Colorful Winter Tree Silhouette Watercolor Art for Kids and Adults

Use watercolors and a black watercolor resist medium to create colorful winter tree silhouette art. Make this gorgeous winter tree painting with the step-by-step instructions below today!

Here’s a fun winter tree silhouette art project with a striking color contrast for kids or adults. Learning how to paint a winter tree with watercolors (and a black resist medium) is a fun winter-themed mixed-media art project and lesson activity for all ages. Invite children or adults to paint a colorful winter tree silhouette with watercolors at home (or in the classroom) using the winter painting ideas below. First published on January 18, 2018, this step-by-step winter tree art lesson is regularly updated to improve the content. You may also enjoy this list of winter art projects and painting ideas for kids.

Winter Tree Silhouette Watercolor Painting Idea:

Learning about color mixing and the science of resist mediums is an educational STEAM activity for kids. Learning about these creative art concepts and how to create them on paper makes learning fun at home or in the classroom. This colorful winter tree silhouette watercolor art project provides many learning opportunities for children and adults of all ages. Working with the science of resist mediums and watercolor paints is a process-oriented way to practice using watercolors with various shading and color-blending techniques.

How to Paint A Winter Tree Silhouette with a Black Resist Medium:

Painting a colorful winter tree silhouette with watercolors is an easy winter art project idea and STEAM activity for kids of all ages. This step-by-step winter tree painting idea is perfect for kids from toddlers and preschoolers to teens. Even adults will enjoy this creative watercolor art method. You might also enjoy painting a rose using the same watercolor painting technique. These watercolor art projects make creating winter tree art with striking color contrast easy.

Choose the Watercolor Resist Medium You Want to Use for This Mixed-Media Winter Tree Painting:

Before starting, choose the resist medium you wish to use to draw your winter tree silhouette: black crayon, black oil pastel, or black glue. Using black glue will create a winter tree with a thick raised texture, while oil pastel or crayon will lay flatter on the page. Black glue will need time to dry before painting, while black oil pastel and crayon can be painted over after they set for at least an hour, if not overnight.

Conversely, if you use black oil pastel for this project, please be mindful that it can smear on the page when rubbed, touched, or painted over in rough strokes, especially if it hasn’t had time to set. However, either of these resist media will prevent the paint from adhering to the page, keeping the tree black. Alternatively, you can paint with a colorful array of watercolors on a blank piece of cardstock or watercolor paper, then draw a winter silhouette over it with black oil pastel or crayon.

My daughter demonstrates how to use black glue to create a winter tree silhouette in the video tutorial below the step-by-step instructions. Scroll down for the simple step-by-step instructions on how to make black glue if you want to try this unique watercolor resist method.

Drawing and Painting a Mixed-Media Winter Tree Silhouette:

I recommend creating mixed-media winter tree silhouette art over two days. On the first day, invite artists to use black glue, pastel, or crayon to draw winter tree shadow pictures on watercolor paper or heavyweight cardstock. (Cardstock does not have the texture of watercolor paper, but it is thick enough to handle watercolor paints or watercolor paper.)

Once the black glue is completely dry, or the black oil pastel or crayon has set on the second day, paint over and around the winter tree silhouettes with watercolors. In other words, whether you choose black glue as the watercolor resist medium to make a winter tree silhouette or black crayon or oil pastel, artists can create two types of winter art. Focus on drawing winter tree art first, using a black resist medium. Next, focus on creating a color-filled winter tree silhouette watercolor painting. 

Working on this winter watercolor art project over two days also allows art students and homeschoolers to learn more with this fun winter STEAM activity for kids. It also allows parents and teachers to focus on one art technique at a time. This makes completing this winter silhouette art project much more straightforward and fun for kids and beginning artists. Scroll down to see the winter tree art supply list and the step-by-step instructions for this winter art painting idea, including the directions to make black glue. You might also enjoy creating Snowy Alpine Tree Watercolor Art.

Colorful Winter Tree Art Supplies:

You will notice that the materials on this list offer several options. Please read through the step-by-step instructions for this winter art activity before getting started so you can make a more informed choice about the art supplies you will use. Choose the art supplies you have on hand, or try something new. The recipe for black glue is in the step-by-step winter art instructions below.

• White glue and black acrylic paint, OR, black oil pastel, OR, black crayon
• Watercolor paper or cardstock (heavyweight works best)
• Stockmar watercolors OR watercolor paint palette OR liquid watercolors
• 3/4 – 1 1/2 inch flat wash watercolor brush OR flat wash watercolor paintbrush set
• Printable Winter Tree Art Template (Optional)

As you can see, you can use several types of art supplies to make colorful winter tree art. First, decide on the watercolor resist medium you want to use: pastel, crayon, or black glue. Learn how to make black glue with white glue and black acrylic paint with the easy step-by-step instructions below. Or, use black oil pastels or crayons to draw a winter tree silhouette. Then, use your favorite watercolor paints and a paintbrush to finish your winter tree art project. Scroll down for the complete DIY details.

Related: The Best Art Supplies for Kids

Winter Tree Silhouette Painting Step-by-Step Instructions:

Please read the watercolor winter tree art instructions before beginning this watercolor resist painting activity, so you know the steps and what to expect. In the photographs for this post and the winter tree art video tutorial, you can see my daughter (a kindergartener) demonstrate how to use black glue as the resist medium for the winter tree silhouettes. However, black crayon or oil pastel can be easily substituted.

In the winter tree silhouette video tutorial below, you can also see her demonstrate how to use a flat-wash watercolor brush in the video tutorial for this winter tree silhouette art project. Watch how she creatively mixes colors with different watercolor paint blending techniques in the video following these instructions. I sped it up a bit so it’s quick, but she’s such a young, talented artist that it’s fascinating to watch her work! You might also enjoy this STEAM experiment with watercolor resist media.

1. Prepare black watercolor resist medium:

• Make black glue (optional) or gather black oil pastels or crayons to draw winter tree silhouettes.
• To make black glue, follow the step-by-step instructions below for this winter art lesson.

How to make Black Glue:

Making black glue is simple and does not need to be measured; follow the directions below:

• Mix white glue with black acrylic paint to make black glue:
  • Add 1 tsp to 1 tbsp of black acrylic paint to a 4-ounce half-empty bottle of white glue.
  • Squeeze the black acrylic paint directly into the white glue bottle.
  • Vigorously shake the bottle of black paint and white glue to mix well.
  • When finished, invert the bottle and gently squeeze the black glue onto the page.
  • If the bottle of black glue runs low, add a little black acrylic paint and a lot more white glue to make more!

Please note: You do not need to make “black glue” look black. Because white glue dries clear, black glue will often appear grey until it dries completely. Remember, a little black acrylic paint goes a long way. You don’t need much. My daughter never measures, and it always turns out fine. We are constantly adding a mixture of white glue and black acrylic paint to our “black glue bottle” for the black-glue art projects we create, including the beautiful winter tree silhouettes shown in the photographs below. As you can see, painting with watercolors over black glue makes paintings look like faux stained glass!

2. Print, trace, Draw, or sketch a winter tree silhouette:

• Draw a winter tree with black oil pastel, black crayon, or black glue directly onto a blank canvas (watercolor paper or heavyweight cardstock), or print this winter tree silhouette art template onto heavyweight cardstock.
  • If you want to sketch the winter tree for this winter silhouette art project in pencil before adding the watercolor resist medium, use a drawing pencil to sketch a winter tree silhouette before tracing over it with a black crayon, black oil pastel, or black glue to create the base for your winter tree silhouette art.
  • Please do not use the printable template without a black resist medium covering it, or it will bleed black ink into the colors of your winter painting.
• Ensure the black resist medium you choose has enough time to set before moving on to the next step in this winter tree art project, or it too will bleed black into the colors in your watercolor painting.
• Black glue needs to dry overnight; black oil pastel works best after it sets for a few hours; and black crayon trees can usually be painted over immediately, but be aware that they can smear or pull a bit of black into the painting, especially when brushed over roughly.
• You can’t rush black glue because it will not resist watercolor paint until it dries. Learn more about working with a black resist medium in watercolor rose art.

3. Paint over the winter tree silhouette with watercolors:

• Invite children to use watercolors to paint the winter trees they made with a black resist medium, as shown in the photograph and video tutorial below.
• Please encourage them to use and paint with different colors as a fun way to learn about and experience color.
• Paint lightly around and gently over the winter tree silhouette for best results.
• Leaving a bit of white showing in the windows between tree branches will add light to the painting.
• Working with watercolors is a process-oriented way to help children understand the magic of color mixing and how to blend colors to create different shades, tones, and textures in their winter artwork.
• I recommend starting with wet-on-wet watercolor painting to develop an understanding of watercolor paints by working with each color if you, your children, or students have never painted with watercolors before.

Related: Heart Art Projects

How to Paint a Winter Tree Silhouette Video Tutorial:

Play the video below to see my five-year-old daughter (at the time) at work on the winter tree painting idea shown in the photographs for this post. First, she beautifully shows how to draw a winter tree silhouette with black glue (at super speed, with some help from my editing). Next, she demonstrates how to use a flat-wash watercolor brush correctly. Watch her creative use of colors, how she blends and layers them, and other impressive watercolor painting techniques to produce a gorgeous outcome.

I painted the other winter tree silhouette in the photographs, with her watching each step before I invited her to paint her own. (Remember, young children learn best by watching others.) Ensure you watch till the end; she finishes the video winter art lesson with a flourish not to be missed, which even surprised me because I was not in the room with her when she was painting. Isn’t she adorable!? Enjoy painting winter trees with this fun mixed-media watercolor art process for kids and adults!

Related: Watercolor Surprise Heart Art Painting Ideas

More Mixed-Media Watercolor Resist Art Projects for Kids:

Head over to see all the other watercolor and black-glue-resist art projects my daughter and I have created on this list below for even more black-glue-and-watercolor paint fun!

• Black Glue Rose Watercolor Resist Art Project
• Starfish Black Glue Watercolor Art Project
• Under the Sea Black Glue Art Projects
• Fall Leaves Black Glue Watercolor Resist Art

Silhouette Winter Tree Watercolor Painting Idea:

This colorful winter tree silhouette watercolor art project is also a great winter STEAM activity for children of all ages. It provides a wealth of learning opportunities for kids from toddlers to preschoolers, kindergarteners to teens (and adults, too)! For this reason, we like to split this winter tree painting idea into two parts.

Spend the first day drawing and tracing winter tree silhouettes with children at home or in the classroom. On the second day, invite them to paint their beautiful silhouette picture. This gives kids plenty of time to experience different art techniques and how they are used.

When young artists of all ages have time to master each watercolor technique, they learn more, enjoy the process, and are rewarded with the beauty of their final results. Isn’t that what art is all about? We hope you enjoy painting winter trees as much as my daughter and I do! You might also enjoy this fantastic collection of winter art projects and painting ideas.

Have a look at this cute collection of Valentine’s Day art projects. Learn more about Nell Regan Kartychok, author, photographer, and creator of this original winter tree art painting lesson HERE, and Rhythms of Play HERE!

More Art Projects for Kids (and Adults, too!):

• Easter Art Ideas for Kids
• The Best Fall Art Projects for Kids
• Halloween Art Projects Kids LOVE!
• Wet-on-Wet Watercolor Painting for Kids
• Best Christmas Art Projects for Kids