One of the easiest ways to create your own, handmade Christmas cards is to use watercolor paints and wax resist. It's also a technique that can be learned and used very quickly, so it's ideal if you've left making your Christmas cards to the last minute.

How does it work? It's based on the fact that oil or wax and water don't mix, so you draw with the wax on a sheet of paper or card, then paint over it with a water-based paint. Where the wax is, the water in the paint is repelled. The paint either runs off it or collects in little drops on it, revealing the image you created with the wax.

What Supplies Do You Need

To make a Christmas card using this technique, you need some watercolour paints, a brush (use a big one that'll hold a lot of paint, rather than a small one), some wax crayons (if you don't have any, a wax candle will also work, though it's not as easy to draw with), a glue stick, and some card (if you haven't any card, take some sheets of paper from your computer printer).

Using a white wax crayon rather than a coloured one is better because then the 'drawing' doesn't show up and unless you look closely it's a little bit of a mystery as to why the paint hasn't covered the areas of the card. But that's just a personal preference; the color of the wax crayon or candle doesn't play any role in repelling the paint.

Folding the Card and Drawing the Design

If you're using a piece of printer paper, fold it in half twice so it's thick enough to stand up by itself. (You can glue it together now, but I prefer doing this once I've painted it -- that way, if I somehow make a mess of it, I at least haven't wasted my time on the gluing too.)

Decide whether you're going to create a design on just the front of the card, or on the front and back. Then using a wax crayon (or candle) draw the design. Keep it simple -- the wax-resist technique works best with strong lines, not fussy details.

To see what you're drawing when using a white wax crayon, put the card or paper near a light source such as a lamp or window, and you'll be able to see the wax shining on the paper.

Next step is to paint the card and reveal your Christmas design!

Painting the Card Use a large brush that will hold a lot of paint, rather than a small brush that you have to keep reloading with paint. And rather mix up more watercolor paint than you think you'll need than run out! Then simply apply the paint boldly, across the whole card, and in an instant you've got a Christmas card.

Tip: If you've used a white wax crayon, paint with strong colors so the design stands out.

Multiple Colors

Don't think you need to limit yourself to one color. You can use as many as you like, whether wet-in-wet, (as here) or wet-on-dry.

Glue It Together

If you've used a sheet of paper rather than cardboard to make your Christmas cards, it'll be far more rigid if you glue the folded sides together. Just be a bit patient and wait for the paint to dry completely before you do though. (Or use a hairdryer to speed it up.)

The Finished Christmas Card

Now your card is finished, all you still need to do is write a message inside, pop it in an envelope, and post it.

But what's that, you're worrying that your cards aren't good enough to send out? Rubbish! In this age of mass-production, it's a delight to receive handmade Christmas cards, to receive something that a friend's taken the time to make, rather than an arbitrary card bought in a supermarket discount bin.

Merry (handmade and hand-painted) Christmas!

- Article by Wale Bello