Supply List

1. “Easter Truck” Template
2. 1/2 inch flat tip brush
3. filbert tip brush
4. liner brush
5. Artistro Acrylic Paint Markers
6. Sponge Pouncer
7. Posca Paint Pens – White & Black
8. Canvas
9. Graphite Paper (or Carbon Paper) 

DecoArt Americana Paint Colors:

• Purple Cow
• Baby Blue
• Teal Mint
• Sea Breeze
• White
• True Red
• Forest Green
• Slate Grey
• Cadmiuim Yellow
• Irish Moss
• Banana Cream
• Grape Juice
• Hauser Light Green

Note: Affiliate links included within this post for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

How to Paint on Canvas for Beginners

I truly believe that everyone is an artist, and that you have some sort of creativity that you are good at or can use to express yourself. You might be learning how to paint on canvas and are looking for ways to boost your confidence in your skills. If you follow along on my Facebook page, you might have seen where I recently showed how to paint on canvas using a template from my shop. I’m going to break it down for you so you can learn how to paint on canvas using a template too!

How to Paint the Background on the Canvas

Today, we’re going to learn how to paint on canvas using this Easter Truck template from my shop. I’m pulling a lot of the colors that I am using from the Rainbow paint pack that DecoArt put together for me. They put together three different paint packs with some of my favorite colors that you can see here. We’re going to start with a one inch flat tip paint brush dipped in both white and baby blue to paint the background of the door hanger. Don’t forget to paint the edges! While the sky dries, use the colors Irish Moss and Hauser Light Green to paint the grass at the bottom and edges of the canvas. You will want to dip your brush in both to help blend the colors together. Next, use the color Forest Green to incorporate into your grass and add depth.

How to Transfer the Template to the Canvas

I printed this template in the 12 inch size and then taped my pieces of paper together so that my template was all in one piece! Grab some graphite paper and lay it shiny side down on top of the 12” x 16” canvas and then place the template on top. Using a ballpoint pen trace all the details and outlines on your template.

Tip: use a small piece of painter’s tape placed half on the canvas and half on the template as a hinge so you can lift your template up without moving it.

Paint on Canvas with the Template Design

Using the color Purple Cow, paint the truck on the canvas. Next, use the color, Grape Juice, to add some dimension to the truck. Next, using the 1/4” flat tip brush, paint the bumper using the color Slate Grey. Add some white to the bumper to highlight the bumper on the truck, then blend in some black. Paint the license plate white. Paint the tires on the truck using the color black. Paint the tail lights on the truck using the color True Red. Using a Sharpie trace the words “Happy Easter” so you will be able to see them later when you trace over them. 

Paint the Bunnies on the Canvas

I used the colors Sea Breeze, Cactus Flower, and Banana Cream. I recommend adding a second coat to Banana Cream to get good coverage. Using the color Teal Mint and the handle end of the sponge pouncer, add some small dots to the Sea Breeze bunny. For the details on the yellow bunny, I used the color, Cadmium yellow. I used a round tip brush to draw a lattice pattern on the yellow bunny. Add a little bit of red to the Cactus Flower color, and then use it to paint the chevron pattern on the pink bunny. Be sure to use white paint to paint the bunny tails. Add some grass to the bed of the truck with the same green you used to paint the grass. While you have the green on your paintbrush, add some grass sprigs to the bottom of the grass as well!

Tip: Twist the handle of the sponge pouncer as you lift up to be sure to create a more complete dot.

Add Some Details

Grab the 5M Black Posca Paint Pen to trace over the lines that say “Happy Easter.” Then, using the 3M Posca Paint Pen in Black, add in some whimsical lines to outline the truck and bunnies. Using a white 3M Posca Paint Pen, add some highlight lines and details to the tires, truck, and bunnies. Using a liner brush and Warm Sunset paint, add a carrot to the license plate. Finish it off by adding green carrot tops to the tops of the carrot.

Catch the Replay

This is just one of my tutorials used to show you the various ways to use the templates that are available in my shop. It’s my hope that this tutorial will help you be less intimidated by seeing a blank canvas the next time you go to paint. If you missed the original video of me showing how to paint a canvas with a template, check it out below! 

Related Resources

• Shop more templates in my shop!
• How to create a template mockup that you can use on a variety of DIY projects!
• Download the list of my favorite DecoArt paint colors!