Easy Abstract Painting Ideas

In this post, I’ll share four easy abstract painting ideas. Whether you’re a beginner artist looking for canvas painting tutorials, or a seasoned artist looking for extra inspiration, this post is here to help!

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Abstract Brushstrokes

One of the key elements of my signature style is loose, painterly brushstrokes. This may seem simple, but the act of putting your brush to canvas and playing with paint can be so fun and therapeutic!

I have a whole blog post about brushstroke techniques for abstract painting where I dive into the ways you can use your brush to create unique strokes on the canvas. 

 
 

I love to use brushstrokes as the basis of my paintings. The beauty of this technique is that you can make it completely unique to you! Explore the direction of your brushstrokes. Maybe they can flow diagonally across the canvas, or in a V-shape, or in wispy swooshes! 

Colorful Geometric Designs

When in doubt, stick to basic geometric shapes! In this example, I chose a square shape and painted colorful lines in a labyrinth pattern. I started with a square in the center and kept overlapping different colored brushstrokes as I increased the square outward to the edges of the canvas. 

 
 

You can do the same with any shape you like! Circles, octagons, triangles, stars – the options are endless! 

 
 

Squiggles & Swirls

I love to experiment with wavy abstract lines. In my Rainbow Riviera series, I painted flowing, multi-colored, organic lines between two blocks of color on the canvas. You can go even further by filling your canvas with flowing lines in all the colors of the rainbow. 

 
 

Marbling and swirling colors are always popular in the abstract art world, so exploring this fun and free technique will help you create a stunning piece you feel proud to hang in your home.

 
 

Leaves

Painting botanicals is always fun. It’s a great way to get in touch with nature and paint something simple, yet representational. Plus, hanging artwork depicting nature in our homes can make it feel more warm and welcoming! 

 
 

One of the most approachable botanicals to paint is a stem of leaves! In this example, I gave these stems of leaves a colorful twist, but you can explore your own style here. Get creative with the colors you use and follow your inspiration!

If you want a more structured tutorial for painting abstract leaves, check out this blog post tutorial! 

Happy painting!

xo, Jessi


Want more abstract painting inspiration? Join me in my painting class, Joyful Abstracts, for an in-depth art class where I walk through my entire abstract painting process from start to finish. You’ll learn how to gather inspiration, how to sketch out your composition, what colors to choose, how to paint a balanced abstract, and how to varnish your painting so it will last a lifetime!

 
 

 

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