50+ Acrylic Painting Ideas: Easy, Beginners, Canvas, Cute, And More

Acrylic painting is a versatile and popular medium in the world of art. This medium involves using fast-drying acrylic paints to create durable and vibrant artwork. You can use acrylic paints on various surfaces, including fabric, wood, paper, and canvas. They offer a wide range of possibilities in textures and color intensity. 

Acrylic painting ideas are themes or concepts artists can explore using acrylic paints. There are countless acrylic painting ideas with various styles, subjects, and techniques. The most common variation is acrylic canvas painting, the traditional way of creating artwork using canvas and acrylic paints. You can explore the easy this paint with acrylics - simple ideas and minimal detail. Some artists also like the simple acrylic painting style with uncomplicated designs. 

Some of the best and most common acrylic painting ideas are scenic landscapes with mountains and trees, floral paintings, abstract landscapes with bold brushstrokes and vibrant colors, still-life paintings of everyday objects like fruits and flowers, animal portraits, sunset or sunrise scenes, portraits of real individuals capturing their features and emotions, seasonal themes, and fantasy or mythical scenes with enchanted landscapes.

Let's see our top ideas for an acrylic painting on a canvas. We include paintings for all levels - even if you're a beginner, you can find something that inspires you. If you want cute ideas, we've got that too!

10 Popular Acrylic Painting Ideas on Canvas

10 popular acrylic painting ideas include a sunset over a mountain valley, a beach sunset, a wildflower field, a city skyline, a countryside scene, a beach, a forest, an animal portrait, an abstract seascape, and a wooden door.

The top 10 popular, colorful acrylic painting ideas are listed below:

Sunset Over A Mountain Valley

This acrylic painting idea portrays a stunning landscape scene with a mountain range in the background, a calm lake, lush green trees and pink flowers, and a captivating sunset scene.

The color palette of this painting contains earthy tones, with shades of green and blue to evoke a sense of natural beauty and serenity. 

Beach Sunset

This popular acrylic painting idea portrays a breathtaking yet relaxing beach sunset scene. The sun sets with shades of orange, pink, and purple in the sky.

Green palm trees are seen moving with the wind against the colorful sky. Waves are rolling into the sandy shore.

Windflower Field

This acrylic painting idea features a vibrant wildflower field. A good colorful acrylic painting idea.

The composition of the painting is simple yet stunning. Colorful flowers are blooming on a lush green field. There are different shades of blue, pink, purple, yellow, and green to create a lively and cheerful atmosphere.

City Skyline

This acrylic painting portrays a city skyline with tall buildings and a colorful sunset sky. The warm shades of orange, yellow, pink, and black make the composition more vibrant.

The twinkling lights coming from the windows create a perfect urban atmosphere.

Countryside Scene

This popular acrylic painting composition portrays a colorful yet countryside scene. There are gentle hills, a small house, and loads of green plants.

The small details like a mailbox, the fence, the river flowing, and the sunny sky make the scene more realistic.

Beach

This acrylic painting features a tranquil beach scene with golden sand stretching to the shore, bordered by the clear blue water.

The color palette contains shades of blue, black, and orange to create warmth and relaxation in the scene.

“The representational elements of the landscape are like a frame around an abstract painting of the sky... the sky gives me complete freedom of expression.” - says Stephanie Marzella.

Forest

This acrylic painting idea showcases a lush green forest with vibrant shades of green, black, and earthy yellows.

The sunlight is filtering through the trees, creating a captivating effect 

in the composition.

Animal Portrait

This acrylic painting idea portrays an animal portrait, of a cat. The painting beautifully shows the textured fur and expressive eyes of the cat.

The background is minimal, and the vibrant colors used enhance the overall beauty of the composition.

Abstract Seascape

This acrylic painting idea depicts a beautiful abstract seascape with string brushstrokes and bold colors.

From deep blues to whites to vibrant teals to bright oranges, the color palette captures the energy and movement of the ocean. The vast expansion of the sea is breathtaking.

Wooden Door

This acrylic painting of a wooden door features tiny details of the door’s texture, grains, and hardware like the handle. The hints of plants and flowers add extra beauty to the composition.

The colors used in this composition are mainly earthy browns with highlights and shadows to enhance depth.

10 Easy Acrylic Painting Ideas

10 easy acrylic painting ideas include color block paintings, galaxy paintings, donuts with sprinkles, a colorful pineapple, a violet lane, an autumn forest, an airplane window, a bouquet of flowers, a pumpkin, and an African woman. 

The 10 best easy things to paint with acrylics - ideas are listed below:

Color Block Painting

This easy acrylic painting idea features a color block design geometric shapes filled with solid blocks of vibrant colors. There are no specific objects or scenes depicted, and the focus is solely on abstract shapes and colors.

The background is plain hues of blue and white. 

Galaxy Painting

This easy, cool galaxy acrylic painting portrays a cosmic scene with stars and several clouds of dust and gas.

The background is dark and there are various shades of blue, pink, and white to create a sense of depth and mystery in the composition.

Donuts with Sprinkles

This easy acrylic painting idea shows two scrumptious donuts with colorful sprinkles on top. The chocolate and strawberry-flavored donuts are arranged on a minimal blue surface to highlight the delicious treats. The color palette contains shades of brown, pink, white, red, blue, and yellow. 

Colorful Pineapple

This acrylic painting idea features a vibrant pineapple with its actual texture and crown of leaves.

The background is simple to highlight the fruit with bold colors like yellow, green, and hints of orange to give a tropical look.

Violet Lane

This easy acrylic painting portrays the charming scene of a violet shady lane.

The lane of a countryside area is covered by green trees and violent flowers with hills in the background. The subtle blue sky adds extra realism to the composition.

Autumn Forest

This acrylic painting of an enchanting autumn forest scene contains a vibrant color palette of red, yellow, and orange.

There is a clear blue sky in the background with trees shedding their leaves, perfectly portraying the autumn season.

Airplane Window

This easy acrylic painting idea portrays the view from an airplane window. You can see a scenic view of the clouds, sky, and the airplane wing from the window.

The color palette consists of shades of white, pink, purple, and blue.

Flowers Bouquet

This easy acrylic painting idea portrays the arrangement of light pink roses in a bucket. You can see some green leaves with tiny white flowers to make the bouquet more beautiful.

The background is simple to only focus on the flower arrangement.

Basket of Apples

This still-life acrylic painting showcases a basket full of ripe and colorful apples.

From green to red to yellow to orange, various shades are used to bring life to the apples. The cane brown basket works like the cherry on top.

African Woman Portrait

This easy acrylic painting idea features a portrait of an African woman. The composition portrays the brown skin, curly hair, the hair band, and the facial features of the woman.

There are vibrant shades of pink and blue as makeup to enhance the beauty of the painting.

10 Simple Acrylic Painting Ideas

10 simple acrylic painting ideas include different types of trees, sunflowers, butterflies, abstract modern art, a dramatic seascape, a red sunset, acrylic bookmarks, a Christmas tree, a realistic apple, and Masai warriors. 

The 10 best simple acrylic painting ideas are listed below:

Different Types of Trees

This simple acrylic painting idea features a landscape of different types of trees, including palm, oak, and pine.

You can use various shades of greens and browns to create a more naturalistic scene.

Sunflowers

You can create a simple acrylic painting featuring two vibrant sunflowers with a minimal background.

You can use different shades of yellow and brown to add texture in the painting.

Butterflies

This simple acrylic painting idea portrays the beauty of butterflies.

The color palette consists of different shades of blue, orange, and black for detailed patterns on wings.

Abstract Modern Art

This simple acrylic painting idea features abstract art with leaves-like shapes and pastel colors.

You can experiment with different forms, shapes, and contrasting colors.

Dramatic Seascape

This dramatic seascape acrylic painting showcases crashing waves, a cloudy sky, and rocks.

You can easily recreate this composition with different shades of blue, white, and brown.

Red Sunset

This acrylic painting idea captures a striking red sunset with vibrant shades of red, orange, and black to create warmness in the scene.

You can also add trees and mountains to the composition to increase its beauty.

Acrylic Bookmarks

You can make funky and stunning bookmarks using acrylic paints with unique designs and patterns.

You can make flowers, lamps, and birds with vibrant colors.

Christmas Tree

Painting a festive Christmas tree is one of the simplest acrylic painting ideas. You can decorate the tree with colorful ornaments and lights using shades of green, red, gold, and white. 

The background may include a cozy room or snowy landscape.

Realistic Apple

This simple acrylic painting idea portrays apples with detailed textures, highlights, and shadows to make them realistic.

You can keep the background minimal to draw attraction to the apples.

Masai Warriors

This acrylic painting portrays Masai warriors, the kings of the African Savannah in their bright red robes.

You can use earthy tones and vibrant hues to express their strength and culture.

10 Acrylic Painting Ideas for Beginners

10 acrylic painting ideas for beginners include birds on a tree branch, an umbrella in the rain, potted plants, a field of sheep, a woman with a flower basket, abstract art, a red tree painting, acrylic paint pouring, geometric wall art, and a mountain scene. 

The top 10 acrylic painting ideas for beginners are listed below:

Birds on a Tree Branch

This acrylic painting idea for beginners portrays two birds resting on a tree branch.

You can easily recreate this idea by using shades of blue for the sky and black to highlight the branch and birds.

Umbrella in Rain

This acrylic painting idea for beginners shows an umbrella upside down on the street in pouring rain.

You can simply recreate this idea with shades of blue, white, and red to portray the rainy atmosphere and the umbrella.

Potted Plants

This beginner-friendly acrylic painting The image likely showcases simple potted plants arranged on a window.

You can use shades of green, brown, and terracotta to bring the plants to life.

Field of Sheep

You can portray a serene countryside scene with fluffy sheep in a lush green field. The background may include rolling hills or a clear sky.

You can use soft whites and greens in the composition.

Woman with Flower Basket

This painting idea features a woman walking with a flower basket in a field full of vibrant flowers.

You can make the composition more breathtaking by experimenting with different colors for painting flowers.

Abstract Art

Abstract art is one the easiest forms for beginners to kickstart their acrylic painting journey since it has no meaning.

You can experiment with different forms, flowers, lines, and shapes to create stunning art.

Red Tree Painting

This acrylic painting portrays a red tree with a light blue background. The composition is breathtaking yet easy for beginners to recreate.

You can use different shades of brown and red to add depth to the painting.

Acrylic Paint Pouring

This painting idea features art made with the acrylic paint pouring technique.

You can pour different vibrant acrylic paints on the canvas, allowing it to flow and blend to create abstract patterns and designs.

Geometric Wall Art

This acrylic painting idea for beginners portrays an abstract composition featuring triangles in a visually striking way.

You can use different bold colors for each triangle to make the painting more aesthetic.

Mountain Scene

You can never go wrong with portraying a stunning mountain scene with acrylic paint. This idea features majestic mountains, a clear sky, and lush forests.

You can also add a flowing lake to the composition.

10 Acrylic Canvas Painting Ideas

10 acrylic canvas painting ideas include a rose, a sprawling galaxy, a moonlit mermaid, a cat in a pumpkin, a starry night, fluffy clouds, sunflowers in a vase, abstract art, lovers on a bridge, and an abstract lion.

The 10 best acrylic canvas painting ideas are listed below:

Rose

This cool acrylic canvas painting idea portrays a close-up view of a bright red rose on a canvas.

The background is plain white and the rose is attached to lush green leaves to add realism to the composition.

Sprawling Galaxy

This acrylic canvas painting idea showcases a mesmerizing galaxy scene with colorful nebulae, stars, and cosmic dust.

The background is dark to portray the depth of the space. You can use shades of black, purple, blue, and white to recreate this composition.

Moonlit Mermaid

This colorful acrylic canvas painting shares a stunning scene of a mermaid bathed in moonlight, swimming in the ocean.

The background features a night sky with a full moon and stars. The color palette includes shades of blue, violet, pink, and parts of black on the rocks.

Cat in a Pumpkin

This canvas acrylic painting showcases a black cat peeking its head out of a carved orange pumpkin.

The background features a spooky nighttime setting with vibrant shades of blue and pink.

Starry Night

This acrylic canvas painting idea is inspired by the famous “Starry Night” painting by Vincent Van Gogh. It portrays a tranquil starry night scene featuring a star-filled sky, rolling hills, and a quiet village.

The ideal color palette for this composition is shades of blue, white, and yellow.

Fluffy Clouds

This canvas acrylic painting shows fluffy clouds floating in a bright blue sky.

The composition is simple with a light blue background and various shades of white to portray the clouds.

Sunflowers in a Vase

This canvas acrylic painting portrays the arrangement of three different sunflowers in a single vase.

However, the sunflowers have different colors, including yellow, orange, and shocking pink.

Abstract Art

This acrylic abstract art on a canvas features different lines and shapes in bold and bright colors.

Abstract art usually has no meaning; you can play with different forms and colors to enhance the visual appearance of the art.

“Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot see physically with his eyes.” - said Arshile Gorky.

Lovers on a Bridge

This canvas acrylic painting portrays a romantic scene of two lovers standing on a bridge.

The bridge is surrounded by long trees, birds, and a colorful background to create an intimate atmosphere.

Abstract Lion

This acrylic abstract canvas painting portrays a stylized lion in bold and vibrant colors. The shades of yellow, orange, and brown emphasize on the lion’s strength.

You can make an abstract canvas painting of any animal you prefer. This is a unique acrylic painting idea that's also colorful!

3 Cute Acrylic Painting Ideas

3 cute acrylic painting ideas include a simple bunny, ice cream oops, and a cute penguin.

Simple Bunny

This acrylic painting features a cute white bunny with a baby pink background.

The small black heart in the composition makes it more adorable.

Icecream Oops

This “ice cream oops” painting showcases a cute scene of a dropped ice cream cone.

There are different shades of brown, pink, blue, and yellow to add extra details like the chocolate and topping on the cone.

Cute Penguin

This cute acrylic painting idea portrays a playful penguin with its fluffy feathers and charming expressions.

The background has an icy scene with different shades of blue and white.

3 Fun Acrylic Painting Ideas

3 fun acrylic painting ideas include a snowman, funky flowers, and a fun ostrich.

Snowman

This fun acrylic painting features a cheerful snowman in a snowy landscape. The snowman has the signature carrot nose and top hat.

You can also add snowflakes in the background to create a festive scene.

Funky Flowers

This fun acrylic painting features vibrant flowers with unique shapes and colors.

There are shades of pink, purple, blue, and orange to create a playful scene.

Fun Ostrich

This acrylic painting idea features the portrayal of an ostrich in a humorous pose.

There are vibrant colors and playful details to create a fun composition.

3 Cool Acrylic Painting Ideas

3 cool acrylic painting ideas include pink clouds, paint smudging, and bubble wrap flower hydrangeas.

Pink Clouds

This cool acrylic painting features a dreamy blue sky filled with pink fluffy clouds.

There are different shades of pink, ranging from soft pastels to vibrant hues, to create a stunning composition.

Paint Smudging

This paint-smudging acrylic painting features bold shades of pink, red, blue, green, orange, and brown.

You can explore the paint smudging technique by applying acrylic paint in bold strokes and then blending them to create unique textures and patterns.

Bubble Wrap Flower Hydrangeas

This cool acrylic painting portrays a colorful bouquet of hydrangeas created by dabbing paint-covered bubble wrap on the canvas.

The flowers are in shades of blue, pink, purple, yellow, and green.

What to know more about Acrylic Painting?

Acrylic painting is a widely practiced painting medium that uses acrylic paint to create artwork.  Acrylic paints are made by mixing pigments into acrylic polymer emulsion. Unlike oil paints, acrylic paints have a fast drying time and offer more texture, vibrancy, and opacity. Acrylic paints come in various forms, including tubes, jars, and bottles. The versatility of acrylic paints contributed the most towards their popularity, from beginner artists to professionals. 

Some of the most popular acrylic paintings are Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh, Blue Poles by Jackson Pollock, Woman III by Willem de Kooning, The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí, and Nighthawks by Edward Hopper.

How to Paint an Acrylic Painting?

You can paint an acrylic painting by preparing your surface, gathering the materials, planning the artwork, mixing the colors, applying the base layer, building layers and adding details, doing final touches, and varnishing.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to paint an acrylic painting:

• Prepare the Surface

  Choose your preferred surface for the acrylic painting and ensure it’s clean and free of dust before starting. You can choose from wood, glass, fabric, canvas, or paper surfaces. 

• Gather Materials

  Gather all the materials you will need for your acrylic painting, including acrylic paints, paint brushes, palette knives, or other painting tools. Keep some water and a palette ready for mixing colors and diluting paints.

• Plan the Artwork

  Lightly sketch your composition with a pencil or use masking tape to define borders and shapes. You should also decide the colors and the mood or emotions you want to convey in your acrylic painting.

• Mix the Colors

  Take out your desired acrylic paint colors in your palette. You can use a palette knife or brush to mix the colors to achieve your desired shade and saturation. 

• Apply Base Layer

  Start by applying a thin layer of paint to cover the entire canvas or whatever painting surface you’re using. You can also use a large brush to form the shapes of your composition. Starting with the base layer will help build up more layers and add details later.

• Build Layers and Add Details

  Gradually build up layers of paint in your artwork, starting from the background. You must use thicker paint and smaller brushes to add details and texture. Make sure to let each layer dry before adding more layers to prevent bleeding of colors. 

• Final Touches

  Now, thoroughly examine your acrylic painting and make any necessary adjustments or final touches. You can add highlights, shadows, and other details to enhance your painting. 

• Varnish

  It’s important to varnish your acrylic painting after it dries to make it glossier and prevent damage. You can also frame your acrylic painting after varnishing to increase its longevity. 

What type of canvas is best suited for Acrylic Painting?

The types of canvas best suited for acrylic paintings are linen canvas, cotton canvas, and canvas panels. Cotton canvas offers a smooth surface for detailed work and smooth brushwork. Linen canvas provides a more textured surface for increased depth in acrylic paintings. Canvas panels offer more firm support for both fine detail and broad brushwork. 

What type of paint brushes to use for Acrylic Painting?

The types of paint brushes ideal to use for acrylic painting are synthetic brushes, bristle brushes, and nylon brushes. These brushes come in a variety of shapes and sizes to achieve a wide range of effects and textures in acrylic paintings. Synthetic brushes are durable and versatile and offer precise control for detailed work and smooth application of acrylic paints. Bristle brushes are sturdy and ideal for big acrylic paintings with impasto painting. Nylon brushes are flexible and affordable and can be used for various acrylic painting techniques. 

What are some easy things to paint Acrylic?

Some easy things to paint with acrylic are landscapes, abstract designs, animals, flowers, and basic still-life compositions. These subjects are ideal for beginners to gain confidence and develop their acrylic painting skills. 

What are some easy colorful painting ideas?

Some easy colorful painting ideas are experimenting with colorful rainbow colors in abstract art, painting sunsets with different hues, or painting a bouquet of colorful flowers. You can also paint an underwater world with colorful fish and other sea creatures. Creating a still-life painting of ripe fruits, such as apples, oranges, and grapes, arranged in a vibrant composition can be an excellent idea too.