How to Paint 5 Holiday Characters with Watercolor 

Nothing says “Happy Holidays!” like a snowman, stocking or reindeer. Seasonal characters like these are created in designs annually to bring in the festive spirit. From holiday cards to home decor, artists can put their creative twist on motifs that spark those warm and fuzzy feelings. Spoonflower artist and maker Subhashini Narayanan shows us how to create holiday watercolor motifs individually as well as how to use these motifs to turn them into beautiful holiday designs and gifts. 

Subhashini: As the holiday season approaches, it is the perfect time for artists to get inspired and create festive watercolors. In this blog post, we will paint five simple holiday motifs: a group of trees, a reindeer, a snowman, a holiday squirrel and a fun stocking.  

I will also share how you can use these motifs in multiple ways to create your holiday designs. So, gather your supplies, find a cozy corner and join me!   

Place your watercolor paper on your workstation. Add masking tape down the left and right (or top and bottom) edges of your watercolor paper. This will keep it in place as we paint.

Mix some shades of blue, green, red and pink into different spaces of your palette. Also grab some black and brown to start. We will mix in additional colors later as they are needed in specific motifs.

Click on the motif to go directly to its tutorial on this page. Feel free to pause and rewind the videos as we go along to make your beautiful motifs.

Let’s paint some beautiful evergreen winter trees.

Step 1: Add blue-green watercolor to your paintbrush. Paint a small triangle to be the top of your tree.

Step 2: Paint your second and third triangle. Make your next two triangles slightly different by adding some green to your paintbrush.

Step 3: Darken your green and paint your final triangle. Add some black to your paintbrush, and paint your last triangle. Give this tree a moment to dry.

Step 4: Add texture to your tree. Add some black and green watercolor to your smaller paintbrush, and draw short brushstrokes on your tree. This will give your tree texture.

Instead of drawing triangles, we’ll create this tree with brushstrokes.

Step 1: Add pink watercolor to a clean paintbrush. To paint the top of your tree, make single brushstrokes in the shape of a triangle. I am doing three strokes to make my triangle.

Step 2: Make a second layer using red watercolor. Add some red watercolor to your paintbrush and paint red brushstrokes beneath your pink ones.

Step 3: Paint your third layer with dark pink. Add brushstrokes beneath your second layer to make your final layer using dark pink watercolor.

Step 4: Give your tree texture. Let your tree dry for a moment, then with your thin paintbrush and some red/dark pink watercolor, paint vertical lines to give your tree texture.

Step 5: Add a star! Clean your thin brush with water. Dip some gold watercolor on the tip of your paintbrush and paint a star on top of your tree.

Step 1: Mix an olive green watercolor. To make olive green, mix some brown watercolor into your green palette.

Step 2: Paint your tree top. Similar to our pink tree, paint the top of this tree with brush

strokes into the shape of a triangle.

Step 3: Slightly change the color for your second layer. Dip your paintbrush into some blue-green watercolor to make the second layer look slightly different from the first. Paint brushstrokes below your first layer, to create your second.

Step 4: Make your third layer darker. Mix turquoise with green to make your third layer dark blue-green.

Step 5: Add contrast between your layers. Dip your paintbrush in black watercolor. Add small dots and lines to the layers of your tree.

Step 6: Pop in some pink. Add some pink to your paintbrush. Draw pink lines wherever you like on your tree. This pop of color is beautiful!

Step 7: Add a star. Paint a pink star on top of your tree.

Step 1: Dip your paintbrush in golden-yellow watercolor. Using your thin paintbrush, draw a single line. Add leaves by drawing lines coming from either side of your first line.

Step 2: Slightly change the color. After painting 2-4 leaves, add some green to your paintbrush and continue adding leaves.

Step 1: Add red watercolor to your paintbrush. Draw a rounded, slanted line to the left, then right—like you’re drawing a ‘up’ (^) arrow with rounded ends.

Step 2: Repeat with pink watercolor. Just beneath your first layer, make another rounded arrow. Blend the layers so there is no white space between them.

Step 3: Repeat with dark pink to make your third layer. Each layer will seem slimmer than the last. Add a dark pink watercolor to your paintbrush to create your third layer.

Step 4: Draw your tree’s base. With the same watercolor of your third layer, draw a small horizontal line for your tree’s foundation.

Step 1: Dip your paintbrush into brown watercolor. Draw a single line to make the trunk of your tree.

Step 2: Add your branches. Draw additional lines coming from your main line to create branches of your tree. After drawing 4-6 lines, add some black paint to your brush. Continue adding branches until you are close to the bottom of the tree.

Give your trees a moment to dry, then remove the masking tape from your paper. Admire your beautiful work!

Let’s make a friendly, pink reindeer in 10 steps.

Step 1: Mix pinks into your palette. Find an empty space in your palette and mix some soft pink watercolors.

Step 2: First, let’s paint the reindeer’s head. Paint brushstrokes in the direction of a left pointing triangle.

Step 3: From the bottom of the head, let’s paint the neck. Drag the top and bottom lines from the head downward to form the neck.

Step 4: From the neck, let’s paint the body. Bring the lines at the bottom of the neck out to form the reindeer’s body. Shade in the middle. Add some dark pink watercolor to your paintbrush.

With that dark pink color, continue painting your reindeer’s body by curving and connecting your top and bottom lines to close the body. Fill in the back of the body. Trace over the bottom line of the body with dark pink watercolor to create definition.

Step 5: Add a cute tail. Paint an upward curve at the back of your reindeer’s body to give it a cute tail.

Step 6: Draw stick legs for your reindeer. With red watercolor, draw two lines coming from the front of the body and two lines coming from the back. The red watercolor will naturally blend with the pink, giving the nice, whimsical look we are striving for.

Step 7: Add antlers to your reindeer’s head. With some black paint on the tip of your paintbrush, draw one branch-like line towards the head of the reindeer. Draw a few more branch-like lines growing from your first one. Repeat this step to make the second antler.

Step 8: Draw an ear on your reindeer. Using a dab of pink, paint a small oval on the back of the reindeer’s head. This will be its ear.

Step 9: Paint an eye on your reindeer. Add some black watercolor to your thin liner brush. Paint a small downward pointing curve on the face of the reindeer to create a closed eye.

Step 10: Look at your friendly reindeer! Let your watercolor dry, give your reindeer a name and admire your wonderful work! Once the paint dries, you may remove the masking tape from your paper.

Do you want to paint a snowman? I do, too!

Step 1: Create your snowman’s color. Mix peach and white in your palette to create a cream color for the snowman’s body.

Step 2: Draw and fill in your snowman’s body. Draw and fill in three circles to create your snowman’s body. Make each circle—starting with the head—slightly bigger than the last.

Step 3: Give your snowman a hat. Draw a curved, red line across the top of the first circle. Then add two more lines to create a triangle. Fill in the middle. Top your hat with a small pink circle to make it look like a winter hat.

Step 4: Add a matching scarf. With red-pink watercolor, draw a line between the head and body circles of your snowman. From that initial line, draw two curved lines towards the left of your snowman so it looks like the end of its scarf is blowing in the wind.

Step 5: Design your snowman’s accessories. Using your thin brush, add simple stripes to your snowman’s hat and scarf. Add fringes to the end of the scarf with vertical lines.

We’re going to use reds and greens to add variety on the bottom circle of our frosty friend. I’m also switching brushes to have different sized leaves.

Step 6: Add foliage to your snowman. Let’s start with the small red foliage on the bottom right of our snowman. Paint one stem, with single branches extending from it.

Let’s paint one more branch. Switch to a smaller brush and draw a longer, slimmer green line. Add some branches to that line with spaced brushstrokes. Now let’s paint some leaves.

Step 7: Add leaves where there is free space. There’s a little space near our red and green foliage. Add one leaf near your foliage by painting a narrow oval. To give our leaves contrast, paint a slim black line down the center of each leaf.

Step 8: Add some berries. Let’s add some festive berries to our snowman with some dark pink watercolor. Add some watercolor to the tip of your paintbrush, and place small circles on your snowman.

Step 9: Draw your snowman’s nose. Dip your thin paintbrush into your brown watercolor. Paint a long pointed triangle in the middle of your snowman’s face. Fill in the middle of the triangle.

Step 10: Paint your snowman’s eyes. Dip your thin paintbrush into your black watercolor and paint two tiny circles for eyes on your snowman’s face.

Step 11: Define your snowman’s cheeks. Using pink watercolor on your thin paintbrush, paint two small circles between the nose to give your snowman blushing cheeks.

Step 12: Give your snowman arms. Dip your thin paintbrush in black watercolor and draw one line from either side of your snowman. Draw smaller lines coming from these initial lines to make them look like tree branches.

Step 13: Draw lines to make a diamond. Using blue-green watercolor, paint asterisks(*) around the snowman to look like snowflakes.

Steps 14: Admire your work. Let your snowman dry, then remove the masking tape around your paper. Look at your art and give your snowman a name!

Step 1: Draw the perimeter of your stocking. Using red watercolor on your paintbrush, draw the outline of your stocking.

Step 2: Color the inside of your stocking. Add more color to your brush and fill your stocking with color. Smooth any lines of your stocking’s perimeter to have a neat shape.

Step 3: Define the heel and toe of your stocking. Let’s take advantage of the watercolors within our stocking still being wet. Mix some pink into the heel and toe of your stocking to brighten these areas.

Step 4: Add fuzz to the top of your stocking. With light pink watercolor, paint small circles at the top of your stocking to create a fuzzy texture.

Step 5: Draw stripes on your stocking. Mix some dark pink onto your paintbrush. Draw two horizontal lines near the top of the stocking and two near the toe. The watercolors may bleed and blend, and that’s the fun part of watercolor.

Step 6: Add foliage to your stocking. Using a dark-green watercolor, draw an angled line near the ankle of the stocking. Draw additional lines coming from that initial line. Give the color a moment to dry a little, then go over the lines again to define them.

Step 7: Add foliage around the stocking. Draw foliage and leaves around your stocking.

Add some green watercolor to your paintbrush. Draw a line (stem) coming from the foot of your stocking. Add leaves to this stem with wider brushstrokes and narrow ovals.

Next let’s draw a holly leaf. Take some pale blue watercolor and draw a line coming from the heel of your stocking. Draw a scalloped outline around this line, and fill in your leaf.

Draw some pine leaves using thin lines and a few flicks of your paintbrush.

Step 8: Paint berries around your foliage. Paint small dark pink circles near your foliage to make your berries.

Step 9: Add contrast to your leaves. Using the rest of the berry color on your paintbrush, draw a thin line down the center of your holly leaf and pine leaves to give them definition.

Step 10: Draw a bare branch. Mix some black watercolor on your brush to darken your berry color. Draw a long line that runs from the front of your stocking and behind your green leaf. This will be your bare branch. Paint a few branches near the end of the initial branch.

Step 11: Add stitches to your stocking. What’s a stocking without adorable knit-like stitches? Mix some green onto your paintbrush and add short, vertical lines below the two stripes at the top of your stocking to look like stitches.

Add two rows of horizontal lines across the toe of your stocking. At the top of your stocking—above your two stripes—add rows of small dots to make it more interesting.

Step 12: Define the heel (a little more). Take some white watercolor and paint small white dots around the heel of your stocking to give it an outline.

Step 13: Add more foliage (optional). Since we have foliage on the left and right sides of our stocking, why not add some to the top? Paint more pine leaves, holly leaves and bare branches of your choosing.

Step 14: Let your watercolor dry. Give your watercolor a few minutes to dry. Remove your masking tape and admire your lovely stocking.

Think of a name for your festive furry friend as we paint!

Step 1: Mix gold and green to create our squirrel’s fur color. In your palette, mix a golden-yellow watercolor with green to make a bright brown color for our squirrel’s fur.

Step 2: Start painting the squirrel’s face at its nose. Paint the squirrel’s nose first by making a dot and dragging your brush out to an upward curve. Return your paintbrush to that dot and draw a down curve in the same direction. Then, fill in the space between the lines with color.

Step 3: Draw your squirrel’s ears and neck. Draw two small triangles at the top of your squirrel’s head to give it ears. Paint a few brushstrokes beneath the ears to create the back of its head and small neck. You should now see its head coming together.

Step 4: Paint your squirrel’s back. Slightly lighten your watercolor by dipping your paintbrush in your water cup. Return it to your paper, painting brushstrokes down the neck to create the back. Grab a little more color from your palette if you need some. Round out the bottom of your squirrel’s body. Even out any brushstrokes that are outstanding.

Step 5: Paint your squirrel’s feet. Draw two small lines coming from the bottom of your squirrel’s body to be its feet.

Step 6: Paint the tail. Clean your brush by dipping it in water and brushing it on your paper towel. Using some light pink watercolors, paint a wide, rounded line behind the squirrel. If your brush is dry, add more color. Connect the end of the line to the squirrel’s back.

Step 7: Paint the squirrel’s hands. Similar to how we painted the feet, mix some of the squirrel’s fur color from your palette onto your paintbrush. Draw two small lines near its chest to create its hands.

Step 8: Add detail to the tail. Now that our tail has had a moment to dry, let’s give it texture. Using your thin brush and dark pink watercolor, add small brushstrokes throughout the tail.

Step 9: Outline and fill in the gift box. Dip your brush in some basil green watercolor from your palette and outline a small rectangle in front of the squirrel’s hands. Fill the box in with color. I wonder what’s in the box…and who’s the lucky recipient?

Step 10: Add the ribbon. Let’s beautify this box with a ribbon. Dip the same brush into some pink watercolor and draw a bow at the top of the box. Add two arcs that touch the corner of the box, representing the ribbon’s ends. Draw a line down the middle of the box to be the ribbon securing the box.

Step 11: Paint blush cheeks. Our squirrel is so excited to give its gift, it’s blushing! Add some light pink to your paintbrush and place a small circle in the middle of the squirrel’s face.

Step 12: Define the ears. Before you lift your paintbrush away from your paper, draw a small, pink line in the middle of each ear to give it definition.

Step 13: Add more definition to the body. With that same paintbrush and color, add a little pink under the squirrel’s arm, near its tummy. Mix in a darker pink, and add more dark marks to its tail. You can also add a few marks to your squirrel’s back to give its fur texture.

Step 14: Paint a scarf. Draw a red line across the squirrel’s neck. Continue the line behind its tail at an angle, so it looks like the scarf is flowing in the wind.

Draw small, vertical lines at the end to be the scarf’s fringes.

Step 15: Paint a knee on your squirrel. Our squirrel should be a little drier, so this additional paint will look darker. Grab some of our squirrel fur color on your thin paintbrush. Draw a small, downward-pointing curve near the bottom of the squirrel’s body. Shade it in to appear darker than the rest of the body.

Go over the squirrel’s feet with this color as well to add contrast.

Step 16: Define the gift ribbon. Now that our squirrel’s gift box is drier, let’s define the ribbon a little more. Add some red watercolor to your thin brush and trace over the ribbon. This will make it more defined and visible.

Step 17: Paint an eye and nose on your squirrel. Mix some black paint onto your thin brush and paint a small upward-pointing curved line on your squirrel’s face. It will look like its eye is closed. Place a small black dot at the point where we started the squirrel’s face to give it a nose.

Step 18: Paint a mushroom. Start by outlining and filling in a red semicircle behind the squirrel’s tail. Just beneath that semicircle, outline and fill in a blue rectangle. Now we have our mushroom!

Step 19: Paint your desired foliage. Add a holly leaf by drawing a scalloped outline and filing it in with green. Paint a spruce by drawing one green line, and drawing others extending from either sides of the first line. Add berries around the foliage by painting dark pink circles.

Step 20: Let your watercolor dry. Give your watercolor a few minutes to dry. Then, remove the masking tape from your paper. What did you name your squirrel?

Now that we have painted our motifs, our next step is to scan and digitize them. Always scan the artwork in higher dpi. (from 300dpi – 800dpi) Remember the higher the DPI, the more choices we will have to create things with this artwork.

Import the scanned image to Photoshop and remove the background. For removing the background, you can use: 

With each one of the motifs digitized you can now combine them and create a repeating pattern to upload on Spoonflower and sell it on fabric, wallpaper and other home decor products. 

Elevate your artwork by creating a variety of festive color options. It is really fun to see the transformation of your original paintings when you play with the colors. This way you can maximize your artwork’s potential and use them to create more products. 

Imagine your artwork adorning everyday items! You can turn your artwork into placement illustration and use it on multiple products like mugs, Washi tapes, phone cases and more—the potential is boundless.  

These are three examples to get your creative juices flowing! You can take your artwork to new heights by using the endless possibilities of Photoshop. I hope this inspires you to paint your favorite holiday motifs and transform them into surface design.  

If you’d like to learn more about watercolor, watch my courses on Skillshare, where you’ll discover a treasure trove of techniques to elevate your watercolor skills. 

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