can also create family photo bunting with Adobe Express photo cards.
Story stones.
Paint small stones with your favourite characters or symbols from ancient stories – such as the epic tale of Lord Rama or Panchatantra – and use them to act out parables as a family.
DIY family tree.
Tap into your family's ancestry by creating a DIY family tree. Paint a large tree with spreading branches, write the family names on each branch and continue the nature theme by adding a leaf for each individual. Add photo cards or use individual handprints to depict each family member, along with a value or trait each person brings to the family, such as "kindness", "strength", or "humour".
Memory mixed media artwork.
Turn your memories into fun artwork using treasures from around the house, such as scraps of fabric, old letters and stickers. First, use Adobe Express to create a photo collage with your most cherished pictures, print it and add it to a poster board or canvas and then decorate it with your treasured items.
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Easy painting ideas for kids.
Painting is an excellent way for kids to explore their creativity, express their feelings and develop fine motor skills. For children who love to use their imagination or like to think of themselves as artists, these easy painting ideas for kids are fun for all ages.
Finger painting.
For this idea you need a large poster board or fabric along with plates or bowls of paints for dipping. Paint the shape of an elephant and get the kids to decorate it using their fingers to create blankets, jewellery and flowers. Another idea is to create the beautiful layers of lotus petals with fingerprints in pinks and purples, or paint rangoli-style patterns using finger-painted dots and swirls.
Rock painting.
If you can access smooth-surfaced rocks, there's no end to the fun you can have painting rocks. Go with nature-inspired designs such as sunsets, flowers or butterflies or paint uplifting messages such as "Be Kind" and "You Matter". Older kids can go for something more intricate like Zentangles or Madhubani paintings. Use these mini artworks as paperweights, garden decorations or gifts for friends.
Drip painting.
Drip painting embraces the mess and chaos of paint in all its colourful glory. Instead of painting strokes with brushes, kids can pour, splatter or drip paint onto canvas or cardboard and watch the colours slide, swirl and mix in fun patterns. Try unusual objects to drip or splatter your paint with, such as sticks or feathers from the garden, toothbrushes, sponges, a spatula and even a whisk.
Cotton bud painting.
Did you know you can turn an everyday cotton bud into an effective painting tool? Cotton buds are perfect for creating vivid paintings of mandalas, peacock feathers, floral bursts, the sun and moon, Rangoli and henna patterns and more.
String swirls.
String swirl painting is a magical mix of art and play that kids love. All you need is some paint, paper and a few lengths of string or thread. The method is simple: dip the string into paint and then drag, pull or swirl it across the paper to create beautiful flowing patterns.
Colourful handprints.
Handprints may be one of the world's oldest painting forms, but they're still an enjoyable art activity. Using just paint, paper (or cloth) and your hands, create interesting shapes and characters such as birds, lions, trees, the sun, butterflies and more.
recipe
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Creative canvas painting ideas.
Canvas painting is a fun and popular art medium because it's easy to master, there are plenty of styles and techniques to choose from, and readymade canvas boards can be hung on the wall as soon as you're finished. Get started with these creative canvas painting ideas.
Colour blocks and geometric art.
Colour blocks and geometric art are a fantastic canvas painting idea for beginners because they’re visually striking and surprisingly simple to create. First, sketch your design lightly with a pencil, divide the canvas into large, simple shapes like rectangles, triangles or abstract curves. You can use masking tape to create crisp lines and shapes. Then, paint your design, focusing on one section or shape at a time.
Animal portraits.
Creating animal portraits on canvas is a fun painting idea for all skill levels. Choose a beloved pet, a symbolic animal or your spirit animal. Use a realistic approach, focusing on the animal's fur, feathers and scales, or keep it playful with bold outlines and bright colours.
Abstract expressions.
Unlike representational painting, where you're trying to capture something familiar, abstract expression focuses on how the painting feels rather than what it looks like. Start by letting go of all creative boundaries with a blank canvas and no design plan. Let your emotions guide your design and use bold brush strokes and large sweeping motions for effect. Painting tools like sponges and techniques like splattering paint can add to the fun.
Spray bottle fun.
Try using a spray bottle to create a fun splatter-style canvas painting. Fill your spray bottle with water and mist it over wet paint or fill it with diluted paint for an artsy splatter effect.
How to make the most of these painting ideas.
Find your favourite.
Choose your favourite idea from our list or pick a few if it's hard to decide.
Start exploring.
Open Adobe Express and start exploring. Go straight to templates if you know what you want to make. Otherwise simply browse for inspiration and start a new project.
Experiment and have fun.
Play with the colour themes, fonts, graphics and images. Upload your own photos or use some of ours – the choice is yours.
Bring your painting idea to life.
Add a personal touch to make the design your own. Try a photo filter or an image crop; add animation or a soundtrack – the possibilities are endless.
Save and share.
Download your files for printing or share to your socials directly from the app.
Acrylic painting ideas.
Acrylic painting is a fantastic medium to explore for all art lovers. It’s vibrant, easy to master and perfect for experimenting. With the right ideas and inspiration, acrylic painting can be relaxing and creatively fulfilling. Here are some acrylic painting ideas to help you get started.
Recreate a watercolour effect.
Have fun mimicking a watercolour effect using acrylic paint. Dilute your acrylic paint with around 50 per cent water and then paint in thin layers on your paper or canvas. You can also paint on to damp paper or canvas to help blend your colours. Other painting ideas to try using watercolour techniques include creating gradients for sunsets or blowing paint through a straw to create spidery, branch-like forms for nature-inspired artworks.
Explore different brush strokes.
Using different brush strokes can completely transform your acrylic painting experience. Add texture to trees, flowers or clouds using the tip of your brush to dab the canvas lightly. Make circular motions with your brush to add a playful, energetic feel, or explore the popular stippling effect – tap the brush to create tiny dots for painting starry skies or textured leaves.
recipe
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Wall painting ideas to decorate your home.
Now that you’ve painted fabulous artworks, it’s time to pick the perfect spot to hang them. Make sure your walls are ready to highlight your treasured paintings by revitalising them with new paint colours, textured features or fun DIY finishes.
Wall painting colours for each room of your house.
Do the walls in your home need a little TLC? If you're considering painting one or several rooms in your home, it's essential to consider individual themes and colour choices for each room.
- Living spaces: Your living spaces are designed for togetherness and comfort, so you should consider painting colours that promote joy, balance and warmth, such as earthy tones of beige and terracotta, soft yellows, or calming greens.
- Kitchen: Strengthen the sacredness of your kitchen with paint colours that reflect purity, cleanliness and energy. Colours that work well include warm orange, pure white, off-white and light yellow. Avoid dark, heavy shades like black or dark grey that can dull the energy of your kitchen.
- Dining room: Bring gratitude and happiness with dining room wall colours such as rich peach, warm neutrals or even a deep red or maroon. Avoid cold colours like stark white or icy blue because they feel sterile and uninviting.
- Bedrooms: Achieve calm, comfort and rejuvenation in your bedroom with paint colours that soothe the senses, such as soft blues, creamy off-whites and gentle lavender.
Unique wall painting techniques and textures.
Using texture techniques or adding texture-like features to a wall can be as transformative as adding colour. Texture-like finishes turn flat surfaces into eye-catching focal points. Examples of texture-like features for interior walls include installing a rustic stucco effect, bricks or stones, fabric wallpaper and wooden panelling. Another fun idea is to get the whole family involved in sponge painting a wall or fill in stencils of symbols like oms, trishuls or a kalash in repeated patterns.
Eye-catching artworks.
As well as hanging your own wall art, you can buy or create many eye-catching artworks to make your walls vibrant and inviting. Frame posters of Lord Ganesha to inspire new beginnings, symbolise beauty and spiritual growth with colourful lotus artworks, or add thangka wall hangings as a visual anchor for mindfulness, meditation and inner peace. Create a dynamic feature wall by hanging an oversized pattachitra or kalamkari fabric artwork.
recipe
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Tips for your painting adventures.
- Using painting as a way to express yourself. Painting is an effective way to express how you feel or what you’re thinking, especially when it’s hard to put those emotions into words. Along with being a fun, creative outlet, many painting activities – such as painting alongside your journal entries, portrait painting, dot painting and watercolour painting – have therapeutic benefits for all ages.
- Painting ideas inspired by different seasons. Each season brings colours, festivals and moods, offering plenty of creative inspiration for painting ideas. As vasant ritu heralds freshness, paint the Holi Festival with vibrant colour splashes and floral mandalas. Reflect garmi ke din with a bright sunshine, mango trees or paintings with cool blues and greens to balance the heat. For the monsoon season, paint umbrellas and peacocks in the rain or create rain-drenched jungles using sponge painting or splatter art. For sharad ritu, incorporate Goddess Durga, rangoli patterns and festive garlands in warm colours like red, orange, gold and maroon. Depict winter festivals such as Diwali and Pongal with glowing diyas, bonfires and harvest leaves with metallic paints.
- How to choose the right wall colour combinations for a home. Don’t forget to consider the psychology of colours when choosing the paint colours for your walls. Different colours can impact the mood and energy in a room. For example, warm colours like red, orange and yellow bring energy and passion, whereas cool colours like blue, green and purple are calming. Create a stylish synergy by focusing on the correct colour combinations. For example, a muted combination – like cream and charcoal grey – can feel modern, while complementary colours – like a soft peach with a muted green – can bring balance.
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