Whether you’re new to watercolor or you’ve been painting for a while and are looking for fresh inspiration, this collection of watercolor painting ideas will spark your imagination and creativity. Try one of these 75 painting ideas or tutorials for your next watercolor project.
Purple Bird Tutorial
Learn how to paint a cute bird with this step-by-step tutorial. Choose your own fun color palette for your painting.
Cosmos Flower Tutorial
Cosmos flowers can be beautifully painted with watercolors. This tutorial provides a step-by-step approach to capturing their graceful signature petals.
Sunset on the Beach
The warm colors and relaxed vibe are the perfect way to end a long day at the beach. And there’s no better way to capture that feeling than with a pastel painting.
Cinnamon Roll Tutorial
The spiral of a cinnamon roll is perfect for watercolors. It captures the warmth of a fresh-baked pastry, using layers and shades of color to evoke the aroma and taste of this dessert.
Large Sunflower
I love how dark the watercolor paint is for this piece. If you want to achieve a darker look, try using different color combinations. For example, you can use shades of orange to make a darker yellow.
Beach in the Evening
If you’ve ever been to the beach in the evening, you know that it’s a beautiful site to see. The colors chosen for this particular painting go together wonderfully.
Summer Fruit
I love this because it shows how you can easily paint your watercolor fruit. In this painting, you can see an orange slice, a strawberry, cherries, a pear, a watermelon, and more.
Pink Flower Tutorial
Who doesn’t love a good flower watercolor tutorial? Learn how to layer and blend colors, create texture, and paint petals. This Dahlia flower is stunning.
Oak Tree
If you’re interested in drawing a tree, this is a great reference. I love how the different greens were combined to add depth to the tree.
Coffee Mug Tutorial
One of the joys of painting food with watercolor is capturing warm, comforting tones. A mug of hot coffee or a latte is a perfect example. Don’t forget to top your drink with your favorite foam design.
Cactus with Flowers Tutorial
If you’re a cacti lover, I think you’ll have fun recreating these cute potted cacti. The addition of the pink flowers makes this watercolor art stand out.
Watermelon Slice Tutorial
If you’re new to watercolor, this watermelon painting is a great beginner’s project for you to paint. With this easy-to-follow tutorial, you’ll have watermelon artwork in no time.
Monsterra Plant Tutorial
Learn how to draw a plant with this simple step-by-step tutorial. You can also use this as a guide to add watercolor to your picture.
Single Rose
If you’ve ever looked at a single rose and thought, “Nature really outdid itself with this one,” I can totally relate to you. Roses are beautiful as a bunch, but there is something special about seeing the individual flower.
Butterfly Tutorial
Here’s a great tutorial that shows you how to easily draw and paint your own simple butterfly.
Coffee with a Cinnamon Stick
Capture the warmth of an autumn morning. You paint the steam rising from the cup, the different layers of coffee and cream, and a few cinnamon sticks.
Red Cosmos Flower Tutorial
In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to paint a cosmos flower step-by-step. For assistance with painting the petal, pay attention to the part of the tutorial that says “breakdown of a single petal.”
Pastel Flowers
If you enjoy painting flowers, you should consider using this gorgeous floral painting for reference. Frame your painting and present it as a gift to a loved one.
Apple Tutorial
If you want a simple watercolor project, it can’t get any easier than this apple. You can use green watercolor to create a Granny Smith apple.
Lighthouse and Seagulls
Lighthouses are some of my favorite watercolor paintings. This artist did an amazing job with this piece. The colors look so good together, and I love how you can see the time and attention that was put into the painting.
Bubbles Tutorial
If you are fascinated by the fleeting nature and rainbow colors of bubbles, this tutorial will guide you in capturing the interplay of light and shadow on their surface.
Pink and Orange Roses
These pink and orange roses have been painted so beautifully. A painting such as this can be done with your favorite painting medium, whether it’s acrylic, watercolor, oil, gouache, or ink.
Sky Through the Trees
I love this painting that showcases a beautiful bright sky and the sun shining through the trees. If you love nature paintings, you’ll love this one.
Potted Lavender
The details of the lavender in the brown pot make this painting come alive. You can use your paintbrush to create beautiful highlights and shadows in this painting.
Easy Bird Tutorial
After putting a few bird feeders in my backyard, I’ve really become inspired to paint birds. If you’re feeling inspired, this tutorial makes a great guide.
Bananas
If you’re looking for some fresh inspiration, consider painting some watercolor bananas. The warm yellow hues of this fruit make them perfect for experimenting with color tones and shading.
Purple and Blue Clouds
These two watercolor paintings are simply beautiful. The artist has captured the delicate quality of the clouds perfectly. The purple and blue hues are so calming and serene.
Pumpkin Tutorial
This watercolor tutorial provides step-by-step guidance on how to create a realistic pumpkin painting.
Wisteria Branch Tutorial
Try something different with this tutorial for painting a wisteria branch. I love the combination of purples and greens used for this watercolor painting.
Tree Tutorial
Magdalena has some of the best step-by-step watercolor tutorials. This tutorial shows you how to paint a simple yet detailed tree.
Blue Flower
The simplicity of this blue floral painting is perfect for anyone looking for a quick and easy watercolor project.
House in a Bottle
I just love nature in a bottle paintings. This painting features a small wooden house located in the woods. You’ll notice a red balloon floating in the background.
White Flowers
I just love the simplicity of this floral painting. The colors go so well together, and the artist did a great job with the shading.
Owl Tea Cup
This owl teacup is the cutest. Something like this would make a wonderful print to sell or a great handmade card for a friend or family member.
Bouquet Tutorial
Drawing and painting a bouquet has never been easier. By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a beautiful painting to show off.
Six Cacti
If you love the look of cacti, you’ll have fun painting this beautiful cacti-themed piece. When practicing, choose your favorite colors for the flowers, and switch up the pots to make it your own.
Spooky House
I just love the vibe of this old spooky house. The house itself is so creative, and I love the addition of the pumpkins sitting throughout the property.
Flower in Jar
Here’s a realistic painting that features a large flower placed in a jar with stones and water. Use this reference for help painting realistic flowers.
Chameleon
I’m actually a fan of the chameleon. Call me crazy, but I think they’re super cute and fun to look at. I like how the artist chose to go with a unique color palette for this awesome creature.
Realistic Red Flower
I must say that the artist did a wonderful job with shading and blending in this watercolor painting. This is such a beautiful red flower.
Realistic Leaf
Yes, you can make items look realistic with watercolor. It’s really helpful if you use a real leaf for reference, as this artist decided to do with their painting.
White Lighthouse
Lighthouses are some of my favorite watercolor paintings. This painting is a great choice for a lighthouse reference if you’ve been looking for one.
Sea Turtle
Turtle lovers will kick a kick out of painting this cute little sea turtle. If you have a friend who loves turtles, consider painting this as a loving gift.
Real Flower Reference
Try using a real flower as the reference for your painting. Find a flower in your backyard to give your art a personal feel.
Horse
Horses are such beautiful creatures, and this artist did a great job painting one. If you enjoy painting horses, this painting makes a great watercolor reference for you to use.
Colorful Flowers
I’m in love with how bright and colorful this painting is. If you do something similar, it would make a great gift for a friend or family member.
Dandelion
This painting is really lovely. I love the addition of the green paint splattered on the paper.
Mushroom Tutorial
Mushrooms as art has become very popular in recent years. This tutorial will guide you through capturing the cap’s shade variations, the delicate gills, and more.
House Inside a Snow Globe
This painting of a house inside a snow globe is a great way to capture the magic of winter. Use bright colors and details, such as glittery snowflakes, to create a whimsical scene.
Foil Balloon Tutorial
This tutorial explains how to create a 3D effect on a balloon’s surface by blending metallic sheen, light, and shadow.
Cherry Cheesecake Tutorial
Follow this simple four-step tutorial to learn how to draw a watercolor slice of cherry cheesecake.
Simple Pumpkin
A pumpkin is a classic fall painting subject. You can create an interesting composition with the shape of the pumpkin and how it reflects light.
House by the Lake
I love the style of painting. The addition of the colorful landscape makes this painting stand out nicely.
Avocado Tutorial
A tutorial on avocados? Yes, please! This not-so-basic fruit is more than just a culinary sensation; it’s a work of art waiting to be painted. With its creamy flesh and rich green skin, your blending techniques are key.
Siamese Cat
One of my favorite cat breeds is the Siamese cat. Using this painting as a reference guide, paint a beautiful Siamese cat in watercolor.
Blueberry Cupcake Tutorial
What I like about this painting is that it’ll help you practice painting realistic cupcake paper. Of course, drawing the frosting and blueberries will be fun too.
Alocasia Tutorial
Alocasias have striking foliage, perfect for watercolor painting. Their intricate patterns and veiny character make them a captivating subject.
Rabbit
I love the art style used for this watercolor rabbit painting. The paint splatters help make this painting stand out.
Owl Tutorial
Learn how to paint an owl with this simple step-by-step tutorial. Once you’ve learned how to paint the owl, you can add additional elements to your painting, like flowers.
Rainbow
Muted colors are any colors that have been toned down or subdued. One way this can be accomplished is by adding gray to the color.
Red Cabin In the Mountains
This beautiful scene of a red cabin in the middle of snowy mountains is perfect for winter watercolor painting. The soft blues and whites give a sense of peace and serenity, while the warm red cabin brings warmth and coziness to your painting.
Fox in Snow
If you’re looking for gift ideas, a handmade painting like this would make a great gift for friends and family.
Ladybug on a Flower Tutorial
If you’re looking for a spring or summer watercolor tutorial, try painting this flower with a ladybug. For something different, you can choose to paint your favorite flower instead.
Easy Chicken
I love the watercolor style used to paint this chicken. Visit the artist to see more pieces like this one.
Strawberry Tutorial
A red, ripe strawberry embodies the essence of summer. Learn to paint its luscious reds, vibrant greens, and tiny seeds.
Cute Finch
Here’s a simple and realistic painting of a bird. The texture of the bird’s feathers was done so well here.
Persimmon Tutorial
Try something different by painting a watercolor persimmon. Persimmons are a tasty fall fruit that grows on trees.
Owl with Flowers
I love this cute owl painting. A design look this would look great on a handmade greeting card.
Chicken Doodles
If you’re looking for a reference you can paint while relaxing and not worrying too much about the details, these chicken doodles make a great reference.
Heart Lollipop Tutorial
A heart-shaped lollipop is a sweet symbol that can instantly brighten up any day. With strategic strokes, you can capture the lollipop’s realistic texture.
Mom and Baby Giraffe
When painted on canvas, this cute mother and baby giraffe painting would make a great Mother’s Day gift.
Lion with Crown
I love this cute yellow lion with a crown. If you find step-by-step tutorials to be helpful, you’ll love recreating this lion.
Sleeping Fox
This fox painting makes a great reference for those who are new to watercolor. You can swap out the pink for your favorite color.
Floral Hedgehog
This hedgehog is really strutting its stuff in this painting. I love how the artist used flowers for the body.
Poppy Flowers
The poppy flower is so easy to paint, and the finished design looks beautiful. This is a very beginner-friendly painting.
Door with Flowers Tutorial
This painting will require a bit more practice to replicate. If you would like to add more detail to your work, you can use your own photo reference.
Orange and Yellow Woods
If you’re new to watercolor, this painting would be a great reference to help you create a beautiful piece of art. Make sure you know when to paint on wet and when to paint on dry.
Gradient Sky
The painted sky in this watercolor painting is beautiful. I love how the moon looks here. The addition of the birds was a nice touch too.
Purple Flower Tutorial
This beautiful purple flower would look great with your floral watercolor painting. The touch of yellow in the center really makes it stand out.
Red Pepper Tutorial
The deep reds of a bell pepper would pop on any canvas. This tutorial will help you master blending wet and dry techniques to capture the pepper’s brilliant colors and signature sheen.
No matter your skill level, there’s always something new to explore in the world of watercolor painting. These ideas offer a variety of subjects and techniques to keep you inspired and challenged.
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