Create a Painting Using PicMonkey--Step-by-Step Tutorial

Okay! I'm always talking about how often I use PicMonkey photo editor to help create my art prints. 

Today, I had someone ask me if I could do a post tutorial on creating a simple painting. 

"Nothing too complicated!" she said. "I have no clue what I am doing." 

This request came at the perfect time. I've been sooo sick this week that I don't feel like doing most of the big tasks on my list. But spending an evening making art? 

I feel better already! 
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Want to make a painting too? Feel free to read along!

What You Need to Make This Painting
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I make most of my prints and other designs by combining digital effects over scans of my drawings. 

Since we are doing the easy, fast version though, all you will need for this project is PicMonkey and your favorite snack or beverage to keep you company. Feel free to turn on
your favorite music or television show while you work. 

One thing though!

I have the PicMonkey paid version. If you don't have that, then you don't have access to some of the features I will be using. You can sign up for PicMonkey Royale in about 2 minutes, 
There is a free trial period so you can see how awesome it is. After that, its only $4.99 a month, and absolutely worth every penny. 
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Are you all set up? Great! Open your editor, and let's make art!

Step 1. Choose Your Canvas

PicMonkey Tutorial-Start with your canvas

When you first open your canvas, you'll see 4 icons at the top. Hover over "design", and the size options will appear. For this one, choose the 8x10. That way, your finished piece will already be sized to print!

The next thing it will show you is the option to change the background color. Let's leave that white for now. It makes the next steps a lot easier. Just hit "apply" and move to step 2. 

2. Choosing an Image Overlay
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Choose your overlay

I usually use the geometric overlays to build images (like the castle in this header photo), but I promised easy. 

Go to the icon on your left that looks like a butterfly. Scroll down through the menu until you find the butterflies. For this painting, I chose the first silhouette. 

You can change the color of the butterfly here using the overlay paint box thingy that's floating by the image. But for this project, we are going to do something a bit different. 

Instead, grab the corners of your butterfly and enlarge it, or grab the center and move it. Center it where you want it, and adjust the size. Remember, that little white rectangle is going to be a whole 8x10 inches, so don't leave your butterfly all teeny and lost in the middle. 

Once your butterfly is the right size, look at the bottom of your screen. There is a small toolbar there. Click the first icon. This merges the layers. 
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Step 3. Foundation Color​
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Lay the base color

This part seems weird, but its all part of thinking ahead. 

Go to the icon that looks like a magic wand. When the effects menu is opened, scroll down to "Warhol"

When you click it, the butterfly will look like it does in the image. On the left, where it shows the colors, click the second box, and choose white. Leave the butterfly chocolate brown for now. It will add some depth the other colors later. Hit "apply".
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Step 4. Wing Decoration
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Decorating the butterfly

To make the wing circles, head back to the overlay icon. Scroll down until you get to "Grunge Labels". 

To just get the cool, grungy circles to show up, you'll need to click the black paint box on the overlay editor. (On the right, in this picture). When that opens up, you'll see a little dropper tool. Click that and hover it over the brown on the butterfly. 

That will turn the black part of the grunge label to brown and it will disappear. 

Positioning the circles

Now you can resize the circle by grasping the corners. You can rotate the label so that the "drips" don't show outside the butterfly. The pink arrow shows where to click to rotate the image. 

You can also flip the overlay (up and down) or mirror it (left to right) by using the icons marked by the green arrow above. 

Once you get your circles situated, its time to make the edges of the butterfly look "painty". ​

Step 5: Creating Paint "Splatter"
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Again, open the grunge labels. (This is the most time consuming step.) We are going to make our own paint splatter overlay using the one or more of these labels. 

This is where you get to use your own creativity. Once you've turned the whole label brown (you will need to match it to the butterfly again. But this time change the white to brown also), you can flip them, change the size of the splatter, and use the mirror icon to create a varied texture. We are going to do this all the way around the butterfly. 

Turning the labels brown creates a paint splatter overlay.

TIP: to make this a little faster, you can duplicate the first splatter you make. That way, you don't have to keep changing each one to brown. Simply right click on the overlay, and it will pop up a menu. Choose "duplicate overlay". 

I used all four grunge labels, and alternated the size and position around the butterfly to create a more natural splatter effect. ​​

It should look something like this now.

As you go, you will have to right click on each label and hit "send to back". That places them BEHIND the white circles we made first. 

(or you can make the white circles after you do the paint splatter around the edges.) 

Last step...making some paint drips. 

I used the round label again, and let the long drips fall from the bottom wings. I also forgot to get a screenshot of that part. 

Let's paint! But first...merge all those layers!

Step 6. Paint and Texture: Part 1
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Adding the first paint mask.

Go to the menu on the left again. Go down to the second to last icon. This will open the textures. 

Scroll down until you find paint. 

Click the second paint texture. (you can see it in the image)

Now, look below that where it says blend mode. Click the drop down box, and choose "Lighten". This applies the paint just to the butterfly. 

Next, set the saturation to 30% using the slider. Click "apply". 

​It looks pretty cool like that. But I want a different color. 

Step 7. Paint and Texture: Part 2 

Using an overlay to create a blue mask

To turn the butterfly blue, go back to the overlay section (the butterfly icon). Open the "geometrics". 

Choose the first rectangle. Leave it black, and stretch it so that it covers your whole butterfly image. 

Now choose the color you want the butterfly to be. You can see which blue I picked in the palette (the one highlighted by the white box). 

Set the blend method to "overlay", and slide the "fade" option to 60%. Hit "apply" and merge the layers. 

Step 8. Paint and Texture, Part 3
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Creating the first texture.

Go back down the texture icon. Scroll through until you get to "Edifice". Chose the third texture on the top. 

• Use blend mode "normal. 
• Set the saturation to 30%
• Fade to 65%. 

Apply. 

​Step 9. Paint and Texture, Part 4
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Next go to the "smudge" textures. (love these!) 

Choose the second one on the top. 

• Blend mode should be "darken"
• Saturation should be 50%
• Fade should be 60%

Apply. 

(Almost done! Hang in there!)

Step 10: Paint and Texture, Part 5

Apply water texture to create a neat, painted effect.

You get to kill two steps in the same texture group with this one. 

First, open the texture marked "Water". Go to the third one on the top. 

• Set blend mode to "screen"
• Adjust saturation to 80%
• Fade to 33%. 

Apply. 

Now, open the water texture again, and go to the second option on the bottom. 

Set the blend mode to "overlay"
Fade to 55%

Don't mess with the saturation this time. It should look like this now: 

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Steps 1-10 should look like this.

Just a little bit farther. I promise. 
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Step 11: Last Texture
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Go to the texture marked "Space". Choose the second image. 

• Set the blend mode to "Lighten"
• Fade to 20%

Take a bow. (and a deep breath!)
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You Now Have a Finished Butterfly!
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And that is just one of the many, many ways to make a painting using PicMonkey! There are literally thousands of ways to tweak, color, texture, and customize every image you can think up. 

You can now save your painting, or take some time to experiment with  other effects and tools. 

If you have any questions, ask away in the comments! 

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If you found it helpful, please share with a friend. Thanks for reading!

Add text for a completely custom art experience.

*This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy or sign up through my links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read full disclosure here.*
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​More posts like this: 

• 7 Freaking Amazing Things You Can Do With PicMonkey
• Branding Your Images With PicMonkey
• How I Turn Children's Scribbles into Keepsake Art

Want more? I also have a tutorial posted on Hubpages: How to Make a Cool Octopus Painting With PicMonkey