How To Draw A Christmas Candle?
In this tutorial, I will show you how to draw a simple Christmas candle using just a few basic shapes. While more complex candle drawings are possible, this easy method allows anyone to create a cute, festive candle with minimal effort and basic supplies.
Drawing a Christmas candle is a fun way to spread holiday cheer through art. These simple candles can be used as decorations, crafts, or drawings to give as gifts. With a little practice, you’ll be able to quickly sketch sweet, colorful candles perfect for the Christmas season!
Gather Materials
Before drawing your Christmas candle, make sure you have the necessary art supplies on hand. The main materials you will need include:
- Paper – Use blank white printer paper, drawing paper, or mixed media paper.
- Pencil – Recommend a regular #2 pencil. You’ll need this to sketch out the candle.
- Eraser – An eraser is helpful for fixing any mistakes in your pencil sketch.
Optional coloring supplies can enhance your artwork. Consider using:
- Crayons
- Colored pencils
- Markers
Gather your preferred drawing and coloring materials so everything is ready before you start the candle drawing process.
Draw the Candle Wick
The wick is the thin string that goes through the center of the candle. It’s what allows the candle to burn. To draw the wick, lightly sketch a vertical line in the center of where your candle will be.
It’s recommended to make the wick line about 1/3 the height of the candle you’ll be drawing. This provides a good visible wick without it overwhelming the size of the candle. Use a light touch so the wick line is visible but not dark and prominent.
Make sure you leave enough space at the top to later draw the flame. The wick line sets up the foundation for the rest of your candle drawing.
Draw the Candle
Once your wick is in place, it’s time to draw the main candle shape. For this, you’ll want to draw a long, narrow oval shape above the wick. Make sure to leave a little space between the wick and the bottom of the candle – this will allow the flame to stand out from the candle later.
To draw the oval candle, start just above the wick and make a long arc up towards the top of the candle, then bring it back down symmetrically on the other side. Don’t worry about making it a perfect oval shape, a rough, hand-drawn look is fine. Just be sure the candle is noticeably narrower at the base and gets wider towards the middle and top.
Make the candle as tall or short as you like. A height of around 5-6 inches tends to work well. Leave the outline of the candle uncolored for now – you’ll add color later. At this point, you should have a long oval candle shape framing the wick you already drew.
Add Candle Details
Now that you have the basic shape of the candle drawn, it’s time to add some finishing details to make it look more realistic. Here are some easy ways to enhance your candle drawing:
Draw a small flame shape at the top of the wick. Use curved, wavy lines to create the flame. Make it proportionate to the candle, not too large or too small. Try using orange and yellow colors to color in the flame.
Add horizontal lines on the candle to show ridges. These lines demonstrate where wax has pooled and dripped down the candle. Use a ruler to draw straight lines from top to bottom along the candle in various places.
Consider adding diagonal drips coming down the side of the candle to illustrate melted wax. Draw these with the edge of your pencil for clean lines. Vary the lengths and thickness of the drips.
Draw the Candle Holder
To complete the candle drawing, we need to add a holder below the candle. This will help ground the candle and give it a sense of stability. Sketch a cupped shape below the candle for the holder. Recommend making it about 1/3 the height of the candle.
Lightly draw a upside-down U shape, similar to a cup or small bowl. Make sure to leave enough room between the bottom of the candle and top of the holder. Having about 1/3 of the candle height be space in between is a good proportion. This will allow us to add decorative details to the holder in the next steps.
Once you have a basic U shaped holder sketched out, you can refine the shape. Make sure the edges are smooth and even. You may want to angle the sides slightly outward. Add a slight circular base to the bottom of the U shape. With the main holder form drawn, we can start adding great details to finish it off!
Color the Candle
Now it’s time to add color to your candle drawing. Grab whatever coloring tools you prefer – crayons, markers, colored pencils, or paint. Consider using a realistic candle color like yellow, off-white, or light brown. Alternatively, get creative with fun colors like red, blue, purple, or rainbow colors.
Color in the main candle shape but leave the wick black. The black wick will make your candle look more realistic. Avoid coloring the candle holder and leave that area white like real metal candle holders.
Use your coloring tool to fill in the candle with smooth, even strokes. Add multiple layers of color for a richer, bolder look. Vary the pressure as you color to make parts lighter or darker. The final candle color is up to you – just have fun making it your own!
Add Background
Adding a fun background around your candle drawing helps bring it to life. Try lightly sketching in some festive elements using your pencil. Snowflakes fluttering down, little pine branches, Christmas ornaments, and bows are all classic options.
Keep the background details subtle so they don’t overwhelm your main candle subject. Use light, sparse lines and don’t go overboard. You just want to suggest a sense of the season.
Aim to scatter the details evenly around the candle so that no one area looks too cluttered. Leaving some empty space also helps the main candle really pop. Pick 1-2 key background elements and lightly draw them around the candleholder and flame.
Once you’re happy with the look, go over the background lines with pen or marker to make them stand out. This fun, festive backdrop will give your holiday candle drawing even more seasonal spirit!
Final Details
Your Christmas candle drawing is almost complete! Now it’s time to add those finishing touches to really make your artwork shine. Here are some final details you can add:
Erase any sketch lines. If you lightly sketched your candle design in pencil before outlining with marker or pen, now is the time to gently erase those initial sketch marks. This will give your finished drawing a crisp, clean look. Be careful not to smear the marker/pen lines as you erase.
Use markers for bold outlines if desired. Go over your main outlines again with bolder marker strokes to make them stand out. Black and other dark color markers work best for this. The bold outlines will help define the different elements of your candle drawing.
Add shading or patterns. Consider using colored pencils, pens, or markers to shade areas of your candle for extra dimension. Try light, smooth strokes. You can also use patterns like polka dots or stripes if desired. Just be creative with patterns and textures!
Sign your artwork. Finally, don’t forget to sign and date your drawing in the corner, bottom, or wherever you’d like. This gives your Christmas candle artwork an extra special, finished touch.
Display and Enjoy Your Art
After completing your Christmas candle drawing, it’s time to proudly display it and enjoy your artistic creation! Consider displaying your finished candle drawing in a frame or on the refrigerator. Note the candle can be hung up or used on homemade cards or holiday decorations. Get creative in how you choose to show off your drawing.
Add your personal artistic touch by decorating the drawing further. For example, you can add glitter, stickers, or other embellishments. Or make the background more festive by drawing in Christmas trees, snow, wreaths, or other holiday-themed items. The possibilities are endless, so don’t be afraid to get creative and make the drawing your own!
Gift your drawing to family or friends and spread holiday cheer. Or keep it for yourself as a reminder of your artistic talents. No matter how you choose to display and enjoy your Christmas candle drawing, take pride in creating a unique handmade work of art.