Santa Claus drawing activity with simple-to-follow how-to-draw directions, perfect for decorating those bulletin boards at Christmas time.
Materials Needed for a Santa Drawing
It’s the time of year for learning about Santa Claus! Or, possibly, you need a fun and festive art activity for your classroom? Either way, this directed drawing activity will be a lot of fun for your students.
This Santa Claus-directed drawing can be adapted for any primary classroom or completed at home with a few simple materials. You will need white art paper, a pencil, an eraser, a fine black marker or Sharpie pen, watercolor paints, and a larger paintbrush. I recommend using proper painting paper because it can withstand water and won’t tear when used correctly.
Table of Contents
- Materials Needed for a Santa Drawing
- Santa Claus Drawing Directions
- Christmas Activities Fun Pack
- Directed Drawing Resources
Santa Claus Drawing Directions
When teaching this art lesson to a class, I recommend standing front and center and using a large easel and chart paper to draw on. Students can sit at tables with their supplies. I take things slowly, draw each step, and give each instruction one at a time. I give my students plenty of time to follow along and ask questions. You will have the most success with holiday drawings if you model the lesson this way and take your time.
Steps to Drawing Santa Claus – Part 1
Below are all the steps for the Santa Claus directed drawing art lesson.
Place a large white piece of art paper in landscape orientation. Start by drawing a small circle in the center of the page for Santa’s nose.
Next, draw two small cloud shapes on either side of his nose to make his mustache. Draw a flat cloud shape above his nose for the bottom of his hat.
Then, draw the outer part of Santa’s beard with a cloud shape again.
Add two circles above the nose for Santa’s eyes. Inside his eyes, draw two smaller circles for his pupils, as well as two more tiny circles inside.
Next, draw a bean shape on top of each eye for Santa’s eyebrows. Give Santa a small smile.
Draw a curved line on both sides of Santa’s face connecting the top of his mustache to the bottom of his hat.
Steps to Drawing Santa Claus – Part 2
Draw a curved line on each side of Santa’s body, starting from his lower beard down to the bottom of the page. Add another, smaller curved line on each side, going down to give Santa arms.
Give Santa a belt buckle by drawing an open rectangle in the center at the very bottom of the page. Add a smaller open rectangle inside.
Join the buckle and the arms with straight lines going across. Draw two small circles above the buckle for Santa’s buttons.
Now for Santa’s hat. Tell students that it is supposed to look like Santa’s hat goes off the page. Draw a curved line going up from the left end of the hat to the top of the page.
Then, draw another small cloud shape on the right side of the hat.
After that, draw two short curved lines going up from the cloud shape. One line will go to the top of the page, and the other only partway to make it appear that Santa’s hat is hanging to the side.
Steps to Drawing Santa Claus – Part 3
Use a fine-point black marker or Sharpie pen to trace all the lines of the Santa Claus directed drawing. Erase the pencil lines with a good white eraser.
I usually complete the activity over two days. On day one, we complete the drawing and the tracing with a black marker. One day, two, we paint.
If your class hasn’t used watercolor paints before, you should demonstrate how to make proper brush strokes with a paintbrush and the water-to-paint ratio. I usually use larger paintbrushes rather than the small ones typically included with watercolor paint sets.
Use watercolor paints to paint the red parts of Santa’s coat and hat first.
Next, paint his face (with or without rosy cheeks) and paint his belt buckle. Lots of Santa will be left white (the rim around his coat and hat), so make sure to point that out to children.
It is up to you if you wish to leave him on white paper or paint the background. I chose a bright green for the back to make Santa pop! You could also cut Santa Claus out and glue him onto construction paper or other special paper.
Steps to Drawing Santa Claus – Part 4
Once everyone completes their Santa Claus-directed drawing, place them somewhere to dry completely. Don’t make the mistake of hanging them or putting them upright. Paint and water would drip down onto the pictures.
Once dry, I recommend hanging them up or creating a fun Christmas bulletin board display. Send them home so families can hang out and enjoy Santa, too!
Christmas Activities Fun Pack
Looking for Christmas activities for kids? Grab them all in the Christmas Fun Pack by Proud to be Primary.
This resource includes many games and activities to make Christmas fun in the classroom or at home. Choose from partner games, independent activities, worksheets, printables, and centers. There’s plenty to incorporate all month long!
Directed Drawing Resources
Free Printable Instructions for a Jolly Santa Drawing
You can download and print the instructions for the Santa Claus directed drawing to use in your classroom this holiday season by clicking the image below.
More Festive Directed Drawing Activities
Snowman Directed Drawing Activity
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This drawing is so cute, loved it.
wrong…
I hate it
nah you are a real butckeek liiil bro 67 peace out 67