Summer Art Ideas to Finally Get You Back Into Art
Easy summer art ideas to start, or restart, your creative practice.
Summer can make us want to do things differently. The days stretch a little longer, routines soften, and suddenly the idea of spending another evening scrolling your phone feels far less appealing than sitting outside with a sketchbook or making something with your hands.
Maybe you've always considered yourself creative but haven't picked up a paintbrush in years. Maybe you're a student looking for an affordable hobby over the holidays, or you're simply curious about trying something new. Whatever brings you here, summer is one of the easiest times to begin.
If you're wondering how to get back into art, the best approach is to choose one small, enjoyable creative habit that feels easy to start. Forget perfection, five minutes of making is enough to build momentum.
The good news? You don't need a studio, expensive supplies, or years of experience. Most of these ideas can begin in under five minutes.
Give yourself permission to make bad art
Before we get into materials and projects, here's something worth remembering.
Many adults stop making art because they think they have to be good at it.
Children don't worry about that. They draw because it's fun. Somewhere along the way, many of us begin judging every mark we make instead of simply enjoying the process.
It can feel surprisingly vulnerable to start again. Maybe you loved drawing as a child but haven't made anything in years. Maybe life simply became busier, or perhaps you convinced yourself that creativity belonged to "real artists."
The truth is, every artist has made countless imperfect drawings. Every painter has started with a blank page. The difference isn't talent, it's simply giving yourself permission to begin.
Summer offers a gentle invitation to do exactly that. Longer days and a slower pace can create space to experiment, play, and rediscover what making art feels like.
This summer, try approaching creativity with curiosity rather than expectation. Think of it as an hour away from your screen, a chance to notice your surroundings, or a simple form of self-care. If you create something you love, that's a bonus. If not, you've still spent time making something with your own hands—and that's a wonderful place to start.
Looking for a quiet creative reset?
Sometimes all you need is twenty peaceful minutes.
Paint a tiny watercolour every morning
Rather than attempting a finished painting, try making one small square each morning. Paint the weather outside your window, your morning coffee, or the flowers growing nearby.
Working small removes much of the pressure and helps you build a creative routine almost without noticing.
If you'd like a little extra guidance, Watercolor Made Simple Workbook by Nicki Traikos offers simple, beginner-friendly exercises that pair perfectly with a daily watercolour practice.
What you'll need
Optional: Watercolor Made Simple Workbook by Nicki Traikos for guided daily practice
Fill one page with coloured pencils
Coloured pencils are wonderfully forgiving. They don't need drying time, they're easy to carry, and they're ideal for relaxing after work or while travelling.
Draw leaves from the garden, shells from the beach, your favourite houseplants, or simply experiment with blending colours together.
If you're feeling rusty, a workbook can gently guide you through different techniques without feeling like homework.
What you'll need
Colour simply for the joy of it
Colouring books aren't just for children.
Many artists keep one around because colouring is wonderfully meditative. It gives your hands something to do while letting your mind unwind, making it perfect for slow summer evenings.
What you'll need
coloured pencils or markers
If you've never thought of colouring as a creative practice, our Just Add Colour! article explores why it's become a favourite form of creative self-care for artists and beginners alike.
Want to try something completely new?
Summer is the perfect excuse to experiment with a medium you've always been curious about.
Instead of buying lots of different materials, choose one and give yourself a single afternoon to play.
Learn lino printing
Printmaking has a wonderful balance of planning and surprise. Carving your design and revealing the first print is always satisfying—even if it's your first attempt.
It's also a skill that grows with you, from simple greeting cards to fabric printing and editioned artwork.
What you'll need
(Coming soon: our complete beginner's guide to lino printing with Max Black.)
Try gouache for bold summer colour
If you love the look of watercolour but want something a little more forgiving, gouache is an excellent place to start.
Its vibrant, matte finish is perfect for painting fruit, flowers, cafés, holiday scenes, and colourful summer landscapes.
What you'll need
Loosen up with a one-colour abstract painting
One of the quickest ways to quiet your inner critic is to remove decision fatigue.
Choose a single colour, one brush, and one canvas. See what happens when you focus purely on movement, texture, and mark-making rather than painting "something."
Buzz canvases are ideal for this because they're affordable enough that you won't feel nervous making the first mark.
What you'll need
Start a sketchbook you'll actually finish
Sketchbooks don't need to contain masterpieces.
Think of yours as a visual diary.
Draw one thing every day
A mug. Your trainers. Today's lunch. The neighbour's cat.
Tiny drawings quickly become a record of your summer while quietly improving your observation skills.
Remember: consistency matters far more than complexity.
Try a blind contour drawing
Want to loosen up immediately?
Choose an object—or even a friend—and draw it without looking down at your paper.
It feels ridiculous the first time, but that's exactly the point.
Blind contour drawing improves hand-eye coordination, teaches careful observation, and often produces wonderfully wonky results that are impossible not to smile at.
What you'll need
sketchbook
coloured pens or pencils
Make creativity part of your summer adventures
Art doesn't have to happen indoors.
Some of the best creative moments happen while you're waiting for coffee, sitting on a beach, or stopping for lunch during a road trip.
Build a grab-and-go sketch kit
A compact kit means you'll always be ready whenever inspiration strikes.
Slip a small sketchbook, water brush, pencil, and travel paints into your bag and you'll discover unexpected moments to draw throughout the day. Urban sketching isn't about creating perfect artwork—it's about paying closer attention to the places you visit.
Want to take the idea further? Read our guide to How to Start a Travel Journal for simple ways to build a sketchbook habit wherever summer takes you.
What you'll need
Paint what's on your plate
Summer fruit, fresh vegetables, pastries from your favourite bakery—they're colourful, inexpensive, and already arranged for you.
Before you eat, spend ten minutes painting what's in front of you.
It's one of the easiest still-life exercises you'll ever find.
Make it a social hobby
Creativity becomes even more enjoyable when it's shared.
Host a sketch night
Invite a few friends over, spread some paper across the table, put on music, and spend an hour drawing.
There's no lesson plan required.
People naturally inspire one another, and beginners often feel far more comfortable creating alongside friends than working alone.
What you'll need
sketchbooks
coloured pencils
markers
snacks
Meet outside and sketch together
Instead of meeting for another coffee, bring your sketchbooks to a local park, beach, or neighbourhood café.
Draw for an hour, compare sketches, then head off for lunch.
It's an easy way to enjoy the outdoors while slowing down enough to really notice your surroundings.
Play the Scribble Game
This was a favourite for many of us as children, and it's just as entertaining as adults.
Each person closes their eyes and makes a quick scribble on a sheet of paper. Swap papers, then use your imagination to transform your friend's scribble into something recognisable. A monster, a bicycle, a face, a bird wearing roller skates—anything goes.
It's a brilliant reminder that creativity often begins with seeing possibilities where no one else does.
Try Exquisite Corpse (or "Consequences")
This classic collaborative drawing game has been delighting artists for more than a century.
Fold a piece of paper into three sections. The first person draws a head, folds the paper to hide it, then passes it on. The next person draws the body without seeing the head, and the final person completes the legs.
Unfold the page to reveal wonderfully strange characters that nobody could have imagined alone.
You can play the same game with landscapes, creatures, robots, or even entire stories.
It's especially brilliant with children because everyone contributes equally, and the surprises are half the fun.
Some of the best creative memories don't come from making your "best" artwork—they come from laughing so hard you can barely hold the pencil.
Create something everyone can join in
Looking for a creative activity with family or friends?
Choose projects where everyone can contribute, regardless of experience.
Paint a skateboard deck
Blank skateboard decks make surprisingly satisfying canvases.
Whether you're creating bold graphic designs with Posca markers or collaborative illustrations with friends, they're a fun alternative to traditional canvas.
Download our skateboard deck template and use it to test layouts, colour combinations, lettering, illustrations, or graphic elements before committing to the final surface. It's a simple way to experiment, make changes, and build confidence before you begin.
What you'll need
For more information read our guide How to Paint s Skateboard with Acrylic Markers
Start a shared canvas
Leave one canvas somewhere visible at home and invite everyone to add something throughout the week.
There are no rules.
One person might paint a flower, another adds shapes, someone else writes a favourite quote. Keep an Opus Paint & Peel Palette nearby so everyone can squeeze out fresh colour whenever inspiration strikes. When you're finished, simply let the leftover paint dry and peel it away for easy clean-up.
By the end of summer, you'll have a collaborative artwork that captures dozens of small moments.
What you'll need
brushes
Posca markers
This summer, make something
The best thing about getting back into art is that there isn't a right place to begin.
You can paint tiny watercolours before breakfast, fill a sketchbook on your lunch break, learn a new printmaking technique, or simply colour while listening to your favourite album.
What matters isn't finishing a masterpiece, it's rediscovering the pleasure of making something with your own hands.
Long summer evenings don't have to disappear into another night of scrolling. They can become sketchbooks filled with tiny observations, colourful travel memories, collaborative paintings, or drawings that make everyone laugh.
You don't have to become an artist this summer. You simply have to make something.
If you're not sure where to start, visit your local Opus Art Supplies store. Our staff are artists themselves and are always happy to help you build a simple, affordable starter kit based on whatever you're excited to try this summer.