Last Updated on October 22, 2024 by Dee
Are you ready to dive into the festive spirit with some Christmas watercolor ideas? Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, painting Christmas-themed watercolors is a wonderful way to get creative this holiday season. From Christmas card art to cozy watercolor Christmas trees, these ideas will inspire you to create your own winter wonderland. Grab our free Christmas watercolor painting templates at the end of this post!
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Painted Christmas Cards & DIY Watercolor Painting
Watercolor Christmas Cards for Every Style
Painting Christmas cards is a timeless way to spread holiday cheer. Whether you prefer traditional designs like nativity scenes or playful ones like gingerbread houses, watercolor Christmas cards are a beautiful, personal touch. Check out my Watercolor Christmas Card Art post for more inspiration!
Christmas Watercolor Ideas: Trees, Wreaths, and More
Watercolor Christmas Tree
A watercolor Christmas tree is perfect for both beginners and advanced artists. Use shades of green to create depth, and add ornaments using bright colors or even metallic watercolor paints to make your tree sparkle.
Christmas Wreath Watercolor Ideas
A classic Christmas wreath can be painted with deep greens, holly berries, and a touch of gold or red for the ribbon. Try using Watercolor Pens Art for Beginners to add fine details and create a polished look.
Christmas Watercolor Ideas: Holly, Mistletoe, and More
Paint simple holly and mistletoe illustrations to decorate cards or use them as patterns for larger artworks. These elements can be repeated in different colors, like soft pink or icy blue, for a unique take.
Cute & Fun Christmas Watercolor Art
Cute Christmas Animal Watercolor Ideas
Paint adorable Christmas animals like reindeer, penguins, or even cats and dogs dressed in festive outfits. These make great additions to cards or can stand alone as small framed artworks. For more animal inspiration, see my Watercolor Birds post.
Christmas Gnome Watercolor Ideas
Gnomes are a fun addition to any Christmas theme! Paint them holding tiny gifts or surrounded by snowflakes for a playful holiday touch. You can even combine gnomes with other elements like hot chocolate or gingerbread.
Religious & Traditional Christmas Watercolor Ideas
Christmas Watercolor Ideas: Nativity and Christian Themes
Traditional themes like the nativity or Christian symbols can be beautifully expressed in watercolor. Focus on soft, glowing lights and warm hues to create a peaceful and reverent atmosphere. Check out Watercolor Painting Ideas for Beginners for tips on achieving that glowing effect.
Watercolor Angels for Christmas Cards
Painting angels with flowing robes and halos is perfect for creating religious Christmas cards. Soft, ethereal brush strokes and a light color palette bring these celestial beings to life.
Whimsical and Playful Christmas Watercolor Ideas
Christmas Watercolor Ideas: The Grinch
For a humorous twist, paint the Grinch with his mischievous grin. Pair him with a Santa hat or candy cane for a fun holiday piece that’s sure to get a laugh.
Christmas Elf Watercolor Ideas
Create an elf with a playful pose or holding a gift. You can use bright reds, greens, and golds to capture the festive spirit. Try experimenting with Watercolor Pens Art for the finer details on your elf’s outfit!
Modern and Contemporary Christmas Watercolor Ideas
Pink Christmas Watercolor Ideas
For a modern twist, paint pink Christmas trees or pink ornaments. These contemporary colors are perfect for DIY cards or festive wall art. Pair them with gold accents for an elegant, chic look.
Metallic Watercolor Painting Ideas for Christmas
Add a luxurious feel to your holiday art with metallic watercolors. Paint Christmas baubles, stars, or even abstract winter scenes with shimmering details that catch the light.
Christmas Watercolor Ideas for Kids & Beginners
Easy Watercolor Ideas for Beginners: Candy Canes & More
Simple subjects like candy canes, presents, or even a Christmas dog are great for beginners. Use basic shapes and minimal colors to practice your watercolor skills. If you need some extra tips for starting out, check my Watercolor for Beginners guide!
Watercolor Christmas Cards Ideas for Kids
Get the kids involved with simple watercolor card projects. Let them paint Christmas trees, snowmen, or watercolor angels using easy-to-follow steps and bright colors.
Scenic and Nature-Inspired Christmas Watercolor Ideas
Winter Landscape Watercolor Ideas
Create a winter landscape featuring snow-covered pine trees and cozy cabins. Use soft blue and white hues for the snow, and add small pops of color with holiday lights. For more nature-inspired art, visit my Watercolor Landscape Ideas post.
Vintage Christmas Watercolor Ideas
Vintage Christmas themes, like Victorian-style houses or old-fashioned ornaments, make for charming watercolor subjects. Use a muted color palette to evoke a nostalgic feel.
Unique Christmas Watercolor Art Ideas
Watercolor Hot Chocolate and Gingerbread
Combine cozy elements like hot chocolate cups with marshmallows or gingerbread houses decorated with icing. These make great standalone pieces or card designs.
Christmas Bird Watercolor Ideas
Paint festive birds, like robins or cardinals, perched on snowy branches. Adding small details like holly berries or a winter sky can make the scene feel complete. For more bird inspiration, see my Watercolor Birds Guide.
Essential Watercolor Christmas Painting Supplies List!
This is our go-to list of recommended watercolor painting supplies that we use for all our watercolor art, junk journaling, and art journaling!
**This page may contain affiliate links to products I have used or recommend. If you purchase something from this page, I may receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.**
- Watercolors: Windsor & Newton is a reputable brand that offers high-quality watercolor paints. You can choose from their range of professional-grade watercolor tubes or pans, depending on your preference.
- Watercolor Paper: Look for cold-pressed, 140lb (300gsm) watercolor paper for the best results. This type of paper is durable and has a nice texture that’s ideal for watercolor painting.
- Brushes: A selection of round and flat brushes in various sizes will give you the versatility you need for different strokes and details. Sable or synthetic brushes designed for watercolor will give you the best performance.
- Palette: A mixing palette with wells for both mixing and holding your paints is essential. It can be a simple plastic one or a porcelain palette for a more luxurious feel.
- Water Container: Any clean jar or container will do, but having two for clean and dirty water can help keep your colors pure.
- Masking Fluid: This is used to cover areas of your painting that you want to keep white. Make sure to apply it with an old brush or a dedicated masking fluid brush, as it can ruin fine bristles.
- Pencils: A soft pencil, like a 2B, is great for sketching your design before painting.
- Eraser: A kneaded eraser is gentle on watercolor paper and can lift pencil lines without damaging the surface.
- Paper Towels or a Rag: These are useful for blotting your brush to control the amount of water and paint.
- Board: If you’re using watercolor paper from a pad or sheets, you might want to tape your paper down to a board to prevent warping.
Final Thoughts: Explore More Christmas Watercolor Projects
Whether you’re looking for ideas for DIY watercolor Christmas cards or want to experiment with watercolor landscapes, these Christmas watercolor ideas provide a wide range of options to get creative this holiday season. If you’re interested in expanding your watercolor skills, don’t forget to explore my Watercolor Galaxy Art and Watercolor Flowers articles for more inspiration!
Grab the Free Christmas Painting Templates HERE (below)!
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