Acrylic Painting Ideas – 18 Projects with Step-by-Step Video Lessons

It’s 4 a.m. as I’m refreshing this acrylic painting ideas post. I can’t seem to sleep past 4 anymore — too many ideas, too much coffee, and too much excitement about finally rebuilding this website the way I should have done it years ago.

This post is part of that mission. Here are 18 acrylic painting ideas for beginners (and intermediate artists too). What makes this post different is that it isn’t just a scroll of images. You’ll find a 4-hour step-by-step video course right on this page, plus reference images for each project.

I’m hoping this early-morning garage grind turns into a goldmine of painting inspiration you can use at home. Whether it’s your first brushstroke or your hundredth, you’ll find practical, fun projects to keep you painting, experimenting, and growing.

👉 Hit play, and scroll down if you want a quick look at each idea. They're even timestamped so you can easily find your favorite project and paint along with me step-by-step.

👉 If you’re brand new, you can start at the Acrylic Hub — it’s got all the free courses and guides in one place.

What Makes These Acrylic and Collage Projects Special?

The beauty of this course lies in its balance: each project is simple enough for beginners to follow but offers just the right amount of challenge to keep things interesting. You’ll learn how to:

• Embrace spontaneity and loosen up your brushwork
• Create bold, abstract compositions
• Develop a unique artistic voice
• Experiment with color, texture, and mixed media

Let’s take a closer look at some of the standout projects in this course.

Section 1: Flower Projects

This section includes 5 loose, and expressive easy flower painting ideas you can do on canvas or paper. Each one is timestamped so you can scroll down and pick the one you like and easily get to painting.

Striped Vase with Flowers - 0.00
bold stripes and bright white blooms, minimalistic and beginner friendly idea

Flowers on Checkerboard Tablecloth - 14:37
playful pattern contrast with colorful flowers in a white vase

Sunflowers - 26:00
loose brushwork and vibrant yellows, orange and red sunflowers

Hollyhocks - 51:46
tall blooms with expressive strokes, excellent acrylic painting ideas to find freedom

Yellow Flowers - 3:58:58
somewhat challenging idea with a dominant tonal palette, white vase and golden yellow flowers, contrasted with saturated small blue vessel

Section 2: Still Life Projects

Some simple still life ideas mixed with a few challenging projects that will test your skills.

Adjustable Wrench - 1:14:04
simple acrylic beginner idea using hand tools with dark background

Pipe Wrench – 1:27:02
another simple tool idea that can easily be substituted for whatever you have tucked away in the garage tool chest

Interior with Yellow Tablecloth – 1:31:34
this project is all about yellow and capturing scattered vessels, kettle and tea cups

Platter & Vessels – 1:49:55
take on a dominant warm palette and simple vessels with oranges

Interior Still Life #2 – 2:05:01
this idea includes blending mostly tonal hues with a some warm yellow and red colors, the tabletop includes bottle, tea kettles and cup

Section 3: Landscape Projects

Landscapes always present more challenges for beginners and experienced artists. Keep it loose, have fun with them and maki it your own! This way the painting is more relaxed and enjoyable.

Sailboats – 2:23:06
this beginner friendly idea captures the excitement of cluttered harbor with sailboats

Distant Boats – 2:44:14
atmospheric seascape with coastal home and distant boats

Fishermen – 2:57:55
figures hovering over a dingy and distant homes with red roofs

Through the Trees – 3:16:00
three trees in the foreground with distant town and glowing pink sky make this a fun but challenging project

Section 4: Five-Minute Loose Portraits (4 Demos)

Timed Portraits Ideas 15-18 – 3:37:04
quick, expressive portraits that push you to loosen up and capture character in just five minutes

Learn & Improve Your Acrylic Skills

• Acrylic Hub– Your go-to guide for tutorials, tips, and resources.
• Ultimate Beginner Acrylic Course - Start painting with confidence.
• Subscribe for More Great Content - Get tutorials, tips, and updates straight to your inbox.
• Follow Me on Pinterest - Daily inspiration, tips, and fresh ideas.

Recommended Acrylic Painting Materials

• Princeton Catalyst Brushes – Flats (#6, #12), Rounds (#4, #8), Fan (#4), Liner Brush
  Durable synthetic bristles for versatile acrylic techniques
• Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic Paint – Essential Colors
  Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red Light, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Burnt Sienna, Titanium White
• Winsor & Newton Cotton Canvas
  Reliable stretched canvas for studio and plein air work
• Strathmore 400 Series Mixed Media Paper
  Heavyweight, acid-free paper for acrylic and mixed media
• Fabriano Artistico 140lb Cold Press Paper
  Excellent for acrylic, mixed media, and textured effects
• Blick Multi-Colored Painting Knife Set
  Variety of shapes for texture, scraping, and bold strokes
• Miscellaneous: Two pint-sized water containers, paper towels (from Home Depot or Walmart)
• Note: I use canvas or sturdy cardboard as my palette — no store-bought palettes needed.