10 Things to Paint When You're Out of Ideas

When I was just starting out as an artist, the hardest part was finding things to paint. I was trying to establish a daily art practice, and it was a major struggle. On a regular basis, I would stare at the blank page for hours, feeling out of ideas.

As I’ve become more comfortable with my art, this is something I no longer struggle with. In fact, I often have too many ideas. This comfort only comes from painting a lot of things, and becoming familiar with what you like and what you don’t like to paint. I know myself really well by now, so I have my go-to subject matters.

Even though I’ve reached a point where I’m comfortable coming up with ideas, I clearly remember how tough this phase of my creative journey was. Just know, it’s something every artist experiences. If you’re going through this now, I promise it will pass with practice. In the meantime, I’ve created this article to help you conquer the blank page.

Below are 10 items I painted over and over again as a beginner artist. I still paint them today, and they’re often the prompts I give when I teach classes. They’re things most people enjoy painting.

Before I get to my list, I have some advice. If you’re struggling with the blank page right now, forget about painting edge to edge scenes with complex backgrounds. Focus on simple subject matters on white backgrounds. Once you become comfortable painting simple things, more complex paintings will come easily. Also, focus on what you’re comfortable with. This is not the time to be brave and paint something that feels scary. For me, illustrating people felt scary in the beginning, so I avoided it for quite some time. Eventually, they were easy to paint once I became more comfortable painting in general.

1. Your Art Supplies

   Sometimes the things on our desk are the easiest to paint because you look at them daily. I still love illustrating my paint tubes, pencil cups, and art supplies containers. They’re simple, colorful, and fairly easy to paint. Also, it’s fun for others to see what’s on your desk.

2. Potted Plants & Vases

   Boy did I paint a lot of these in the beginning, and I still do. The simplicity of the vase/pot made it feel easy. Once you have the container done, the leaves and flowers don’t even have to be very good for the painting to feel complete.

3. Fruit

   There’s a reason why fruit is found in most still life paintings. It’s really simple to paint, because it’s just colorful shapes. You can add your own textures on top, or even make the fruit an unexpected color to put your stamp on it. For a challenge, try painting sliced up fruit.

4. Desserts

   Cupcakes, donuts and cakes never get old - maybe because they’re essentially a simple shape, with colorful toppings. Who wouldn’t have fun painting sprinkles?

5. Household Objects

   My favorites were always clocks, globes and telephones. These three subject matters felt simple because of how geometric they are. These objects come in so many different shapes and colors, the sky is the limit. Some other simple objects to paint are books, perfume, makeup, and glasses/sunglasses.

6. Clear Containers

   It may sound strange, but I love the idea of painting jars with things in them - like candy, paper clips, or rubber bands. You can do so many fun things with the outline of the jar - whether it be a simple pencil outline, or creating a light blue background behind your objects.

7. Drinks

   I loved painting drinks early on, because of the geometric simplicity of the cup. Cocktails, coffee, and tea were my go-to favorites. I loved adding little garnishes to the drinks. I still do!

8. Abstract Patterns

   These can be a fun way to get out of your own head, because they don’t need to look like anything. Just choose a fun color palette, and go to town! The patterns don’t even have to be good. It’s just an exercise to get you out of a slump. Creating swatches of color palettes and naming them is fun too.

9. Dogs, Cats & Birds

   In the beginning, I found these animals easiest to paint, because I’m most familiar with them. You can paint at whatever angle you’re most comfortable with, whether it be head-on, or from a sideview.

10. Clothes

    For a fun exercise, pull some items from your closet and paint them. I loved painting accessories most in the beginning - like hats, shoes, and scarves. Try painting your shirts on a hanger, or folded different ways. This can be a great study in painting from life.

I really hope you found these prompts helpful! I urge you to return to this list any time you’re out of ideas. I can’t say it enough - the only way to get out of this phase is to keep at it. Don’t judge yourself on what you’re creating, but on how often you’re creating. As long as you’re working towards a regular art practice, you should be proud of yourself.

For more ideas on things to paint, check out these past blog posts:

30 Sketchbook Prompts to Kickstart Creativity

How to Find Things to Paint