If you're ok with some mess it's fine to start right now. If you are worried about her eating paint you can 'paint' with something edible; tomato soup, mayo, home made paints like aspargus or pea soup is very green, beetroot or red cabbage (whizz to a paste or add some cornflour to the cooking water to thicken into a gloop, but be warned beetroot will stain!)...
try a range of sponges, paint brushes to paint with and just fingers, hand prints, foot prints. Paint on paper, or a large baking sheet or the kitchen floor if it's washable. Even putting a layer of 'paint' into a tray and letting LO glide their fingers through to make marks is a great beginning for mark making (eventually leading to drawing and writing).
You can make a fabulous gloop with cornflour and water, it's almost magical, forms to a a hard surface until you start scratching and scraping into it when it turns totally liquid, then hardens again, all in seconds.
Home made play doh is edible (but doesn't taste nice) and non toxic too, or make some bread dough to manipulate.
All these things inspire creativity and exploration in your LO teaches them about the world and builds up the motor muscles.
it's not too young to start with some crayons either but very closely supervised because if they break and if your LO puts everything in her mouth then there is a choke risk. Marker pens (careful with lids) are great for instant mark making because they don't require a lot of pressure or strength, get washable or supervise closely to save your furniture and walls!