15 Easy Watercolor Ideas for Beginners
Looking for beginner-friendly watercolor ideas to get started? Explore simple ideas that’ll have you painting in no time!
Watercolor painting is more than just an art form—it’s a delightful way to unwind, spark creativity and bring a little more color into your life. With its fluid, unpredictable nature, it's as meditative as it is rewarding. But as a beginner, jumping into the world of watercolor can seem complex and intimidating.
That’s where this guide comes in: We’ve curated a collection of 15 easy, beginner-friendly watercolor ideas designed to inspire you without adding unnecessary pressure. Whether you’re looking to relax, sharpen your skills or simply enjoy your artistic journey, these projects will help you get started in no time.
What Makes a Watercolor Idea Easy?

For beginners, the easiest watercolor projects are those that focus on simplicity and experimentation rather than precision. These projects often rely on basic techniques and don’t require complicated techniques or detailed drawing abilities. By starting with approachable ideas, you can enjoy the process and build confidence while still achieving frame-worthy results.
In general, beginner-friendly watercolor projects include elements like:
- Simple shapes: Basic forms like circles, ovals, lines and abstract patterns can be used to create realistic subjects without intricate details.
- Wet-on-wet techniques: Wet-on-wet blending involves applying paint to a wet surface, which effortlessly creates soft, fluid gradients.
- Layering washes of paint: Beginners can practice creating depth by layering light washes.
- Minimal supplies: With just a small palette of colors, one or two versatile brushes and some watercolor paper, beginners can create stunning works of art.
Watercolor Landscape Ideas
Landscapes offer endless possibilities and are forgiving of imperfections, which makes them perfect subjects for beginners. From serene sunsets to misty mountains, watercolor’s flowing and translucent qualities make it ideal for capturing the natural beauty of skies, water and land.
Mini Watercolor Landscapes

About the Idea:
Mini watercolor landscapes are small, postcard-sized scenes that capture the essence of nature in a compact format. These quick projects feature simple elements like green meadows, silhouetted trees and ocean views, while their small size keeps the process manageable.
Created By:
Zaneena Nabeel, a Dubai-based artist, architect and prolific Skillshare teacher.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
Mini landscapes are perfect for beginners because they focus on basic composition and simple details without feeling overwhelming. The smaller canvas also reduces the pressure of committing to a larger, more detailed piece.
Techniques Learned:
- Creating smooth gradients.
- Wet-on-wet blending for soft transitions.
- Layering light washes to build depth and dimension.
- Adding fine details for grass, trees and other elements.
Take the Class:
30 Days of Mini Watercolor Landscapes - An Art Challenge for Busy Creatives
Majestic Mountains

About the Idea:
With their bold peaks, angled slopes and serene surroundings, mountains are a gorgeous subject for watercolor. This project involves painting a layered mountain range, along with a glowing sunset and tranquil lake.
Created By:
Will Elliston, an award-winning watercolor artist who’s based in the United Kingdom.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
Despite its impressive appearance, this project focuses on simple shapes and layering. Mountains are forgiving subjects since their forms don’t require precise details, and experimenting with light and shadow is an excellent way to learn the fundamentals of painting.
Techniques Learned:
- Wet-on-wet blending.
- Layering washes to create depth and perspective.
- Using gradients for blending the sky.
- Capturing reflections and shadows.
Take the Class:
Sunsets and Peaks: Paint Serene Mountain Landscapes with Watercolor Techniques
Ocean Scenery

About the Idea:
Bring the calm beauty of the sea to life by painting ocean scenery. In this project, you'll learn how to paint a simple beach scene with watercolors to create a serene and atmospheric seascape.
Created By:
Emily Davis, a watercolor artist and Skillshare teacher.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
The fluidity of watercolors naturally mimics the movement of the ocean, which makes it an ideal subject for beginners. And since this project emphasizes broad strokes and soft gradients rather than intricate details, it's approachable and relaxing.
Techniques Learned:
- Creating a gradient wash for the sky.
- Layering paint to add depth to the ocean.
- Adding shadows for dimension.
Take the Class:
Paint the Ocean! Watercolor for Beginners
Watercolor Flower Ideas
Flowers are a timeless subject in watercolor for good reason: Their organic shapes and vibrant colors make them ideal for practicing essential techniques like layering, wet-on-wet blending and softening edges.
Flowers En Plein Air

About the Idea:
"En plein air" is a French term that means "in open air," and refers to the practice of painting outdoors. In this project, you'll venture outside and paint the flowers you see in real life, with a focus on vibrant colors and loose brushwork.
Created By:
Tammy Kaye, an artist, mental health therapist and elementary school teacher who specializes in florals and landscapes.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
Painting watercolor flowers outside allows beginners to practice observing shapes, shadows and colors in real-time. Plus, the loose, less structured approach to painting flowers reduces the pressure of perfection.
Techniques Learned:
- Setting up an outdoor painting space.
- Observing basic shapes and colors.
- Layering washes to build depth in petals and leaves.
Take the Class:
Painting Watercolor Flowers Outside for Beginners: Practicing Mindfulness En Plein Air
Cheerful Sunflower

About the Idea:
Simple doesn't have to mean boring, and this project proves it. In it, you'll paint a bright, vibrant sunflower with bold yellow petals, a dark center and eye-catching highlights. As you paint, you'll focus on layering and building up color to create a lively and bold painting.
Created By:
Cat Coquillette, an artist and designer who’s taught dozens of popular Skillshare classes.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
Sunflowers are great for new painters because their large, simple shapes and striking colors make them easy to break down into basic elements. This project will allow you to experiment with color gradients and texture without dwelling on fine details.
Techniques Learned:
- Mixing colors to create true-to-life tones.
- Layering washes to build depth.
- Using acrylic paint to add bright accents.
Take the Class:
Learn to Paint Botanical Watercolors with a Modern Twist
Colorful Sweet Pea Blossoms

About the Idea:
This project focuses on painting delicate, twisting sweet pea flowers in a range of vibrant colors. The flowers’ graceful shapes and subtle color gradients make this project both beautiful and approachable.
Created By:
Olga Koelsch, a talented watercolor artist and pattern designer from Norway.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
Thanks to their simple structure, loosely shaped petals and curling vines, sweet peas are ideal flowers for beginners to paint. The soft nature of the flowers allows new painters to focus on blending colors and creating distinct shapes.
Techniques Learned:
- Wet-on-wet blending to create soft, flowing transitions between colors.
- Layering light washes to build up color and dimension.
- Improvising without overthinking.
Take the Class:
Easy and Bright Watercolor Flowers
Watercolor Still Life Ideas
Still life paintings offer an invaluable way to practice observation and develop control with watercolor. With their focus on everyday objects like fruit, flowers or simple household items, these projects let you explore shapes, shadows and colors at your own pace.
Fresh Lemons

About the Idea:
For this project, you'll paint some fresh, juicy lemons, complete with bright yellow skin and vibrant green leaves. Your finished piece will feature bold, contrasting colors, plus realistic light and shadows on the fruit's surface.
Created By:
Abhishek Rout, a watercolor artist and filmmaker who’s been teaching for over 15 years.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
Lemons are excellent subjects for beginners because they have a simple, recognizable shape. They also offer the opportunity to practice basic watercolor techniques like blending and layering.
Techniques Learned:
- Creating color transitions on the lemon’s surface.
- Picking up pigment for smoother blending.
- Simple brushstroke techniques.
- Mixing colors to capture the natural tones of the lemon.
Take the Class:
Watercolor Still-life for Beginners: Memorizing Realistic Methods in a Simple Way
One-Line Cafe Setting

About the Idea:
This project challenges you to create a simple still life using only one continuous line. Once the outline is complete, you’ll use watercolor to fill in the shapes. The scene taught in the class depicts a table setting in a cafe, but you can adapt what you learn to paint any still life.
Created By:
Amy Stewart, an artist of more than 20 years and a New York Times bestselling author.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
The one-line technique is a great way for beginners to focus on shapes and composition without getting bogged down by details.
Techniques Learned:
- Painting fluid, continuous line drawing to simplify complex objects.
- Using watercolor to fill in shapes and create contrast.
- Applying basic watercolor techniques for washes and color blending within defined lines.
Take the Class:
Real Life Still Life: With Just One Line!
Monochrome Scene

About the Idea:
Ready for a beginner-friendly challenge? In this project, you'll create a still life composition using only a single color of watercolor paint.
Created By:
Jill Gustavis, a Massachusetts-based watercolor artist and educator.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
This project will encourage you to focus on value and contrast rather than worrying about color mixing. And by using just one color, you can learn how to control your paint’s opacity and achieve depth through layering.
Techniques Learned:
- Exploring tonal variations by adjusting the amount of water used with the paint.
- Layering washes to build depth and contrast with a single color.
- Using light and dark values to create highlights, shadows and dimensionality.
Take the Class:
The Value of Monochrome: Paint a Watercolor Still-Life with Just One Color
Watercolor Animal Ideas
Painting animals in watercolor is a fun and creative way to improve your art skills while bringing some furry, feathered or scaly friends to life. Animals' lively faces, unique textures and undeniable cuteness make them exciting subjects, but their relatively simple forms keep them approachable for beginners.
Cute Bunnies

About the Idea:
This project will teach you how to paint cute and realistic bunny rabbits, including their fluffy fur, expressive eyes and playful poses.
Created By:
Aleksandrya Gromyko, a skilled watercolor artist who teaches Skillshare classes on everything from realistic water reflections to simple landscapes.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
Bunnies are great subjects for beginners because they offer an opportunity to practice both simple shapes and more detailed texturing.
Techniques Learned:
- Wet-on-wet blending for soft transitions in fur color.
- Using fine brushstrokes to capture the details of the eyes, ears and whiskers.
- Mixing soft neutrals and grays to create realistic fur tones.
- Adding highlights and shadows to give the bunnies dimension.
Take the Class:
Watercolor Animals: Painting Bunny with Wet-On-Wet Technique
Fluffy Foxes

About the Idea:
In this project, you’ll paint a fluffy, bright orange fox, focusing on its vibrant fur and expressive features.
Created By:
Olga Bonitas, a London-based watercolor artist who’s taught thousands of students how to master watercolor.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
Foxes are an ideal subject for beginners because their bold, recognizable colors and simple shapes allow for a focus on basic techniques like layering and color blending.
Techniques Learned:
- Wet-on-wet blending for smooth transitions in the fox’s fur and background.
- Creating shape and volume using a squeezed brush.
- Mixing vibrant orange and contrasting tones for depth and highlights.
- Drawing small details for added realism.
Take the Class:
Serene Fish

About the Idea:
Here, you’ll paint vibrant betta fish surrounded by colorful pieces of coral, capturing the dynamic movement and vivid hues of an underwater scene.
Created By:
Bianca Luztre, a talented watercolor artist and Skillshare teacher from the Philippines.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
This project is excellent for beginners because it combines simple shapes with the opportunity to explore color mixing and blending. It also provides a great way to learn how to capture movement.
Techniques Learned:
- Wet-on-wet blending to create soft, flowing textures.
- Layering washes to build depth and vibrancy.
- Using the scratching technique to add small details in a fun and engaging way.
Take the Class:
Watercolor for Beginners: Create Vibrant Fish Illustrations with Scratching
Watercolor Sky Ideas
Skies are one of the most captivating and beginner-friendly subjects to paint with watercolor. Their fluid, ever-changing nature pairs perfectly with watercolor techniques like wet-on-wet blending and smooth gradients.
Vibrant Sunsets

About the Idea:
This project will empower you to capture the essence of a vibrant sunset using only six bold brushstrokes. The focus is on simplicity and expression, using the limited strokes to create a striking, abstract representation of a sunset sky.
Created By:
Ohn Mar Win, a UK-based artist, illustrator and author with over 20 years of experience.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
By completing this project, you'll learn to focus on broad strokes and color blending rather than fine details. Plus, the constraint of only six strokes will push you to simplify your approach.
Techniques Learned:
- Experimenting with color theory.
- Using large, bold strokes to create expressive color transitions.
- Wet-on-wet blending to achieve smooth gradients between vibrant colors.
- Simplifying a scene into key elements (such as the sky and horizon) with minimal strokes.
Take the Class:
Simple Watercolour Sunsets: Painting Luminous Scenes with Six Strokes
Starry Skies

About the Idea:
If you feel like painting something unexpected, this project is for you. In it, you'll discover how to paint a captivating night sky full of twinkling stars.
Created By:
Kolbie Blume, a writer, artist and online educator who’s taught a variety of Skillshare classes.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
Starry skies might look difficult to paint, but they're actually perfect for beginners. That's because they rely on simple shapes and techniques, such as blending colors for the sky and using white paint to add stars.
Techniques Learned:
- Wet-on-wet blending to create smooth gradients for the sky.
- Layering washes to build depth.
- Using splattering techniques to create stars.
- Adding scenic details like silhouetted trees.
Take the Class:
Watercolor Night Skies in 4 Designs
Storm Clouds

About the Idea:
This project involves painting a dramatic scene of storm clouds looming over a natural landscape. The focus is on capturing the intensity and movement of the clouds, in contrast with the peaceful landscape below.
Created By:
Christina Keim, a German mixed-media artist and art journaling enthusiast who’s based in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Why It’s Good for Beginners:
This project is perfect for beginners because it allows you to practice blending and layering while focusing on larger, more forgiving elements like clouds. The dramatic contrast between the storm clouds and the landscape will also encourage you to experiment with dark and light values, which means you'll better understand how to create mood and depth in your paintings.
Techniques Learned:
- Wet-on-wet blending to create soft, flowing transitions in the sky and clouds.
- Layering washes to build depth and volume in the storm clouds.
- Mixing dark, moody tones for the storm clouds, and contrasting lighter colors to add highlights.
Take the Class:
Paint Dramatic Skies in Watercolor: Storm Clouds
Grow Your Watercolor Skills with Skillshare
Each of these beginner-friendly painting ideas offers a unique way to explore your creativity while developing key watercolor skills. Whether you’re experimenting with landscapes, capturing the natural beauty of flowers or painting adorable animals, you'll be able to step outside your comfort zone and express yourself through color and form.
And when you’re ready to grow your watercolor skills further, Skillshare is here to help. With our library of hundreds of online watercolor classes, you can learn to paint just about anything with the help of our expert teachers.
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