Build Drawing Skills with DIY Christmas Tree Cards - Painting & Drawing Tips

OMG it has really been RAINING here!!

DIY Christmas Tree Cards - fun way to fight the winter drabs!!

I think everyone must have heard by now that here on the Southwest Coast of Canada we have had LOTS of RAIN!!  I am fortunate to not live in a flooded area. But I think of those people daily and what they must be going through.  Please say a little prayer for them and send them positive thoughts.  

Between Covid restrictions, the newest variant and the dark rainy days, I feel a bit of cheer and positive thinking is needed.  I know we are into the high tech days where everything happens on our phone or iPad but I feel we need to go back a bit to the 'touch and feel' days.  

There is nothing like feeling SPECIAL. 

It's a feeling you get when you opening the mailbox and there is card just for you.  Or when you meet a friend and they hand you a card.  Even more SPECIAL if they made that card themselves!  Suddenly it means soooo much more.   

 

Definitely a feeling of Peace with this little card.  😉

Check out my Christmas Tree Christmas Cards

They are user friendly, not too intimidating, one of a kind and guaranteed to give your special people a smile.  As an added bonus they allow you to easily feed your creative spirit.  They are something you can do while watching TV or listening to your music.  I suggest you make up a little supply box that is handy to grab whenever you have a minute.  

Creating DIY Christmas Tree Cards

I like Mixed Media Cards because I can use any media on them

SPECIAL NOTE: 

I have a video "Learn to Draw with Christmas Tree Cards" that will give you more ideas on making your Christmas Tree Cards.   

 

I have 2 Card Classes Scheduled: Tuesday, Dec 7,  2-4pm  & Saturday, Dec 11, 1-12:30pm 
Small group (3), all materials supplied, Beginner to Advanced Welcome, $50 each.  Walnut Grove area of Langley.  Contact Wendy to register

1.  Materials: 

- paper and envelopes - Strathmore has packages of Mixmedia paper cut and scored with envelopes ready to go. Scrapbooking/Stamp Stores let you buy cardstock by the sheet and have small packs of envelopes that can be purchased.  Envelopes can be expensive if you go to custom sizes so stick to standard ones.  (Even business envelopes make for an interesting card shape) 

I like white paper to work on as I love to add my own colour and I like the sharp, clean lines on my white surface. 

- pencil, vinyl eraser, kneaded eraser, white acrylic pen

- permanent ink pens: Staedtler or Micron 03 & 05  Using permanent ink means you can use wet media like felts or watercolour pencils and your lines wont run

My materials - note the white pen for making tiny corrections  

- your favourite colouring medium.  I like my Intense Watercolour Pencils because they give me bright colours but I also use my coloured pencils as well

- some Bling.  The dollar store has lots of little stick on glitter shapes.  The star shape is hard to find but little round ones work great too. (note them on the top of each tree above. )

2.  Layout

Decide on the size of your card face.  Do not fold card before working on it.  Cover the backside so only your drawing surface is showing. It is important to understand the size and shape your image will be. 

Note the paper covering the back and how light the markings are for the layout.  

Draw a light drawing of your tree/trees.  The layout should be dark enough to see but light enough to easily erase.  It should not score the surface.   Use your kneaded eraser to lighten any areas that are dark.  

When drawing your tree/trees think about curvy lines.  Try to move away from the idea of symmetrical.  Light gestural lines will give you great shapes to work with.  I like to dip the top over to give it a little character or round the top to make room for a piece of glitter at the top.  

Challenge yourself to try different sizes and groupings.  A few lines will indicate snow and I love my little snowballs under the trees.  They break up the line and move the eye along.  A few breaks in your snow lines also add interest for the eye.  

Layout for 3 trees - Challenge yourself to try different combinations 

3.  Draw with your Pen

Don't sweat it!  I know it is permanent.  Your layout lines do not need to be traced over exactly, they are to help you move along the surface.  If you made your trees a bit quirky, any deviation from your layout line will not matter. 

Single patterns give you more latitude for colouring. Note ow the shadows on the tree trunks and snow add to the composition.  

Add your patterns/doodles to your trees.  I like to fill in my trees with doodle patterns.  You can see my favourite ones but there are lots more on the Internet.  I find it is nicer to keep to one pattern per tree as it makes colouring more interesting.  But certainly a personal choice here.  Do a few practice patterns on another piece of paper and then draw directly onto your card.  

You will be surprised at how freeing that is.  That sense of moving the pen freely without tracing.  (I know you wont feel that right away but if you keep moving you will.  It is a real confidence busters) 

4.  Time to Colour & Decorate

Have some fun with your colours.  Add garnishes.  Add text.  And don't forget to sign it!! (My doodle signature is in the bottom right corner.  It is different from my fine art signature.) 

5.  The Finish

You can make several cards and I do suggest you make several.  You will be more relaxed and joyful after the first one is done.   You will find that the more you make the more ideas you will have.  Your mark making will reflect your building confidence.  

If you have time make originals for everyone, if not, take your card to a shop and have it photocopied onto cardstock.  Either way, those SPECIAL people will be thrilled when they see what you have done. 

Looking for Help to start your Card Making: 

I have a video "Learn to Draw with Christmas Tree Cards" that will give you more ideas on making your Christmas Tree Cards.  

I have 2 Card Classes Scheduled: Tuesday, Dec 7,  2-4pm  & Saturday, Dec 11, 10-12:30pm 
Small group (3), all materials supplied, Beginner to Advanced Welcome, $50 each.  Walnut Grove area of Langley.  Contact Wendy to register

Looking to Move your work to NEW LEVELS?  

Contact Me for:

1. Private Drawing Lesson: (3 Sessions 2.5 hr each $250)

Do you want your animals to breath, your flowers to sparkle or your people to walk?  Whatever subject your like to paint or draw I can build a drawing program for you.  Private Lessons allow you to focus on the skills you wish to develop.  Wendy is a experienced teacher, providing a calm, relaxing experience as you learn how to use the principles of drawing.  Beginner to Advanced are welcome.  Special rates for younger students.  More info here.

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Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy