It's Christmas season again, and along with the inevitable gift shopping, menu planning, home-cooking, and gift wrapping spree - it's also the perfect time to whip out your materials and create some art! The holiday break will be just around the corner, and this grants you some time to slow down, free your mind, and spend quality moments with your loved ones.
However, the big and (oftentimes) daunting question is: "What should I paint?"
This is the perfect opportunity to relax and attend to your art without letting life get in the way of things. We understand that inspiration can sometimes be hard to come by, and there is nothing more overwhelming than looking at a blank canvas and not knowing what to do at all! To help you with that, we have listed down a few ideas you could execute over the Christmas break for some fun painting activities.
Santa's Reindeers
Along with the tree, Santa Claus is an iconic symbol of Christmas. However, people tend to forget that he comes with a magic sleigh and a herd of reindeers too! This gift-giving bunch deserves much attention and is a sight kids love to behold. Try painting 1-3 of Santa's reindeers as an exercise. This also serves as a good practice on landscape and animal painting.
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"Woodland Friends Decorating the Christmas Tree", "Santa's Reindeers" and "Fiona and Rosie's Tree" by Ryan Conners.
Winter Scenario
Winter is all around us (yes, we are very much aware, Jon Snow) and one of the oldest subjects in traditional landscape paintings are of winter scenarios. Take a snapshot of your favorite winter view, and translate it into painting. It can be a picturesque scene as you walk down Hyde Park or the sight of a frozen pool of water nearby.
"The Magpie" by Claude Monet.
Classic Snowman
What's Christmas without the iconic snowman? We grew up building makeshift sculptures of these cute ice men in our backyards. Like reindeers, the sight of a snowman evokes feelings of stark coldness and nostalgia, as we associate them with winter and childhood.
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"Snowman I", "Snowman II" & "Snowman III" - Christmas Series by Cheri Wollenberg.
Picturesque Scene - Let it shine: Christmas decorations and candles
For the ultimate Christmas relaxation experience, treat yourself to some still-life painting. Try painting without a reference photo, and arrange a set-up with a view that you love. You can include some Christmas elements like your tree, gifts, and some lights. You will be amazed as you discover a kind of calm like no other.
"Cinnamon Tea" by Nita Leger Casey.
Remember: There is no one way to do art correctly. All of us have individual talents and personalities, and it is our unique capability as individuals to translate them into art. Make sure to practice your color harmony, play on texture, and last but not the least (actually the most important!) - have loads and loads of fun.
For more Christmas art inspiration, you may check out our social media channels where we share content daily. You will find tutorials by our brand ambassadors, video guides for beginners, and step-by-step demos on how to execute your desired artwork.
Meanwhile, check out a few other Christmas themed activities we've compiled for you such as how to make fun DIY Christmas tags, easy and simple DIY Christmas cards, and watercolor Christmas cards ideas. Have fun trying them out!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Ardak Kassenova is a London based contemporary artist, co-founder and creative director of ZenART Supplies. Her visual style-contemporary impressionism-share similar aesthetic qualities with those by the French Impressionists. After 20 years of a successful corporate career, becoming a mother to two wonderful girls, and with the continuous development of her practice by taking private lessons from the best artists she could find; Ardak decided it's time to align her life with her true passion, Art. Driven by this passion and her corporate leadership background, she co-founded ZenART.
"My heart and soul were always with Art, and since my childhood as long as I remember myself, I was dreaming to be an artist. I was painting after work, when I had time, and teaching myself through the books, videos, visiting art galleries and museums. I've been very curious about different techniques and styles, and therefore accumulated knowledge and experience on a variety of mediums."
Read more about Ardak Kassenova in this feature. Say hello to @ardak_zenart on Instagram!