60+ Watercolor Painting Ideas: Easy, Beginners, Simple, Cool, And More

Watercolor painting, or aquarelle painting, is a versatile painting medium known for its fluidity and the ability to create vibrant artwork on paper. Artists use water-based paints or pigments in this technique to achieve beautiful washes and blending effects. You can also use different brushes, canvas, and paper types to achieve various textures and effects in watercolor paintings. 

There are numerous watercolor or aquarelle painting ideas for artists to create different themes and scenes. The most common ones are easy watercolor painting ideas with simple subjects like flowers and fruits. You can also try simple watercolor painting ideas like painting a sunset sky or a single object with some shading. If you’re a newbie, try out some beginner watercolor painting ideas with simple techniques. You can also experiment with some cool watercolor painting ideas to create extraordinary patterns and compositions. 

Some of the best and most common watercolor painting ideas for inspiration include scenic art with serene sunsets or mountains, compositions of daily-life subjects like fruits and vegetables, abstract art, and portraits of celebrities or graceful figures. You can also try painting vibrant flowers, leaves, sea creatures, misty forests, and famous cartoon or fictional characters.  

10 Popular Watercolor Painting Ideas

10 popular watercolor painting ideas include watercolor mountains, watercolor daises, city scenes, a night sky, a sunset, a watercolor tree, watercolor flowers, abstract art, birds, and cats. You can also create a custom watercolor painting using these ideas.

The top 10 popular watercolor painting ideas are listed below:

Watercolor Mountains

This popular watercolor painting features majestic mountains against a serene and beautiful sky.

The mountains have different shades of blue and the sky has hints of yellow, pink, purple, blue, and white. 

Watercolor Daisies

This simple yet stunning watercolor painting idea features white and yellow daises blooming in a field.

The subtle green and blue shades in the background look refreshing to the eye.

City Scenes

This watercolor painting captures a city street scene with tall buildings and a busy road with people and cars.

There are various shades of white, brown, grey, blue, and red in this cityscape. 

Night Sky

This watercolor painting features a mesmerizing night sky twinkling with stars.

There is a forest underneath with long trees. The backdrop features shades of deep blue and purple, and the white dots portray the stars. 

Sunset

This watercolor painting idea features a stunning sunset scene with shades of orange, pink, purple, and black.

The warm tone of teh sky increases the beauty of the landscape. 

Watercolor Tree

This simple composition of a tree is one of the simplest and most popular watercolor painting ideas.

The tree and the branches are depicted with delicate strokes of brown and green, while the background is plain white.

Watercolor Flowers

This watercolor painting showcases vibrant sunflowers but with a twist of pink.

The petals of the flowers are painted in shades of pink, while the background features a lush green field. 

Abstract Art

This watercolor painting is an abstract composition featuring flowing lines and shapes.

The color palette includes shades of green, brown, blue, purple, and red. 

Bird

This watercolor painting idea features a cute bird resting on a branch. The bird is painted with shades of blue, white, and orange.

The blackish-brown branch is surrounded by colorful leaves and berries. 

Cat

This watercolor painting idea portrays teh upper body of a white and brown cat with mesmerizing expressions.

The background is minimal to maintain the focus on the cat. You can recreate this composition and add your own elements.

10 Easy Watercolor Painting Ideas

10 easy watercolor painting ideas include watercolor lemons, watercolor leaves, watercolor cacti, a cloudscape, a forest, fruits, koi fish, balloons, sliced watermelons, and pebbles.

The top 10 easy watercolor painting ideas are listed below:

Watercolor Lemons

This easy watercolor painting features a bowl of vibrant yellow lemons with a soothing blue background.

The lemons are in different shades of yellow to portray their fresh and citrusy essence.

Watercolor Leaves

This easy watercolor painting features different simple leaves in shades of green, blue, and black.

The background is plain white to enhance the focus on the leaves. 

Watercolor Cacti

This easy watercolor painting features a collection of green cacti against a plain white background.

The cacti are in shades of green and yellow with red and pink flowers on top.

Cloudscape

This beautiful watercolor painting features a serene cloudscape with a blue sky.

The fluffy clouds contain hints of soft blue, white, pink, orange, and purple. 

Forest

This watercolor painting depicts a dense forest with various shades of green and brown.

There are tall trees with hints of sunlight to create an enchanting scene. 

Fruits

This easy watercolor painting idea portrays a variety of colorful fruits arranged on a surface.

There are pears and apples in shades of orange, yellow, and red. You can recreate this composition with fruits of your choice. 

Koi Fish

This watercolor painting shows two koi fish swimming in a blue pond.

The fish have vibrant shades of orange and white and the pond has a magical color palette consisting of blue, white, and purple.

Balloons

This easy and simple watercolor painting idea features colorful balloons flying in the sky.

The balloons are red and orange in this painting, but you can choose any vibrant colors of your choice.

Sliced Watermelons

This watercolor painting idea showcases a sliced juicy watermelon arranged on a minimal surface.

The color palettes include shades of red, yellow, green, and white. 

Pebbles

This simple watercolor painting shows a collection of smooth pebbles arranged on a surface.

The pebbles are in various shades of grey, white, and beige. You can also add subtle highlights and shadows to create depth and texture.

10 Watercolor Painting Ideas For Beginners

10 watercolor painting ideas for beginners include monochrome art, a starry sky, a butterfly, big brushstrokes, botanical art, autumn leaves, misty mountains, folk art, flowers in a vase, and watercolor blending.

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

Monochrome Painting for Beginners

This painting idea for beginners focuses on shades of blue in a monochrome style. Painting in monochrome means painting with different shades of one color.

The scene in this idea features a sky, a moon, and some mountains, in various tones of light and dark blue.

Starry Sky

This beginner-friendly watercolor painting portrays a starry sky in shades of pink, blue, white, and soft purple.

There is a dreamy atmosphere with soft brushstrokes and clusters of white stars scattered in the background. 

Butterfly

This easy watercolor painting idea features a butterfly with vibrant shades of orange, yellow, and hints of black.

This idea with a plain background is ideal for beginners to practice their watercolor painting skills. 

Big Brushstrokes

This beginner-friendly watercolor painting features abstract art with big brush strokes of various vibrant colors.

Practicing with big brushstrokes as a beginner is a great way to excel your watercolor painting skills.

Botanical Art

This botanical art watercolor painting features different plant leaves and petals in natural and eye-catching hues.

You can achieve the fine details on the leaves with delicate brushstrokes using line brushes.

Autumn Leaves

This easy watercolor painting idea features autumn leaves scattered on a tree.

There are warm hues of red, orange, and yellow to bring realism to the leaves. You can also see tiny red berries hanging on the tree. 

Misty Mountains

This watercolor painting idea portrays a stunning landscape of misty mountains covered in soft clouds and surrounded by trees.

There are subtle shades of blue, grey, black, and white to make the atmosphere misty. 

Folk Art

This watercolor painting idea portrays a folk art scene with a stylized figure of a woman sitting with a musical instrument.

The whole composition evokes a sense of traditional and cultural heritage. 

Flowers in a Vase

This watercolor painting composition features a vase filled with colorful flowers.

There are vibrant hues of yellow, red, orange, pink, and green. You can also see delicate details on teh flower petals and leaves. 

Watercolor Blending

Practicing with watercolor blending techniques is the best way for beginners to master the art.

This idea portrays vibrant hues of blue, orange, pink, and red blended together on paper. There are smooth transitions and gradients in the composition too.

10 Simple Watercolor Painting Ideas

10 simple watercolor painting ideas include simple landscapes, a watercolor pineapple, modern abstract paintings, watercolor peonies, a watercolor Christmas wreath, snow-capped mountains, a bunch of grapes, an agate slice, a winter scene, and donuts.

The top 10 simple watercolor painting ideas are listed below:

Simple Watercolor Landscape

This simple watercolor landscape idea features soft green hills under a calm blue sky.

The hills and the sky are in shades of blue with lush green fields and trees at the front. The whole scene is minimalist yet serene. 

Watercolor Pineapple

This simple watercolor painting features a vibrant pineapple with textured skin in shades of yellow, green, and brown.

The background is in white and orange gradients to add a tropical touch.

Modern Abstract Watercolor Painting

This simple watercolor painting features modern abstract art with bold shapes and flowing lines.

The composition has no meaning, but vibrant colors blend perfectly to stimulate the imagination. The color palette includes striking hues of blue, red, yellow, green, and orange.

Watercolor Peonies

This simple watercolor painting features delicate peonies in soft shades of pink, white, and green.

The petals are painted with loose and flowing brushstrokes to capture the beauty and elegance of these flowers. 

Watercolor Christmas Wreath

This watercolor painting features a festive Christmas wreath with berries and holy leaves.

The color palette is minimal, with different shades of green, brown, and red. You can recreate this idea with more holiday elements like pine cones and more berries. 

Snow-capped Mountains

This watercolor painting captures a breathtaking scene of snow-capped mountains in front of an icy lake.

There are soft shades of blue, white, and brown. The warm tones of the sun in the sky add a magical touch to the composition. 

Bunch of Grapes

This watercolor painting idea portrays a bunch of grapes in rich shades of purple with green leaves.

The grapes are painted in a realistic style with their round shapes and glossy texture. Moreover, the background is simple to keep the focus on the grapes.

Agate Slice

This simple watercolor painting showcases an agate gemstone slice with its vibrant colors and complex patterns.

There are different layers of translucent hues blended together to portray the natural beauty and unique characteristics of agate.

Winter Scene

This watercolor painting portrays a snowy winter landscape with frost-covered trees and a brown fence.

You can recreate this idea by adding more winter elements like snowboards or frost-covered cars. 

Donuts

This simple watercolor painting features a composition of delicious colorful donuts arranged on a surface.

The painting has a color palette of tempting colors like pink, green, red, blue, and brown.

10 Cool Watercolor Painting Ideas

10 cool watercolor painting ideas include a cool heart painting, a tape resist, salt wash, alcohol spread, wax resist, soap resist, plastic wrap lift, deers in a forest, tissue paper press, and a galaxy.

The top 10 cool watercolor painting ideas are listed below:

Cool Heart Painting in Watercolors

This cool watercolor painting features various hearts doodles in vibrant shades of blue, purple, and pink.

There is a cloudy background to evoke feelings of love. The hearts overlap with each other to create a unique and eye-catching composition. 

Tape Resist

Tape resist is a cool technique for watercolor paintings to create perfect geometric shapes and lines.

This painting idea features clean lines and boundaries made with the help of the tape resist technique. This captivating composition has cool shades of blue, purple, and pink. 

Salt Wash

You can create stunning and textured watercolor paintings using the salt wash technique.

Apply the watercolor paint to the paper and sprinkle some salt on the wet surface. The paint will react and create interesting and organic patterns as it dries.

Alcohol Spread

The alcohol spread technique helps create fascinating effects in watercolor paintings.

You apply alcohol on wet watercolor paint, causing it to spread and disperse. This will result in striking textures and patterns. 

Wax Resist

The wax resist technique in watercolor painting is used to create distinct areas of color separation.

You can apply wax to the paper before painting to create a barrier between the area and the watercolor paint. This technique helps in achieving crisp lines and shapes where the wax is applied. 

Soap Resist

Just like wax resist, the soap resist technique helps achieve interesting patterns and textures by creating a barrier between the watercolor paint and the paper.

You can use the soap directly on the paper or dissolve it in water and apply it with a brush for more subtle effects.

Plastic Wrap Lift

This watercolor painting uses the plastic wrap lift technique to create textured effects.

There are vibrant colors blended on the paper and crumbled plastic wrap is pressed on the wet paint. The plastic wrap created fascinating patterns on the green, blue, and purple hues.

Deers in a Forest

This watercolor painting portrays a serene forest scene with two deers standing in the distance.

The color palette contains different shades of blue, purple, and white to create a gloomy and enchanting scene.

Tissue Paper Press

You can use the tissue paper press technique to take your watercolor paintings to another level.

Blend vibrant colors on the paper and press a crumpled tissue paper on the wet paint. Doing this will create textured effects and add depth to the artwork.

Galaxy

This cool watercolor painting shows an enchanting and vibrant galaxy scene.

Bold shades of blue, purple, and pink are blended together to create swirling patterns. The twinkling stars and cosmic elements work like the cherry on top.

5 Watercolor Canvas Painting Ideas

5 watercolor canvas painting ideas include a cake, a mushroom, an eye, lips, and a portrait.

The top 5 watercolor canvas painting ideas are listed below:

Cake

This watercolor canvas painting idea shows a delicious chocolate cake on a stand.

There are layers of white frosting to create a mouth-watering composition. You can also see small berries as the decorative elements.

Mushroom

This watercolor canvas painting portrays one big and too tiny mushroom against a soft background.

The color palette contains earthy tones of brown, beige, and red. You can also see delicate green hues to depict the grass.

Eye

This watercolor canvas painting shows a detailed composition of a human eye.

This artistic eye painting features shades of blue and pink to add some modern touch to the composition.

Lips

This watercolor canvas painting features a pair of lips of a woman in an abstract style.

You can experiment with different hues to recreate this idea.

Portrait

This watercolor painting idea is a realistic portrait of a young woman with a natural color palette of browns and whites.

You can experiment with the background and try different painting styles.

5 Cute Watercolor Painting Ideas

5 cute watercolor painting ideas include a cat, a Disney character, a fox, a rabbit, and a cuddly toy.

The top 5 cute watercolor painting ideas are listed below:

Cat

This cute watercolor painting idea portrays an adorable cat looking upwards.

The expressions of the cat and the details in the composition are remarkable. 

Disney Character

This is a cute watercolor painting of the famous Disney character, Rapunzel from the movie Tangled.

You can choose any of your favorite characters for your next watercolor painting. 

Fox

This idea features a cute fox standing in front of a minimal background with its adorable expressions.

You can try drawing a forest as a background if you'd like.

Rabbit

This cute watercolor painting features a rabbit surrounded by autumn leaves.

You can recreate the details of this composition with gentle and fine brushstrokes.

Cuddly Toy

You can paint a cuddly teddy bear with a red bow sitting in front of a white background.

This watercolor painting idea can be a cute addition to the kids’ room.

3 Watercolor Flowers Painting Ideas 

3 watercolor flower painting ideas include creating sunflowers, orchids, and roses.

The top 3 watercolor flower painting ideas are listed below:

Sunflowers

This watercolor painting features a composition of three blooming and vibrant sunflowers in the shades of yellow, brown, and green.

The background is minimal to keep the sunflowers as the main characters.

Orchids

This easy watercolor painting features two orchids against a minimal yet stunning gradient background.

The color palette includes shades of pink, purple, and blue.

Roses

You can never go wrong with painting roses using watercolor paints.

This idea features a simple composition of a red rose with green leaves standing against a plain white background. 

3 Watercolor Animal Painting Ideas

3 watercolor animal painting ideas are painting horses, dogs, and whales.

The best 3 watercolor animal painting ideas are listed below:

Horses

This watercolor painting idea features a magnificent grey horse standing in front of a plain background.

There are various hues of blue to add the intricate details on the horse.

Dogs

This watercolor painting features a happy dog running in a green field.

The whole composition is super cute and adorable.

Whales

This watercolor painting features a majestic whale swimming gracefully in the ocean.

There are different shades of blue and dynamic brushstrokes in the composition to create an aquatic environment.

3 Watercolor Nature Painting Ideas

3 watercolor nature painting ideas include a rainbow monstera leaf, snowy scenes, and an abstract flower.

The top 3 watercolor nature painting ideas are listed below:

Rainbow Monstera Leaf

This watercolor painting idea features a vibrant monstera leaf in rainbow colors.

There are shades of blue, pink, green, red, and other bright hues.

Snowy Scenes

This watercolor painting features a stunning landscape of a snowy forest.

The hints of brown for the autumn trees add extra beauty to the composition.

Abstract Floral Watercolor

This watercolor painting idea showcases an abstract composition of a flower.

The composition and the unusual yet stunning color scheme instantly catch the attention.

What To Know More About Watercolor Painting?

Watercolor painting is a versatile and expressive form of art that uses water-based colors/paints to create stunning artwork on paper or other suitable surfaces. Unlike acrylic and oil paints, watercolors are transparent to provide subtle blending effects. These paints also dry quickly as compared to oil paints, depending on the thickness of the layers. Watercolor painting allows you to achieve various textures, effects, and vibrant compositions.

Some of the most famous watercolor paintings are "Starry Night Over the Rhône" by Vincent van Gogh, "Water Lilies" series by Claude Monet, and "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" by Katsushika Hokusai. These masterpieces by well-known artists are an inspiration for professional and seasoned painters.  

How To Paint With Watercolor?

To paint with watercolor, consider gathering the materials, preparing your workspace, finalizing the composition, wetting the paper, mixing colors, applying paint, experimenting with techniques, allowing the layers to dry, finishing touches, and preserving your artwork.

The step-by-step guide on how to do watercolor painting is listed below:

• Gather Materials: Gather all the materials you need for the artwork, like watercolor paints, brushes, paper or canvas, water, and a palette. 
• Prepare the Workspace: Choose a clean and flat surface as your workspace. You can also tape or clip the paper with the surface for a secure grip. 
• Finalize the Composition: It’s important to plan the composition of your watercolor painting before starting, including the idea and color palette. You can plan the idea in your mind or make a rough sketch with a pencil.  
• Wet the Paper: Dip your brush into clean water and wet the paper area where you’ll be painting. 
• Mix Colors: Choose your desired colors and mix them on your palette to create the shades you need. 
• Apply Paint: Dip your brush in paint and start applying it to the wet paper using gentle brushstrokes.
• Experiment with Techniques: You can also try and experiment with different techniques, like wet-on-wet (painting on wet paper) or wet-on-dry (painting on dry paper) to create different effects. 
• Let the Layers Dry: Let each layer of paint dry completely before adding more to prevent colors from bleeding or smudging.
• Final Touches: Once your watercolor painting is dry, remove any tape or clips and do some final touches if needed. 
• Preserving the Artwork: After completing the watercolor painting, consider framing it to preserve and secure your artwork.

What Types Of Canvas Are Best For Watercolors?

Watercolor painting is ideally done on watercolor paper because of its ability to absorb water and pigment without warping. However, if you want to experiment with watercolors on canvas, it’s important to choose canvas types specifically designed for water-based pigments. Watercolor canvases are coated with a primer that prevents the canvas from absorbing too much moisture, ensuring the paint remains vibrant.

Which Type Of Brush To Use With Watercolor Painting?

The types of paintbrushes suitable for watercolor painting are soft and absorbent brushes made from the natural hair of sables or squirrels. You can use round brushes for complex details, flat brushes for covering large areas, mop brushes for soft and blended effects, and line brushes for fine lines. 

What Are Some Things To Paint With Watercolor?

Some easy and stunning compositions to paint with watercolor are landscapes featuring nature scenes, like mountains, forests, sunsets, or seascapes. You can also paint botanical illustrations like flowers, leaves, and plants. Still-life compositions featuring everyday objects like fruits, vegetables, vases, or other household items are also ideal for watercolor paintings. Additionally, you can paint portraits, animals, abstract art, and fantasy or imaginative scenes of space or mythical creatures.