I’ve painted Santa more times than I can count — on cold winter evenings with coffee turning lukewarm beside me, and the smell of linseed oil hanging in the air.
It’s funny how something as commercial as Santa can still tug at an artist’s soul if you approach it differently. These aren’t your usual red-suit, chimney-hopping Santas.
Each idea below is about emotion, storytelling, and using the texture of oil paint to capture warmth, nostalgia, and even a bit of mystery.
Also see: 15 Calm Wreath Watercolor Drawing Ideas
1. The Silent Workshop
Imagine Santa sitting alone in his workshop after Christmas night. The toys are done, the lights are dim, and he’s sipping cocoa with a quiet smile. I once painted something similar — a tired figure, brushstrokes thick around his beard, thinner around the cup. It’s amazing how oil glazes can make light feel almost emotional.
Why it works: It’s intimate. You’re painting Santa as a person, not a symbol.
2. Santa in a Snowstorm
This one’s about motion. Picture Santa pushing through a heavy blizzard — his red coat barely visible, snow swirling like smoke. I saw a student attempt this once using only palette knives. It turned out raw and beautiful, like Santa was part of the storm.
Tip: Use cold tones first, then layer small dabs of cadmium red to let the warmth break through.
3. The Vintage Postcard Santa
Think 1900s illustrations — muted palettes, soft faces, golden halos of candlelight. I tried this style once using only four colors: burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, titanium white, and alizarin crimson. It gives that nostalgic “old oil print” charm.
Add a twist: A handwritten note in the corner, like a forgotten memory.
4. Santa at the Window
He’s peeking out into the snow, maybe waiting for dawn. There’s something tender about painting reflective glass. Try layering thin oil glazes for the window reflections — I learned that from an old portraitist who said, “Reflections tell the truth more than faces do.”
5. The Laughing Santa Portrait
This one’s pure joy — no sleigh, no reindeer, just laughter. Focus on texture: his cheeks, his beard, his eyes squinting mid-laugh. The challenge? Not making it cheesy. I’ve found that toning down saturation and using natural skin tones (yes, even for Santa) helps it feel real, not cartoonish.
6. Santa and the Reindeer Close-Up
Forget the sleigh scene. Just paint the quiet connection — maybe Santa stroking the reindeer’s muzzle under starlight. The emotional focus here is tenderness. Artists often skip that. One of my students once said, “It’s like painting trust,” and that’s exactly it.
7. The Sleeping Santa
Every artist I know loves painting sleep — the stillness, the softness. Imagine Santa asleep by the fire, boots off, cookies half-eaten. Oil paints let you blend that warm glow on his face like nothing else can.
Challenge: Balance the warmth of the fire with the coolness of the night — one of my favorite lighting puzzles.
8. The Lost Letter
A concept piece: Santa finds a forgotten letter after delivering everything. He’s reading it with a hint of sadness or nostalgia. It’s more narrative, more cinematic. If you love storytelling, this one’s gold.
I tried something like this last December, and viewers spent longer looking at it than any other painting that night. They wanted to know what was written in that letter.
9. Santa Under Streetlight
Think urban — Santa taking a quiet walk after delivering gifts, under a flickering yellow streetlight. Rain-slick pavement reflecting red and gold. It’s moody and modern, nothing like the usual North Pole settings.
Technique note: I use a soft dry brush to blur the light edges — gives it that cinematic haze.
10. The Shadow Santa
Here’s a dramatic one. Paint only his shadow cast on a snowy ground, maybe the edge of a sleigh just visible. It’s about presence without visibility — like the idea of belief itself.
I saw a gallery piece in Prague like this once, and it stayed with me. The artist said it was “about faith — the kind you see only by its effect.”
11. Santa and the Northern Lights
Oil paint is perfect for this. The deep ultramarine sky against streaks of viridian and magenta light — then that silhouette of Santa watching in awe. You’re painting awe, not Santa.
Trick: Blend edges with a soft fan brush while the paint’s still wet. Don’t overwork it.
12. Santa and the Old Clock
Picture this: midnight ticking past, Santa looking at an old grandfather clock as the world sleeps. It’s symbolic, melancholic, and kind of cinematic. When I painted mine, I used real metallic leaf for the clock frame — small touches like that give oil paintings quiet luxury.
13. Santa Painting Toys
Santa as an artist! I’ve seen teachers use this as a metaphor — Santa, brush in hand, painting wooden toys. It’s a joyful crossover of craft and art. A bit meta, too.
Pro insight: Add subtle fingerprints, imperfect smudges. They make it feel handmade, alive.
14. The Minimalist Santa Portrait
Close crop — just the face. No background, no sleigh bells. Study the planes of his face, the roughness of his skin, the softness of his beard. I once painted a Santa with just three tones — it looked almost sculptural.
Sometimes, stripping away the fluff makes the myth feel human again.
15. Santa and the Child’s Drawing
An emotional one: Santa holding a crayon drawing of himself made by a child. It’s quiet, touching, and incredibly powerful if done right. I’ve noticed viewers tend to smile and tear up at this concept.
Tip: Use expressive brushstrokes on the child’s drawing — it contrasts beautifully with Santa’s realism.
16. Santa at the Fireplace (Seen from Behind)
One of my favorite compositions. You’re not showing his face — just the back of his red coat, the glow of the fire, and maybe stockings hanging. It’s like you’ve stumbled upon a private moment.
A friend once told me this was his best-selling print because “people love imagining the rest.” He was right.
17. The Melancholic Santa
Not every painting has to be merry. Try capturing quiet reflection — maybe Santa staring into an old mirror, or holding a child’s toy from decades past. The emotion here is nostalgia, maybe even loneliness.
I remember painting one where Santa’s face was half-lit, half in shadow — it felt brutally human. Someone at the exhibit whispered, “He looks like he misses something.” That’s when I knew I’d nailed it.
18. Santa and the Dawn Sky
Finally, peace. The night’s over, deliveries done. Santa stands watching the first light of dawn across a snowy horizon. Use thin layers for the sky — pale pinks, gentle yellows. It’s not dramatic, it’s closure.
This one always feels like exhaling after hours of work — both for him and for you.
Some Closing Thoughts
Santa is a myth, sure, but myths are built from human need — warmth, generosity, magic. Oil paint, with its depth and glow, captures those better than any medium I know. Don’t be afraid to make him imperfect, tired, or deeply human. That’s where the emotion lives.
And if you ever doubt your approach, just ask yourself: What if Santa wasn’t just a character, but a feeling? Paint that. The brush will know what to do.