Welcome to the most wonderful time of the year! The air is getting crisp, the lights are twinkling, and the cocoa is warm. If you’re looking for a cozy, fun, and relaxing way to celebrate the Christmas season, you’ve found it. Painting is a magical activity that lets you turn simple colors into beautiful holiday memories.

You don’t need to be a famous artist to create stunning Christmas art. Maybe you’ve felt stuck, or perhaps you thought painting was too hard. We understand those feelings! This article is your friendly guide, showing you that anyone even if you’ve never held a paintbrush—can create wonderful, easy Christmas paintings. We’ll show you simple ideas, materials, and steps that will make your holiday art sparkle.

Let’s dive in and find your perfect Christmas masterpiece! You might even find that picking up the brush is a great way to start a new hobby.

What Makes a Christmas Painting “Easy”?

What makes a painting easy? It’s all about keeping things simple! We’ve chosen ideas that cut out the complicated steps and focus on fun and quick results. When we say “easy,” we mean art you can finish in a single sitting without stress.

Minimal Materials Required: You won’t need a huge art store. Simple acrylic or watercolor paints, a few basic brushes (a big one, a medium one, and a tiny one), and paper or a small canvas are all you need.
Simple Shapes and Patterns: Easy paintings use circles, triangles, and straight lines. Think simple snowman circles or a triangle for a Christmas tree. If you can draw basic shapes, you can do these paintings!
Beginner-Friendly Brush Techniques: We avoid fancy techniques. Instead, we use simple dabbing, dragging, and pressing the brush. No need to worry about complex shading or blending.
Quick to Complete (10–30 minutes): These ideas are designed to be fast. This is great for those who want quick satisfaction or are short on time during the busy holidays.
Suitable for All Ages: These ideas are easy enough for the youngest painter to enjoy, but still fun and relaxing for adults. Everyone can join the fun!

Did you know? Studies show that engaging in creative activities like painting can reduce stress hormones by over 75%! This is the perfect, easy way to relax during the busy holiday season.

6. Easy Christmas Painting Ideas (Main Section)

Here are ten simple and fun themes to spark your holiday creativity. Remember, don’t aim for perfect—aim for fun!

6.1 Easy Christmas Tree Painting Ideas

The Christmas tree is the heart of the holidays, and it’s one of the easiest shapes to paint.

Simple Brushstroke Tree: Use a wide, flat brush. Dip it in green paint and paint a large triangle using short, overlapping strokes that go side to side. These strokes look like pine branches! Add a yellow dot on top for a star.
Abstract Watercolor Tree: Use green watercolor paint and lots of water. Paint a rough, watery triangle shape. While it’s wet, drop in a bit of dark green or blue for shadows. The water does all the blending for you, creating a beautiful, soft look.
Fingerprint Christmas Tree (Perfect for Kids): Draw a simple, light green triangle on your paper. Then, dip your finger (or a cotton swab) in bright colors red, blue, yellow and dot it all over the triangle. These dots become your ornaments!
Silhouette Tree with Glowing Background: Paint your background first (a mix of dark blue and purple). Once dry, paint a solid, black triangle for the tree. The contrast makes the dark tree pop, especially if you dab a few yellow/white dots around it to look like a glowing sky.

6.2 Cute Snowman Painting Ideas

Snowmen are just circles! This makes them perfect for beginners.

Easy Snowman Face: Paint one large white circle. Let it dry. Add two black dots for eyes, a small carrot-shaped triangle for a nose, and tiny black dots for a smile. You’re done!
Snowman in a Snowy Field: Paint three stacked white circles. Use a dry, stiff brush to tap white paint all around the bottom of the snowman to create the look of fresh, bumpy snow. Don’t forget a simple black top hat and stick arms.
Minimalist Snowman on a Dark Background: Use a black or dark blue canvas. Paint your white circles. Only add a scarf (a simple red stripe) and buttons. Keep the details few and far between for a clean, modern look.
Snowman Family for Kids: Paint three sets of circles in different sizes. Have the kids use paint or markers to draw faces and clothes on their snow-people. This is a great family activity!

6.3 Easy Santa & Elf Painting Ideas

You don’t need to paint the whole person just a simple hat or face is enough!

Simple Santa Hat: This is a classic beginner shape. Paint a large red triangle. Add a thick white stripe along the bottom and a white puff ball (a simple white circle) at the tip. Use thick, white paint for a fluffy look.
Cute Cartoon Santa Face: Paint a pinkish circle for the face. Add a red triangle for the hat on top. Use white paint to create a fluffy beard and mustache shape below the nose. Simple black dots for eyes complete this cheerful look.
Easy Elf Hat for Kids: Paint a green triangle that bends over at the top. Add a tiny bell (a yellow dot) at the point and a red stripe at the base. Elves love bright, simple colors!
Minimalist Santa Silhouette: On a blue or snowy background, paint a dark shape of Santa and his sleigh flying across the moon. This is fast, dramatic, and only uses two colors.

6.4 Christmas Ornament Painting Ideas

Ornaments are simple shapes mostly circles but they let you play with color!

Single Ornament with a Gradient: Paint a large circle. While the paint is still wet, add a tiny bit of darker color (like deep blue on a light blue ball) on one side and blend it slightly. This makes the ball look round! Add a tiny silver or gold square on top for the hanger.
Ornament Patterns (Dots, Stripes, Stars): Paint a set of solid-colored circles (red, green, blue). Once dry, use a cotton swab or the back of a paintbrush to add perfect polka dots. Use masking tape to help paint perfect, straight stripes.
Watercolor Hanging Ornament: Use lots of water and bright watercolor paint to let the colors bleed and swirl inside a circular shape. Once dry, draw a simple line up to the top of the paper to show it’s hanging.
Abstract Ornament Balls on a Branch: Paint a simple brown line for a branch. Then, use different colors to paint loose, imperfect circles hanging from the branch. This is a great way to explore abstract art.

6.5 Winter Night Sky Painting Ideas

Creating a beautiful night sky is easier than you think. You just need a big brush and dark colors.

Northern Lights with Silhouette Trees: Paint the sky dark blue, purple, and black. While wet, use a small, dry brush or a sponge to quickly streak light green, yellow, and blue paint across the dark sky. This creates the hazy glow of the Northern Lights. Once dry, paint simple black tree shapes along the bottom.
Snowy Night Village: Paint a dark blue sky. Use a stiff brush to tap on lots of tiny white dots for snow falling. Along the bottom, paint the simple, rectangular shapes of houses in black or deep brown, and add tiny yellow squares for glowing windows.
Simple Starry Sky: Paint the canvas a solid, dark color. Dip a toothbrush into white paint and flick the bristles gently toward the canvas. You’ll create hundreds of tiny, perfect stars (this is called splattering).
Moonlit Snow Landscape Painting: Paint a dark, simple background. Use thick white paint to create a large area of snow on the ground. Leave the white paint thick and bumpy to show the texture of the fresh snow. A pale yellow circle can be added for the moon.

6.6 Cute Reindeer & Rudolph Painting Ideas

Reindeer are mostly brown, simple shapes!

Simple Reindeer Face (Great for Beginners): Paint a large brown oval. Add two smaller brown ovals on top for ears, and then two simple brown lines for antlers. Add two big black eyes and a small, happy mouth.
Rudolph with a Glowing Red Nose: Paint the simple brown face. Use a very bright, large red circle for the nose. To make it glow, paint a tiny white dot in the center of the red nose—this makes it look shiny and bright!
Cartoon-Style Reindeer: Make the eyes big and funny! Use a small brush to give him big, kind eyes with long eyelashes and perhaps a silly smile. This style is all about personality.
Reindeer Silhouette on a Watercolor Sky: Paint a beautiful, colorful sunset or sunrise (pink, orange, purple) using lots of water. Once dry, paint the dark, solid outline of a flying reindeer. This simple contrast is very powerful.

6.7 Festive Word Art Painting Ideas

You don’t need to be a calligraphy expert. Simple block letters work great!

“Joy” with Holiday Patterns: Sketch the letters J-O-Y lightly. Fill the letters with different holiday patterns: stripes, dots, or small painted holly leaves. This turns the letters into art themselves.
“Merry Christmas” Brush Lettering: Use a medium-sized round brush. Dip it in your favorite holiday color (like red). Practice simple, flowing letters. Remember that the secret to easy brush lettering is to take your time and use even pressure.
Minimalist Holiday Quotes with Decorations: Paint a simple background. Write a short quote like “Peace on Earth.” Use tiny, simple painted holly leaves or small snowflake accents around the text instead of big pictures.
Word Art with Ornament or Wreath Accents: Paint a simple green wreath on your canvas. Write a simple word, like “Welcome,” in the open center of the wreath. You can learn more about different types of art, like self-portraits, by visiting our guides.

6.8 Easy Wreath Painting Ideas

Wreaths are circles made of simple, repeated shapes.

Loose Watercolor Wreath: Draw a light circle. Use a small, pointed brush and different shades of green watercolor. Paint small, feathery strokes all around the circle, letting them overlap and blend. The looseness is what makes it beautiful!
Minimalist Holly Wreath: Paint a perfect green circle. Use a cotton swab to add groups of three bright red dots (the holly berries) evenly spaced around the circle. This is a very clean and classic look.
Cute Cartoon Wreath: Paint a thick, solid green circle. Add a bright red bow at the bottom (a simple bow shape with two trailing ribbons). Use a fine brush to add tiny white highlight dots to make the bow look shiny.
Painted Wreath with Berries & Leaves: Use a small, flat brush. Practice painting simple leaf shapes (press the brush down, then lift quickly). Repeat this around a circle. Add the berries using the back of a pencil or a dotting tool.

6.9 Gingerbread & Holiday Treat Painting Ideas

These ideas are fun because you get to use lots of frosting-like white paint!

Cute Gingerbread Man: Paint a simple brown gingerbread man shape. Once dry, use puffy white acrylic paint or a white paint marker to draw the ‘frosting’ details: zig-zags, buttons, and a simple smile.
Hot Cocoa Mug Painting: Paint a simple mug shape in a bright color (red or green). Add a layer of brown on top for the cocoa. Use white paint for a dollop of whipped cream and a simple line for a candy cane sticking out.
Christmas Cookies with Simple Shapes: Paint a few round or square cookies. Decorate them with simple red, green, and white icing patterns—stripes, checks, or a simple star in the middle.
Candy Cane Stripes: Paint a long, thick rectangle. Use bright red and white paint and try to make even, diagonal stripes across the whole shape. This is a great exercise in painting straight lines!

6.10 Abstract & Modern Christmas Painting Ideas

Abstract art is wonderful because there are no rules—it’s always easy! If you enjoy looking at different forms of art, you might enjoy exploring Demystifying Modern Art: A Guide.

Red, Green, and Gold Abstract Lines: Take three colors: a deep red, an emerald green, and a metallic gold. Use a ruler to help you paint straight lines (or freehand them for a looser look) going in different directions across the canvas. Simple, bold, and modern.
Christmas Color Block Patterns: Tape off your canvas into large squares and rectangles. Paint each section with a solid holiday color (cranberry red, forest green, icy blue, gold). Peel the tape when dry for clean, colorful blocks.
Modern Geometric Tree: Instead of a natural-looking tree, use a ruler and pencil to draw three or four triangles layered on top of each other. Paint each triangle a different shade of green or a combination of white and green.
Abstract Snowflakes: Use white and light blue paint. Use a dotting tool (or a cotton swab) to create large, uneven dots all over the canvas. Then, drag a few lines through the wet paint to make simple, messy, beautiful snowflake shapes.

Easy Painting Ideas for Kids

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Art is a crucial part of a child’s development, helping with fine motor skills and creative thinking. It’s estimated that children who participate in art are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement! Keep it fun, messy, and focused on the process, not the product.

Finger Painting Projects: Forget brushes! Use non-toxic paint. Kids can finger-paint an entire picture, like a snowy hill or a big, messy Santa face. The mess is part of the fun!
Handprint Christmas Tree or Wreath: Paint a child’s palm green. Press it onto the paper multiple times in a circle (for a wreath) or a triangle shape (for a tree). Add decorations once the prints are dry.
Sponge-Painted Snow: Cut a kitchen sponge into a small square. Dip it into white paint and let kids dab it all over dark paper to create the look of a heavy snowfall.
Easy Cartoon Characters: Have kids paint basic shapes for a reindeer or a penguin. Don’t worry about details; focus on big, happy eyes and bright colors.
Ultra-Simple Ornament Patterns: Give kids a pre-drawn circle on paper. Give them cotton swabs and three colors of paint. They can spend time filling the circle with endless dots and stripes.

8. Easy Painting Ideas for Adults / Beginners

As an adult beginner, you might be seeking art that looks polished but is still easy to achieve. These ideas give great results with minimal fuss, helping you get comfortable with Picking Up the Brush again.

Watercolor Gradients: This is a simple technique that looks advanced. Wet your paper first. Paint a dark color on one end (like deep blue) and a lighter color on the other (like pale pink). Tilt the paper and let the colors bleed together gently for a smooth, beautiful background.
Simple Acrylic Scenes: Use a few large, flat blocks of color to represent a simple winter landscape—dark blue sky, white ground, and a small, black line of distant trees. Simplicity is key to elegance.
Minimalist Silhouettes: Choose an iconic shape—a sleigh, a cardinal, or a single pine tree. Paint the background first, then use a solid black or dark color to paint the silhouette. The sharp contrast creates a professional-looking piece.
Step-by-Step Beginner Tree: Follow the ‘simple brushstroke tree’ method described earlier. Use high-quality paint to make the texture richer. This idea is always a crowd-pleaser.
Holiday-Themed Abstract Art: Choose a simple theme like “Christmas Fireplace.” Use only colors you’d find there (red, deep brown, black, orange). Use a palette knife or the edge of a credit card to smear and scrape the paint onto the canvas in a textured, exciting way.

Painting Ideas Without a Canvas

Your art doesn’t have to be limited to a white canvas! Painting on different materials is a fun way to use your skills for homemade gifts and decorations.

Using Craft Paper: Simple brown or white craft paper is cheap and easy to use. Paint repeating patterns (tiny stars, candy canes) to make your own custom wrapping paper.
Brown Paper Bags: Turn a plain brown paper lunch bag into a festive gift bag by painting a simple Santa hat or a snowman face on the front.
Old Wood Pieces: Do you have scrap wood? Paint a simple, abstract tree or a festive quote directly onto the wood grain. This creates a rustic, farmhouse-style decoration.
Ceramic Ornaments: You can buy plain ceramic or plastic ornaments cheaply. Use acrylic paint to decorate them with stripes, dots, or simple names and dates.
Christmas Cards: Use heavy watercolor paper or cardstock. Paint a tiny, simple scene (like a single red ornament) on the front for a personalized greeting card.
Gift Tags: Cut small shapes from cardstock. Paint a quick-silhouette tree or a single holly berry on each tag for a handmade touch.
Fabric Tote Bags: Use fabric paint to add a simple, block-letter “Ho Ho Ho” or a reindeer face to a plain tote bag. This makes a great reusable shopping bag or gift holder.

Step-by-Step Mini Tutorials

Let’s walk through a few easy ideas right now! You’ll be surprised how quickly you can create something beautiful.

How to Paint an Easy Christmas Tree (5-Minute Tree)

Materials: Green acrylic paint (2 shades), small amount of brown, small canvas or thick paper, one flat-tip brush, one small, round brush.
Simple Steps:
1. Paint the Background (1 minute): Quickly brush a light blue or white wash over the entire paper/canvas. Let it dry a little.
2. Paint the Trunk (30 seconds): Use the small brush and brown paint to paint a tiny, short rectangle at the bottom-center.
3. Create the Branches (3 minutes): Dip the flat brush into the brighter green paint. Starting from the top, use short, quick, side-to-side dabbing strokes to make a triangle shape. The strokes should be longer at the bottom.
4. Add Depth (30 seconds): Dab a few strokes of the darker green paint over the first layer, especially near the center of the tree, to add shadow.
5. Finish: Add tiny dots of red, yellow, or white for simple ornaments using the back of a pencil.
Time Estimate: 5–7 minutes.
Final Tips: Don’t press too hard. The unevenness of the dabbing strokes is what makes it look like a textured pine tree.

Simple Snowman in 5 Steps (10-Minute Snow-Pal)

Materials: White, black, and orange paint, paper or canvas, one medium round brush, one small detail brush.
Simple Steps:
1. The Base (2 minutes): Use the round brush and white paint to paint three stacked circles: a large one on the bottom, a medium one in the middle, and a slightly smaller one on top for the head.
2. The Scarf (1 minute): Use the small detail brush and a bright color (like red) to paint two thick, short lines where the head meets the middle circle. Add two quick, trailing lines down the front for the scarf ends.
3. The Face (2 minutes): Use black paint and the small brush to add two eyes (dots), three buttons down the middle, and five or six tiny dots for the mouth.
4. The Nose (30 seconds): Dip the small brush in orange paint and paint a tiny, horizontal carrot shape coming out of the face.
5. Add Snow (30 seconds): Dip a medium brush in white paint and quickly dab the bottom of the canvas and around the base of the snowman to create a snowy ground.
Time Estimate: 10 minutes.
Final Tips: Wait for the white circles to dry before adding the black details, or the colors will mix and look muddy.

Watercolor Wreath Tutorial (Easy & Loose)

Materials: Watercolor paper, watercolor paints (two shades of green, red), water jar, a round-tip watercolor brush.
Simple Steps:
1. Draw the Circle (30 seconds): Lightly draw a perfect circle on your paper with a pencil.
2. Paint the Leaves (4 minutes): Use one shade of green. Paint small, slightly curved, leaf shapes outside the pencil line, all the way around the circle. Don’t worry if they overlap!
3. Add Depth (2 minutes): Immediately, before the first layer dries, use the second, darker shade of green. Paint more leaf shapes on top of the first ones. The colors will blend beautifully on the paper.
4. Add Berries (1 minute): Dip your brush in red paint. Tap groups of three red dots randomly around the wreath.
5. Finish: Erase any remaining pencil line once the paint is completely dry.
Time Estimate: 7–10 minutes.
Final Tips: Use plenty of water! Watercolor is meant to be transparent and flowy. The more relaxed you are, the better the wreath will look.

Recommended Painting Supplies

You don’t need expensive supplies to make beautiful art. Budget-friendly options work perfectly for easy projects!

Paint Types:
- Acrylic: Best for beginners. It’s cheap, covers well, dries fast, and is easy to clean up with soap and water. Use it on canvas, wood, or paper.
- Watercolor: Great for light, airy looks like the Northern Lights or wreaths. Use it only on special watercolor paper.
- Gouache: A thicker, opaque watercolor. It’s a nice middle ground if you want brighter, flatter colors than traditional watercolor.
Brush Essentials: A basic set of 5–10 brushes is enough: a large flat brush (for backgrounds), a medium round brush (for shapes), and a tiny detail brush (for eyes and dots).
Paper or Canvas Options: Canvas boards are budget-friendly. Thick cardstock or mixed-media paper works perfectly for quick, easy projects.
Optional Tools:
- Sponges: Cut up a kitchen sponge to dab on snow or foliage.
- Dotting Tools: The back of a pencil, a cotton swab, or the handle of a paintbrush are perfect for making round dots for ornaments and berries.
- Gold Paint: Adding a touch of metallic gold or silver paint makes any Christmas painting instantly look more festive and expensive.

Tips for Better Christmas Paintings

Even with easy ideas, a few small tips can make your paintings look much better and help you on your artistic journey, just like learning From Brush to Text: An Artist’s Perspective can improve your creative mindset.

Color Palette Suggestions: Stick to 3–5 colors. For classic Christmas, use a deep forest green, a cranberry red, and bright white. For a winter wonderland, use pale blues, icy grays, and silver.
Lighting Effects (Glow, Shadows, Highlights): To make something look round (like an ornament), always put a tiny dot of white paint (a highlight) where the light is hitting, and a small area of darker paint (a shadow) on the opposite side.
Layering Techniques: Always let the first layer of paint dry before you add details. For example, let the white snowman circles dry completely before adding the black eyes. This keeps your colors clean and bright.
How to Avoid Muddy Colors: Never mix too many colors together, especially when using acrylics. If you mix red, green, and blue, you will get brown (mud). When in doubt, wipe your brush and start with a fresh color.
How to Outline for Cleaner Results: Use a very thin, fine-tip brush and black or dark brown paint. Outline your main shapes (the snowman, the tree) after the paint is dry. This simple trick makes cartoon or simple paintings look very polished and sharp.

Quick Christmas Painting Ideas (For Last-Minute)

Running out of time? These three ideas take less than five minutes and still look fantastic.

Silhouette Tree: Paint a white background and, in one minute, paint a solid, perfect black triangle. Done. It looks clean and dramatic.
Simple Ornament: Paint one large red circle in the center of the paper. Add one tiny gold square on top. Perfect for a quick gift tag or card.
Quick Snowflakes: Use dark paper. Dip the back of a small brush into white paint and paint six tiny white lines crossing in the center, like a star. Keep them small and messy.
Abstract Stripes: Choose two Christmas colors (e.g., gold and deep red). Paint wide, messy horizontal stripes across the paper.
Simple Santa Hat: Paint a quick red triangle and a white puffball. Fast, festive, and iconic.

Christmas Painting Ideas for Home Décor

Your beautiful, easy paintings can be more than just art—they can become part of your holiday décor! In fact, surveys show that over 60% of people prefer handmade, unique decorations to mass-produced ones.

Wall Art: Frame your favorite 8×10 or 5×7 paintings and hang them in a group (a gallery wall) for a festive, custom display.
Tabletop Frames: Place a small, simple painting (like a candy cane or a single ornament) in a small frame and use it as a decoration on a side table or mantelpiece.
Greeting Cards: Use your small paintings as the front of your family Christmas cards.
Painted Ornaments: Hang your painted ceramic or wood ornaments right on your tree.
DIY Wrapping Paper: Use the craft paper technique (Section 9) to wrap gifts in unique, hand-painted patterns.
Festive Coasters: Buy blank ceramic tiles and paint a few small, simple designs (like a wreath or a snowflake) on them. Seal them with clear varnish for fun, personalized coasters.

FAQs

Here are the answers to the most common questions from beginners about easy Christmas painting ideas.

What are the easiest Christmas paintings for beginners?

The absolute easiest ideas rely on simple shapes:

The Simple Brushstroke Christmas Tree: It’s just a triangle shape made with dabs.
The Easy Snowman: It’s three stacked circles.
The Simple Santa Hat: A triangle and a circle puffball. If you can draw a circle or a triangle, you can paint these!

Can kids try these painting ideas?

Absolutely! All the ideas in the main section can be made easier for kids. The best ideas for children involve finger-painting, using sponges, or the Handprint Christmas Tree (Section 7), as they focus on large motor movements and fun textures.

What paint is best for easy Christmas art?

Acrylic paint is the best choice for beginners and easy projects. It’s affordable, the colors are bright, and it cleans up easily with water while still being permanent when dry. It works on almost any surface—canvas, paper, wood, and ceramic.

Can I sell Christmas paintings?

Yes! If you create original artwork, you can certainly sell it. Many people love buying small, inexpensive, handmade art for seasonal decor. Start small by selling at a local craft fair or on an online marketplace. Just remember to be fair with your pricing, including the cost of your materials and the time it took you to create the piece.

Conclusion

We hope this guide has shown you that creating beautiful Christmas art doesn’t have to be hard, stressful, or complicated. Painting is a wonderful, easy way to celebrate the season, connect with family, and make gifts that truly come from the heart.

The biggest secret to success is to just start. Grab a brush, pick one of the simple ideas a snowman, a tree, a simple word and put paint to paper. You are creative, you are capable, and you are ready to make some beautiful memories this holiday season.

Happy painting, and Merry Christmas!

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Bob Henry

Born in New York in 1933, Bob began at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn before turning to art. He studied at the Hans Hofmann School (1952–1955), launching a vibrant creative career that included teaching at Castle Hill, PAAM, and the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown. Visit my Social Media Facebook and Instagram

Easy Christmas Painting Ideas: Your Simple Guide to Holiday Creativity