Santa Baby Christmas Tutorial

Are you feeling festive? Today, I’m sharing a fun and easy tutorial using the Essential Stencil design called Santa Baby. Whether you’re a seasoned painter or just starting out, this project is perfect for adding a festive touch to your holiday décor. Plus, you can save money by using my coupon code: ARTSYMOON when you shop with Essential Stencil!

Materials You’ll Need:

• Essential Stencil Santa Baby stencil - Use code ARTSYMOON to save! 
• 12x12 black panel board
• Folk Art Apple Red paint
• DecoArt Metallics Festive Red paint
• White acrylic paint
• Stencil brush - Use code ARTSYMOON to save! 
• Chalk for sketching
• Flat tip brush for blending

Let’s get started!

I’m working on a black 12x12 panel board because I want my finished piece to pop! The dark background allows the colors to stand out beautifully and conveniently eliminates the need to add shadows to the background. Using chalk, lightly sketch a Santa hat onto your black background. Don’t worry if you’re not confident in your drawing skills—chalk is forgiving and easy to adjust. This step is all about creating a rough outline so you can focus on the painting.

Place the Santa Baby stencil on your board. If you’re new to stenciling, taping the stencil down can help it stay in place. Using a stencil brush and white paint, dab the paint onto the stencil in circular motions. (I used a stencil brush from this stencil brush set from Essential Stencil, you can use the code ARTSYMOON to save.) Offload any excess paint onto your palette first to prevent bleeding under the stencil. 

Paint the Santa Hat

Now for the fun part—painting! Start by filling in the Santa hat with Folk Art Apple Red paint. Be sure to cover your chalk lines as you go. To create depth we’re going to add shadows to the left side of the hat and highlights to the right. I added a little black paint to a few areas, but you can allow the black background to create some natural shadows as you are painting by using a little red paint in the beginning and increasing the amount on your brush as you move across the Santa hat. 

Using a stencil brush and white paint, dab white paint onto the pouf and brim of the Santa hat. This technique creates a fluffy, textured look that makes your painting stand out.

Final Touches

Once the first coat of lettering is dry, add the stencil and go over it again for a crisp, bold design. For the finishing details, mix a small amount of white paint with the Metallic Red and line the edge of the Santa hat. Blend the paint inward to soften the transition and enhance the highlights on the right side. This will give your Santa hat a polished, dimensional look.

Want More Tutorials?

If you’re ready to dive into your next painting project, join the Artsy Moon Paint Club! Members get access to a variety of trendy, ready-to-go tutorials, available 24/7 so you can paint whenever inspiration strikes. It’s a supportive and creative community where you’ll find joy in every brushstroke. We’d love to see you there!

Don’t forget to share your creations and tag my Facebook or Instagram page —I’d love to see your take on this fun Santa Baby design.