12 Christmas Painting Ideas: Festive, Creative, Fun, and More for All Levels

As the holiday season approaches, it’s easy for you as an artist to get inspired by the festive spirit around you and dedicate your canvases to expressing the joy of this wonderful time. If you also feel that tranquil winter scenes, Christmas decorations, and warm emotions are too grand to keep inside, maybe it’s time to channel this holiday energy into art and create Christmas-themed paintings.

Whether your Christmas artwork will end up as a part of your home’s holiday decor, among gifts for loved ones, or perhaps even in a gallery collection, you need to make it as special as possible. That’s why we decided to help you let your creativity flow freely. 

We’ve gathered 12 festive, creative, and fun painting ideas to inspire artists of all levels.

Easy Christmas Painting Ideas for Beginners

If you’re a beginner who’s just learning how to paint and want to work on the Christmas project, the following simple ideas will help you express your creative potential using basic techniques.

1. Christmas Tree Silhouette

Nothing can be simpler and more authentic to the holiday season than a plain Christmas tree silhouette.  Use simple shapes, like triangles and rectangles, and colors, such as green and white, to create a Christmas tree silhouette.

If you want to make the tree stand out from the background, you can add a gradient and create contrast with ornaments.

2. Holiday Snowman

A snowman is a fun and simple symbol of winter spirit. And since Christmas is associated with winter, painting this cheerful character is an ideal way for beginners to express their artistic skills on canvas. You can create the simple shape of a snowman and add colorful accessories to your snowman painting, such as a red scarf, a blue hat, and green mittens. For the background, we suggest using the cool blues, such as navy and sky blue, and whites like pure and off-white tones to capture the warmth of glowing windows.

3. Gingerbread House

If you want to experiment with different colors and add more details to your festive painting, paint a gingerbread house by using various tones of brown

 In order to keep the spirit of the painting cheerful, add colorful candies, icing, and other Christmas-related symbols, such as candy canes in green and red.

4. Candy Cane Stripes

Speaking of candy canes, one of the easiest Christmas painting ideas for beginners is indeed candy cane stripes. You don’t even need to have painting skills for this one. Nor does this project require any specific artistic techniques.

Instead, use a canvas that is at least 8x10 inches and create bold red and white stripes, each 1 inch wide. To create an even more festive look, don’t be lazy and add leaves, small snowflakes, or other holiday details.

Creative Christmas Painting Ideas for Intermediate Artists

If you have already mastered some artistic techniques, like layering, blending, and adding fine details, then you can try these Christmas-themed canvas painting ideas for intermediate painters. Maybe you’ll even experiment with a new technique that you haven’t tried during this holiday season.

5. Snowy Cottage Scene

One festive painting idea for which intermediate artistic skills are perfectly enough is an oil painting of a snowy cottage scene.

Ideally, you should create it using either oil or acrylic, depending on your technique and preferences. Either way, we advise using the cool blues and whites of the snow to capture the warmth of glowing windows.

6. Frosted Pine Branches

A lot of people commission handmade paintings where nature takes center stage. If you’re an intermediate artist who admires nature, consider painting frosted pine branches to create a Christmas atmosphere at home. This Christmas painting idea will help you capture the serene beauty of winter landscapes. As for the technique, try to play with the soft light to reflect the frost and balance cool, muted tones with subtle highlights.

7. Abstract Christmas Tree with Geometric Shapes

You don’t need advanced artistic techniques to add a creative twist to a traditional Christmas tree. In fact, just knowing how to break down the tree into 7–10 basic geometric shapes, such as triangles and circles, is enough to create an abstract Christmas tree. The most suitable art medium for this painting idea is acrylic, as it provides the opportunity to create vibrant colors and clean lines.

8. Angels Flying Over Bethlehem

Portraying divine figures has always been an integral part of traditional art. In fact, famous classic painters such as Sandro Botticelli and Giuseppe Cesari often used to feature spiritual beings in their works to symbolize purity. If that’s your intention too, you can consider painting angels that fly over Bethlehem. This theme will symbolize the hope that Christmas is just about to bring to your family and loved ones.

Advanced Christmas Painting Ideas for Experienced Artists

Even experienced artists might lack ideas sometimes, especially when they aim to capture the holiday season in a fresh way. These advanced Christmas painting ideas will challenge your creativity and push your skills to new levels.

9. Christmas Market Scene

A few things can capture the spirit of holidays, as precisely as marketplaces where festive lights, cozy stalls, and the aroma of cinnamon and hot chocolate fill the air. It is especially true if impressionism is one of your favorite types of painting styles. To get inspiration, you can just walk around a city center where street markets are full of glowing lights, festive music, and cheerful crowds. 

Just pay attention to the light accents on the streets and try to remember how people move in and out of the stalls and how holiday decorations sparkle in the evening. All of this can help you create a scene with the same energy as Camille Pissarro’s famous impressionist painting “The Boulevard Montmartre at Night.”

10. Hyperrealistic Christmas Portraits

If you’ve never tried hyperrealism, this holiday season might be the time to try hyperrealism with a festive family portrait. As our professional artists claim, who are experienced in turning photos into custom paintings, capturing the finest details of human faces requires a subtle use of light, texture, and careful attention to shadow placement.

11. Winter Landscape

Create landscape paintings during the holiday season to capture winter’s beauty. This is another great idea for experienced artists who know the technique of using light and shadow on snow. You can add small details like footprints in the snow, reflections in icy ponds, or a distant cabin window. Advanced artists can experiment with layers of texture and include elements like falling snowflakes or even figures engaging in winter activities.

12. Snow Globe Scene

The final Christmas painting idea for the advanced artists is perhaps the coziest one of all. A snow globe creates two scenes: an inner one and an outer glass surface. That’s exactly why this project idea requires advanced artistic skills — it’s not easy to balance the numerous details of the inner scene with the glass surface of the globe. For instance, you could draw a miniature wonderland inside the snow globe, such as a festive village or a snowy forest.

Festive Animal Painting Ideas for All Ages

You can hardly find more festive ideas for your Christmas art than creating animal-themed paintings. After all, animals like reindeer, penguins, and donkeys are considered symbols of holiday spirit all over the world. 

In addition to these traditional Christmas animals, anyone who has a pet on their own adores the idea of creating custom pet portraits and giving their furry friends a spot in their holiday decor. 

The following animal painting ideas can help you add festive spirit to your art.

13. Playful Penguins in Santa Hats

Painting a penguin is definitely the best possible option for those who’re looking for cute painting ideas this holiday season. That’s because penguins are associated with cheerful moments, with their round little bodies and playful expressions. As a result, these animals are often featured in Christmas cartoons and holiday cards. 

If you decide to go with this idea, make sure to add holiday details, such as Santa hats, scarves, or even tiny gifts. Don’t forget to play around with different poses as well - make your Christmas penguins either wave, hold tiny gifts, or slide on their bellies.

14. Reindeer in a Snowy Forest

Reindeer is probably the first animal that comes to mind when thinking of Christmas and the holiday spirit. It’s hard to imagine the story of Santa Claus without his trusty reindeer guiding the way through forests. Classic tales about Santa tell us that he has 9 different reindeer, and each of them has their own name, such as Dasher, Dancer, and Prancer. 

Of course, you don’t need to paint 9 reindeer on your Christmas artwork, but painting at least one deer among pine trees in a peaceful winter landscape will make your painting feel special.

15. Christmas Cats and Cozy Fires

Few things can feel as comforting as a cat lying in front of the fireplace on Christmas Eve. Most people agree that a cat is an animal that can capture warmth and relaxation. 

That’s why it’s ideal for holiday-themed paintings, somewhere close to a Christmas tree and green and red stockings.

If you’re dedicating this artwork to your loved one, you can even add personal details of their furry pet and turn the painting into a custom cat portrait.

16. Christmas Birds on a Branch

While birds aren’t traditionally associated with Christmas, their calm and gentle nature can bring peace and serenity to any winter scene. If you’re thinking about painting a winter wonderland or snowy nature, including birds in your art will enhance a festive vibe.

Some of the bird species that are especially suitable for Christmas art include songbirds, robins, cardinals, and little chickadees. The reason is that they have bright feathers, which can add a contrast to a white snowy background.

For instance, Matt Farnsworth, an experienced quantitative ecologist, considers songbirds as one of the bird species that have played a significant role in the visual arts. As he says, “These beautiful creatures have intricate vocal organs that allow them to produce elaborate bird songs." Farnsworth believes that these characteristics make these birds stand out.

Classic Christmas Painting Ideas for Oil Medium

Artists who usually work using oil paints might prefer to work on classic Christmas ideas instead of some trending symbols or modern elements. 

The thing is that creating custom oil paintings is a great way for experienced oil artists to use advanced techniques, such as layering, glazing, and impasto, that can easily capture the nostalgic warmth for the holiday season. 

Let’s take a look at some of the classic holiday decor art ideas that are ideal for creating memorable and timeless Christmas art using oil.

17. Santa Portrait

As simple as it may sound, painting a portrait of Santa Claus up close is one of the most wonderful ways to evoke warm feelings using oil paints. Unlike previously discussed panting ideas, this one includes only one character, but it doesn't make it any less complex. 

In fact, you need to practice oil techniques like glazing and blending to create a soft beard, the warmth of his rosy cheeks, and sparkle in Santa’s eye. 

Just try to capture his cheerful character and classic red suit as vividly as possible.

18. Christmas Carollers

Christmas carols have always been an integral part of festive activities during holiday seasons. Thus, it’s not surprising that patiners enjoy capturing Christmas carollers on the canvas. 

This Christmas painting idea is especially relevant for those who work using oil paints and want to draw multiple characters in a lively scene. 

The best part? Oil will help you experiment with light and shadow. Consequently, you’ll be able to add depth and warmth to the holiday atmosphere.

19. Christmas Feast Table

In order to make your loved ones feel better during the holiday season, it’s best to reflect traditional Christmas feast tables on canvas. Artists traditionally painted feast tables when they wanted to revive the spirit of Christmas. 

Let me give you an example:

Classic oil paintings like ‘The Feast of the Gods’ by Giovanni Bellini and ‘The Peasant Wedding’ by Pieter Bruegel the Elder are perfect illustrations of the joy of communal gatherings. And what occasion can better describe this cheerful feeling of gatherings than Christmas? 

Your Christmas feast table artwork could include traditional holiday elements, such as turkey, ed candles, wreaths, mistletoes, and candy canes.

20. Heavy Snowfall

One last classic Christmas painting idea for oil artists is a heavy snowfall scene. It’s especially suitable for intermediate painters who are still in the process of mastering the art of layering and blending to create realistic textures. 

Using oils, you can create various layers to reflect the depth and calm of a winter landscape. To paint snowflakes, you can use soft brushwork and subtle highlights. 

Another element you can feature in the painting is dark tree branches. It will create a delicate contrast with the soft glow of the snow.

Nostalgic Holiday Painting Ideas with Watercolors 

Watercolor is one of the best mediums you can use if you want to bring a nostalgic feel to your Christmas artwork. That’s because it has the potential to create soft textures and capture the warmth and beauty of winter holiday scenes.

According to the watercolor artist Sandra L. Strohschein, “There are so many opportunities to let watercolor truly sing in snow scenes. A perfect example of this is making varying degrees of shadows in the snow.”  In the interview, she explained how watercolors can capture both the subtlety and drama of snowy landscapes.

She further explains, "When this all begins to dry a bit, I may come back in and splash some pure water to dilute things a bit — this is where watercolor gets to play!"

These custom watercolor painting ideas will inspire you to recreate the magic and coziness of a classic holiday season.

21. Snowy Church at Twilight

A church is a symbol of peace and reflection, which often reminds people of a nostalgic feeling associated with family gatherings during Christmas time. When it comes to art mediums, nothing can capture the tranquil setting of a snowy church better than watercolor. 

In fact, this medium is often used for creating soft, bright effects that can describe the beauty of winter scenes. As for twilight, you can use techniques such as glazing and wet-on-wet washes.

22. Pine Wreath

Now you might be wondering:

Why is pine so closely associated with the Christmas spirit and its accompanying nostalgia?

Here’s the thing:

People often use pine as a part of Christmas wreaths hanging on their doors. It might be either because of the fact that pine symbolizes resilience or because of its evergreen nature. Either way, a pine wreath is associated with warmth during the cold season. 

Therefore, painting a pine wreath using watercolor paints is one of the most effective ways to bring a cozy, nostalgic touch to your Christmas art.

23. Old-Fashioned Snowy Town

Another Christmas painting idea for watercolor paints is drawing an old-fashioned town full of snow and holiday elements, such as Christmas lights, wreaths on windows, and mistletoes in the middle of the road. 

Thanks to watercolor’s natural ability to create soft, atmospheric effects, both beginner and experienced artists can use this Christmas art idea to evoke nostalgic feelings. 

If you want to make the artwork even more emotional, you can add details, such as glowing street lamps or frosty windowpanes.

24. Christmas Morning in a Village

A few things can compare to the sense of warmth and coziness that a familiar village can make us experience on Christmas morning. This idea is perfect for watercolor medium for one simple reason: watercolor paints are often used for creating hues of warm Christmas morning light. The same goes for snowflakes that fall over rooftops and trees. 

Ideally, try to use warm yellow for lit windows, and don’t forget to add small details like a chimney with smoke or tiny footprints that pave the way in the snow. 

Bring Your Holiday Painting Ideas to Life

Hopefully, you manage to gather some creative inspiration for your next Christmas masterpiece. Now, it’s time to finalize your idea and bring the holiday spirit to your canvas. After all, what matters most isn’t the details, such as the flawless symmetry of the Christmas tree or the perfect brushstrokes of your snowman — it’s the emotion and holiday joy you capture in your artwork.

And if you want to turn your favorite holiday photo into a stunning custom painting, check out our custom painting services and let our expert artists bring the festive magic to life! 

What to Know More About Festive Paintings?

Christmas-themed art is common now, but many famous Middle Ages paintings also focused on this theme. As a result, they represented Christmas in art in the Renaissance and Baroque eras. However, the earlier Christmas art focused more on religious themes, such as angels and shepherds (for example, Giotto di Bondone’s “Nativity” and Domenico Ghirlandaio’s “Nativity and Adoration of Shepherds”). 

Since the 1850s, artists started focusing on more festive elements of Christmas since this holiday became associated with symbols like the Christmas tree and caroling. Modern painters who aim to represent Christmas usually use a mix of both sacred and secular themes. 

What supplies do I need for Christmas decor paintings?

Basic supplies, like canvas or painting paper, brushes of various sizes, and paint of your preferred medium, are usually enough for basic festive paintings.  Oil and watercolor paints are the most common options for festive-themed artwork.

What are the best Christmas painting techniques?

The best techniques for Christmas paintings include layering, splattering, and wet-on-wet. 

• Our expert artists recommend using layering if you’ve decided to work on winter scenes, such as snowy landscapes or glowing Christmas lights. Layering will help you create depth and richness. 
• Use splattering to add joy to symbols like stars and snowflakes.
• The wet-on-wet technique is useful for watercolor and oil mediums, as it can help you create atmospheric skies or foggy winter mornings.

Can I use my Christmas paintings as gifts?

Yes, Christmas paintings are among the most requested personalized gifts during the holiday season! Today, many people order custom paintings as gifts for their loved ones, whether it’s for their birthdays or special anniversaries. That’s because gifting someone a Christmas painting is indeed a heartfelt way to show how much you care. 

Why do people buy holiday art?

Simply because art is personal and meaningful. During Christmas time, nothing can describe the warmth and spirit of the season like a hand-painted piece of artwork. What’s more, art always becomes a lasting gift that will be associated with the sentiments in any home.