How to Make a Patterned Christmas Tree Painting

Take a break from the Christmas rush and try your hand at this vibrant Christmas tree painting. Let your imagination run wild and create your own designs, or use the patterns we’ve covered in our tutorial! This creative Christmas project is a great activity to try with children at home or in the classroom. For this lesson we’ve used Mont Marte Studio Acrylic Paint, a Double Thick Canvas and the Gallery Series Acrylic Brush Set.

Step 1. Drawing up the tree.

On page 6 there is an image of 4 Stylized trees. Select the one you would like to create and draw it onto the canvas as best as you can. They are quite simple, the thing to bear in mind is symmetry.

Step 2. Blocking in the background

Next we need to block in the background with Lamp Black. Use a large Brush to block in around the tree and a smaller brush for the tight areas. Once the front of the canvas has been painted, paint in the sides of the canvas.

Step 3. Painting the under base.

The tree needs to be given an under base of colour, and then the patterns can be painted onto the top. The colours I have used are in the materials list on page 2 but the colour selection and how many colours that are used are up to the individual. The important thing is that the colours are laid on in patches. Use the tinsel as a boundary for each colour. Once the patches of colour have been laid in paint in the tinsel with your chosen colour. Let these coats dry.

Step 4. Top coating.

Refer to the second image in the PDF and choose which patterns you are going to create. Select a smaller brush and lay in the shapes of each patterned doodle. There will be a detailing step over the top so you just need the general shape. The other thing to bear in mind is that if you are laying a light colour over a darker base colour White will have to be laid down first, dried, and then the lighter colour can be laid on top. Let these coats dry.

Step 5. Detailing

In the final stage we add the Lamp Black with a fine brush. Use that second image in the PDF again and lay in all the patterning. Add patterning over the tinsel and outline any shapes that need defining. I have laid white stripes over the Brown trunk but you might like to add some patterning on the tree in white also.

Hint: Mont Marte Studio Acrylic paint has the viscosity of toothpaste so to get it to flow nicely off the brush mix a little bit of water into the paint.