The aurora borealis, or northern lights, is one of nature’s most stunning spectacles, painting the night sky with vibrant, flowing colors. If you’ve ever dreamed of capturing this magical scene on canvas, you’re in the right place for some easy and creative ideas.
1. Cloudy Effects with Sponges
Use sponges to dab on clouds or soft edges. This is a great way to add texture and depth without overpowering your main elements, a perfect starting point for many easy canvas painting ideas for beginners.
These products might help:
- Art Sponges for Painting: Enhance your painting with versatile sponges, perfect for adding soft, textured effects effortlessly.
- Acrylic Paint Set: Explore vibrant color combinations for your aurora painting with this comprehensive acrylic paint set.
- Mini Tabletop Easel: Display your artwork elegantly with a compact tabletop easel, ideal for small canvases and décor.
2. Mountainous Horizon
Add a gentle mountain silhouette in the background. This adds a sense of scale and adventure to your piece, a popular subject in many nature painting ideas.
Might be a good match:
- Acrylic Paint Set: Enhance your painting with vibrant colors. Ideal for capturing the aurora’s magical hues.
- Canvas Panels: Use quality canvas panels for a smooth painting surface and professional look for your artwork.
- Wooden Painting Easel: Add stability and adjust your canvas placement with this sturdy wooden easel.
3. Experiment with Neon Colors
Use neon paints for a modern twist. Similar to other easy retro painting ideas, they make the lights look like they’re glowing even when the lights are off!
A few suggestions:
- Neon Acrylic Paint Set: Brighten your art with glowing neon colors for a vibrant Aurora Borealis effect.
- Glowing Neon Ink: Use glowing neon ink to achieve a luminous look that stands out even in low light.
- UV Black Light Flashlight: Illuminate your neon artwork with a UV flashlight to enhance its glowing effect.
4. Wavy Aurora Lines
Paint wavy lines in greens and pinks to mimic the dancing lights. You can find more inspiration in these easy painting ideas. I often use a fan brush for this to get those smooth, flowing strokes.
You might like:
- Fan Paint Brush Set: Achieve smooth flowing strokes for your aurora painting with this versatile fan brush set.
- Acrylic Paint Set: Create vivid aurora effects with rich greens and pinks using this acrylic paint set.
- Canvas Panels 8×10: Start painting your aurora masterpiece on these durable 8×10 canvas panels, perfect for any artist.
5. Hand-Paint Details
Go in with a fine brush to add detailed stars or highlights. A few well-placed accents can really elevate your painting.
Try these:
- Fine Detail Paint Brushes: Enhance your artwork with precision. Perfect for adding intricate details and highlights.
- Acrylic Paint Set: Rich colors to make your aurora borealis painting vibrant and captivating. Ideal for any artist.
- Canvas Panels: Sturdy and reliable, these panels are great for showcasing your beautiful aurora borealis art.
6. Tape Resist Technique
Use tape to mark off areas you want to keep clean or create geometric patterns in your aurora. It’s a simple trick, common in many fun and easy painting ideas, that can yield sophisticated results.
Some handy options:
- Artist Masking Tape: Keep your paint lines sharp with high-quality artist masking tape—essential for crisp patterns.
- Acrylic Paint Set: Explore vibrant colors with an acrylic paint set perfect for creating stunning aurora borealis effects.
- Canvas Boards: Use durable canvas boards as a sturdy foundation for your geometric tape resist art pieces.
7. Use Pastels for Soft Edges
Blend in some soft pastels for gentle edges and transitions in your aurora. This technique is also central to many easy watercolor painting ideas. It’s like giving your painting a dreamy, out-of-focus background.
Possibly helpful picks:
- Soft Pastel Set: Create dreamy auroras with a soft pastel set that ensures smooth blending and gentle transitions.
- Blending Stumps and Tortillions: Achieve seamless transitions in your aurora painting using blending stumps for soft edges.
- Pastel Paper Pad: Use a high-quality pastel paper pad to enhance color vibrancy and texture in your art.
8. Glaze for Depth
Apply a glaze over certain areas to add depth and dimension. This can make your colors pop and gives the illusion of layers in the sky. For more techniques, check out these creative watercolor painting ideas.
A few choices to try:
- Acrylic Glazing Medium: Enhance your art with this acrylic glazing medium, adding depth and dimension effortlessly.
- Sable Paint Brushes: Achieve smooth glaze application with these precision sable paint brushes, perfect for fine details.
- Canvas Panels for Oil and Acrylic: Create stunning aurora borealis paintings on these durable, pre-primed canvas panels.
9. Incorporate Metallic Paint
Try incorporating metallic paints for a shimmering effect. This is a popular choice for many paint night painting ideas because gold or silver can highlight certain areas and catch the light beautifully.
A few relevant products:
- Metallic Acrylic Paint Set: Add shimmer to your aurora borealis painting with vibrant metallic paints. Perfect for beginners.
- Gold and Silver Metallic Paint Tubes: Use gold and silver paint to highlight and catch light beautifully in your artwork.
- Metallic Paint Markers: Enhance fine details in your painting with metallic paint markers. Easy to use and effective.
10. Reflective Surface Techniques
Try using a glossy finish for a reflective surface, which can mimic the sheen of a real aurora. It’s like adding a touch of magic to your artwork, a great final touch for these and more painting ideas.
You might give these a try:
- Glossy Varnish for Paintings: Enhance your aurora painting with a glossy varnish for a stunning reflective finish.
- High-Gloss Canvas: Try a high-gloss canvas to add shimmer and magical appeal to your artwork.
- Reflective Acrylic Paint Set: Achieve realistic aurora effects with reflective acrylic paints for a luminous look.
11. Starry Night Sky
Sprinkle in some stars with a flick of white paint. A toothbrush works wonders for these kinds of night sky painting ideas, and it’s a fun way to let your inner child loose!
May just do the trick:
- Acrylic Paint Set: Unleash your creativity with vibrant colors perfect for painting stunning aurora and starry skies.
- Canvas Panels: Choose a suitable canvas for your masterpiece to beautifully display the aurora borealis painting.
- Artistic Paintbrush Set: Achieve precision in your artwork using quality brushes for detailed starry sky effects.
12. Create a Galaxy Effect
Blend in some darker blues and blacks to simulate a galaxy backdrop. This sets a mystical scene for your vibrant aurora. For more inspiration from the outdoors, check out these creative nature painting ideas.
Maybe worth checking out:
- Acrylic Paint Set: Explore blending with vibrant acrylic paints for stunning galaxy and aurora effects.
- Canvas Panels: Start your galaxy masterpiece on durable canvas panels for lasting beauty.
- Painting Brushes Set: Achieve precise blending and detail with a versatile set of painting brushes.
13. Acrylic Pouring Technique
Try the acrylic pouring technique for a fluid aurora effect. As one of many fun and easy painting ideas, it’s mesmerizing to watch the colors mix and flow, creating a natural look with minimal effort.
Items that may come in handy:
- Acrylic Pouring Paint Set: Unleash your creativity with vibrant pouring paints perfect for mesmerizing aurora effects.
- Silicone Pouring Oil: Create dynamic cells and flow in your artwork with this essential pouring medium.
- Wooden Tabletop Easel: Display your stunning aurora painting with a sturdy and stylish tabletop easel.
14. Reflection in Water
Create a dreamy effect by painting a beautiful water reflection. Just mirror the colors of your aurora with a softer touch below your tree line—trust me, it’s a game-changer.
Products that could assist:
- Acrylic Paint Set: Explore vibrant colors to bring your aurora painting to life. Perfect for stunning reflections.
- Canvas Panels: Choose a reliable surface for your masterpieces. Ideal for colorful aurora borealis scenes.
- Paintbrush Set: Get versatile brushes for detailed and smooth applications. Essential for dreamy water effects.
15. Splatter Paint for Stars
Create a starry sky by splattering white paint. This technique is so satisfying and adds that extra sparkle to your night scene; we have a whole collection of starry night painting ideas if you love this effect.
Check these products out:
- White Acrylic Paint: Unleash your creativity with vibrant white acrylic paint, perfect for starry night effects.
- Paintbrush Set: Achieve precise splatter effects with a quality paintbrush set, ideal for night sky details.
- Canvas Panels: Start your masterpiece with durable canvas panels, perfect for aurora borealis paintings.
16. Simple Gradient Background
Start with a gradient background of blues and purples to set the stage for your aurora. Related to other simple canvas ideas for beginners, I love using a wide brush to blend the colors smoothly—it’s like watching the sky melt into itself.
Possibly handy products:
- Wide Acrylic Paint Brushes Set: Achieve smooth color blending with these wide brushes, perfect for gradient backgrounds.
- Acrylic Paint Set with Blues and Purples: Capture the aurora’s magic with this vibrant set of blues and purples.
- Pre-stretched Canvas for Painting: Create stunning art on a pre-stretched canvas, ready for your gradient masterpiece.
