40+ Oil Painting Ideas: Canvas, Cool, Beginner, Easy, And More
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George, CEO of Photo2painting, is a passionate art lover and entrepreneur. He founded Photo2painting.com from scratch, inspired by his artist friends. As the company's CMO, he manages content and marketing.
Even experienced artists sometimes struggle to keep their oil painting ideas fresh and exciting. Painting the same things over and over again can quickly become monotonous. Reusing the same subjects or approaches might leave your work feeling stale and uninspired.
That’s why we’ve curated a list of ideas you can use for inspiration. Download the images, use them as references, or find something similar that sparks your creativity!
Oil paintings have been a favorite medium among artists throughout history, celebrated for their versatility and durability. While they are infamous for being harder to master, the process of creating art is what truly matters. Some of these ideas are perfect for beginners, while others may require a bit more experience. But remember, art isn’t about perfection—it’s about having fun and expressing yourself.
Sometimes, starting is the hardest part, so just do it! "You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” - says Maya Angelou.
10 Popular Oil Painting Ideas
The top 10 popular oil painting ideas for custom oil paintings are mostly landscapes, and portraits of people and animals. It's a basic that everyone should try to paint. If you want something unique, move on to the next section.
1. Landscape Oil Painting
This landscape oil painting idea is a peaceful and green scene.
The shiny river flows from the lush green hills, and dense trees under a light blue sky add to the scenic beauty. The foreground includes detailed reflections of vegetation and the sky.
2. Seascape Oil Painting
In this seascape oil painting, there's a calm ocean view at the shore.
Waves overlap against the shore, blue streams flow, and soft clouds cover a clear sky.
3. Still Life Oil Painting
This still-life oil painting idea portrays a detailed arrangement of different fruits, like a pear and a few grapes.
In the middle, a beautiful vase with pink flowers is highlighted. A dark background is used to create a rich atmosphere.
4. Figure Oil Painting
This figure oil painting idea depicts a classy scene with detailed human figures wearing royal dresses. There's a warm background with neutral colors, stunning green trees, and an elegant feel.
If you like this painting, just search up other ones from Rococo era. You can use paintings by Jean-Honoré Fragonard and Antoine Watteau for inspiration.
5. Self-portrait Oil Painting
This self-portrait oil painting idea of a young man's face with a cold stare. Of course, you can just use your picture as a reference!
The picture has a simple, muted background to give significance to the facial features of the portrait. The added tones and details give the painting a realistic touch.
6. Friends Oil Portraits
This friends oil portrait idea shows two kids as friends, standing close. The background depicts a park and highlights their friendship.
The rich colors and soft tones add to the warm atmosphere. You can use your and your friend's picture!
7. Family Oil Portraits
This family oil portrait idea features a happy family of four in formal clothing.
The cozy room, slightly detailed background, and rich colors emphasized the class and closeness of the family.
8. Animals Oil Painting
This animal oil painting idea portrays two wild deer in a captivating environment.
The deers drink water from a rushing river next to a dense jungle and massive mountains in the background.
9. Imaginary Oil Painting
This imaginary oil painting idea depicts a dreamlike imaginary environment.
There are mischievous trees, a gushing waterfall, a light blue background, and appealingly colorful mushroom-like trees.
10. Child Portrait
This child portrait idea features an image of a young boy with neutral expressions.
The minimal background, soft lighting, warm details, and simple clothing of the child signify his innocence.
10 Oil Painting Ideas for Canvas
The 10 canvas painting ideas include fruits, flowers and mesmerizing landscapes. These canvas paintings can totally be used as home decor. If you're feeling it, use the bigger canvas size if you want to display them after.
11. Painting of Fruits
This fruit painting idea for canvas shows a complete arrangement of different fruits in a stand.
The dark background highlights the vibrant colors of the fruits, and the details on the fruit give them a realistic look.
12. Painting of Flowers
This painting of flowers portrays a vibrant flower bouquet in a shiny glass vase.
It features different types of flowers and a soft, neutral background to highlight the lively colors of the flowers.
13. Paint Clouds With Oils
This paint clouds with oils idea for canvas features a pronounced cloudy sky over a natural green field.
The dark blue sky, dense clouds, and purple and orange details show the scene of a cloudy sunset.
14. Paint a Sunset With Oils
This painting is a sunset with oils idea for canvas depicts a relaxed sunset scene over a floral field.
The sky is painted with vibrant colors such as blue, pink, orange, and purple to create a mesmerizing sunset view.
15. Ocean Oil Painting
This ocean painting idea for canvas portrays a dramatic oceanic view.
There are powerful waves hitting the shore, frothy ocean water, heavy clouds, and a blue sky with shades of white.
16. Paint en Plein Air With Oil Paints
This painting ideas for canvas shows a homely farm scene.
There are lush green fields, a dirt road, a light blue sky, red and orange leaves on the round, and a lively arrangement of farmhouses.
17. Abstract Oil Painting
This abstract oil painting idea portrays a vibrant mix of colors, swirling patterns, and thick layers of paint.
The soft background blends perfectly with the unusually shaped tree and bold colors. You can improvize the shapes and colors, it's totally up to you.
18. Portrait of a Couple
This portrait idea for canvas shows an affectionate couple.
The soft background with a neutral tone highlights the couple's facial expressions, and the vibrant colors of their clothing add richness to the atmosphere.
19. Wave Oil Painting
This wave oil painting idea for canvas depicts a powerful wave crashing against the shore.
The scene has vibrant blue and white tones to highlight the moving water and a blue sky with soft clouds in the background.
20. Dog Oil Painting
This dog oil painting idea for canvas shows a portrait of a dog’s face.
The warm green and blue background makes the golden fur of the dog stand out, and the detailed face of the dog makes the image cute and heartwarming.
10 Cool Oil Paintings
You can experiment with these 10 cool oil painting ideas to create something unique and different!
"The more I feel I am being pushed into a mould, the more I feel like going in the opposite direction." - says Mona Hatoum.
The top 10 cool oil painting ideas are listed below:
21. Orange Sky
This cool idea features a mesmerizing landscape painting of an orange sky with a sunset scene.
The shiny sea water shows a reflection of the orange sky, and the vibrant tones create a dreamy atmosphere.
22. Blue Sky
This cool oil painting idea shows a vibrant blue sky over rich green hills.
The scattered white clouds and distant trees create a peaceful atmosphere with natural colors.
23. Little Bird
This cool oil painting idea depicts a lovely little bird resting on a tree branch.
The soft background highlights the bird's colourful feathers, and details on the bird’s eyes and beak give it a natural feel.
24. 3 Red Flowers
This cool oil painting idea portrays three vibrant red flowers with lush green leaves placed in a shiny glass vase.
The bold colors and the reflection on the vase give the painting a realistic look.
25. Yellow Path in Forest
This cool oil painting idea depicts a calm forest scene with a bright yellow path through the tall trees.
The green and yellow leaves blend well with the yellow path, and the details on the yellow leaves give a peaceful autumn feel.
26. Little Girl
This cool oil painting idea features a little girl in a white dress standing in a field of colorful flowers.
The mix of vibrant green, white, and red colors signifies the girl’s innocence and contrasts well with her white dress.
27. Lake
This cool oil painting idea shows a peaceful lake underneath a vibrant blue sky.
Dense green trees surround the lake, and the water reflects the green leaves and the clouds in the sky to portray a calm atmosphere.
28. Wooden Boat
This cool oil painting idea depicts an old wooden boat resting on calm river water.
The boat’s warm brown color contrasts well with the pastel blue water to create a pleasant scene.
29. Cute Dog
This cool oil painting idea portrays a cute dog with emotional eyes.
The soft background makes the dog’s beige fur stand out, and the dog’s detailed expressions give an adorable feel.
30. Beautiful Sky
This cool oil painting idea shows a beautiful sky with vibrant purple, orange, and blue colors.
The field with barren trees and the soft brushstrokes used to detail the sky create a dreamlike atmosphere.
5 Beginner Oil Painting Ideas
The 5 beginner oil painting ideas include a moon in the night, snow and a house, a full moon, an owl, and polar bears.
The 5 beginner oil painting ideas are listed below:
31. Moon in the Night
This beginner oil painting idea features a bright moon in the night sky.
The white tones portray the light of the moon, and the black-colored trees and distant hills blend in well with the dark blue background.
32. Snow and a House
This beginner oil painting idea depicts a cozy house surrounded by heavy white snow.
The mute-colored background, snow-covered roof, and trees contrasting with the warm brown house create a relaxing feel.
33. Full Moon
This beginner oil painting idea shows a bright full moon in a dark night sky.
The deep blue background with little stars surrounding the moon gives off a sense of wonder.
34. An Owl
This beginner oil painting idea features a cute, wise owl resting on a branch.
The background is white, putting a total emphasis on the owl’s vibrant colors and expressions.
35. Polar Bears
This beginner oil painting idea portrays a polar bear standing on a piece of ice.
The icy background with blue tones blends well with the bear’s white fur, giving off a feel of the cold environment.
5 Easy Oil Painting Ideas
You don't have to paint something hard to have a good time. Try these 5 easy oil painting ideas.
36. Peach
This easy oil painting idea features a sliced-up ripe peach resting on a white table.
The peach is painted with vibrant yellow and orange colors, and the white table background allows the colors to stand out.
37. Green Apple
This easy oil painting idea depicts a shiny green apple against a slightly dark and pale background.
The shades of yellow and white give the apple a glossy surface.
38. Pomegranate
This easy oil painting idea shows a vibrant red fresh pomegranate sliced open.
Each pomegranate kernel is detailed with dark red accents to give the painting a realistic look.
39. Garden Fruit
This easy oil painting idea portrays a variety of fruit growing in a garden.
It features broad green trees with vibrant colored fruit and a barn in the background to give the painting a lively feel.
40. Dusty Street
This easy oil painting idea features a dusty street lane with lush greenery.
The street goes through different houses and is below a cloudy sky, portraying the natural beauty of the street.
What to Know More About Oil Painting?
Oil painting is a traditional art method. Unlike acrylic paints, oil paints dry slower, which allows for better color blending and flexibility. Oils usually have depth, texture, rich colors, and shine. This style of painting can also include additives such as solvents or drying agents to change the consistency or drying time of the paint accordingly.
Some of the most popular oil paintings are Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper,” Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night," Salvador Dali’s “The Persistence of Money,” and Johannes Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring."
If you want more ideas for inspiration, scroll through our top artists' custom paintings.
How to Paint with Oil-Based Paints
Yes, oil paints might seem difficult. Plus, oils are bit more expensive than other mediums and you don't want to mess up. However, don't let this stop you from trying.
If you're using canvas or wood panel, prime it with gesso so the paints adhere properly. Get your oil paints (you can just use primary colors), brushes (bristle for texture, synthetic for details), linseed oil or turpentine, a palette, and palette knives.
❗Don't forget to work in a well-ventilated area due to fumes from oils and solvents.
Layers in Oil Paints
1. Underpaint. Start with a thin, neutral wash to sketch your composition.
2. Then build layers. Add thicker layers of paint as you go. Allow each layer to dry slightly to prevent muddiness.
3. Use wide brushes for large areas and fine brushes for details.
Oil paints dry slowly so take advantage of that fact and experiment with mixing colors. After finishing, Let the painting dry completely (several days to weeks) before applying varnish to protect and enhance the colors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of canvas are best for oil paints?
The canvas types best for oil painting are linen canvas, stretched cotton canvas, wood panels, or boards. Linen canvas is slightly expensive but has a smooth surface texture and high durability, making it perfect for oil painting. Stretched cotton canvas is a more affordable option with good quality at a lower price range. Gesso primer needs to be applied to prime each canvas before use. Wood panels and boards are also preferred for oil painting, because they are more durable than canvases.
Which type of paint brush to use with oil paints?
The types of paint brushes best to use with oil paints are bristle brushes, synthetic brushes, and natural hair brushes. Bristle brushes are made from hog hair and are perfect for applying thick layers of paint. Synthetic brushes are made from nylon or polyester and are best suited for applying minor details to an oil painting. Various artists prefer natural hair brushes for oil painting, made from a mongoose's or sable's hair. They are soft and can hold a lot of paint at once.
What is a good first oil painting idea?
A good first oil painting idea is a simple still life or a basic landscape. Start with everyday objects like a bowl of fruit, a single flower in a vase, or a sunset scene. These subjects are beginner-friendly, allowing you to practice techniques like layering, blending, and light-shadow contrasts without overwhelming detail. Focus on basic shapes and limited colors to build confidence as you learn the medium.
How do you sketch before an oil painting?
To sketch before an oil painting, start by lightly drawing your composition using a pencil or thinned-down paint, such as diluted burnt sienna or ultramarine blue. Keep the lines simple and soft to avoid grooves on the canvas. If working from a reference image, you can lightly grid the canvas to maintain accurate proportions. For pencil sketches, consider sealing the lines with a spray fixative to prevent smudging when painting. This approach ensures a clean guide while leaving room for adjustments as you build layers with oil paints.
George, CEO of Photo2painting, is a passionate art lover and entrepreneur. He founded Photo2painting.com from scratch, inspired by his artist friends. As the company's CMO, he manages content and marketing.
