10 Easiest Famous Paintings to Recreate for Beginners

Our list of easiest famous paintings to recreate for beginners will make you feel the magic of painting, and have you thinking you have what it takes to become a master artist.

Painting is an art where you use paint and create something out of your imagination or a model and there are plenty of painting styles you can learn and use. Eventually, you can master your very own style. Here in New York City, painting exhibits and studios are plenty, so there’s no excuse for not having enough resources to learn about the trade. You will be encouraged to try it even if you have no experience in painting as there are a lot of painting classes to choose from. Each class has its own flare and focus, and utilizes various materials to bring out your inner-artist. Examples are watercolor, pencils, stencils, and canvas or acrylic paint and much more.  Some of the venues even incorporate a “bring your own beverage” classes, such as 6 BYOB Painting Classes in NYC. You just have to check the schedule of your chosen school. The instructors that are assigned in the class to teach the techniques and assist you surely know what they are doing. Their studies, experience, and passion are what makes them suitable to teach you in becoming a great painting artist.

Pixabay/Public Domain

Pixabay/Public Domain

According to WallPics Pictures Tiles, painting has positive effects on us, both mentally and emotionally. Our creative side of the mind is already active when we have a passion for painting, but it can even grow if we continuously practice our craft. Other mental benefits of painting are sharpening our memory, improving problem-solving skills, and developing a positive outlook on life. It is also a great stress reliever and it promotes emotional welfare. We can express our emotions through our masterpieces, and even if it is out of anger, we can still find a beautiful output. If you are quite hesitant to immediately attend a painting class, you can find drawing classes. Everything can be taught in drawing and they may challenge you with easy famous paintings to draw program when you are already comfortable with your drawing skills. You can also choose among easy famous paintings to copy if you think your drawing skills are not so perfect yet.

Other people would take advantage of their talent and commit fraud. They will find easy famous paintings to replicate and make money out of it. For someone who is not an expert in determining if the masterpiece is original or not could be fooled. For a painting lover, you have to be cautious, thorough, and even hire an expert if you are buying a famous artwork for they may be made by the famous artists in history but some of their works are easy paintings to recreate. Unless otherwise requested personally by the buyer to have a replicate, it must undergo a process and inform the rightful authority to avoid any copyrights issues.

To recreate is to do something that is inspired by the original piece, but that doesn’t mean that you have to keep up with the standard quality of the original. You can use any materials while recreating something. Recreating famous paintings with photography is quite a trend since there are high-quality cameras available. Acrylics is a material used in painting. It is not a surprise if there are also easy paintings to copy with acrylics. Our list of  easiest famous paintings to recreate for beginners is based on the various classes that we’ve found around New York City. The Class Curious database, Answer the Public, and a Google Search were our tools in researching these paintings that are famous and easy to recreate for beginners. Most of the items were painted by Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet wherein some of the artworks on our list are easy famous paintings to recreate even by kids in a painting class. You can check out our list of the Easiest Van Gogh Paintings to Recreate, so you can try it yourself. Our list is ranked based on the year that each masterpiece was created. Their work is an inspiration and infused with various painter’s very own ideas which are now the subject of study for aspiring artists attending classes or workshops.

Get your materials ready for our list of easiest famous paintings to recreate for beginners.

10. Oriental Poppy

1928

Georgia O’Keeffe is the genius behind the Oriental Poppy masterpiece. The size of this oil painting, which shows two giant poppy flowers is 30”x40”. In her painting, she wants people to see things from her perspective and even surprise them with her artwork. We can see that the color combination are dominantly red and black.

9. San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk

1908-1912

The church of San Giorgio Maggiore al Crepuscolo is Claude Monet’s subject in his painting of San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk. It comes with a version in Cardiff and a version in Japan, and both versions are exhibited in a museum. As seen on the painting, it is focused on the sunset and a mysterious building which seems like it’s floating. The Cardiff and Japan versions also differ in terms of the lighting condition.

8. The Tree of Life

1905

There are various interpretations of The Tree of Life painting by Gustav Klimt. At first sight, you can see a tree with swirling branches but if you look deeper, there is more than just a tree. Some say it is a connection that extends to heaven, earth, and the underworld. However you want to interpret the painting, you will be highly encouraged to look thoroughly, admire, and look within you the true meaning of The Tree of Life.

7. Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies

1899

The painting, “Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies” is inspired from Claude Monet’s very own pond near his property in Giverny. The footbridge he installed is a Japanese-style footbridge. Monet realized how magnificent his pond was which immediately became his subject of the masterpiece, leading to a series of paintings that focus on his water lily garden which includes this popular Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies. Let’s see what’s next on our list of  easiest famous paintings to recreate for beginners.


6. The Scream

1893

There are four versions of The Scream, a masterpiece by Edvard Munch, and these versions are created as paintings and pastels. His inspiration for his painting was when he recalled a time he was walking during a sunset and felt tired. He said he could sense nature and even heard it scream. Looking at this masterpiece, you can sense dark emotions like suffering, but it is always up to your way of interpreting an artwork on what the painting depicts.

5. Almond Blossom

1890

On the fifth spot of our list of easiest famous paintings to recreate for beginners is the Almond Blossom by Vincent Van Gogh. The almond tree’s flower is depicted as of old age but as for Van Gogh’s own interpretation, it is a symbol of new life. When his brother Theo and sister-in-law Jo gave birth to their son named Vincent Willem, this painting was given as a gift.

4. Starry Night

1889

One of the most noticed paintings in history is the Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. This painting is an inspiration to some painting classes and creates variations like Starry Night in Paris and Starry Night in Manhattan. Starry Night was actually painted during the day and was done during the time Van Gogh was confined at the Saint Paul de Mausole asylum.

3. Sunflowers

1888

Another famous painting from Van Gogh on our list of easiest famous paintings to recreate for beginners is “Sunflowers.” This series of paintings is in a total of five canvasses which shows sunflowers in a vase. He gave one of the canvasses to Paul Gauguin as a gift. Van Gogh also sees this sunflower painting as a symbol of gratitude. Three shades of yellow are the only color used to make this exemplary painting.

2. Cafe Terrace at Night

1888

The other known name for “Cafe Terrace at Night” is “The Cafe Terrace on the Place du Forum.” Van Gogh was in Arles, France when he created this oil painting. Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, the Netherlands is currently in possession of the said painting. Cafe Terrace at night shows the cobblestones of the street with some people gathered and drinking.

1. The Cliff, Etretat, Sunset

1882-1883

The rock formations on Claude Monet’s “The Cliff, Etretat, Sunset” are known as the elephant and the needle due to their shapes. The resort of Etretat is where you can find these famous cliffs. This oil paint canvas shows the sunset on a location accessible only by boat. This unusual view of the cliffs though helped the artist give justice to this artwork.

Prepare your painting materials and be ready for these 10 easiest famous paintings to recreate for beginners.