Holiday Painting for Beginners
Who doesn't love a good, crafty activity to do on a snowy day!
I remember growing up as a kid I loved the "Cookie Decorating Day" at my grandma's house. We would frost and decorate all the cookies we possibly could in one day! All while we watched Christmas movies and snacked on cookies we "accidentally" broke.
Today I've got another option for bringing all of that holiday goodness when you would love to have an addition to fun memories made this holiday season!
Want to know how to display your festive art? Grab my hanging festive art guide here!
Let's dive into a few beginner tips for painting during the Holidays!
What should you paint? How should you hang it? (learn how here)
The first question you might have is what do I even paint if I'm a beginner?! Don't worry I've got a few options for you! A few things to keep in mind when selecting WHAT you're going to paint. Faces are tough so stay away from picking an image that has a lot of facial details when beginning your painting journey. Let's also touch on lines and circles, harsh lines such as presents or ornaments can be tricky to get just right so unless you are absolutely positive it's correct, set those aside for later!
Check out the list below of holiday subjects to paint for beginners:
- Evergreen trees
- the back of Santa or Reindeer
- Reindeer in the sky
- A snowy cottage scene
- Holly
- Snowman
- Sled
- Snow boots
- Hats and Mittens
Next, let's talk about surfaces. There are so many options, what to choose??? Roaming the aisles of Hobby Lobby or Michaels you can get so overwhelmed with everything that is available to you... and if you DO decide it can be scary to actually PAINT something on your surface because you're afraid you'll ruin what you spent your money on.
My advice is this: grab your supplies at Wal-Mart, Target, or Dollar Tree. They have great options!
Choose a canvas, canvas board, or panel of wood. They are sturdy, the surface is smooth and already for you! Select a size that isn't too terribly overwhelming or one that comes in a pack so if you want to start over you can!
I recommend selecting a canvas board or canvas that is 8x10 or 11x14 for beginner painters. Got a spot in mind you want to put your painting? Make it perfect by following the hanging festive art guide. It's absolutely perfect for your holiday painting projects!
Onto paint... oh the paint! My recommendation especially for easy, beginner holiday paintings. Just go for some red and green! Everyone loves it, it's always a hit, and gets you instantly in the holiday mood!
When you're in a great mood you will be less likely to be frustrated with your painting experience. I know a lot of beginners have too high of expectations for themselves and get frustrated and give up. That's not you.
Keep it simple. Try to just use 5 colors on your paintings when starting out.
Here are a few ideas to mix up the traditional red and green:
- wine and mint (perfect for a girls night! Grab the girls craft night handbook)
- cranberry and deep green
- olive green and blush pink
- teal and magenta
- farm red and evergreen
These are some of my best tips for painting for beginners during the holiday season! Have fun, embrace your creativity and live a little!
-XO, Paige