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Creative Ideas for What to Paint at a Paint Party

Painting is one of the most common creative outlets and easy activity for all ages. If you enjoy painting or want to try it for the first time and also want to gather your family or friends, consider a private painting party with Canvas n Cup - in-person or virtual!


Private painting parties or painting events have risen in popularity nowadays - where you can paint virtually anything in your imagination with the guidance of a professional instructor. Typically, these paint parties will feature acrylic painting on a canvas and the best part is that they can be held in person, virtually or hybrid (which is a combination of both). Painting at-home has become very popular as well - we send the paint party kits and art supplies straight to your home along with a pre-recorded professional painting instruction video.


If you're a beginner, or just need some inspiration - knowing what to paint can be the hardest place to start. One huge plus to hosting a private paint party at a studio like Canvas N Cup is the variety of ideas you can choose from to paint!


At Canvas n Cup, we did some research to figure out what objects and themes people like to paint at painting parties - these trends and fun-to-paint images inform what we feature in our expansive painting library and gallery as well, our instructors are always on the lookout for fresh new ideas to bring to our paint parties.


We found that there were many different types of paintings that people liked to do while having a paint party with friends and family. Some people like to paint landscapes or abstracts while others prefer to paint animals, flowers, trees, scenery, beach scenes, sunsets, people with umbrellas, bicycles, cars and trucks and more. Check out these creative and exciting painting ideas that are sure to spark your creativity and impress your friends.


Here are the top 13 private paint party ideas for painting on canvas with acrylic paint:

1. Butterflies & Other Bugs

Butterflies are one of the most popular subjects to paint because they are colorful and full of life. They also have an interesting shape and structure which makes it perfect to creative with the pattern on the wings or the colors you chose to paint your butterfly on your canvas.

Similarly, other bugs like lady bugs or caterpillars allow for so much imagination. Your entire group can paint these bugs but come out with vastly different end results!

A painting of three butterflies flying over a field of dandelions
A painting of dragonflies and lanterns in the water

2. Landscapes & Scenery

If you want to paint something beautiful then landscape painting is a great option. Some of the most painted scenery include: green mountains, trees, sunsets, beaches, sunny marshes, storm scenes and more.

A green mountain scenery is calming and relaxing and one of the most popular subjects people like to paint. And there are many beautiful places to inspire your mountain landscape.

A painting of a snowy forest with trees and a river.
A colorful painting of trees with a rainbow in the background

3. Flowers

Another great subject to paint is flowers because they are colorful, pretty, and diverse. There are so many colors and shapes that make each canvas in your painting party unique. Not to mention there are many varieties of flowers to choose from; sunflowers, roses, tulips, daisies, hydrangeas, lavender, snapdragons, sunflowers, marigolds, daisies, poppies and hundreds more.

Although flowers are usually associated with spring and summer, you can paint them any time of year - and painting a flower vase is always fun too.

A painting of yellow flowers behind a purple fence.
A painting of white daisies with a blue sky in the background.
A painting of pink flowers in a wooden vase

4. Beaches & Lakes

A lot of people love to paint the sea and beaches. The beach is a great subject to paint if you love being by the water or if you love the bright colors and relaxed vibes that go along with beach scenes. There are many beaches and lakes around the world and each one is unique, beautiful and can make great canvas painting ideas.

A painting of two owls sitting on a tree branch overlooking a lake
A painting of a beach with palm trees and rocks
A painting of water lilies floating on top of a pond.

5. Animals

People love to paint animals because they are so cute and fun to look at! There are many different kinds of animals that people like to paint including bears, dogs, cats, squirrels, horses, elephants, fish, reptiles, insects, and more.

Often times, you see a "paint your pet night" hosted at your local painting studio or as a feature in private painting parties of all types.

A painting of a penguin wearing a hat and scarf.
A painting of two yellow cats with long necks
A painting of a brown and white dog with flowers in the background
A colorful painting of a giraffe 's head on a canvas.

6. Lighthouses

Lighthouses are another popular subject to paint. People often use them as a background for other scenes such as boats, waterfalls, sunsets and even in beach scenes as well.

A painting of a lighthouse surrounded by tall grass.
It is a painting of a lighthouse in the middle of a field.

7. Birds

There are many different types of birds that people like to paint. A bird on a branch is an excellent idea for anyone who loves birds. They are eye-catching, colorful and their shapes are fascinating.

The most painted type of birds is: owls, cardinals, humming birds and of course the angry birds.

A painting of two birds sitting on a branch surrounded by flowers
A painting of two birds kissing under a heart shaped tree

8. Trees

Trees are very popular subjects and people enjoy painting them. There are many different types of trees that people like to paint such as evergreen trees, tropical palm trees, blooming cherry trees and other flowering trees or even a scene of trees during the four seasons.

Fall leaves are particularly beautiful and painting a tree in the fall season is a popular theme amongst private painting parties.

A painting of palm trees with a sun in the background.
A painting of two birch trees in front of a lake

9. Sunset & Dawn & Skies

Sunsets or sunrise paintings are some of the most popular and easy canvases to paint. Beach, Hawaiian or mountain sunsets painting are the most common backdrops to feature sunsets or sunrises and make an impressive canvas, whether you are a first-time painter or you've been to more than one paint party before.

A painting of palm trees reflected in the water at sunset
A painting of a sunset over a body of water
A painting of a full moon over a lake with cherry blossom trees

10. Umbrellas

Painting people holding umbrellas is another common theme. You can feature a rainy day at the Eiffel Tower or someone splashing in a puddle!

A painting of two colorful umbrellas on a beach.
A woman in a black dress is holding a red umbrella in the rain.

11. Cars, Trucks & Bicycles

Another fun theme is painting cars, trucks and bicycles. Bicycles by the beach, by a picket fence or a barn are really fun and popular to paint. So are vintage or classic cars or trucks!

A painting of a blue truck filled with pumpkins in a field.
A painting of a bicycle on a wooden bridge overlooking the ocean.

12. Still Life

Still life is another popular type of acrylic painting especially for beginners. This broad category can include many different subjects like baskets of fruit, flower vases, cupcakes, drinks like a steaming latte, skateboards and more.

A painting of two wine glasses toasting with hearts and grapes
A painting of two pumpkins on a blue background.

13. Themed Painting

Many people like to paint themed paintings like fantasy (unicorns, gnomes, baby Yoda), patriotic (flags), religious (cross), fairs (Ferris wheels), fairy tales (princes or princesses), destinations (Paris) Holidays and other seasonal themes. 

A blue truck with pumpkins in the back and welcome written on it
A painting of a baby yoda on a yellow background
A painting of a baseball and a bat in the grass

At Canvas N Cup we strive to stay up with the latest art trends and always have a painting library full of imaginative ideas for you to choose from. Interested in a paint night with us? Look through our gallery, pick your favorite and book your next painting party.

Join us for one of our in-person paint parties, hybrid virtual paint parties or our popular paint-at-home parties for a night of fun. No painting experience is necessary and you'll be sure to have a great time with friends, family or co-workers!


Experience the joy of creativity with Canvas n Cup! Join our virtual paint and sip parties, corporate paint events, private paint parties, team building events, after school art classes, and summer art camp. Located in Westborough, MA, our arts and crafts center provides step-by-step acrylic painting lessons, DIY wood sign workshops, and ceramics & plaster painting. Unleash your artistic talent today!

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