Gouache is made for small Christmas cards: it dries flat and opaque, so white snow and a glowing window go on last, right over a dark sky. Watercolor gives the softer, glowing card, with the white of the paper as the snow. Below are five easy gouache and watercolor Christmas card ideas with plain steps, and the paint, paper and palette from my desk that suit them. The ideas are instructions to paint from, not finished cards of mine; the routine behind them is the one I use for my gouache paintings.
The short answer
Paint a card-sized sheet on heavy watercolor paper, lay the big wash first, then the dark shapes, then the white snow and light details last. Gouache is the forgiving choice, since light colors cover dark ones; watercolor is the soft one, since you leave the paper white for snow. I paint with the 48-color HIMI Twin Cup Jelly Gouache set, mist it with the HIMI Gouache Wetting Spray, and mix a whole painting’s colors on my MEEDEN ceramic palette before I start, which makes it easy to paint several cards from one palette. To start smaller, the researched pick is HIMI’s 24-color jelly-cup set.
Gouache or watercolor for Christmas cards?
| Gouache | Watercolor | |
|---|---|---|
| Snow and highlights | Painted on last in white | Left as unpainted paper |
| Dark night skies | Easy: opaque, flat color | Takes several layers |
| Fixing a mistake | Paint over it once dry | Hard to hide |
| Look | Flat, matte, illustrative | Soft, glowing, loose |
Both use the same paper and brushes. My gouache vs watercolor comparison goes deeper, and gouache behaves like either one depending on the water you add: plenty of water for washes, very little for opaque cover.
How I set up a gouache session
YouTube Short · 0:59
Paint with me - Only Yesterday | Ghibli Scenery
Posted on my YouTube channel.
Watch on YouTubeThis Short is a Studio Ghibli landscape, not a Christmas card, but it shows the routine the steps below borrow. I have a
habit of mixing all the colors of a painting before I start, so all 14 wells of my
MEEDEN ceramic palette are full before the first stroke (0:11–0:13). For cards,
that habit pays twice: mix the sky, the greens and a thick white once, and paint three or four cards in one sitting so
they match. My MEEDEN brush wash bowl has two compartments, one to rinse
brushes and the other to take water for mixing paint, which keeps the water for your white clean. Before I paint, I
mist my HIMI cups with the wetting spray; my
how to use jelly gouache guide walks through the whole routine step by step.
What you need
- Painta jelly gouache box such as my HIMI Twin Cup 48, or a watercolor set.
- Paper300 gsm watercolor paper, so a wet wash does not buckle the card. The BAOHONG cold press block in my kit is 4.9 × 7 in per BAOHONG, close to a 5 × 7 in card, and glued on four edges so the sheet stays flat while wet; cut it free when dry and glue it to a folded card blank.
- Palette and watera white palette with enough wells for a whole card, and two waters, one for rinsing and one clean.
- Brushesa wide flat brush for skies, a medium round for shapes and a small round for snow and details. My brushes for gouache guide covers sizes.
- Masking tapeto tape the sheet down and leave a crisp white border.
Five gouache and watercolor Christmas card ideas
1. Snowy pines at dusk (gouache)
- Tape the sheet down. Wash a sky from pale peach at the bottom to deep blue at the top with plenty of water, and let it dry completely.
- Mix a dark green with very little water so it covers. Paint three or four pines as tall triangles of short downward strokes, the nearest one largest.
- Paint a white snowy ground across the bottom third, overlapping the tree trunks.
- With thick white on a small round brush, lay snow along the tops of the branches.
- Dot falling snow over the sky, or flick a little thinned white off a stiff brush for a spatter.
2. A glowing window at night (gouache)
- Fill the card with a deep blue-grey wall color and let it dry.
- Paint a rectangle of warm yellow for the window, two coats if the blue shows through.
- Paint the window frame and a cross of bars in dark brown over the yellow.
- Add a small wreath under the window: a ring of short green strokes, then red dots for berries.
- Finish with snow on the sill in white, and a few soft white snowflakes on the wall.
Gouache is opaque, so the yellow and white sit on top of the dark wall; this is the card watercolor finds hardest.
3. Holly and red berries (watercolor)
- Lightly pencil two or three holly leaves and a cluster of three berries in the middle of the card.
- Paint each leaf in a mid green, then drop a darker green into one side while it is still wet.
- Paint the berries in red, leaving a tiny dot of paper unpainted on each as its highlight.
- When dry, draw the center vein of each leaf with a fine brush and a darker green.
- Leave the background white; a single sprig on a white card looks deliberate, not empty.
4. A loose wreath (watercolor or gouache)
- Trace a light pencil circle around a cup or bowl.
- Paint small leaf strokes all the way around the circle in two or three greens, some pointing in and some out.
- Add clusters of red berries and a few white or gold dots.
- Paint a red bow at the bottom.
- Letter a short greeting in the middle, or leave it for the inside of the card.
This is the most forgiving idea here: wobbles read as foliage.
5. A quiet snowy field in muted tones
- Paint a soft grey sky with a hint of blue, lighter toward the horizon.
- Leave or paint the snowy field white, with a blue-grey shadow line where the field dips.
- Add one small bare tree or a little house in a dark muted brown.
- Finish with a few fence posts receding into the distance, getting smaller and paler.
A muted palette suits a quiet winter card. The Fuumuui CREAMORA set in my kit comes in 24 muted gray tones, in pans that Fuumuui says cover like gouache and blend like watercolor.
For a Studio Ghibli feel, my Ghibli gouache painting page has steps for a Ghibli-style winter scene.
Which paint and paper for which card
| Idea | Paint | Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Snowy pines at dusk | Gouache | 300 gsm cold press |
| Glowing window at night | Gouache | 300 gsm cold press |
| Holly and berries | Watercolor | Cold press, or hot press for crisp edges |
| Loose wreath | Watercolor or gouache | 300 gsm cold press |
| Quiet snowy field | Muted watercolor or gouache | 300 gsm cold press |
Tips for painting Christmas cards with gouache and watercolor
- Let each layer dry. Gouache rewets once dry, so scrubbing a dry layer with a wet brush lifts it; lay the stroke and leave it.
- Paint the white last and thick. White snow should be creamy, with very little water, or it turns grey.
- Keep one water clean. Rinse in one well and take mixing water from the other, so your white stays white.
- Batch your cards. Mix the palette once, tape several sheets down side by side, and paint the same stage on each.
- Flatten before folding. Let the card dry fully, then press it under a heavy book overnight before gluing.
Researched pick: a smaller jelly gouache set
This one is research-based: chosen from HIMI’s stated color count, cup size and contents, and checked on its listing. Not tested hands-on.
Research-basedHIMI Gouache Paint Set, 24 Colors × 30 ml Jelly Cups
Best smaller gouache set
Paid link · I may earn from it
- Colors
- 24
- Format
- 30 ml (1 oz) jelly cups with sealing lids
A complete gouache starter in one case: 24 colors in sealed jelly cups, a palette and three brushes. Open a cup and paint; nothing to squeeze or set up.
Twenty-four colors in 30 ml jelly cups with sealing lids, plus a palette and three brushes in a carrying case. HIMI describes the paint as thick and creamy with opaque, matte coverage that rewets with water. Enough colors for every card here, and the same paint format as the box on my desk.
Good fit if
- Beginners who want every color ready in one box, with palette and brushes included
- Illustration, journaling and small studies where many ready-made colors save mixing
- Gift buyers who want a complete, giftable set
Skip it if
- You want to learn color mixing from a few primaries; a small tube set teaches it better
- You need layers that stay put when painted over; gouache reactivates with water once dry
All maker specs
- Colors
- 24
- Format
- 30 ml (1 oz) jelly cups with sealing lids
- Includes
- Palette, 3 brushes, carrying case
- Finish
- Opaque and matte (per listing)
- Rewets
- Yes, with water once dry (per listing)
- Safety label
- ASTM D-4236 and EN71 conformance (per listing)
Worth knowing
- Close each lid after a session and do not leave water pooled in a cup; damp, sealed paint can grow mold.
- Gouache shifts slightly in value as it dries; test a mix on scrap before a large area.
Specs are the maker's own figures from the product listing, not my measurements. Listing checked October 12, 2026 for this exact variant: 24 colors × 1 oz (30 ml) jelly cups, green carrying case, with palette and 3 brushes.How I pick
Hands-on: the supplies on my desk
What I use for my gouache paintings, plus the watercolor and paper in my kit. The specs below are the listings’ own.
My videoHIMI Twin Cup Jelly Gouache, 48 Colors
$29.69List Price: $32.99Save 10%
as of Nov 3, 2026, 11:15 UTCDetails
Price and availability show on Amazon.
Paid link · I may earn from it
- Colors
- 48 × 12 g
- Format
- Jelly gouache in twin cups
The gouache set I use for most of my paintings: not a premium brand, but very good paint quality that is widely used by artists—as long as you air the box and mist the cups so they do not mold or dry hard.
The jelly gouache box I use for most of my paintings: my HIMI Jelly Gouache review.
My videoHIMI Gouache Wetting Spray, 100 ml
$10.79List Price: $11.99Save 10%
as of Nov 3, 2026, 11:15 UTCDetails
Price and availability show on Amazon.
Paid link · I may earn from it
- Volume
- 100 ml (3.38 fl oz) on this ASIN; 200 ml (6.76 fl oz) option on listing
- Format
- Fine-mist pump spray bottle
The spray I use on my gouache instead of plain water: it keeps the paint moist, helps prevent mold in the tray, and keeps the gouache's texture intact.
I mist my gouache cups with it instead of plain water: my HIMI Gouache Wetting Spray review.
My videoMEEDEN Ceramic Watercolor Paint Palette, 14 Wells
Paid link · I may earn from it
- Material
- Ceramic (glazed white porcelain)
- Wells
- 14 (12 smaller rectangular + 2 larger mixing wells)
I have a habit of mixing all the colors of a painting before I start, so this 14-well ceramic palette really suits me—and it is very sturdy and does not stain.
Fourteen wells for mixing a whole painting’s colors before I start: my MEEDEN ceramic palette review.
MEEDEN Ceramic Paint Brush Wash Bowl
Paid link · I may earn from it
- Material
- White porcelain / ceramic
- Compartments
- 2 deep divided wells
A heavy, two-compartment ceramic brush wash bowl on my desk: deep, roomy wells with one side to rinse brushes and the other for clean mixing water, glazed ceramic that does not stain like plastic, and a stable, non-slip weight that holds brushes upright even when empty.
One compartment to rinse brushes, the other for clean mixing water: my MEEDEN brush wash bowl review.
I use thisBAOHONG Watercolor Paper Block, Cold Press
Paid link · I may earn from it
- Paper
- 100% cotton, 300 gsm (140 lb)
- Surface
- Cold press
A palm-sized block of BAOHONG's Academy 100% cotton, 300 gsm cold press paper, glued on four edges. A research write-up of the maker's claims, not my hands-on notes yet.
Card-sized cotton sheets glued into a block, per BAOHONG: my BAOHONG cold press block write-up.
My videoFuumuui CREAMORA Watercolor, 24 Colors
Paid link · I may earn from it
- Colors
- 24 muted gray tones
- Format
- Semi-solid opaque paint
24 muted gray tones in opaque, semi-solid pans that the maker says cover like gouache and blend like watercolor: what the listing claims, and what my unboxing Short shows.
Muted gray tones for quiet winter cards: my Fuumuui CREAMORA write-up.
I use thislanguo Mini Watercolor Set, 16 Colors
$19.99Typical price: $24.99Save 20%
as of Nov 3, 2026, 11:15 UTCDetails
Price and availability show on Amazon.
Paid link · I may earn from it
- Colors
- 16
- Paper
- 230 gsm wood pulp, 80 × 80 mm notebook
Per languo, one pocket kit holds 16 watercolor pans, fold-out mixing palettes, a water cup, three water brush pens and an 80 × 80 mm notebook of 230 gsm paper.
A pocket watercolor kit with water brush pens, per languo: my languo mini watercolor write-up.
Prefer markers? My acrylic marker Christmas cards guide has card and ornament ideas, including the one I painted in my Languo Short.
Questions
Is gouache good for Christmas cards?
Yes. Gouache dries flat and opaque, so white snow, stars and lit windows can go on last, right over a dark sky, and a mistake can be painted over once dry. Mixed with plenty of water it also gives soft, watercolor-like washes.
What paper should I use for watercolor or gouache Christmas cards?
Heavy watercolor paper, around 300 gsm, so the card does not buckle when wet. A glued block keeps the sheet flat while you paint; cut it free when dry and glue it to a folded card blank.
How do you paint white snow with gouache?
Last, and thick. Mix white with very little water so it is creamy, let the layer underneath dry fully, then dab it on with a small round brush; flick thinned white off a stiff brush for falling snow.
How do you paint white snow with watercolor?
Leave the paper white where the snow goes, and paint the shadows around it in a pale blue-grey. For falling snow on a dark sky, a few dots of white gouache on top work well.