Taking a work from the Whitworth’s collections, Jake walks you through how you can create joyful festive versions of your favourite photos/paintings and other works, to create for presents/cards etc.

In my spare time all I can think about is drawing. I find it such a good way of processing the often mind-boggling stream of visual stimulation that we’re bombarded with throughout the day and transforming it into a form of therapeutic escapism. When you’re drawing you have complete control over the worlds that you’re making and what you fill them with, which can feel like a real superpower. I don’t know about you, but for me there is no time more magical, whimsical, and to be honest, overwhelming than Christmas – so there seems no better time to escape into the world of a pen and paper. It’s a rewarding and creative way of reengaging with the fantasy of Christmas, long after you’ve become numb to this year’s latest John Lewis advert. 

Drawing is the most relaxing when you don’t have to think too hard and this is made easier by just copying pictures that already exists. In this picture here I’ve reworked Dürer’s ‘St Anthony the Hermit’, or ‘St Anthony Before the Town’, to embody the spirit of Christmas. It already struck me as quite festive – a bearded figure in a long coat and pointed hood, sat before a German castle town certainly isn’t an odd image to see on biscuit tins and greetings cards around this time of year. All I really had to do was add some string lights, presents, a reindeer and a sprinkling of snow and we’re there! 

If you don’t fancy drawing your own world, and like me would rather add a bit of festive flare to a favourite picture or artwork, here are some little ideas for you: 

What kind of things can make your picture feel more Christmassy? 

• Try drawing the central character in a fun festive outfit. They could be dressed as St Nicholas? In a reindeer onesie? Decorated like a Christmas tree? Donning a big woolly sweater and snow boots or maybe even a snowflake print dressing gown! 

• Are they holding anything? If they are, what can you swap it out for to maximise the wintery vibe? Some Bells? A Christmas cracker? A half-eaten mince pie? A bottle of Eggnog? A Christmas list? 

• Do they have a companion? A sprite? A woodland critter? A child on their knee? An Elf? A Steed or Mount? 

• Can you change the weather? If you’re going for accuracy – add some icy winter rain! Is it a bright frosty morning or night-time with a starry sky and a flying sleigh?

• How would the space be decorated? With string lights? Christmas trees? Carol singers, or all of the above! 

• If in doubt stuff your picture full of festive symbols – snowflakes, holly leaves, mistletoe– cover every last inch!! Be a Christmas maximalist! 

• The last thing you need to do is colour it in. You can’t beat a good colour scheme. There is nothing more festive than a coating of red, white and green. 

These kinds of picture ‘remixes’ do make relaxing festive time-wasters as well as personalised Christmas Cards, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t fun and adaptable for the rest of the year. Here are some handy tips to get started in tracing and transforming your favourite pictures: 

Different Ways to Trace:

• Trace using a bright window. Simply lay your blank sheet of paper over a printed version of the picture you’re tracing and hold them both up to a bright window. The picture at the back will start showing through. Trace! 

• Trace using a lightbox. Lightboxes are basically drawing boards filled with LED lights that do exactly the same as a bright window but more powerfully and more reliably. They also come with adjustable brightness levels so can work on a big range of paper types all the way up to heavy cardstock. 

• The same principle is true of a bright white tablet or phone screen. However, if you’re using one of these be careful! Only trace using soft materials and press gently. 

• Tracing paper. The old classic! Layer your tracing paper over the image you wish to work on and trace – that’s it! Just remember to fix the tracing paper to a sheet of white backing paper so that it’s easier to see when you’re finished creating. 

• Best of all: Don’t bother tracing – just draw what you see in front of you, no ones cares if the end product is wonky or you go over bits with some sketchy lines. If you lose yourself in the drawing, then it doesn’t matter, and that energy comes through! 

All of that being said, have a wonderful Christmas! It’s definitely easy to get bogged down in the commercial side of this time of year and all of its expectations but just remember that festive magic is alive and well, especially in your imagination and there is no better outlet for it than creating something, however big or small. 🙂

-Jake

Do you want to see other posts from our Whitworth Advent calendar? Click here.