Paint Your Own Christmas Angels

Paint Your Own Christmas Angels

 

Completed Christmas Angels, Paint your own Christmas Angels
Completed Christmas Angels

I saw this simple to paint trio of angels designed by Cynthia Fortner in the Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts Magazine last year and wanted to give it a try but just didn’t have the time.  I kept the issue and the pattern and tried it this year and it is a simple and inexpensive painting to create and a stunning addition to my Christmas decor.  You will definitely enjoy this project.  I wholeheartedly recommend that you try to paint your own Christmas angels using this simple design. No artistic talent needed. This post contains affiliate links that if you click on them and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

What you will Need: Paint Your Own Christmas Angels

  • Pattern
  • Artists stretched canvass, wood, poster board, or whatever you would like as your painting surface.  You can choose whatever size you like.  I chose an inexpensive 20″ x 24″ artists canvas that was on sale at my local craft store.
  • A small amount of modeling paste or drywall compound.  I used drywall compound because I already had some in the garage.
  • Palette knife
  • White transfer paper
  • Acrylic paint: black, flesh, white, raw umber, pink
  • Artists brushes
  • Tracing Paper
  • Sheet Music
  • Decoupage Medium Like Mod Podge
  • Cotton Swabs
  • Walnut Stain – You can get this at any craft or home improvement store or you can use antiquing medium as well.
What you will Need: Paint Your Own Christams Angels
What you will Need: Angels

Step 1: Paint Your Own Christmas Angels

The first thing you need to do is to enlarge the pattern to the size that you want your painting to be.  I wanted mine to be quite large so I had to have it enlarged a few times until it fit on 11″ x 17″ paper. The pattern in this tutorial fits 8 1/2″ x 11″ so you can increase or decrease the size as you like.  I realized that the canvas I purchased was a little too large for this pattern but I proceeded anyway.  I was able to get my pattern enlarged at my local office supply store.  Once that was done I was able to proceed.

Step 2: Paint Your Own Christmas Angels

Using your palette knife or dry wall knife spread a coat of the dry wall compound or modeling paste on the canvas or board that you chose.  It prevents the paint from soaking through and provides some texture for the canvass.  Wait for it to dry. It shouldn’t take too long.

Canvass Covered in Dry Wall Compound., Paint your own Christmas Angels
Canvass Covered in Dry Wall Compound.

Step 3: Paint Your Own Christmas Angels

Once the Compound has dried, Paint the entire canvas black using the black acrylic paint.  I find it easier to purchase my paints from my affiliate, Amazon, because I get them fast  and can always find the colors I need.  It seems like every time I go to my local craft store they are out of stock of a lot of the paint colors I need so I just order them online. Wait for the canvas to dry completely before moving on to the next step.  These are water based paints and dry quickly so it shouldn’t take too long before moving on to step 4.

Paint Entire Canvass Black, Pint Your Own Christmas Angels
Paint Entire Canvass Black

Step 4: Paint Your Own Christmas Angels

Take the enlarged pattern and trace it onto the black canvas using the white transfer paper.  Once the transfer has been complete remove the paper and the pattern.  Paint the the angel’s skin the desired flesh tone.  I simply used Delta Creative Ceramcoat Acrylic Paint in Fleshtone for my angels skin.

Trace the Pattern onto the Black Canvass, Paint your Own Christmas Angels
Trace the Pattern onto the Black Canvass
Paint the Faces and Arms in any Skin Tone you lLke
Paint the Faces and Arms in any Skin Tone you like

Step 5: Paint Your Own Christmas Angels

Place the tracing paper over the wings and trace. Trace the wings onto the sheet music then cut out the wings.  Brush the Mod Podge on the backside of the wings and paste them to the canvass where appropriate.  Then, paint the dresses white and let the Mod Podge and the dresses dry.

Trace the wings onto the sheet music provided, Paint your own Christmas Angels
Trace the wings onto the sheet music provided
Add the Music to the Wings and Paint the Dresses White, Paint your Own Christmas Angels
Add the Music to the Wings and Paint the Dresses White

Step 6: Paint Your Own Christmas Angels

Mix the raw umber with a dab of white and paint the background leaving a minute black border around each of the angels.  Using the same white paint you used for the dresses and using a small paint brush, paint a halo over the head of each angel. Then, mix the pink paint with water until it becomes the consistency of ink.  Use a cotton swab to wipe color on the angels’ cheeks and let dry.

Step 7: Paint Your Own Christmas Angels

Dip a paper towel into your walnut stain and wipe it onto the dresses,  wings, and skin to give the painting a distressed look.  Let the stain dry.  Once the stain has dried, cover the entire painting with Decoupage medium or Mod Podge  to seal it. Let dry and you have a charming trio of heavenly angels to add to your Christmas decor.

completed-heavenly-trio-of-christmas-angels

 

We can thank Cynthia Fortner for this terrific Design and Better Homes and Gardens for publishing her wonderful work for us to try.  I really enjoyed this project. I hope you will too.  If you would like to purchase one of Cynthia’s beautiful paintings, including this one, head on over to https://www.etsy.com/shop/SweetCarolineOrig and she can paint a picture worthy of the angels she portrays.

 

 

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6 Comments

  1. Hi..I really enjoyed reading all about making your angel picture…it word be a help if you had put the date and year of the magazine to give anyone a chance of buying a back issue…Regards Christine..

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