Can a rainbow Christmas tree be a real thing? I wish! But we can at least paint one in the hopes of a real one, right?

For this painting, you need the following supplies and my five simple tips.

Supplies:

• Paint: LUKAS Aquarell 1862 Watercolor
• Brush(es): Creative Mark’s Mimik Synthetic, round size 2 and 6
• Paper: Stonehenge Cold Press Watercolor Block
• Jars of water
• Paper towel or cotton rag
• Pencil and eraser
• All of my favorite supplies here

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Tip #1: Paint in values

Value refers to the relative lightness or darkness of a color. As you’re painting each color, introduce water to your brush to paint in a lighter value. Or pick up paint directly from the palette for a darker value.

Tip #2: Use the broad side of your brush

I’m using the round size 6 brush for the tree (and a size 2 for the smaller details). Instead of using just the tip of the brush to paint your strokes, bend the brush and use the full width of it for broader strokes. That’s one of the reasons why I love round brushes!

Tip #3: Leave white space

Notice how between each color tier I’m adding a little bit of white space. This creates a bit of dimension in your painting. And if some of the paint happens to touch each other and bleed, that’s okay! Just roll with it. 🙂

Tip #4: Don’t be afraid to mix colors

One of the best parts of painting a rainbow christmas tree is that you get to experiment with color! Mix colors on the palette, on the paper, it’s up to you. Watch the video below to see me mixing and picking up color from my palette.

Tip #5: Have fun! And try new variations

Here are some variations if you’re looking to try this painting again:

• Change up the color scheme – monochrome or complementary, or analogous colors
• Use a different shaped brush (what about the fun fan brush, or a flat brush?)
• Play with the wet-on-wet method and add color (or water!) as you paint

Can you think of a new variation?

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Watercolor Rainbow Christmas Tree – Real Time Painting

Thanks for following along!

I’d love to see your watercolor apples! Feel free to tag me (@AudreyRaDesign) on Instagram or Facebook and use the hashtag #PaintWithAudrey.

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