• 67 ideas

Valentines Painting Ideas

Three ideas to paint for 14 February: the colours are named, and so is the step to get right.

Valentines Painting Ideas

More filters
Show all 67
  1. Red heart balloon caught on a grey streetBlack, white, red. Keep the whole street in mixed greys, so the balloon is the only colour on the canvas.
  2. Two teacups and a plate of heart biscuitsDuck-egg blue, cream, pink, brown. Paint the cups as ellipses first; ice the biscuits in pink over dry brown.
  3. Pink tulips tied with a red ribbonPink, leaf green, red, white. Each tulip head is two curved strokes that meet; the ribbon is one line from a liner.

Next step Draw the card to go with the canvasPaint loose flowers in watercolour

All 67 ideas

Hearts and patterns 18

  • Anatomical heart with flowers growing from it Crimson, dusty pink, sage green, white. Block the heart in flat, let it dry, then paint stems and blooms over its top.
  • Confetti burst of tiny hearts Pink, red, gold, white. Dab hearts thickly near the centre and thin them out to single dots at the edges.
  • Cupid's arrow through a gold heart Metallic gold, red, white, navy. Paint the heart in gold on navy; when it is dry, rule the arrow over it with a liner.
  • Dripping heart on a black canvas Red, magenta, white. Paint the heart thickly, stand the canvas upright and let thinned paint run from its lower edge.
  • Garland of paper hearts on a string Red, pink, cream, grey. Paint a sagging line, hang a flat heart from each dip and add a grey drop shadow to one side.
  • Heart in seven bands from crimson to blush Crimson, white. Mix all seven steps on the palette first, then fill the heart in bands from the point upward.
  • Heart tree with cotton-bud leaves Burnt umber, red, pink, white. Paint trunk and bare branches, then dab cotton-bud leaves into a heart-shaped crown.
  • Heart-shaped hot air balloon over green hills Red, pink, sky blue, green, white. Blend the sky first; the balloon goes on once it is dry, so its edge stays crisp.
  • Heart-shaped window onto a night sky Navy, violet, magenta, white. Sponge the galaxy through a paper heart stencil and flick white stars before lifting it.
  • LOVE lettered across four mini canvases Red, teal, white, black. One block capital per canvas; swap the letter and background colours each time.
  • Masking tape heart left white in a pink blend Magenta, coral, white. Tear tape into a heart, blend the pinks right over it, then peel the tape to show the white.
  • Palette knife heart in thick reds Cadmium red, crimson, white, gold. Drag short knife strokes from the outline inward so the ridges follow the heart.
  • Patchwork heart in nine painted squares Red, pink, cream, grey. Pencil a heart over a three by three grid and give each square its own dots, stripes or checks.
  • Queen of hearts playing card Red, black, white, gold. Mask the card border with tape and paint the heart pips with a small round brush.
  • Red heart balloon caught on a grey street Black, white, red. Keep the whole street in mixed greys, so the balloon is the only colour on the canvas.
  • Rows of hearts stamped with a cardboard tube Red, pink, white, on a tan ground. Pinch a cardboard tube into a heart, dip the rim in paint and stamp in rows.
  • Split heart across two canvases, a half each Red, magenta, white, gold. Push the canvases together, pencil one heart across the gap, then paint a half each.
  • Two hands shaping a heart against the sunset Orange, magenta, violet, black. Blend the sky, let it dry, then paint both hands as one flat black silhouette.

Roses and flowers 14

  • Bleeding heart flowers on an arching stem Magenta, white, green. One arching stem; each flower is a small heart with a white drop hanging beneath it.
  • Carnations in a striped mug Coral, red, green, white, navy. Stipple each frilled head with a worn brush; mask the mug stripes with tape.
  • Dozen red roses wrapped in brown paper Crimson, sap green, tan, white. Roses are red spirals; paint the paper cone last so it overlaps the stems.
  • Hand-tied posy of ranunculus Peach, coral, cream, green. Each bloom is tight rings of short curved strokes, darkest in the middle; stems cross below.
  • Heart-shaped wreath of wildflowers Sage green, pink, yellow, lavender, white. Pencil a heart, paint leaves along it both ways, then dot flowers on top.
  • Peonies in a pink jug Blush, magenta, green, white. Build each peony from a dark centre, with looser and paler strokes toward the edge.
  • Pink tulips tied with a red ribbon Pink, leaf green, red, white. Each tulip head is two curved strokes that meet; the ribbon is one line from a liner.
  • Red rose close-up filling the canvas Crimson, cadmium red, black, white. Work from the dark centre outward, each petal a curved stroke with a paler rim.
  • Rose petals scattered across a white cloth Crimson, pink, grey, white. Each petal is two strokes with a soft grey shadow beneath, all drifting from one corner.
  • Single long-stemmed rose on a black canvas White, red, dark green. Undercoat the rose shape in white, let it dry, then paint the red over the white.
  • Someone hiding a bouquet behind their back Grey, navy, red, green, white. Paint the figure from behind in flat shapes; only the flowers get bright colour.
  • Sunflower with a heart-shaped centre Yellow, orange, brown, green. Paint the brown heart first and pull petals outward from its edge with a flat brush.
  • Sweet peas in a jam jar for a friend Lilac, pink, green, white. Two dabs per flower pressed from a round brush; the jar is a few pale lines over the stems.
  • White roses on blush with gold leaves White, grey, blush, metallic gold. Swirl the roses in white and grey; gold leaves go on last over dry paint.

Love birds and animals 15

  • Bumblebee leaving a heart-shaped trail Yellow, black, white, sky blue. Dot the trail with the handle end of the brush, looping it into a heart.
  • Dachshund in a heart-print jumper Tan, brown, red, white. Paint the jumper red, let it dry, then dot small white hearts over it.
  • Hedgehogs sharing a strawberry Brown, cream, red, green. Flick the spines outward from a dark body shape with a fan brush.
  • Koala hugging a red heart Grey, white, pink, red, black. Dry-brush the ear fluff in white over dry grey so it looks soft.
  • Ladybird pair on a heart-shaped leaf Leaf green, red, black, white. Blend two greens for the leaf; the ladybirds go on last, with cotton-bud spots.
  • Love birds on a wire at dusk Orange, pink, violet, black. Blend the dusk, let it dry, then paint the wire and two leaning birds in flat black.
  • Pair of foxes curled nose to tail Burnt orange, white, charcoal, sage. Curl one fox each way to make a circle; dry-brush the fur along their backs.
  • Pair of swallows with a blank banner Navy, red, cream, black. Flat colour first and a black outline last, like tattoo flash; letter a name on the banner.
  • Peach-faced lovebirds pressed together on a perch Green, peach, yellow, orange. Blend each peach face into the green chest while both colours are wet.
  • Seahorses facing each other, tails curled Teal, coral, yellow, white. Wash the teal water on thinly, then paint the seahorses opaque on top as mirror images.
  • Two cats on a fence, tails making a heart Black, pink, cream. Blend a pink evening sky, then paint cats and fence as one black silhouette with tails meeting.
  • Two doves carrying a red ribbon Sky blue, white, grey, red. Paint the doves in white over a dry sky, shade the wings grey, then loop the ribbon between.
  • Two elephants with trunks linked at sunset Orange, magenta, yellow, black. Blend the sky, then paint both elephants and the ground as one silhouette.
  • Two giraffes with necks crossed Ochre, brown, sky blue, white. Flat ochre necks first; dab the brown patches on with the corner of a flat brush.
  • Two owls leaning together under a crescent moon Navy, brown, cream, yellow. Sponge a glow round the moon first; paint the owls as one joined shape.

Sweets, letters and keepsakes 20

  • Box of six pink doughnuts Pink, tan, white, red. Paint the icing over dry tan rings and scatter sprinkles with a liner in short dashes.
  • Bunch of heart balloons tied to a gift box Red, pink, white, gold. Give every balloon the same curved white highlight, on the same side.
  • Chocolate-dipped strawberries on a plate Red, brown, white, green. Paint each berry red, let it dry, then lay chocolate over the lower half with a wavy edge.
  • Conversation hearts spilled from a paper bag Pastel pink, mint, lemon, lilac, red. Flat pastel hearts with a darker side edge; letter the words in red with a liner.
  • Envelope sealed with a red wax heart Cream, grey, red, crimson. Shade the envelope folds in pale grey; the seal is thick red with a darker rim.
  • Friendship bracelets knotted in a row Pink, teal, yellow, purple, white. Paint each band flat, then add the chevrons with a liner once it is dry.
  • Handmade valentine with a paper-lace edge Red, white, pink, gold. Paint a red heart, then a lace border of white scallops and dots with a fine liner.
  • Heart-shaped box of chocolates with the lid off Red, brown, cream, gold. Each chocolate is a brown shape with one highlight and its own swirl on top.
  • Instant photos pegged on a string Cream, grey, red, teal. Paint white-bordered squares and fill each with a tiny scene in three colours.
  • Jar of folded paper hearts Red, pink, white, grey. Paint the hearts first, then the jar as a few pale outlines and highlights over them.
  • Latte heart seen from above Brown, cream, white, grey. Swirl cream into the wet brown with the brush handle to pull the foam into a heart.
  • Love letter, fountain pen and a pressed rose Cream, sepia, crimson, black. Suggest the handwriting with a dry liner in wavy lines; nobody has to read it.
  • Macarons stacked in three pinks Blush, rose, cream, white. Each macaron is two flat ovals with a ruffled line of thick paint between them.
  • Message in a bottle on a beach Sand, teal, white, green. Glaze the bottle thinly over the dry beach so the sand shows through the glass.
  • Mirror ball throwing pink light Silver grey, white, pink, black. Grid the ball with curved lines and fill the tiles in greys, leaving a scatter white.
  • Old key tied with a red ribbon Brown, metallic bronze, red, cream. Paint the key brown, dry-brush bronze over it and let the ribbon trail off the edge.
  • Pair of cowboy boots stitched with hearts Pink, red, white, tan. Block the boots in pink, let them dry, then stitch the hearts on in white dashes with a liner.
  • Stack of heart-shaped pancakes with berries Golden brown, cream, red, blue. Stack flat hearts with a darker rim each; berries and a drip of syrup go on last.
  • Two heart lollipops crossed at the sticks Red, pink, white, cream. Flat hearts first; a white highlight along one edge makes each one look glassy.
  • Two teacups and a plate of heart biscuits Duck-egg blue, cream, pink, brown. Paint the cups as ellipses first; ice the biscuits in pink over dry brown.

How it works

Sixty-seven valentines painting ideas in acrylic: 18 hearts and patterns, 14 roses and flowers, 15 love birds and animals, and 20 sweets, letters and keepsakes. Each names its colours and one technique, from a taped heart to a knife-painted one.

Read the full guide

More than a red heart

Most valentine painting ideas stop at a red heart on pink. This list starts from the day's symbols, the heart outline, doves and Cupid, then adds what people give: red roses, a box of chocolates, a handmade card. Conversation hearts spilled from a paper bag is a still life in four pastels. Old key tied with a red ribbon borrows Saint Valentine's keys, an Italian custom of giving a sweetheart a key.

Why these are Valentine's Day canvas painting ideas

Acrylic resists water once it is dry, so layers stack, which suits a gift with a deadline. Love birds on a wire at dusk needs the sky dry before the black wire goes over it, and both fit in one evening. Eleven palettes add a gold or bronze.

  • Under More filters, Kind holds the 23 galentines painting ideas, all about friendship. Galentine's Day is usually 13 February.
  • For easy love painting ideas pick a silhouette: Two elephants with trunks linked at sunset is one flat black shape.
  • Letter a name or date with a liner once dry: Pair of swallows with a blank banner leaves room.

Questions and answers

What are easy valentines painting ideas for a beginner?

Easy first canvases, under More filters, holds 27. In Masking tape heart left white in a pink blend the tape does the drawing. Heart in seven bands from crimson to blush uses one red and white, mixed in steps before any paint touches the canvas.

Which colours do these canvases need?

White is in 47 of the 67 palettes and a red of some kind in 37, so buy those two large. A pink is in 24 and cream in 17: pink mixes from red and white. Black is in 14, mostly for silhouettes.

Can two people paint one of these together?

Yes. Split heart across two canvases, a half each is made for it: push two canvases together, pencil one heart across the gap and paint a side each. For a whole evening of shared canvases, see couple painting ideas.

More tools

Show 7 more

Browse Painting Ideas