Want to know the best painting ideas on canvas all the professionals use to make amazing paintings? Well, here they are, all the pro painting ideas on canvas that even newbies can do!
Congratulations on exploring painting ideas on canvas, it can be such an exciting time for your art career! But, if you’re anything like me, you are doing all the research you can to be sure you learn the best possible ideas right from the start. Being an artist myself, I’m giving you only the best of the best painting ideas on canvas that I and the professionals swear by.
You are going to learn all about the secret pro painting ideas on canvas, painting ideas on canvas for beginners, painting techniques for painting ideas on canvas, simple painting ideas on canvas, simple canvas painting, easy canvas art, acrylic painting canvas ideas, pro painting ideas on canvas, easy, and more!
As an artist myself with decades of painting award-winning paintings on canvas, I can tell you first hand the best painting ideas on canvas that are guaranteed to elevate your art work to pro!
This post is all about the very best painting ideas on canvas that every artist and painter can learn.
Pro Painting Ideas On Canvas
1. How To Start Painting On Canvas
Before I get into telling you all the pro painting ideas on canvas, let’s talk about the canvas itself. Because, if you’re like me you want to research the best canvas to use before figuring out how to start paining on canvas!
I’ve researched and tried so many canvases over my decades of paintings, and here are my current recommendations.
When you’re trying to figure out how to start painting on canvas, it’s most convenient to work on “stretched canvas” which just means someone has already stretched and attached the canvas to a wooden frame for you.
Canvases come in many different materials. I find linen and cotton canvases work best for strength, holding the paint and smoothness.
One of my favorites is Fredrix Pro Series Gallery Belgian Linen Canvas seen here:
You can purchase these canvases at DickBlick by clicking here.
The best places to buy canvases are:
- Amazon
- Cheep Joe’s Art Supplies Online
- a local Michael’s Craft Store
When thinking of how to start painting on canvas you can stick to these general rules:
Sizes vary greatly, width x height, none are considered better than others. Stick to smaller sizes until you feel comfortable painting on canvas.
Widths also vary. In general, I’ve found that 1″ width is fine for any small paintings and the width should increase as the size increases to keep in looking professional.
Canvases come in traditional style (you can see the staples on the side of the canvas) or gallery wrapped (the staples are hidden behind the canvas). I prefer the gallery-wrapped because then you can frame it or it without a frame (be sure and paint the sides before hanging!).
You can also buy rolls of regular or “un-stretched” canvas which you can then stretch onto a frame yourself. The only advantage I’ve found with this is you can make custom sized canvases. But with all the custom sized canvases available now, I never use these.
There are also canvas “boards” which are like ultrathick cardboard. I think they give a “cheap” look to paintings, but they are great for practicing. And if you’re just learning how to start painting on canvas, and too intimidated to try a real canvas, then this may be a great place to start.
Now that you’ve learned how to start paining on canvas, let’s dive into those painting ideas on canvas!
2. Acrylic Painting Canvas Ideas
Of all the acrylic painting canvas ideas I’ve used, I’ve found the best to be adding uniqueness to your painting.
All humans are attracted to uniqueness and psychology has proven it! As seen in this Bright Side Article, “You need a unique image. Even more, a totally unique detail. And we’re not talking about beauty. It sounds weird, but uniqueness can be expressed even in ugliness and vulnerability.”
I know my paintings took off when I started adding unique qualities to my painting ideas on canvas, whether it was an unexpected choice of color, a twist on the subject or totally different composition. I admit I loved all the attention my paintings got from these ideas.
Many artists make the mistake of thinking only beauty or photo-realism attracts interest. But the results are clear, one of the best acrylic painting canvas ideas is uniqueness.
Consider this abstract piece of art below. While not “beautiful,” you have to admit the unique composition of these ordinary elements makes it memorable and compelling.
Not ready to paint this on your own? Here’s a similar painting that comes in a kit:
You can purchase the painting kit for this picture from Amazon here.
These unique acrylic painting canvas ideas certainly makes these paintings something I’ll remember unlike the 1 millionth painting of another flower, don’t you think?
If you also follow these painting ideas on canvas you’ll gain more fans too!
[Related Post: The Best Ideas for Getting Art Commissions
3. Painting Techniques
Varying brushstrokes has been a long-standing painting technique that professionals swear by, and I’m no different.
Here is a list of artists whose strokes elevated them to fame:
Here’s how you can learn to vary your brushstrokes to adopt these painting techniques into your paintings:
In an art journal:
- Take a paintbrush you’ve never used and make 30 different strokes with it, use one of those exciting new strokes in your next painting.
- Take an new object that is not meant for painting, like a Q-tip or spatula, and paint with it to find a new painting technique you love. Make an entire painting using that new object!
- Add something new to wet paint and see what happens. Rubbing alcohol, water, wind (from a blow dryer for example), and glitter mix beautifully with water-based paints.
Don’t have an art journal? This one is similar to the one I’m currently using and loving:
And you can treat yourself to an art journal you’ll love here.
Varying your painting techniques is one of the most fun and effective painting ideas on canvas!
4. Painting Ideas on Canvas for Beginners
I’ve discovered the best painting ideas on canvas for beginners is all about what NOT to do.
For starters, I learned the hard way to not use passé painting styles. I love impressionist paintings, but the world and the internet is swamped with impressionist paintings, and my paintings got lost in all that noise.
I learned you can’t elevate your work if you’re painting like everyone else.
Consider this:
- The Impressionists became popular because they pointedly refused to paint like everyone else.
- Jackson Pollock’s drip art launched him to fame because no one had ever seen such a thing.
- Mark Rothko’s monochromatic paintings ignited a trend because they were not like anyone else’s.
So, if you are copying one of these styles hoping to attract people to your paintings, it won’t work.
For painting ideas on canvas for beginners, you can use Google to come up with fresh new painting ideas.
Here’s a google search that helped me find a style that resonated with fans:
- I googled the top art trends for this year and “abstract psychodelia” came up.
- While I have no idea what abstract psychedelia is, another search of the definition came up with the following definition:
So for this one idea of painting ideas on canvas for beginners, do your own Google search for new painting trends and see what new style you can start today.
Secondly, painting ideas on canvas for beginners is about NOT being afraid of asking for help.
I know I used to think that professional or “good” painters didn’t need to ask for help. But I was so, so wrong! Asking for help is one of the quickest, easiest, and most rewarding of the painting ideas on canvas you can do.
Think of all the famous artists that came out of art communities. Communities, groups and mentors support and assist to artists. And who doesn’t need a little support when painting?!
Again, Google to the rescue! Here’s what I get when I google artist mentor near me:
I have personally used the very successful artist Robert Burridge and the successful art mentor Cory Huff and had a wonderful experience with both.
I know my paintings on canvas would not be as good as they are now if it not for these mentors and their communities. And as someone looking for painting ideas on canvas for beginners, you can join us too!
Don’t let misplaced fear, pride, shame rob you of these easiest and most satisfying painting ideas on canvas for beginners!
5. Painting Ideas on Canvas, Easy
Painting ideas on canvas does not have to be hard!
Be You is one of the best painting ideas on canvas, easy too, that I had no idea about when I first started looking for painting ideas on canvas.
If you’re like me you tend to become too focused on making “pretty” or “perfect” paintings to try and be liked.
But some of the best artwork in the world has come from the artist’s real, and not so pretty or perfect, feelings.
Here are some painting ideas on canvas, easy and all about you, that will make everyone love your work:
- Try to put the focus on what you want to express and not on pleasing others.
- Move. Try to use your whole body when creating your art. Let your arms swing in wide circles, use your fingers, flick and splatter paint.
- Use your words. No one said you can’t write, stamp, or stick words in your paintings.
- Use your favorite colors, especially if no one else is.
- Make a personal statement, especially if it’s controversial.
- Putting you into your work using one of these painting ideas on canvas, easy is the quickest way to start standing out from the crowd.
[Related Post: How This Amazing Planner Changed My Art Career And Life]
6. Simple Canvas Painting
I know I used to think a great painting had to take hours and hours of work. When one of my quickest paintings got an award I realized how wrong I was!
You can learn from my mistake by understanding now that great work can come from a simple canvas painting.
Try these bold ideas to make even simple canvas painting stunning:
1.Use a New Tool or Method for freshness and excitement.
For example, if you work in watercolor and you’ve never tried using a palette knife, you may find it opens the door to some quick and gorgeous paintings.
Similarly, if you’ve never thinned your paints to see them “bleed” on the canvas then you’ve been missing out on this gorgeous option:
If you don’t have a palette knife, I recommend these top rated ones https://www.jerrysartarama.com/liquitex-small-painting-knives
Click here to purchase these top-ranked palette knives.
2. Make it culturally relevant. Works that stand out often tap into culturally important themes.
The artwork by the French artist JR below shows a baby trying to crawl over the US Mexican border wall. This work was as simple as cutting and pasting two image on a board and it went viral when the New York Times featured it!
Simple canvas paintings such as adding a current topic or unique method, can be masterpieces so don’t rule them out for your painting ideas on canvas!
7. Painting for Beginners
Painting ideas on canvas is not for advanced artists only! I know I used to think canvas painting was only for “real” artists, but I soon learned that was not true at all!
Painting for beginners can include painting on canvas.
Here are painting for beginners steps I recommend you get comfortable with using canvas:
- First, visit an art museum with your artist journal. I know nothing gets my creative energy going more than a trip to a museum!
- Next, when you see a piece that strikes you, make a quick sketch in your journal and take notes on what exactly attracted you to it.
- Back at your studio, copy the work on paper. It’s okay to copy work if you aren’t going to sell it.
- Then, copy it again, and again. You’ll start to see that “muscle memory” kicks in and makes the work easier and way better every time.
- When you think you’ve gotten close to the original, get out a canvas and create it again.
These are the painting steps for beginners that make working on canvas less scary. Soon, you’ll feel comfortable doing all these steps on one canvas because canvas is so forgiving!
8. Simple Acrylic Painting
I know if you’re new to painting you think painting ideas on canvas is not for a simple acrylic painting. But, if you want to be taken seriously as a painter, you have to get comfortable using canvas.
Canvas is for all paintings, including a simple acrylic painting. And canvas makes simple acrylic painting look so much better. I can’t tell you how many of my simple acrylic paintings looked so amazing once I put them on a canvas.
Here’s an example of a simple acrylic painting on canvas:
Love this painting ? You can get the original by clicking on this sentence.
A stretched canvas shouldn’t be intimidating. It’s one of the best and most durable surfaces you can paint on, no matter what type of paint you’re using.
For example, canvases can handle layers and layers of paint (so you can paint over your “mistakes” or even entire paintings a ton of times!), they last forever, they don’t wrinkle or bend, and you can frame them or hang them as is.
Canvases are perfect for your simple acrylic painting, will make your life easier, and elevate your paintings too!
This post is all about pro painting ideas on canvas.
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