Whether you’re looking to take up a new hobby, add some personal flair to your decorations, or simply take a few moments to relax during the winter, this list of easy Christmas paintings is bound to offer something that takes your fancy.
Christmas can be a busy time of year – there are gifts to buy, dinner to cook and peace and quiet can be hard to come by – but I find that nothing goes better with a glass of mulled wine than a blank canvas and a few pots of paint.
Gloomy winter evenings can be a drag, and with vibrant tones, fast drying times and a glossy finish, acrylic is the perfect medium for adding a touch of festive joy.
Christmas Paintings for Real Beginners
If you’re new to painting, painting by numbers is a great place for you to start. Some might label it ‘cheating’, but I prefer to think of it as a way of learning the craft without the frustration of those first few failed attempts.
Traditional painting is wonderful for improving your own style and learning to draw what you see, but it can leave even the most experienced artists poring over proportion for weeks on end.
The blueprint that paint by numbers provides gives you the space to understand color and brush techniques with the assurance that you’ll get a beautiful result.
So, grab yourself some Turkish delight, put another log on the fire and get stuck into a Christmas painting this winter.
Christmas Paint by Numbers
Charming village covered with snow
This gorgeous painting-by-numbers is perfect if you’d like to add a pop of color to your walls this Christmas – although the background of the painting depicts a bleak winter’s day, the foreground is teeming with the vibrancy of the season.
The fine detail of the children and brickwork of the houses makes this one of the more difficult paintings on the list, but the premium quality kit will guide you through the trickier areas and help you develop the steady hand that’s crucial to the art of painting.
It might take some patience, but the result of this snow-covered village paint kit is a painting you can hardly stop looking at – you’ll see new intricacies with every glance.
Thatched House and Chickadees Under the Snow
If you fancy something with a more subtle look, this forest paint by numbers boasts calm colors to add a touch of warmth to your walls.
If you’re based in North America, you might recognize the black-capped chickadees in the foreground (good news – they ship from the US) but the cozy cabin nestled in the trees is a universal retreat.
Although the snow is (obviously) white, you’ll notice that the use of white paint in the picture is sparing, a great lesson in the effect that light has upon color. The forest stretching into the distance adds a wonderful depth to this painting, and the soft glow of the firelight from within the cabin will bring warmth to even the chilliest winter nights.
A Blue Night in the Mountain
I’m partial to painting with darker tones, so naturally, this easy painting by number of a mountain during Christmas is one of my favorites.
There are so many different textures to work with, from the perfect surface of the lake to the uneven stone of the chimney, and you’ll get some great experience with water and how it distorts its surroundings to give that wonderful rippled effect.
Although you should stick to the kit to get the best result, you could add a few extra stars to the night sky as a finishing touch. I find the best (and most fun) way to do this is by taking a flat brush (the kit comes with four, all of different shapes), dipping it in white paint and using your finger to flick the paint onto the canvas – this will create varied clusters of stars across the sky.
Be warned, though, it gets messy, and it’s a good idea to cover the rest of the painting to avoid misplaced constellations.
Custom Paint by Numbers
If you’d like to paint something truly bespoke, you can turn your favorite Christmas photograph into a unique custom paint kit. This is a great way to celebrate treasured memories and add a unique touch to a photo.
There are 36 colors available to give the best representation of your picture, and while a few of the intricacies might be lost, the picture will take on a soft, more painterly look as shown in the example.
This is an excellent way to learn how to give impressions of textures in your painting, rather than laboring over tiny details. Another advantage is that you can choose a photo suited to your level of skill – if you’re just starting, you might go for something with fewer details and larger areas of color, but if you’re finding the other kits a little too simple, you could create a more intricate and challenging canvas to have a go at.
Simple Acrylic Canvas Painting
Gingerbread House
This tutorial is detailed, clear and well-suited to beginners, giving you a run-down of method, colors, and equipment.
Although it might look simple, this painting actually involves a variety of different techniques, from the smoothly blended background to the careful outlining of the candy cane. The result is this adorable winter scene, perfect for adding a fun touch to your Christmas decorations.
Easy Christmas Tree
It really is as easy as it claims – throw whatever colors you like into the background and use broad strokes to get that lovely streaky look. The black outlines make the tree pop from the page and patch of white behind the star makes it appear to glow.
Christmas Angels
If you’re looking for something more refined, these Christmas angels are unique and the tutorial includes a useful template if you’re not quite confident in your artistic abilities. They also use music sheets for the wings of the angels – you could use the music of your favorite Christmas tune to add a personal touch.
Easy Poinsettia
These beautiful plants are a sure sign of the festive season, and this tutorial will help you capture it in all its glory.
It might be a good idea to paint your canvas or paper before you start this one, as it doesn’t include a background – if you tape down the edges, the paper won’t curl.
Snow-Covered Trees
This tutorial shows you a variety of ways to paint snow-covered trees and create beautiful winter scenes. It’s simple, easy to follow and the results will not only leave you with lovely trees but skills that you can take forward into all kinds of painting.
Winter Scene
Quick, easy and effective, this cute winter scene can be as simple or complex as you’d like it to be. The tutorial takes you through every step, but you can leave out the deer and clouds – or add in more if you’re on an artistic roll.
Chickadees
This is one of my favorites – I especially love that they’ve chosen to paint on a piece of wood rather than paper or canvas, as it gives the artwork a little more gravitas, and there’s no need for a frame.
It’s and advanced paint by numbers and I find it more difficult than some of the other tutorials, but the extra effort is worth it.
Winter Cardinal
This is a beautiful example of how to create depth in your paintings – the process is relatively simple but the effect is that lovely wintery haze through the branches of the trees. You also only need about three colors to do this one, so if you’re low on paint, it’s perfect.
White Fir Tree
I like the impressionistic nature of this one. If you’re finding that your painting is too detail-orientated, give this one a go – it requires fluid brushstrokes and letting go of perfectionism.
You could also tweak the colors to match your own preferences – a bit of purple in the background would bring some Christmas warmth.
Winter Landscape
The tutorial for this one is very detailed and informative, and brilliant if (like me) you struggle with all things landscape. The misting gives a very unique effect, and although the quote is optional, it’s a nice personal touch.
Ornament with Blurry Lights
This one’s pretty straight-forward, but it’s brilliant for learning how to paint light, both in the foreground and the background. The step-by-step is really easy to follow, and there’s also a version with a black background and colored lights if that’s more your style.
Snow Scene
This tutorial makes for a great read even if you’re not planning on doing the painting – it tells you what to look for when observing light, tonal value, and mediums.
It’s a little more advanced than some of the others, but once you’ve got past the theory, it’s a very pleasing way of painting.
Pine Tree
This one isn’t the most festive on the list, but the method it uses is very interesting and could be applied to lots of different kinds of painting. You could even add some baubles or snow in order to give it that Christmas touch!
Winter Wonderland
This one’s a little trickier, but if you follow the tutorial, you’ll see it’s not as difficult as it might seem. The painting itself is gallery-worthy, so if you’re looking for a way to challenge your abilities, this is a great piece to try.
Conclusion
This should be enough to keep you occupied over the Christmas period – whether you like bold colors and cartoons, or are drawn towards the more subtle, snowy scenes, there should be something for you.
I’d also encourage you to try a painting that you wouldn’t necessarily go for straight away – you might find yourself falling in love with a whole new style.
If you only have time for one of these, my personal favorite is the gorgeous ‘Blue Night in the Mountain’. It’s not only rich with color and shadow but combines the darkness of the winter season with the coziness of Christmas time.
What about you, which one is your favorite?
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