Needing some artistic inspiration? Feeling stuck? No worries! Here’s an art prompt list with 100 art prompts, each paired with an encouraging Bible verse or a quote from a famous historical artist. Enjoy!
1-10: Nature and Creation
- Art Prompt: Paint a sunrise.
Verse: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” — Psalm 19:1 - Art Prompt: Draw a tree in every season.
Quote: “Art is the tree of life.” — William Blake - Art Prompt: Create an abstract representation of a forest.
Verse: “Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.” — Psalm 96:12 - Art Prompt: Sketch an animal in motion.
Quote: “I do not paint a portrait to look like the subject, rather does the person grow to look like his portrait.” — Salvador Dalí - Art Prompt: Paint a landscape that includes a body of water.
Verse: “He leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” — Psalm 23:2-3 - Art Prompt: Create a piece that focuses on the sky.
Quote: “Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.” — Edgar Degas - Art Prompt: Draw the details of a single leaf.
Verse: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.” — John 15:5 - Art Prompt: Illustrate the wind through movement in nature.
Quote: “The artist is not a different kind of person, but every person is a different kind of artist.” — Eric Gill - Art Prompt: Paint a garden at dusk.
Verse: “They are like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season.” — Psalm 1:3 - Art Prompt: Capture the texture of bark on a tree.
Quote: “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” — Vincent van Gogh
11-20: Light and Darkness
- Art Prompt: Draw a candle in a dark room.
Verse: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” — John 1:5 - Art Prompt: Paint the contrast between light and shadow.
Quote: “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way.” — Georgia O’Keeffe - Art Prompt: Illustrate the concept of a “light in the darkness.”
Verse: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.” — Matthew 5:14 - Art Prompt: Create an abstract piece using only dark colors.
Quote: “I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.” — Vincent van Gogh - Art Prompt: Paint a sunrise as it transitions from night to day.
Verse: “His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.” — Lamentations 3:22-23 - Art Prompt: Capture the reflection of light on water.
Quote: “In every work of art, the spirit of the workman is not so much seen as felt.” — Leonardo da Vinci - Art Prompt: Draw the moon and stars in a night sky.
Verse: “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place.” — Psalm 8:3 - Art Prompt: Illustrate a scene at twilight.
Quote: “Color is the keyboard, the eyes are the harmonies, the soul is the piano with many strings.” — Wassily Kandinsky - Art Prompt: Paint a lighthouse guiding ships in the dark.
Verse: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” — Psalm 119:105 - Art Prompt: Draw the shadows cast by an object in bright sunlight.
Quote: “The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity.” — Alberto Giacometti
21-30: Emotions and Expressions
- Art Prompt: Illustrate joy in an abstract form.
Verse: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” — Nehemiah 8:10 - Art Prompt: Create a portrait that conveys sadness.
Quote: “Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter.” — Oscar Wilde - Art Prompt: Paint a piece that represents peace.
Verse: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” — John 14:27 - Art Prompt: Draw a scene that depicts hope.
Quote: “Hope is a waking dream.” — Aristotle - Art Prompt: Create an abstract piece that represents anxiety.
Verse: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” — 1 Peter 5:7 - Art Prompt: Paint an image that symbolizes love.
Quote: “Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.” — Leonardo da Vinci - Art Prompt: Illustrate the concept of courage.
Verse: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9 - Art Prompt: Draw a piece that reflects gratitude.
Quote: “Art is the most beautiful of all lies.” — Claude Debussy - Art Prompt: Create a piece that expresses calm and serenity.
Verse: “He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’” — Psalm 46:10 - Art Prompt: Illustrate a moment of surprise.
Quote: “To create one’s own world takes courage.” — Georgia O’Keeffe
31-40: Faith and Spirituality
- Art Prompt: Paint an image of prayer.
Verse: “Pray without ceasing.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - Art Prompt: Illustrate a depiction of grace.
Quote: “Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does, the better.” — André Gide - Art Prompt: Draw an image that represents faith.
Verse: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” — Hebrews 11:1 - Art Prompt: Create a piece that symbolizes redemption.
Quote: “Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.” — Henry Ward Beecher - Art Prompt: Paint a scene of worship.
Verse: “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” — Psalm 95:6 - Art Prompt: Illustrate the idea of eternal life.
Quote: “What is done in love is done well.” — Vincent van Gogh - Art Prompt: Create an abstract representation of the Holy Spirit.
Verse: “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” — Job 33:4 - Art Prompt: Draw a depiction of salvation.
Quote: “Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.” — Pablo Picasso - Art Prompt: Paint an image that reflects humility.
Verse: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” — James 4:10 - Art Prompt: Illustrate a moment of divine inspiration.
Quote: “Creativity takes courage.” — Henri Matisse
41-50: Historical and Cultural Influences
- Art Prompt: Create a piece inspired by Renaissance art.
Verse: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” — Ephesians 2:10 - Art Prompt: Paint a scene from a famous biblical story.
Quote: “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” — Pablo Picasso - Art Prompt: Draw an interpretation of a classic piece of art.
Verse: “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected.” — 1 Timothy 4:4 - Art Prompt: Illustrate a piece inspired by ancient art.
Quote: “To create one’s world in any of the arts takes courage.” — Georgia O’Keeffe - Art Prompt: Paint a modern version of a traditional subject.
Verse: “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” — Ecclesiastes 3:11 - Art Prompt: Create a piece that blends two cultural art styles.
Quote: “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” — Edgar Degas - Art Prompt: Draw a piece influenced by impressionism.
Verse: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” — Psalm 23:1 - Art Prompt: Illustrate a scene inspired by a historical event.
Quote: “The artist must train not only his eye but also his soul.” — Wassily Kandinsky - Art Prompt: Paint a piece using only colors from a specific time period.
Verse: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” — Psalm 150:6 - Art Prompt: Create a work that reflects a cultural tradition.
Quote: “Art is the expression of the profoundest thoughts in the simplest way.” — Albert Einstein
51-60: Seasons and Time
- Art Prompt: Draw a scene that represents spring.
Verse: “See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come.” — Song of Solomon 2:11-12 - Art Prompt: Paint an image of summer.
Quote: “Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” — Henry James - Art Prompt: Create a piece that captures the essence of autumn.
Verse: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” — Ecclesiastes 3:1 - Art Prompt: Illustrate a winter landscape.
Quote: “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” — John Steinbeck - Art Prompt: Paint a scene that represents a specific time of day.
Verse: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning.” — Lamentations 3:22-23 - Art Prompt: Create a piece that reflects the passage of time.
Quote: “Time is a created thing. To say ‘I don’t have time,’ is like saying, ‘I don’t want to.’” — Lao Tzu - Art Prompt: Draw an image that depicts the cycle of life.
Verse: “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” — Isaiah 40:8 - Art Prompt: Paint a scene from a particular decade or century.
Quote: “Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.” — Twyla Tharp - Art Prompt: Create a piece that illustrates the concept of change.
Verse: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” — Hebrews 13:8 - Art Prompt: Draw an image that captures a moment in time.
Quote: “Every artist was first an amateur.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
61-70: Abstract and Conceptual
- Art Prompt: Create an abstract piece based on a feeling.
Verse: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” — Romans 12:2 - Art Prompt: Draw a series of lines that express movement.
Quote: “Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” — Scott Adams - Art Prompt: Paint an abstract representation of a sound.
Verse: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” — Psalm 150:6 - Art Prompt: Illustrate a concept using only shapes.
Quote: “Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.” — Oscar Wilde - Art Prompt: Create a piece that represents a dream or vision.
Verse: “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions.” — Acts 2:17 - Art Prompt: Draw an image that uses color to represent emotions.
Quote: “Color is a power which directly influences the soul.” — Wassily Kandinsky - Art Prompt: Paint a conceptual piece that represents freedom.
Verse: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” — Galatians 5:1 - Art Prompt: Create a work that embodies the idea of unity.
Quote: “Every good painter paints what he is.” — Jackson Pollock - Art Prompt: Illustrate the concept of balance using symmetry.
Verse: “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.” — Proverbs 11:1 - Art Prompt: Draw a piece that explores the idea of chaos and order.
Quote: “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” — Aristotle
71-80: People and Portraits
- Art Prompt: Paint a portrait of someone you admire.
Verse: “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” — Romans 12:10 - Art Prompt: Draw a self-portrait from memory.
Quote: “The only time I feel alive is when I’m painting.” — Vincent van Gogh - Art Prompt: Create a series of quick sketches of different facial expressions.
Verse: “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” — Proverbs 17:22 - Art Prompt: Illustrate a group of people interacting.
Quote: “The human face is the most interesting surface on earth and the most complex object to observe.” — Georg Christoph Lichtenberg - Art Prompt: Paint a portrait that focuses on the hands.
Verse: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” — Ecclesiastes 9:10 - Art Prompt: Draw a person in motion.
Quote: “Movement never lies. It is a barometer telling the state of the soul’s weather to all who can read it.” — Martha Graham - Art Prompt: Create a piece that tells a story through the expressions of the subject.
Verse: “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” — Proverbs 15:3 - Art Prompt: Paint a portrait with a focus on capturing emotion.
Quote: “A good portrait is a good portrait regardless of how well it is painted.” — Chuck Close - Art Prompt: Illustrate a person you’ve never met, based only on a description.
Verse: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them.” — Genesis 1:27 - Art Prompt: Draw a character from a book or story.
Quote: “A picture is a poem without words.” — Horace
81-90: Architecture and Structure
- Art Prompt: Paint a building that inspires you.
Verse: “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” — Psalm 127:1 - Art Prompt: Draw an architectural detail up close.
Quote: “A great building must begin with the unmeasurable, must go through measurable means when it is being designed and in the end must be unmeasurable.” — Louis Kahn - Art Prompt: Illustrate a historical landmark.
Verse: “They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated.” — Isaiah 61:4 - Art Prompt: Create a piece that combines natural and man-made elements.
Quote: “Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.” — Frank Gehry - Art Prompt: Paint a scene from an urban environment.
Verse: “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light.” — Revelation 21:23 - Art Prompt: Draw an imaginary building or structure.
Quote: “There are no straight lines or sharp corners in nature. Therefore, buildings must have no straight lines or sharp corners.” — Antoni Gaudí - Art Prompt: Illustrate a place of worship.
Verse: “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” — Psalm 122:1 - Art Prompt: Paint a scene that includes both old and new architecture.
Quote: “The mother art is architecture. Without an architecture of our own, we have no soul of our own civilization.” — Frank Lloyd Wright - Art Prompt: Draw a piece that captures the mood of a space.
Verse: “For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.” — Hebrews 3:4 - Art Prompt: Create an architectural sketch with an emphasis on light and shadow.
Quote: “Light creates ambience and feel of a place, as well as the expression of a structure.” — Le Corbusier
91-100: Surreal and Imaginative
- Art Prompt: Create a surreal landscape.
Verse: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” — Ephesians 3:20 - Art Prompt: Paint an imaginary creature.
Quote: “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” — Albert Einstein - Art Prompt: Draw a dreamlike scene.
Verse: “In the last days, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” — Joel 2:28 - Art Prompt: Illustrate an impossible object.
Quote: “Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision.” — Salvador Dalí - Art Prompt: Create a piece that defies the laws of physics.
Verse: “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” — Luke 1:37 - Art Prompt: Paint a world where nature and technology merge.
Quote: “The power of imagination makes us infinite.” — John Muir - Art Prompt: Draw an alternate version of reality.
Verse: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” — Romans 12:2 - Art Prompt: Illustrate a scene that mixes reality and fantasy.
Quote: “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” — Thomas Merton - Art Prompt: Paint a piece that represents a paradox.
Verse: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.” — Isaiah 55:8 - Art Prompt: Create a surreal portrait that combines human and non-human elements.
Quote: “Everything you can imagine is real.” — Pablo Picasso
This art prompt list provides a wide variety of art prompts that can inspire Christian artists while also offering spiritual and artistic encouragement. Enjoy and happy creating!
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