Decorating your home can give you the chance to let your creativity shine. You can personalise a room with unique touches, but adding a bespoke painting to the space can bring your whole design together and really make it your own.
The good news is that you don’t need to be an artist to make your own original canvas art. We’ve found lots of simple canvas painting ideas that anyone can do – and many of them look truly professional!
If you have children, you can help them to create a painted canvas for their bedroom. We’ve included a few projects which are suitable for kids to make, such as simple geometric designs.
These canvas painting ideas are a good starting point to inspire your creativity. You may find that you want to make a painting for every room in your home or get into art as a hobby! Read on to find your next painting project…
Glorious glass
Go beyond the canvas and breath new life into old vessels with our beginners guide to glass painting.
20 canvas painting ideas
1. Acrylic paint pouring
Acrylic paint pouring has become increasingly popular in recent years, with kits available in most craft shops. The wonderful thing about this technique is that each painting is guaranteed to be different.
Mix your paints then pour them onto a canvas to make stunning marbled designs. You can choose your own colours so that it matches your room perfectly.
2. Geometric wall art
One of the most simple and striking ways to paint a canvas is to cover it with a geometric design. You don’t need to be precise with this painting technique – the important thing is to choose colours which work well together.
If you’re not sure where to begin, have a go at this stylish geometric canvas painting project by Young House Love.
3. Abstract painting
Abstract painting can feel very liberating as there’s no right or wrong way to paint one. You can mix up a few colours you love and experiment with shapes and patterns on the canvas.
If you want a little more guidance, check out this abstract painting tutorial by Esther Curtis. She’s given her canvas a more luxurious feel by adding some gold leaf!
4. Soothing seascape
Is there anything more relaxing than looking at a painting of the sea? Seascapes make a beautiful addition to any room and they’re not as tricky to paint as you might think.
Learn how to make your own seaside art with Tara Dennis.
5. Easy ombre art
If you’re looking for a quick and easy canvas painting idea, this is the project for you. This ombre canvas idea is very speedy to make and you don’t need to be neat. In fact, it looks even better if it’s a bit messy!
6. Sunset sky
We love the autumnal feel of this sunset sky painting by Eileen McKenna. You could copy the vibrant colours she’s used or go for a more subtle palette.
This painting project is a good way to practise your acrylic paint blending skills too.
7. Summery lemons
This painting by Ashley Krieger has a really cheerful summery vibe. It would look lovely in your kitchen or dining room – or anywhere you need a splash of colour.
In this handy video, Ashley will guide you through each stage of the project so that you can paint with confidence.
8. Simple swirls
If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can follow the steps in this DIY canvas painting tutorial and make your own canvas!
Or you can take the easy option and decorate your shop-bought canvas with a simple swirling design.
9. Good vibes
Brighten up your home with a sweet slogan on a canvas. The Let’s go here painting tutorial from A Side of Sweet includes a free downloadable template.
You can decorate your canvas in a variety of colours – the more multi-coloured the better!
10. Scandi style
This beautiful birch tree canvas idea by Persia Lou would look perfect in a Scandinavian-inspired room.
The tutorial uses a few simple painting techniques to make a fun stylised canvas for your home.
11. Easy lavender painting
If you’re new to painting, it’s a good idea to start with minimalist designs like this lavender canvas tutorial by The Inspired Hive. It uses a few basic painting techniques to make a simple yet striking design.
12. Cutout canvas
This fun ombre cutout canvas is a combination of painting and clever crafting techniques. You paint a sheet of paper in ombre shades, then cut through your canvas to reveal the hidden colours underneath.
13. Wonderful whales
This trio of whale canvases would make a fun addition to any nursery or child’s bedroom.
Splitting a painting over three canvases is a creative idea to experiment with and you could easily adapt this method. For example, we think a giraffe with a long neck would work brilliantly.
14. Minimalist art
Keep your art simple with this elegant minimalist painting project by Francine’s Place blog. Although she’s made her paintings quite small, you could paint them on a larger canvas.
Alternatively, a collection of mini canvases would look very cute, especially if you lined them up on your wall.
When painting your minimalist art, keep your brushstrokes loose and flowing to achieve the same look.
How to paint a rose
Roses have a complicated structure, but they’re simple to paint once you’ve mastered a few basic techniques. Get started with our easy rose painting tutorial.
15. Floating flowers
This abstract floral painting by Blair Staky is a real showstopper. We love the soft colour palette that she’s chosen and the painting’s relaxed style.
Blair’s put together some helpful tips to help you get started. It may take a little practice for you to achieve similar results, but you’ll definitely enjoy the process!
16. String art
String art is a canvas painting technique that the whole family can get involved with. Wrap a canvas in string, then spray the canvas with paint. When you remove the string, the canvas will have a cool geometric look.
17. Herringbone inspiration
This herringbone canvas reminds us of trendy tiled kitchens and bathrooms! Painting on canvas doesn’t get much easier than this.
Mark out your design on the canvas using masking tape, then fill each tile in your favourite colours.
18. Mystical moon
Bring magic into your home with this atmospheric moon painting. This project is a great introduction to acrylic painting for beginners, as using just black and white paints will allow you to focus on your textures and shapes rather than blending lots of colours.
19. Fluffy clouds
This cloud painting tutorial is incredibly easy to follow and you’ll learn how to create a quirky piece of art for your home.
The clouds have been cleverly painted using Q-tips (earbuds) to achieve a fluffy texture. You could get a similar look by using a sponge or by dabbing the canvas with your paintbrush.
20. Impressionist landscape
Here at Gathered HQ we’re obsessed with the Landscape Artist of the Year competition on Sky TV. We love seeing how the contestants tackle each landscape, with each artist taking a completely different approach.
Watching the show has inspired us to get into landscape painting and we think this Impressionist landscape tutorial is a good place to begin. The Impressionist painters of the 19th Century were known for their more abstract painting style, which is relatively easy for beginners to emulate.
It may look difficult at first, but if you follow the tutorial you’ll be able to attempt your own Impressionist landscape.
Single colour style
Embrace stylish simplicity with our monochrome painting for beginners tutorial.
Easy canvas painting ideas can make your home unique
You don’t need to be an experienced painter to create original artwork for your home and a painted canvas can really bring your colour scheme together.
Our canvas painting ideas are simple enough for beginners to try and kids will love getting involved too. Why not get them to make a painting for their bedroom?
If you enjoyed painting a canvas for your home, you may feel inspired to take up painting as a hobby!
How to make stunning watercolour paintings
Watercolour paints are a brilliant way to get into painting, because you can start making your own beautiful art in minutes.
Watercolours are also incredibly versatile and have a wonderful luminous quality, making them very satisfying to use.
Start your new hobby today with Gathered’s easy watercolour painting ideas.
