Painting Your Own Christmas Cards

The wax-resist painting technique is very simple to learn but produces very effective, fast results. It's based on the fact that wax and water don't mix, so you draw with a wax crayon (I think white is most effective) and then paint over with watercolor. The wax crayon repels the paint, revealing the image you've created.
• Step-by-Step Demo: Wax Resist Christmas Cards

It takes a little time to cut out a stencil, but once that's done you can use it to paint multiple cards. Change the color paint you're using, or use more than one color at a time. Wax resist creates a lovely stenciled card very quickly: use a white wax crayon with the stencil, then paint over in a suitable Christmas red.
• Free Printable Christmas Stencils
• How to Cut a Stencil

A monotype is simply the name given for a print where you press a damp sheet of paper onto a painted design, creating a once-off print. Add a bit more paint to your design, and you're ready to make another print.
• How to Make a Monotype Print

You don't need a sophisticated digital painting program to create an effective Christmas card suitable for emailing or printing, and it doesn't take long to make. Basically all you need to do is scan or photograph a drawing (or do one digitally) that has a strong, dark outline, then drop in the paint colors.

Most photo editing/paint programs have a "fill" option, for filling an area with a color (usually an icon like a bucket tipping over.) Ensure individual areas (e.g. the star on the tree shown here) are completed closed so the color doesn't spill into other areas when you fill an area. Color in, sign, and email.

• Free Painting Software for Windows and Free Photo Editors for Windows (From About.com's Graphics Software Guide)

If you've got photos of your paintings and a color cartridge in your computer printer, you can print your own Christmas cards featuring your artwork and a personalized greeting inside. These instructions show you how to set up the page you're going to print so that when it's folded, everything is where it should be.
• How to Fold a Christmas Card from a Sheet of Paper

See Also:
• Art Worksheet: Printable Christmas Card
• Painting Cards Demo & Worksheet: Pear Diamonds

Why not make your entire Christmas card yourself, starting with the paper? You could recycle failed paintings done on paper, or even last year's Christmas cards.
• How to Make Paper

Find inspiration from the Christmas cards other artists have made by browsing around the photo gallery of this painting project.
• December Painting Project: Make Your Own Christmas Cards