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Dive into the vibrant world of gouache with our curated collection of over 25 painting ideas designed to spark your artistic inspiration.
Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just starting your journey with gouache, this article offers a diverse range of projects that showcase the versatility and unique qualities of this medium.
From serene landscapes and whimsical animals to bold abstracts and intricate patterns, each idea is accompanied by tips and techniques to help you bring your vision to life.
Discover the magic of gouache and transform your creative ideas into stunning works of art.
You don’t need a lot to get started, just always it is better to be prepared. These are my honest recommendations that I love and use.
Or you can just get a high gsm plain sketching paper. It can work, but there is a chance that it will create paper crumbs like this one.
Lets get started to learn how to paint different food items for beginners:
Squirrel is a great idea when it comes to painting. They are such adorable animals, they look so adorable in my local park. The way this artist portrays it, makes it even more inspirational.
Bunnies are a fantastic subject for painting. These adorable animals are a delight to watch, whether they’re hopping through a garden or lounging in the grass. The way this artist captures their charm and gentle nature makes the painting even more inspirational.
Foxes are an excellent choice for painting. These captivating creatures are a common sight in London, adding a touch of wild charm to the urban landscape. While they can be challenging to capture on canvas, with some practice, it’s entirely possible. The way this artist has depicted the fox highlights their beauty and mysterious allure, making the painting truly inspirational.
A puppy head is a perfect subject for a sketchbook. Their expressive eyes and playful expressions make them a joy to capture. This artist’s portrayal of a puppy head, with its soft fur and endearing features, showcases the illustrator’s skill and adds an element of charm and warmth to the sketchbook.
Figs are a great subject to paint when they are in season. It is a beautiful contrast of purple and pinks that make this painting such a beautiful masterpiece.
Everyday subjects can always be unexpectedly the most beautiful and understated subject that you can get to paint. It really showcases the mastery of an artist.
Mountains and yellow flowers on the foreground. Can there be anything any more beautiful than that? I think sometimes the right painting can really make you feel very inspired so that you pursue fully and create this masterpiece in your sketchbook.
It is so interesting to see how each artist has their own unique style of painting. When you see enough of paintings daily, you then are able to feel inspired and create the copy in your sketchbook. Make sure to always save what inspires you, and have that in front of you when you are getting to painting.
Swans are such idilic and royal creatures. Their beauty is just mesmerising, so this romantic scene is absolute perfection when it comes to capturing them. Blue background really makes them stand out, as well as the flowers on the foreground.
London in spring is covered in daisies, so makes it such a cute drawing idea for the sketchbook. They do not need to be realistic, each artist style is very individualistic so keep that in mind.
Less is more, and this painting speaks for itself. Majestic pinks, peachy and purple colors really transfers the feeling of a sunset on the beach. If you love abstract and minimal, remember to follow what your heart is calling to create. Every artist has their own unique voice and the world needs to see it.
Painting can be about transferring the essence, then the details. I am obsessed with the sky, the pinks, yellows and the deep purple blue of the sea. It is such a perfect painting piece that you will love to reacreate.
Once again, the most simple and mundane subject, morning coffee, can become a gorgeous painting, Brown tones of coffee in the contrast of a blue cup, create such a pleasing to the eye work.
My favorite time during summer is when Tesco’s sells huge boxes of cherry for super cheap. They are so delicious and can look stunning as a painting. I think that they can also look like hearts, making it a great little Valentines Day card.
Flowers are always such a pretty thing to paint. It is always so interesting to see how different artists portrait it, everyone has their own unique way of doing it.
I think this is a perfect beginner friendly painting that you can copy. It is all about creating the contrasts of colors, making sure there is the right tone of the lights and the darks.
I think sunsets and sunrises are the most beautiful occurrences that happen. It is truly a time when the world turns pink. This is a pretty pastel pink sunset that has just the right amount of complexity for a beginner artists to attempt.
This is such a realistic artist, that even overwhelms me sometimes, but if you admire that sort of style then it is definitely a sign that you should copy.
![[image] - 9936771](https://i0.wp.com/artisthue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image-9936771.jpeg?fit=1440%2C1440&ssl=1 "[image] – 9936771")
Dreamy pastel sunset cloud studies can be such an amazing thing to attempt to paint. The artist here really makes it simpler to understand the colorscheme of it. Peachy pink and light blue is such a perfect combination of colors.
![[image] - 9221241](https://i0.wp.com/artisthue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image-9221241.jpeg?fit=1440%2C1440&ssl=1 "[image] – 9221241")
May be city scapes is what keeps you inspired? If it does, then get to painting with this piece where the train is passing by the gorgeous green forest and moody clouds.
![[image] - 8487968](https://i0.wp.com/artisthue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image-8487968.jpeg?fit=1440%2C1440&ssl=1 "[image] – 8487968")
This is such a pretty painting, making it such a perfect piece for you to copy into your sketchbook. It has just the right amount of details to it and dusk sea colors are beautiful.
![[image] - 7735883](https://i0.wp.com/artisthue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image-7735883.jpeg?fit=1440%2C1440&ssl=1 "[image] – 7735883")
This painting has a lot more complexity to it, so if you feel confident in yourself, then I would advise for you to copy it.
![[image] - 6638161](https://i0.wp.com/artisthue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image-6638161.jpeg?fit=1440%2C1800&ssl=1 "[image] – 6638161")
Do you enjoy illustrator style of work? This is such a good example with the details and highlights in it. You can create something in your style.
@lepetitepeintre
I love this drawing so much. It really realistic, so only start it if you know that you have so much patience.
@lepetitepeintre
Miniature paintings can be so cute and managable way to practice creating realistic paintings. They have so much less space and for some people that can be more appealing.
@brian_sindler
I love how it showcases differnt small nature studies. It is a perfect example of that sometimes you can stick to a rather small format and get such amazing minimal paintings.
@artxrach
Every artist has their own way of showing how they paint the subject. This artist shows more verity and playfulness. I love how some grass is peaking through to the white of the paper.
@agathesinger
There was a lot of realistic work here, so adding a piece that is rather illustrator style, very simple, might inspire you to paint your beloved pet in such a style.
Seville in Spain has the best clementines on the trees, so it can inspire any artist to create such a gorgeous piece of painting like this one, it has the highlights and cool shadows that makes it come to life so well.
If you have enjoyed this tutorial, then do not forget to check out this gouache book for complete beginners called: Gouache in 4 Easy Steps.