Sunset art projects are for everyone – beginners, experts, and people who just want to play with colour! Depending on the colours you choose, they can be dreamy, dramatic, whimsical, or bold – what vibe are you drawn to?

In this guide, we’ll show you how to paint a sunset step by step. Think glowing skies, trailing clouds, and some simple silhouettes to bring the whole thing to life. You’ll be amazed what you can do with a few colours and a little blending – just trust the process.

Let’s dive in 🌅

Pick your sunset colour palette vibes

Before you grab your brushes, think about what kind of sunset you’re going for.

• Tropical and bright – fluoro oranges, pinks, purples
• Moody and mellow – pastel blues, pinks, lilac, and a touch of cyan
• Desert glow – warm yellows, oranges, and violet

Want inspo? Take a walk on the beach, look out your window at golden hour, or jump onto our Create page and search ‘sunset’ to see loads of ideas.

Start with the gradient background painting

That glowy sky is the star of the show, so let’s get that sorted first.

-     Use a flat or wide brush for the background

-     Start with the lightest colour at the horizon (usually yellow or peach)

-     Work your way up the page with deeper colours like pink, orange, and red, then blue or purple

Blending tip: Work quickly while the paint’s still wet and use side-to-side strokes to gently blend the colours into each other. Soft gradients = instant wow factor.

Paint the sun 

Now’s the time to pop the sun in. Paint it while the background is still slightly wet, so it blends in a little.

-     Use a soft white or pale yellow for the base colour

-     Place it low in the sky, either as a full circle or dipping just below the horizon

-     Use a clean, damp brush to blur the edges for a hazy, glowing effect

It’s seemingly a small detail, but it brings big energy to the whole scene.

Add a lil’ horizon painting

While you’re waiting for your sun to dry, sketch in a horizon line.

-     Keep it low on the page to make your sky the focus

-     Below the sky could be a calm ocean, a forest, or flat land – whatever you like

-     Pencil in the rough shape – are there hills or trees? How thick do you want the land to be?

Don’t stress the details here. Blobby shapes totally work – the sun and sky are the focus!

Drop in some clouds

Clouds help give your sunset dimension and texture, plus they’re fun to paint.

-     Use a small round brush and dab on some soft, light strokes

-     Mix a lighter version of your mid-tones to add depth and shadows to your clouds

-     Clouds aren’t just white – they reflect some of the sky around them!

-     For fluffy clouds, use circular strokes or gently smudge with your finger

-     Clouds have soft edges so don’t stress about sharp lines

Keep them loose and don’t overthink it. Clouds are forgiving!

Silhouette painting time!

This is where your sunset really comes to life. Add dark shapes in front of the glowing sky along the horizon for contrast.

Some easy ideas:

-     Palm trees – just a trunk and some loose spiky fronds

-     Mountains – sloping curves or jagged peaks

-     Birds – a few curved ‘V’ shapes for flying silhouettes

-     City skyline – simple rectangles with soft edges

Stick with black or deep navy and keep the shapes solid. You want them to stand out.

What paints should I use?

Acrylics are a great choice for sunset painting. They’re fast-drying and blend well when wet, so you can layer up without waiting too long.

Prefer a softer, transparent look? Try watercolours for a lighter, flowy effect.

Sunsets are one of those things that look good without much effort. You don’t need ideal shapes or fancy details, just pick your colours, blend your sky, and enjoy the process.

Whether you’re painting for the first time or you’re just in the mood to make something aesthetic, this is a low-pressure, high-reward way to create. So, pop on a playlist, pull out your paints, and let the sun go down on your canvas.

You’ve got this 🧡

If you do take a moment to get painting, feel free to let us know with #montmarteart or tag us @montmarteart on Instagram or Facebook. We’d love to see what you’ve been up to.

Looking for more lessons and techniques? Explore our Tips & Techniques collection, or else browse Projects for your next big idea.

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