Looking for a simple yet magical holiday art project? This watercolor Christmas tree with shimmering gold accents is pure seasonal joy on paper. It’s festive, fun, and full of texture – and it all started with a spark of inspiration that hit mid-brush!
Tape off the edges of your art journal page with painter’s tape and mist your watercolor palette with water to activate the colors. To begin, I used a large round brush to wet the surface. I knew I wanted a bold, blended rainbow of traditional holiday colors – greens, reds, yellows, and a little splash of warmth. With my watercolors pre-wet, I loaded the brush and began layering the colors across the paper in loose, sweeping strokes. Don’t overthink it! Let the colors mix, run, and bloom naturally. Just be sure not to muddy them by overworking the area. The goal is movement and vibrancy.
Once I had the watercolor base where I liked it, I grabbed a clean brush and went in with my Extreme Sheen gold acrylic paint. I painted a whimsical Christmas tree shape by swooping the brush back and forth, working from the top down, and creating wide golden ribbons that suggested branches. The watercolor shifted underneath, adding depth and texture that looked almost like magic! Dry with a teat tool.
Next, I used gold paint to add subtle splatter across the sky using a fan brush. I used the back end of a small paintbrush to dot on teal and red ornaments. You can add as few or as many as you’d like, but I kept mine scattered across the tree in a playful way. For a festive shimmer, I topped the teal dots with a coordinating Extreme Sheen aquamarine paint and used a hint of Garnet for the red ones.
Use green paint to sweep some garland across the tree branches. I also added a hand-painted golden star on top and used a bit of brown watercolor to paint a small tree trunk at the base.
Then, to create a snowy effect, I went back in with white acrylic paint on a dry stencil brush and gently pounced around the base of the tree. It gave that soft, snowy ground feel without overpowering the vibrant background.
Remove the painter’s tape and let your art piece dry!
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Supply List:
- Strathmore Watercolor Journal
- DecoArt Extreme Sheen: 24K Gold, Garnet, and Aquamarine
- Decoart Media Acrylic Paints: Phthalo Green-Yellow, Cadmium Red Hue, Cobalt Teal Hue
- Watercolors: The Classics and Odyssey
- Brushes: Tracy Weinzapfel Sets
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