Summer is a season of freedom—there are no school schedules, heavy coats or frozen pipes to worry about, which means more time to slow down, get outside and reconnect with your creative side. Whether you're excited to soak up the sun or you’re looking for a tranquil way to escape the heat indoors, inspiring art projects can turn slow summer days into joyful, creative experiences.

This list of summer-friendly art projects is divided into handy categories to match your mood, preferred medium and available materials. From artwork you create in the great outdoors to DIY décor to eco-friendly projects, there’s something here for makers and creatives of all skill levels. 

Outdoor Projects 

Summer is the perfect season to take your creativity outside. Whether you're taking your paints on a field trip, collecting leaves for prints or practicing digital painting en plein air, outdoor art projects let you soak up the sun while making something beautiful. 

Plein Air Watercolor 

An open sketchbook and a palette of watercolors sitting on a person’s lap. Its page is filled with a watercolor painting of an American flag hanging in front of an ornate stone building. 
In the Skillshare class “Intro to Painting En Plein Air with Watercolor,” teacher Rachael Broadwell paints a patriotic scene from her car.  

Watercolor painting doesn’t have to be done in a studio with dozens of colors and brushes—instead, you can pack a few key supplies and paint what you see outside. And if the summer weather’s too hot, you can even paint from the comfort of your (air-conditioned) car. 

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Teacher Tip: Nervous About Plein Air Painting? Start in the Car.

“Sitting in your car is actually a really great way to acclimate yourself to painting en plein air and with watercolor,” says teacher Rachael Broadwell. It “enables you to be outside, but also to be a little bit sheltered.”

Eco-Dyeing 

A close-up of an art print in tones of green, yellow, purple and pink against an off-white background. Leaf-shaped outlines are visible throughout the piece. 
In the Skillshare class “Eco-Dyeing: Nature's Paint (Creating Unique Art Using Leaves and Flowers),” teacher Tracy Villaume uses natural materials to create seasonal works of art.  

Next time you’re tending to your garden on a sunny day or taking a nature walk, grab a few leaves and flower petals to take home with you. Then, with the skills you’ll learn in this class, you can use them to create one-of-a-kind works of art. 

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Digital Painting 

A digital painting of an outdoor scene that depicts a person in an orange jacket walking down a street between two lush green trees under a bright sun. 
In the Skillshare class “Plein Air with Procreate: Outdoor Digital Painting on the iPad,” teacher Ayan Nag shows students how to create a digital painting in the great outdoors.  

With the iPad’s portability, getting outside for some plein air painting is a breeze. All you’ll need is your tablet, the Procreate app, a stylus and an inspiring scene. 

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Summery Paintings 

With its longer days and brighter light, summer is a wonderful time to explore drawing and painting. From creating summer-y patterns on your iPad to painting a work of art with acrylics, this classic art form offers endless room for expression. 

Procreate Pattern 

A person using an Apple Pencil to draw on an iPad that’s resting on a pink background. The iPad’s screen is filled with a pattern consisting of colorful ice cream cones. 
In the Skillshare class “Mini Pattern Collection in Procreate: Summer Theme,” teacher Maja Faber creates a delectable ice cream cone-themed pattern on her iPad.  

Create a vibrant, cheerful and summery summer pattern on your iPad. With the help of this class, you’ll be able to brighten up your days with delightful patterns of fruit, sweet treats, beach motifs, summery flowers or something else entirely.

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Watercolor Sweet Treats 

A sketchbook lying open on a wooden tabletop beside paintbrushes and watercolor paint pots. The page is filled with paintings of ice cream, popsicles and various fruits.
In the Skillshare class “Learn to Paint Colourful Sweet Summer Treat Collection with Watercolours,” teacher Nianiani shares the secrets of painting lifelike ice cream cones, fresh fruit and frozen treats.  

Paint a summer spread that looks good enough to eat using cheerful shades of watercolors. You’ll learn how to paint a wide variety of warm-weather favorites, from ice cream cones and popsicles to strawberries and oranges. 

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Sunset Polaroids 

Three square paintings of tropical sunsets against a pink background. Two are resting on the table, and one is being held by a person’s hand. 
In the Skillshare class “Watercolor Polaroids: Paint Summer Sunsets While Mastering Watercolor Techniques,” teacher Peggy Dean paints square scenes of tropical sunsets.  

Paint summery polaroids of tropical sunsets, even if you’re nowhere near a palm tree. With guidance for striking silhouettes, seamless gradients and vibrant colors, this class will teach you valuable watercolor techniques while you create colorful snapshots. 

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Acrylic Sunflower 

An acrylic painting of a yellow sunflower in the foreground. The background consists of a blurry field of sunflowers, set against a pale blue and light pink sunset sky. 
In the Skillshare class “Acrylic Sunflower Painting: Flower Painting | Easy Painting Techniques,” teacher Alifya P. Tarwala provides a step-by-step tutorial for painting a gorgeous yellow sunflower. 

There are few flowers more emblematic of summer than the sunflower, and this class will teach you how to capture its lively yellow likeness in acrylic paint. Complete with a bokeh-like background and a dreamy summer sky, this is a piece you’ll want to frame. 

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Eco-Friendly Art 

Art doesn't have to involve waste. These eco-friendly projects utilize recycled, natural, or biodegradable materials, allowing you to give new purpose to what might otherwise be discarded or overlooked. 

Naturally Dyed Fabric

A basket of flowers and leaves sitting to the left of a bundle of brightly dyed fabric. Both are outside, resting on dirt and greenery. 
In the Skillshare class “Natural Dyeing: Bundle Dye Fabric with Vibrant Natural Color,” teacher Casey Gallagher Newman makes vibrant pigment from natural materials.   

Give your wardrobe (or any other fabric) a seasonal, eco-friendly upgrade with dye made from leaves, flowers and roots. Whether you gather the plants from your own garden or just make a quick trip to your local nursery, the end result will be bright, colorful and perfect for showing off all season long. 

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Teacher Tip: Take Advantage of Summer’s Bounty 

“If it's summer and there's an abundance of flowers and leaves on the trees, you will [probably have] an easy time finding” natural dye-making materials, according to Skillshare Top Teacher Casey Gallagher Newman. 

Upcycled Postcard 

A person’s hands holding a postcard over a brown wooden surface. The postcard is white and features brown cinnamon roll-like designs decorated with black spirals and white dots. 
In the Skillshare class “Upcycle Design: Create a Postcard from Trash,” teacher Josephine Skapare makes a cute postcard out of discarded paper packaging.  

Planning on sending out some snail mail this summer? Make it unique (and repurpose some trash in the process) with some creative upcycled postcards. Take a cue from the teacher’s example, or create a design that’s completely your own—it’s entirely up to you. 

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Boro Stitched Pouch 

A multicolored tri-fold pouch decorated with visible stitches in various colors of thread. The pouch lies on a white tabletop next to scissors, thread, and fabric scraps. 
In the Skillshare class “Boro Stitching Basics: Sewing an Upcycled Pouch,” teacher Casey Gallagher Newman creates a beautifully textured pouch using Japanese stitching techniques. 

With the Japanese mending technique known as boro stitching, you can take scraps of fabric and transform them into a charming, functional and totally unique pouch. If you’re looking for a summer craft that can help you use the fabric you already have, this project will be right up your alley.

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Refurbished Furniture 

Two photos arranged side-by-side. The one on the left shows a woman measuring a cabinet made from dark wood. On the right is the same cabinet, but it has been painted a dark green and features new hardware and tapered legs.
In the Skillshare class “Upcycled Home Decor: Furniture Makeover for Beginners,” teacher Bronwyn Tarboton transforms a dated cabinet into a stylish, mid-century modern-esque piece.   

Revitalize a piece of neglected or outdated furniture and breathe new life into it. In this class, you’ll learn how to use hardware, paint and decorative accents to refurbish just about any piece of furniture you can imagine. 

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DIY Decor and Wearable Art 

Why not turn your creative energy into something you can use to decorate your home or incorporate into your outfits? Tackle hand embroidery, ink prints or floral jewelry—no matter your choice, these projects will help you make functional pieces to show off all summer long.

Embroidered Garment 

A person’s hands holding a light blue denim vest over a dark blue cutting mat. The front panels of the vest have been decorated with two embroidered orange flowers.
In the Skillshare class “Chain Stitch Embroidery: Upcycle A Garment Into Art,” teacher Kathie Sever decorates a denim vest with a pair of surreal flowers.  

Give a piece of clothing some Western-inspired flair that’s perfect for warmer weather (and hone your stitching skills while you’re at it) with this creative embroidery project. You’ll use the chain stitch, a simple but beautiful rope-like stitch, to add color and texture to any garment. 

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Botanical Ink Art 

Three botanical prints lying on a white tabletop. All three depict a black ink print of a flower on white paper. 
In the Skillshare class “Creating Gifts and Home Decor with Ink Impressions of Florals and Botanicals,” teacher Kimberly Crawford creates elegant prints from readily available supplies like fresh flowers and India ink. 

The blooms of summer are fleeting by nature, but with some ink and paper, you can preserve their beauty forever. Best of all, the prints you create will be perfect for both wall decor and thoughtful gifts. 

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Pressed Flower Jewelry

A pair of gold teardrop earrings lying on a mirrored surface. The drop-shaped centers of the earrings are filled with pressed flowers suspended in clear resin. 
In the Skillshare class “Pressed Flower Jewelry,” teacher Nina C. offers a beginner-friendly tutorial for aspiring floral jewelry makers.   

This class offers an alternative method of preserving the beautiful blossoms of summer, utilizing resin, pressed flowers, and jewelry-making supplies. (You can even learn how to press your own flowers if you don’t want to buy them pre-pressed.) 

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Photographic Adventures

Turn your camera or phone into a tool for artistic exploration with these summer-friendly photography projects. The season is full of golden light, vibrant colors and spontaneous moments, which means you’ll have plenty of striking images to capture. 

Landscape Photography 

A photo of large rock formations in the ocean. The image is overlaid with a 3x3 grid to illustrate proper composition, as well as a ring to highlight the area of focus. 
In the Skillshare class “The Art of Landscape Photography for Beginners,” teacher Jordy Vandeput demystifies landscape photography with easy-to-use guidelines and helpful tricks of the trade.  

Capturing stunning landscapes is about more than just pointing your camera at the horizon and clicking the shutter button. After taking this class and learning the fundamentals of landscape photography, you’ll be able to take beautifully balanced photos of almost any summer landscape. 

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Teacher Tip: Tell a Story With an Image 

“When you come to a place and see a beautiful landscape, stand still for a moment,” and “look around,” advises Skillshare Top Teacher Jordy Vandeput. “What emotions does it give you? What does the landscape tell you? …Think of something that you want to tell through your photo.”

Nature Photography

A macro photo of an orange, black and white monarch butterfly perched on the tip of a green leaf against a black background. 
In the Skillshare class “Nature Photography: Recharge and Enjoy the Outdoors,” teacher Tabitha Park captures a monarch butterfly in all its tiny glory. 

If you’re looking for a way to capture the beauty of nature in summer, this class will be right up your alley. Use its macro photography tips to get up close and personal with insects, flowers and foliage.

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Travel Photography

A photo of gondolas and boats floating down a Venetian canal under a clear blue sky. 
In the Skillshare class “Travel Photography: How to Document and Share Your Next Trip,” teacher Sean Dalton takes students along as he captures dreamy shots of Venice, Italy.  

Going on vacation this summer? Take memorable photos of your trip by learning the fundamentals of travel photography. From advice for the photo-taking process to tips for organizing your shots, you’ll find everything you need to know in this class. 

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Collage and Journaling 

Journaling and collage projects offer a low-pressure way to record the seasonal beauty around you and get your creative juices flowing. All you need is a sketchbook, some art supplies and these fun ideas. 

Botanical Sketchbook 

A sketchbook lying open on a concrete surface. Its pages are filled with white silhouettes of flowers against deep blue backgrounds. 
In the Skillshare class “Summer Adventures in Your Botanical Sketchbook,” teacher Anne Butera records the silhouettes of her local summer plants.  

Journaling doesn’t have to be about writing down your daily activities. With some art supplies and a sketchbook, you can journal differently by painting and drawing the plants of summer. 

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Watercolor Nature Journaling 

A person using watercolors to paint a yellow flower in a notebook while outdoors. 
In the Skillshare class “Summer Art Series: Watercolor Nature Journaling for Beginners,” teacher Monica Stadalski shows students how to use watercolors on the go easily. 

This class will show you how to create a beautiful and relaxing watercolor journal this summer, whether you’re planning on painting out in nature or at home in the studio.  

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Mixed Media Bouquet 

A mixed media flower bouquet against a blue background. Each flower is made from a cut-out piece of paper that’s been painted. 
In the Skillshare class “Flower Fest! with Mixed Media Collage,” teacher Jennifer Keller assembles a vibrant bouquet from acrylic paint and mixed media.  

Take a unique approach to capturing the beauty of summer blooms with this inspiring mixed-media project. Using the materials available to you, you’ll create a totally unique flower bouquet you can enjoy at any time of year. 

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Let This Summer Be a Season of Making

With its ability to turn lazy afternoons into creative adventures, art has a way of making summer even more memorable. Maybe you’ll opt to spend time journaling under a tree, snapping photos on a hike or crafting something to wear on your next summer trip—whatever the case, your summer is sure to be better for it.

And if you’re looking for more creative projects to tackle this summer and beyond, remember that Skillshare’s vast library of online classes is always available anytime, anywhere. With the guidance of expert teachers and a community of like-minded students, you’ll never be without fresh inspiration. 

Written By
Carrie Buchholz

Carrie Buchholz

Carrie Buchholz is a freelance writer who lives in Northern Colorado with her husband and dog.

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