• 61 pictures

Easy Paint and Sip Ideas With Palettes and Timed Stages

Pick three pictures a whole table can finish, each with its paints by name and the minutes for every stage.

Easy Paint and Sip Ideas With Palettes and Timed Stages

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  1. Fireworks bursting over a dark harbourTitanium white, ultramarine blue, dioxazine violet, cadmium yellow hue, quinacridone magenta, mars black. No drawing needed. 1 Night sky blend, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 2 Water strip and far shore lights, size 8 round, 10 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Bursts flicked outward from a centre dot, liner, 20 min. 5 Reflections dragged down, 1 inch flat, 5 min. 6 Sparkle dots, cotton bud, 5 min.
  2. Three sunflowers on a turquoise washTitanium white, cadmium yellow hue, yellow ochre, burnt umber, phthalo blue, sap green. A few simple shapes. 1 Turquoise wash scrubbed on loosely, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Petals pulled outward in two rings, size 8 round, 35 min. 4 Stems and leaves, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Brown centres dabbed over the petal roots, size 8 round, 15 min. 6 Seed dots and light petal tips, liner, 20 min.
  3. Baubles hanging from a fir branchTitanium white, sap green, phthalo green, cadmium red hue, yellow ochre, Payne's grey. A few simple shapes. 1 Warm cream ground with soft glow spots, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Fir needles flicked from a centre line, liner, 20 min. 4 Three baubles traced round a coin, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Strings caps and patterns, liner, 15 min. 6 Shine marks and a dusting of snow, liner, 10 min.

Next step More snow scenes on the Christmas listShorter still: pictures from 30 minutes

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60 minutes 21

  • Agate slice rings in blue and ochre Titanium white, phthalo blue, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt sienna. No drawing needed. 1 Wobbly centre shape and the first rings, size 8 round, 15 min. 2 Outer rings wide and dark, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Thin white and ochre lines between the rings, liner, 15 min. 5 Crystal specks dotted into the centre, cotton bud, 5 min.
  • Balanced stones on a misty shore Titanium white, Payne's grey, cerulean blue, yellow ochre, burnt umber. A few simple shapes. 1 Mist blend from grey blue to cream, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Far headland kept very pale, size 8 round, 5 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Five stones stacked with the largest at the bottom, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Shadow side and light side on each stone, size 8 round, 10 min. 6 Reflection on the wet sand, 1 inch flat, 5 min.
  • Cow parsley heads against a dusk blend Titanium white, cadmium orange hue, quinacridone magenta, dioxazine violet, mars black. No drawing needed. 1 Dusk blend from peach to violet, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Stems branching like umbrella ribs, liner, 15 min. 4 Flower heads dotted on, cotton bud, 15 min. 5 A few white dots where the light catches, cotton bud, 5 min.
  • Daffodils along a stream bank Titanium white, cadmium yellow hue, cadmium orange hue, sap green, cerulean blue, yellow ochre. A few simple shapes. 1 Sky fade, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 2 Green bank and a strip of stream in loose strokes, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Flower heads with six petals each, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Orange trumpets and stems, size 8 round, 10 min. 6 Grass blades over the stems, liner, 5 min.
  • Dolphins leaping across a low sun Titanium white, cadmium yellow hue, cadmium orange hue, cadmium red hue, ultramarine blue, mars black. A few simple shapes. 1 Sky and sea blend round a white sun, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Sun path in short flat strokes, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 4 Two dolphin arcs, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Splash and rim light, liner, 10 min.
  • Dragonfly over cattails Titanium white, cadmium yellow hue, sap green, cerulean blue, burnt umber, mars black. A few simple shapes. 1 Blurred blend of green and gold, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Cattail stems and brown heads, size 8 round, 15 min. 4 Dragonfly body and four wings, liner, 10 min. 5 Wing veins and shine, liner, 10 min.
  • Fireworks bursting over a dark harbour Titanium white, ultramarine blue, dioxazine violet, cadmium yellow hue, quinacridone magenta, mars black. No drawing needed. 1 Night sky blend, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 2 Water strip and far shore lights, size 8 round, 10 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Bursts flicked outward from a centre dot, liner, 20 min. 5 Reflections dragged down, 1 inch flat, 5 min. 6 Sparkle dots, cotton bud, 5 min.
  • Frog sunning on a notched lily pad Titanium white, sap green, phthalo green, cadmium yellow hue, phthalo blue, burnt umber. A few simple shapes. 1 Pond blend from green to deep blue, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Lily pad with a notch and its shadow, size 8 round, 10 min. 4 Frog from a bean body two eye bumps and folded legs, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Spots toes and eye shine, liner, 10 min. 6 Ripple rings, liner, 5 min.
  • Geese in a V over a dawn marsh Titanium white, cadmium orange hue, quinacridone magenta, ultramarine blue, burnt umber, mars black. No drawing needed. 1 Sky blend from orange up to blue violet, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Far reed bank and a strip of water, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 4 Dark reeds along the bottom edge, size 8 round, 10 min. 5 Geese as small ticks in a V, liner, 10 min. 6 Light on the water, liner, 5 min.
  • Mittens pegged on a line in the snow Titanium white, cerulean blue, cadmium red hue, sap green, yellow ochre, burnt umber. A few simple shapes. 1 Pale sky fade, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Line and three pairs of mittens, size 8 round, 20 min. 4 Stripes cuffs and pegs, liner, 10 min. 5 Snowflakes dotted on, cotton bud, 10 min.
  • Polar bear on an ice floe under a pale sun Titanium white, cerulean blue, phthalo blue, yellow ochre, Payne's grey, mars black. A few simple shapes. 1 Pale sky and dark sea in bands, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Ice floes in flat white with blue edges, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 4 Bear built from four rounded shapes, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Shadow nose eye and reflection, liner, 10 min.
  • Purple crocuses in melting snow Titanium white, dioxazine violet, cadmium yellow hue, cadmium orange hue, sap green, cerulean blue. A few simple shapes. 1 Snow ground with pale blue hollows, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Leaf spikes in green with a white stripe, liner, 10 min. 4 Cup flowers from three petal strokes each, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Orange centres and petal shadows, liner, 10 min.
  • Sea seen from inside a cave Titanium white, cerulean blue, phthalo blue, yellow ochre, burnt umber, mars black. No drawing needed. 1 Sky sea and sand in three bands, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Cave walls closing in from the edges, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 4 Foam line and a shine on the wet sand, liner, 10 min. 5 Rock texture drybrushed over the walls in umber, 1 inch flat, 10 min.
  • Seahorse silhouette in a teal sea Titanium white, phthalo blue, phthalo green, cadmium yellow hue, mars black. A few simple shapes. 1 Water blend from pale at the top to deep teal, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Light rays dragged down with a dry brush, 1 inch flat, 5 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Seahorse and weed fronds, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Bubbles and spine dots, liner, 10 min.
  • Shoal of fish in a shaft of light Titanium white, phthalo blue, ultramarine blue, phthalo green, cadmium orange hue, mars black. No drawing needed. 1 Deep water blend with dark edges, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Shaft of light drybrushed from one top corner, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Fish pressed on with the side of the brush, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Orange stragglers and eye dots, liner, 10 min.
  • Ski tracks down a blue-shadowed slope Titanium white, cerulean blue, ultramarine blue, dioxazine violet, sap green, mars black. No drawing needed. 1 Sky fade and far peaks, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Slope with diagonal blue shadows, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Fir clumps down one side, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Two curving tracks and one tiny skier, liner, 10 min.
  • Snowman seen from behind under falling snow Titanium white, ultramarine blue, dioxazine violet, cadmium red hue, burnt umber, mars black. A few simple shapes. 1 Night sky blend from blue to violet, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 2 Snow hill with a blue shadow, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Three snowballs a hat and a scarf, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Twig arms and a long shadow, liner, 5 min. 6 Falling snow dotted on, cotton bud, 10 min.
  • Starling murmuration over a pier at dusk Titanium white, cadmium orange hue, quinacridone magenta, dioxazine violet, Payne's grey, mars black. No drawing needed. 1 Sky blend from peach to violet grey, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Pier and sea line, size 8 round, 15 min. 4 Flock as a cloud of dots packed tight in the middle, cotton bud, 15 min. 5 Sparkle on the water, liner, 5 min.
  • Three ducklings crossing a pond Titanium white, cadmium yellow hue, yellow ochre, sap green, cerulean blue, burnt umber. A few simple shapes. 1 Pond blend from green to blue, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 2 Ripple rings, size 8 round, 10 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Ducklings from two ovals each, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Beaks eyes and fluffy edges, liner, 10 min. 6 Reeds in one corner, liner, 5 min.
  • Three gulls on harbour posts Titanium white, cerulean blue, Payne's grey, yellow ochre, burnt umber, cadmium orange hue. A few simple shapes. 1 Sky and sea in two soft bands, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Three posts with a loop of rope, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 4 Gulls from a white oval and a grey wing, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Beaks legs eyes and post grain, liner, 10 min.
  • Volcano glowing at night Titanium white, cadmium yellow hue, cadmium orange hue, cadmium red hue, dioxazine violet, mars black. No drawing needed. 1 Night sky blend from violet to black, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 2 Glow cloud sponged above the crater, sponge, 10 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Cone and slopes, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 5 Lava streams laid on thick and bright, size 8 round, 10 min. 6 Sparks dotted above the crater, cotton bud, 10 min.

90 minutes 22

  • Baubles hanging from a fir branch Titanium white, sap green, phthalo green, cadmium red hue, yellow ochre, Payne's grey. A few simple shapes. 1 Warm cream ground with soft glow spots, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Fir needles flicked from a centre line, liner, 20 min. 4 Three baubles traced round a coin, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Strings caps and patterns, liner, 15 min. 6 Shine marks and a dusting of snow, liner, 10 min.
  • Blossom branch on a grey-blue ground Titanium white, Payne's grey, cerulean blue, quinacridone magenta, cadmium red hue, burnt umber. No drawing needed. 1 Ground blend in grey blue with a pale centre, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Branch and twigs from thick to thin, size 8 round, 20 min. 4 Blossom dabbed in two pinks, cotton bud, 20 min. 5 Buds centres and falling petals, liner, 15 min. 6 White dabs on the petals that face the light, cotton bud, 10 min.
  • Bonsai pine in a shallow blue dish Titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, sap green, ultramarine blue, mars black. A few simple shapes. 1 Warm cream ground with a soft halo, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Dish and mossy mound, size 8 round, 15 min. 4 Twisting trunk from thick to thin, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Foliage pads sponged in cloud shapes, sponge, 20 min. 6 Bark lines pad lights and a dish shadow, liner, 10 min.
  • Galaxy sponged in violet and teal Titanium white, phthalo blue, dioxazine violet, quinacridone magenta, phthalo green, mars black. No drawing needed. 1 Black ground, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Cloud band sponged in three colours, sponge, 25 min. 4 Stars dotted on in two sizes, cotton bud, 10 min. 5 Pine ridge along the bottom edge, size 8 round, 20 min. 6 Four flare stars and a bright core, liner, 15 min.
  • Giraffe peering over the bottom edge Titanium white, cerulean blue, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, burnt umber, mars black. A few simple shapes. 1 Sky fade with one soft cloud, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Head and neck in ochre, size 8 round, 20 min. 4 Dry break, 10 min. 5 Patches in sienna, size 8 round, 20 min. 6 Ears horns eye lashes and a catch-light, liner, 15 min.
  • Hammock between two palms Titanium white, phthalo blue, cadmium yellow hue, yellow ochre, sap green, burnt umber. A few simple shapes. 1 Sky to turquoise sea to sand, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Two leaning trunks, size 8 round, 15 min. 4 Fronds pulled out from each crown, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Hammock curve with stripes, liner, 15 min. 6 Trunk rings frond lights and a shadow on the sand, liner, 10 min.
  • Hare watching a full moon Titanium white, ultramarine blue, Payne's grey, yellow ochre, burnt umber, mars black. A few simple shapes. 1 Moon traced round a jar lid and a night blend outward, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Moon shading sponged on, sponge, 10 min. 4 Hill line and a hare seen from behind, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Tall grass flicked upward, liner, 15 min. 6 Rim light on the ears and grass tips, liner, 15 min.
  • Hedgehog in autumn leaves Titanium white, yellow ochre, cadmium orange hue, burnt sienna, burnt umber, mars black. A few simple shapes. 1 Warm blurred ground, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Body dome and pointed face, size 8 round, 15 min. 4 Leaves scattered round it, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Spines drybrushed outward in three browns, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 6 Nose eye and leaf veins, liner, 10 min.
  • Heron standing in the shallows at dusk Titanium white, cadmium orange hue, quinacridone magenta, ultramarine blue, Payne's grey, mars black. A few simple shapes. 1 Dusk blend mirrored above and below the waterline, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Soft far bank, size 8 round, 10 min. 4 Heron from an S neck a wedge body and stilt legs, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Reeds and a broken reflection, liner, 20 min. 6 Light on the ripple rings, liner, 10 min.
  • Hollyhocks against a whitewashed wall Titanium white, cerulean blue, quinacridone magenta, cadmium red hue, sap green, yellow ochre. A few simple shapes. 1 Wall scrubbed in cream and white under a strip of sky, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Tall stems and big leaves, size 8 round, 15 min. 4 Pale blue shadows cast on the wall, size 8 round, 10 min. 5 Flower discs up each stem with the largest lowest, size 8 round, 25 min. 6 Centres buds and leaf veins, liner, 15 min.
  • Iceberg above and below the waterline Titanium white, cerulean blue, phthalo blue, phthalo green, Payne's grey. A few simple shapes. 1 Sky fade down to a level waterline a third of the way down, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Deep water blend below the line, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Small peak above and a huge pale mass below, 1 inch flat, 25 min. 5 Facets shaded in blue and green, size 8 round, 15 min. 6 Ripple along the waterline and light rays, liner, 10 min.
  • Nest with three blue eggs Titanium white, cerulean blue, burnt umber, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, sap green. A few simple shapes. 1 Soft ground in green and cream, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Dark nest bowl, size 8 round, 10 min. 4 Dry break, 10 min. 5 Twigs drybrushed and lined round and round, liner, 25 min. 6 Three pale blue eggs with a shadow side and speckles, size 8 round, 20 min.
  • Octopus curling up from the bottom edge Titanium white, phthalo blue, phthalo green, cadmium orange hue, quinacridone magenta, dioxazine violet. A few simple shapes. 1 Deep sea blend, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Head dome and eight arms in orange, size 8 round, 25 min. 4 Violet shadow on the underside of each arm, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Sucker dots along the arms, cotton bud, 15 min. 6 Bubbles and shine, liner, 10 min.
  • Pineapple on a pink ground Titanium white, quinacridone magenta, cadmium yellow hue, yellow ochre, sap green, burnt umber. A few simple shapes. 1 Flat pink ground, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Oval body in yellow ochre, size 8 round, 15 min. 4 Crown leaves from the centre outward, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Diamond lattice with a dot in each cell, liner, 20 min. 6 Shadow under the fruit and light leaf edges, liner, 15 min.
  • Pumpkins stacked on a porch step Titanium white, cadmium orange hue, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, sap green, burnt umber. A few simple shapes. 1 Weathered boards drybrushed, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Three pumpkins in orange white and grey green, size 8 round, 25 min. 4 Rib lines and shadow sides, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Stalks vine curls and leaves, liner, 10 min. 6 Shine marks and a few fallen leaves, size 8 round, 10 min.
  • Red apples on a bough Titanium white, cerulean blue, cadmium red hue, quinacridone magenta, sap green, burnt umber. A few simple shapes. 1 Pale sky ground with soft leaf blurs, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Bough and twigs, size 8 round, 15 min. 4 Five apples bright red on one side and dark red on the other, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Leaves in two greens, size 8 round, 15 min. 6 Stalks shine marks and leaf veins, liner, 15 min.
  • Robin on a snowy fence post Titanium white, cerulean blue, Payne's grey, cadmium orange hue, cadmium red hue, burnt umber. A few simple shapes. 1 Grey blue blend with pale blurred spots, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Post with a cap of snow, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 4 Robin from a round body and an orange breast, size 8 round, 25 min. 5 Beak eye legs and feather flicks, liner, 15 min. 6 Falling snow, cotton bud, 10 min.
  • Sandy path between fence posts to the sea Titanium white, cerulean blue, phthalo blue, yellow ochre, sap green, burnt umber. No drawing needed. 1 Sky sea strip and sand blend, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Path and soft shadows, 1 inch flat, 10 min. 4 Marram grass drybrushed up both sides, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 5 Leaning posts and wire, liner, 15 min. 6 Grass lights a foam line and one gull, liner, 15 min.
  • Spider web strung with dew Titanium white, Payne's grey, sap green, yellow ochre, cadmium orange hue. Needs a steady hand. 1 Blurred dawn ground from green to gold, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Spokes ruled out from an off-centre hub, liner, 15 min. 4 Sagging threads between the spokes, liner, 20 min. 5 Dew beads dotted along the threads, cotton bud, 15 min. 6 Twig frame and glints, size 8 round, 10 min.
  • Sunset blend behind a curling tree Titanium white, cadmium yellow hue, cadmium orange hue, quinacridone magenta, dioxazine violet, mars black. No drawing needed. 1 Ring blend outward from a yellow sun, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Ground line and trunk, size 8 round, 15 min. 4 Branches that end in curls, liner, 25 min. 5 Grass tufts and two birds, liner, 10 min. 6 Rim light down one side of the trunk, liner, 10 min.
  • Surfboards leaning on a fence Titanium white, cerulean blue, cadmium yellow hue, quinacridone magenta, phthalo green, burnt umber. A few simple shapes. 1 Sky to sand blend, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Fence planks drybrushed, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 4 Four board shapes each in its own colour, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Shadows on the sand and grass tufts, size 8 round, 10 min. 6 Stripes and patterns on the boards, liner, 20 min.
  • Willow trailing over a pond Titanium white, cadmium yellow hue, sap green, phthalo green, cerulean blue, burnt umber. No drawing needed. 1 Sky and pond blend, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Far bank and its reflection, size 8 round, 15 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Trunk and arching boughs, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Hanging fronds drybrushed down in three greens, 1 inch flat, 25 min. 6 Light fronds and ripples, liner, 10 min.

120 minutes 18

  • Alpaca in a tasselled blanket Titanium white, cerulean blue, yellow ochre, burnt umber, cadmium red hue, quinacridone magenta. A few simple shapes. 1 Sky and hill bands, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Alpaca from an oval a neck and a fluffy head, size 8 round, 25 min. 4 Dry break, 10 min. 5 Wool dabbed in cream over the darker coat, size 8 round, 25 min. 6 Blanket stripes tassels and the face, liner, 35 min.
  • Birch trunks in autumn gold Titanium white, cadmium yellow hue, cadmium orange hue, burnt sienna, burnt umber, mars black. A few simple shapes. 1 Five trunks masked with tape in different widths, masking tape, 10 min. 2 Foliage blend from gold to rust over everything, 1 inch flat, 30 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Tape off and one side of each trunk shaded grey, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Bark marks dragged across with a card edge, card edge, 25 min. 6 Thin branches and fallen leaves, liner, 25 min.
  • Bluebell wood with a winding path Titanium white, cadmium yellow hue, sap green, ultramarine blue, dioxazine violet, burnt umber. No drawing needed. 1 Canopy blend from yellow green to deep green, 1 inch flat, 25 min. 2 Path and a violet haze across the floor, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Trunks dark in front and pale behind, size 8 round, 25 min. 5 Bluebells dabbed thickest at the front, cotton bud, 25 min. 6 Sun spots on the path and leaf flecks, size 8 round, 15 min.
  • Cypress trees along a winding road Titanium white, cerulean blue, cadmium yellow hue, yellow ochre, sap green, burnt umber. A few simple shapes. 1 Sky fade with a warm horizon, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Rolling fields in bands of ochre and green, 1 inch flat, 25 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Road narrowing uphill, size 8 round, 15 min. 5 Cypress flames shrinking with distance, size 8 round, 30 min. 6 Shadows across the road and field lines, liner, 25 min.
  • Full moon over a still lake with pines Titanium white, phthalo blue, ultramarine blue, Payne's grey, mars black. No drawing needed. 1 Moon traced round a jar lid and a night blend outward, 1 inch flat, 25 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Moon face sponged in grey and white, sponge, 15 min. 4 Pines on both banks and their reflections, size 8 round, 35 min. 5 Moon path in short strokes across the water, liner, 20 min. 6 Stars flicked from a toothbrush, old toothbrush, 15 min.
  • Garden gate with climbing roses Titanium white, sap green, cadmium red hue, quinacridone magenta, burnt umber, yellow ochre. A few simple shapes. 1 Blurred garden greens, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Gate posts and pickets, 1 inch flat, 25 min. 4 Arch of foliage sponged over the gate, sponge, 20 min. 5 Dry break, 10 min. 6 Roses as spirals in two pinks with petals on the path, size 8 round, 35 min.
  • Highland cow with a windswept fringe Titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, burnt umber, cerulean blue, mars black. Needs a steady hand. 1 Plain blue grey ground, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Chalk map then a dark umber undercoat, 1 inch flat, 25 min. 4 Horns muzzle and nostrils, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Hair drybrushed downward in sienna then ochre, 1 inch flat, 35 min. 6 Lightest strands over the eyes, liner, 15 min.
  • Hummingbird at a trumpet flower Titanium white, phthalo green, cadmium yellow hue, quinacridone magenta, cadmium orange hue, Payne's grey. Needs a steady hand. 1 Blurred ground in green and gold, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Chalk outline with a teardrop body and a needle bill, chalk, 10 min. 4 Flower trumpets and stem, size 8 round, 25 min. 5 Bird in green and teal with a magenta throat, size 8 round, 30 min. 6 Blurred wings feather flicks and eye, liner, 25 min.
  • Lighthouse beam over a night sea Titanium white, phthalo blue, Payne's grey, cadmium yellow hue, cadmium red hue, mars black. A few simple shapes. 1 Night sky and sea blend, 1 inch flat, 25 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Beam drybrushed as a widening wedge, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 4 Headland and tower, size 8 round, 30 min. 5 Red bands lamp room and lit windows, liner, 20 min. 6 Wave crests and stars, liner, 20 min.
  • Northern lights over a frozen fjord Titanium white, phthalo green, phthalo blue, quinacridone magenta, dioxazine violet, mars black. No drawing needed. 1 Blue black night ground, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Aurora ribbons drybrushed upward in green and magenta, 1 inch flat, 30 min. 4 Mountains down both sides, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 5 Aurora colours dragged down into the ice, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 6 Snow edges and stars, liner, 20 min.
  • Old pickup carrying a fir tree Titanium white, cadmium red hue, sap green, Payne's grey, yellow ochre, burnt umber. Needs a steady hand. 1 Snowy sky fade and ground, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Chalk outline from two boxes and two wheels, chalk, 10 min. 4 Red body and cab, size 8 round, 30 min. 5 Fir tree in the back flicked outward, size 8 round, 20 min. 6 Windows tyres bumper and snow on the roof, liner, 30 min.
  • Peacock with a fanned tail of dabbed eyes Titanium white, phthalo blue, phthalo green, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt umber. A few simple shapes. 1 Dark teal ground, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Tail fan in green strokes pulled out from the body, 1 inch flat, 30 min. 4 Body neck and crest in blue, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Eye spots from an ochre oval a green ring and a blue dot, cotton bud, 30 min. 6 Feather lines and shine, liner, 15 min.
  • Rainy street with dragged light reflections Titanium white, Payne's grey, ultramarine blue, cadmium orange hue, cadmium yellow hue, cadmium red hue. No drawing needed. 1 Wet grey blue ground from top to bottom, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Building blocks down both sides, 1 inch flat, 25 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Lamps windows and tail lights as soft dots, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Reflections dragged straight down with a damp brush, 1 inch flat, 25 min. 6 Rain streaks kerb lines and two small figures, liner, 20 min.
  • Row of striped beach huts Titanium white, cerulean blue, cadmium red hue, cadmium yellow hue, yellow ochre, Payne's grey. A few simple shapes. 1 Sky fade and a band of sand, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Five hut fronts masked with tape and painted white, masking tape, 20 min. 4 Dry break, 10 min. 5 One stripe colour for each hut, 1 inch flat, 30 min. 6 Roofs doors bunting and cast shadows, size 8 round, 30 min.
  • Skaters on a frozen pond seen from far off Titanium white, cerulean blue, ultramarine blue, dioxazine violet, cadmium red hue, burnt umber. A few simple shapes. 1 Sky fade and a far tree line, 1 inch flat, 25 min. 2 Ice with pale streaked reflections, 1 inch flat, 15 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Snow banks and bare trees, size 8 round, 25 min. 5 Skaters built from a coat a head and two legs, liner, 30 min. 6 Skate trails scarves and long shadows, liner, 15 min.
  • Stag on a ridge in layered mist Titanium white, Payne's grey, yellow ochre, burnt umber, mars black. A few simple shapes. 1 Mist fade from pale gold down to grey, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Three pine ridges each darker than the last, size 8 round, 35 min. 3 Dry break, 10 min. 4 Stag sketched in chalk then filled in black, size 8 round, 25 min. 5 Antlers and foreground grass, liner, 20 min. 6 Low mist drybrushed across the ridges, 1 inch flat, 10 min.
  • Three sunflowers on a turquoise wash Titanium white, cadmium yellow hue, yellow ochre, burnt umber, phthalo blue, sap green. A few simple shapes. 1 Turquoise wash scrubbed on loosely, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 Petals pulled outward in two rings, size 8 round, 35 min. 4 Stems and leaves, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Brown centres dabbed over the petal roots, size 8 round, 15 min. 6 Seed dots and light petal tips, liner, 20 min.
  • Whitewashed village with a blue dome above the sea Titanium white, cerulean blue, ultramarine blue, phthalo blue, yellow ochre, quinacridone magenta. Needs a steady hand. 1 Sky and sea blend with a level horizon, 1 inch flat, 20 min. 2 Dry break, 10 min. 3 White blocks stepping down the hill, 1 inch flat, 30 min. 4 Blue dome doors and shutters, size 8 round, 20 min. 5 Shadow sides in pale blue violet, size 8 round, 20 min. 6 Pink flowers dabbed over one wall, cotton bud, 20 min.

How it works

Easy paint and sip ideas start with one picture the whole table can follow. Here are 61, planned for 60, 90 or 120 minutes, each with its paints by name, its brushes and its dry break.

Read the full guide

What each guest needs at the table

Set each place with a canvas of about 28 by 36 cm, a 1 inch flat brush, a size 8 round, a liner, a palette plate and a paper towel, and cover the table: acrylic is water-resistant once dry. Use a rinse jar that looks nothing like the drinking glasses, and keep drinks on a side table. Those three brushes paint all 61 pictures, and 35 need nothing else.

How the stages run

Sixty of the 61 open with the background, and every one stops for a ten-minute dry break, because one or two layers of acrylic usually dry in 10 to 20 minutes. The break sits inside the minutes, so a 90 minute picture ends at 90. The minutes are our planning estimates.

  • Easy paint night ideas with no drawing: Level, No drawing needed, holds 18 pictures of blends and dabs.
  • Phthalo blue, in 17 palettes, is a very strong tinter: add it a speck at a time.
  • Over two hours, mist the palette plates with water now and then so the paint stays workable.

Questions and answers

How do we pick one picture for the whole table?

Set Time under the button, and Level, Season and Group under More filters. Pick three, keep any the table likes and take away the rest, or let the first one settle it.

Which paints does the host need to buy?

Only the tubes the chosen picture lists first: titanium white, in all 61, and at most five colours. Without phthalo blue, phthalo green and burnt sienna, 34 pictures still work. The three cadmium colours are named as hues, the student-range stand-ins for the pigment.

Are these easy paint and sip ideas for adults only?

They are planned for adult hosts. Mixed ages marks 30 pictures by rule: off the hardest level, 90 minutes at most, no more than 15 minutes of liner or chalk work and no flicked paint. Children at the table use paint labelled for children.

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