Fan-brush tutu, one press of the brush per layerWhite, pink, gray. Press a fan brush outward from the waist again and again for the layers.
Dancer as bare canvas, cobalt brushed in around the poseCobalt blue, white. Paint the blue around a penciled dancer and keep the figure white.
Ballerina in a short stiff tutu, arms ringed overheadPink, white, tan, gray. Paint the tutu as a flat oval at the hips and the arms as one ring above the head.
Ballerina in a short stiff tutu, arms ringed overheadPink, white, tan, gray. Paint the tutu as a flat oval at the hips and the arms as one ring above the head.
Ballerina seated on the floor, tying her shoe ribbonsPink, cream, brown, gray. Fold the figure into a triangle and cross the ribbons at the ankle.
Calf-length bell tutu swaying as the dancer turnsWhite, pale blue, pink. Pull the skirt down in long soft strokes and let the hem flare to one side.
Dancer balanced on pointe, one leg stretched straight behindLilac, white, peach, navy. Paint the standing leg as one straight line down to the toe tip.
Deep curtsy, one knee bent and the skirt held wideRose, white, gold, navy. Fan the skirt out to both sides and dip the head.
Faceless ballerina in three shapes: bun, bodice, tutuPink, tan, brown. Paint a circle for the head with a small bun, a V-shaped bodice and a wide skirt.
Fingerprint tutu on a brushed stick-figure dancerPink, white, black, in finger paint. Brush the dancer in black and press a ring of pink fingerprints for the skirt.
Five small dancers showing the five foot positionsPink, black, white, tan. Paint five matching figures and change only the feet on each.
Pirouette shown as three fading copies of one dancerGray, pink, white. Paint the dancer once, then twice more beside it in paler mixes.
Recital line of young dancers, tutus overlappingPink, lilac, mint, white. Overlap five skirts along one line like a paper chain.
Split leap caught at its highest point, legs levelTeal, white, peach, black. Stretch the legs into one level line and tilt the arms to match.
Swab-dot ballerina: a tutu made of white dotsNavy, white, pink, tan. Paint the body simply and build the whole tutu from dots stamped with a cotton swab.
Silhouettes in motion 12
Dancer arched backward, hair flying, on plain turquoiseTurquoise, black. Paint the canvas turquoise and the figure as one long black curve.
Dancer as bare canvas, cobalt brushed in around the poseCobalt blue, white. Paint the blue around a penciled dancer and keep the figure white.
Dancer doubled upside down on a polished floorBlack, gray, white. Repeat the figure upside down under the feet in a paler gray.
Dancer in a star jump in front of a huge moonNavy, cream, black. Trace a plate for the moon and spread the black figure across it.
Dancer leaping in black across a sunset blendYellow, orange, magenta, black. Blend the sky wet, let it dry and add the leaping figure in flat black.
Folk dancers circling hand in hand, skirts flaredOrange, red, black, cream. Paint the ring of figures in black and their skirts as flared red wedges.
Hip-hop dancer mid-jump, knees tucked, on brick redBrick red, black, white. Paint the wall flat and the leaping figure as one black shape, arms wide.
Kick line of five, every raised leg at one anglePurple, black, pink. Repeat one figure five times and keep every raised leg parallel.
One jump as a strip of five small black figuresPale blue, black. Paint five small figures left to right, from crouch to peak to landing.
Ribbon twirler with red loops spiraling overheadViolet, black, red. Paint the figure in black and the ribbon as one red line of loops.
Tap dancer in black on a yellow circle of lightYellow, black, white. Paint a yellow disc on the floor and stand the dark figure in it.
Two dancers back to back, arms spread like wingsCoral, black, white. Mirror one pose on both sides of a center line.
Skirts as brush strokes 12
Dress painted as one upside-down tulipPink, green, tan. Paint a tulip upside down and add head, arms and feet around it.
Dry-brush skirt, bare canvas showing through as speedBlack, coral, cream. Drag a nearly dry brush outward so the strokes break up.
Fan-brush tutu, one press of the brush per layerWhite, pink, gray. Press a fan brush outward from the waist again and again for the layers.
Hem of a blue skirt curling over into surfBlue, turquoise, white, tan. Carry the hem out into a curl and tip it with white foam.
Palette-knife skirt spread in ridges of white on grayWhite, gray, peach. Spread the white outward from the waist with the knife and leave the ridges.
Ruffled red dress, tiers stacked like petalsRed, crimson, black, tan. Paint each ruffle as a scalloped band, darker in the folds.
Skirt bleeding out into wet paper like a flowerMagenta, violet, tan. Wet the skirt area first and touch color in at the waist so it spreads.
Skirt breaking into swab dots that drift off the hemTeal, white, navy. Paint the skirt solid at the waist and finish it in dots that scatter.
Skirt of fall leaves swirling off the hemOrange, rust, gold, brown. Dab the leaf shapes smaller and farther apart as they leave the skirt.
Sponge-twist skirt in yellow and orangeYellow, orange, tan. Press a damp sponge at the waist and twist it a half turn.
Twirling skirt as one sweep of a wide flat brushRed, black, tan. Load a wide flat brush and swing it once in an arc for the whole skirt.
Two-color swirl skirt pulled in a single curved strokePurple, pink, white. Load a brush with two colors side by side and pull one curved stroke.
Stage, lights and pairs 12
Child dancing on a parent's shoes, seen from the knees downNavy, red, cream, brown. Paint two big shoes with two small ones standing on them.
Cone of pale light falling on a tiny dancer in the darkBlack, white, pale yellow, pink. Paint the cone as a pale wedge from the top corner and stand the dancer in its pool.
Dancer bowing with a bouquet, petals on the boardsPink, red, brown, cream. Scatter small red dabs around the feet for petals.
Dancer waiting in the wings, lit along one edgeCharcoal, gold, pink. Light only the edge of the figure that faces the stage.
Dancers in a V formation, seen from a balconyWhite, black, gray. Dot each tutu as a white round and arrange the dots in a V.
Footlights dotted along the stage edge, dancers dark aboveBlack, yellow, orange. Dot the lights along the base and paint the dancers dark above them.
Lift: one dancer raised overhead in a straight lineTeal, peach, white, black. Stack the two figures so they form a T.
Pair of dancers mirrored: same pose, opposite armsNavy, white, gold. Paint one dancer, then the mirror image beside it.
Red and blue spotlights crossing, purple where they meetRed, blue, purple, black. Paint two cones of light and fill the overlap purple.
Red curtains parted on a single small figureRed, crimson, gold, black. Paint the curtains as two red swags and the dancer small between them.
Two friends spinning, hands crossed, hair flying outYellow, green, coral, tan. Lean both figures outward so their arms pull tight between them.
Two tap partners in step, canes at the same tiltBlack, white, red, gray. Repeat one figure twice and keep both canes parallel.
Shoes, barres and studios 12
Ballet shoes in a slanted patch of window lightTan, pink, yellow, brown. Paint a slanted yellow patch on the floor and set the shoes inside it.
Black tap shoes, silver plates catching the lightBlack, silver, white, red. Add one white streak on each plate last.
Dancer lacing a shoe on the studio steps, a bag beside herGray, teal, pink, tan. Fold the figure forward over one knee and keep the face hidden.
Empty studio at dusk: bare floor, one barre, long windowsPeach, gray, tan. Paint long window shapes of peach light across the floor.
Feet in first position, seen from straight abovePink, tan, brown. Paint two shoes heel to heel with the toes turned out in a V.
Practice floor from above, chalk marks and footprintsTan, brown, white. Paint the boards as long stripes and dot white chalk crosses on them.
Row of doll-size slippers, red through purpleRed, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. Paint six small slipper ovals in a row, one color each.
Striped leg warmers and slippers dropped beside a benchPurple, pink, tan, gray. Stripe the warmers in two colors and let them slump.
Three dancers' hands on the barre, cropped at the waistPink, black, tan, gray. Crop the picture so only arms, hands and the rail show.
Three pairs of dance shoes lined up small to largePink, black, tan. Paint three pairs side by side, each one a little longer.
Toe of a pointe shoe close up, its flat tip scuffedPink, peach, gray, cream. Paint the tip as a small flat oval and dry-brush gray scuffs across it.
Two satin toe shoes side by side, ribbons in loose curlsPink, peach, white, gray. Paint each shoe as a long oval with a flat toe and let the ribbons curl.
How it works
Dancers get painted for their movement, not their faces, and a single stroke can be a whole skirt. Ballet alone offers two to choose from: the short, stiff Classical tutu and the soft, bell-shaped Romantic one.
Read the full guide
Dancer painting ideas that start with the skirt
Load a wide flat brush and swing it once: that arc is the skirt, and the dancer is added around it. Twirling skirt as one sweep of a wide flat brush is the plainest case. A nearly dry brush breaks the stroke up, and the gaps look like speed.
Ballet shapes worth knowing
Classical ballet has five basic positions of the feet; in first, the heels touch and the toes turn out. A Classical tutu is a short, stiff disc at the hips. A Romantic tutu is a soft bell that falls to the calf or ankle. Pointe shoes let a dancer rise right up onto her toe tips.
The easy dance painting ideas sit under More filters, Level: 22 dancers in flat shapes, dots and single strokes.
Questions and answers
Are there ballerina painting ideas for a first canvas?
Faceless ballerina in three shapes: bun, bodice, tutu needs no face and no hands. Swab-dot ballerina: a tutu made of white dots builds the skirt from cotton swab dots on a simply painted body.
How do you paint a dancer without drawing a face?
Paint a silhouette. Blend the background, let it dry, and add the figure in flat black, as in Dancer leaping in black across a sunset blend. The pose carries the picture, so nobody looks for a face.
Can young children finger paint a ballerina?
Fingerprint tutu on a brushed stick-figure dancer is written for it. An adult or an older child brushes the figure, and a ring of fingerprints in finger paint makes the skirt.
What colors do I need for a dance painting?
Black and one bright color cover most of the silhouettes. The ballet group leans on pink, white and a skin tone such as tan or peach; the stage group adds red, gold and a dark ground. Each idea lists its own colors.