How to Draw Christmas Lights - Easy Art Tutorial

Step by Step Christmas Lights Drawing

Learning how to draw Christmas lights is really easy and a lot of fun. They are bright, colorful, and would be perfect for making your own holiday cards. Art should be relaxing and fun. So let’s have some fun.

The History of Chalk Art

Chalk art has been around for centuries, and artwork created with chalk dates as far back as prehistoric cave art. Since chalk is a natural material, it makes sense that cave people would use it to make their art.

Later, in the 15th century, chalk was commonly used to create art. Black, red, and white were used to create drawings on paper. This was often how ideas were sketched out and concepts were refined. Many of Leonardo Da Vinci’s drawings were done using chalk.

Today a full range of colors are available for artists to use. Chalk is used on streets and sidewalks, as well as on paper. There are some incredible works of art created using chalk.

* Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. This means I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.

Art Supplies

Christmas lights stencil
Pencil
Black construction paper
Cardstock
Chalk pastels

Get your FREE Christmas Lights Template

How to Draw Christmas Lights | Chalk on Black Paper

This Christmas art project uses stencils for the light bulbs to keep them uniform in size and shape. They can be used for both positive and negative space.

Begin by cutting the Christmas lights stencil out from cardstock. You can use our template or make your own.

For this first Christmas project with chalk we are going to use the stencil to make the positive space for our lights.

Trace around the stencil with a pencil, placing three or four lights on your paper. You can put them all in a row and facing the same direction.

Or you can vary them like I did here. It just depends on what you prefer. There’s no right or wrong way. Make your artwork your own.

Choose a color of chalk to use for your first Christmas light. Trace around the outside and color in the inside of the light bulb.

Then use a light value of the same color to add some highlights. Use your finger to blend the colors and make them smooth.

Chalk is very messy. You’ll want to periodically tap your paper on the edge of the garbage can.

Use white to trace around the outside edge, and to draw the filament inside the Christmas bulb.

Now we need to make it look like the light is glowing. To do this use both values of your color, along with white, and draw some radiating lines all the way around your Christmas light.

Blending Chalk Art Christmas Lights

Next, use your finger to blend the lines.

Repeat this process for the remainder of you light bulbs.

Use green to color in the base of the bulbs of your Christmas lights. You can use a light and a dark green. Along with some white as well.

When all of the bases are done, draw the wire using the same green chalk pastels.

How to Draw Simple Christmas Lights

This next Christmas art project with chalk will focus on the negative space. You’ll learn how to make a Christmas lights drawing with chalk that illustrates the glow of the lights.

Begin by cutting the Christmas lights stencil from cardstock or other stiff paper.

Place it somewhere on your paper. For this chalk drawing, I placed my bulbs evenly across the paper. However, you can arrange them in whatever way you like.

Choose a color and make short lines going around the outside edge of the stencil.

With the stencil still in place, use your finger to blend the chalk smooth.

Tap your paper in the side of the garbage can to remove the excess chalk residue.

Repeat this process for the rest of your Christmas lights.

Use white chalk to draw the base for each light bulb, and to add the wire to connect the strand of Christmas lights.