Paint an Easy Snowman Painting on a Thrift Store Painting

While ghosts were the hot thing to add to thrift store art this last fall, I say it’s time to bring in the winter version which is snowman! Even If you’ve never painted a simple snowman (snow person or snow woman!) before, it’s a DIY that’s actually very fast and easy to do, and they end up looking so cute and even kids and beginners can paint them! If you don’t want to paint directly on your thrift store painting or art artwork, you can grab the free printable below, cut them out, and use a low tack adhesive to add them to your work for just the season. You can also use this easy snowman painting tutorial to create one of a kind works of art on your own painted backgrounds such as painting your own landscape on Canvas board. as always if you’re going to paint on old artwork, make sure it’s not valuable or something you might want to display later without a snowman in it. If you are going to use this project for a paint party, it’s easier and more economical to use blank canvas boards. Otherwise, have everyone bring their own vintage artwork to paint on. There is a quick instruction video along with this post if you need more visual clues.

A painted snowman with a red scarf stands beside a small pine tree in a snowy scene, set against a dark blue sky with falling snowflakes. Fir branches frame the wooden surface.

Supplies you will need to paint an easy snowman

-Large flat paintbrush

-Small flat paintbrush,

-Liner brush

-White acrylic craft paint such as Titanium White

-Orange acrylic paint

-Black acrylic paint

-Brown acrylic craft paint such as burnt umber

-Red or blue acrylic craft paint for scarf color

Paint A Backdrop or Use a Vintage Painting or Print

If you’re using your own canvas paint your backdrop first and let that dry. If you’re adding your snowman to an old thrift store painting or print, you’re ready to go! We painted a night sky background by painting dark blue paint on the upper 2/3 of the canvas board and white with a little gray paint on the lower 1/3.

A hand painting a blue and white abstract artwork on a square canvas, with a signature reading "Jennifer Rizzo" in the corner.

Add the Snowman Base to the Canvas Surface

You can use the template below to transfer the snowman shape to your artwork, or you can just freewheel it by painting circle. Start by painting three circle stacked on top of each other make the largest circle at the bottom and the smallest circle at the top. Let that dry. It may need a second or third coat of paint. Let dry between layers.

Person painting white circles on a dark blue canvas with a brush.

Brighten the Background with Easy Snowflakes

Use the back of the brush dipped in white paint to create dots of “snowflakes” on the canvas while the snowman base layer dries to paint a snowy night.

A hand paints a white snowman and snowflakes on a dark blue background. Artist signature "Jennifer Rizzo" is in the bottom corner.

Paint the Snowman Faces with Eyes and Details

Once your initial snowman is painted, you’re ready to create his or her personality! Use the back of the brush handle to dip into black craft paint and create two of the snowman’s eyes and a mouth. On one of my snowman, I decided to just paint a smile with the bristle end of the brush, but you can always use the back end of the brush just to create little dots for lumps of coal in the smile. Also use the back of the brush to create three lumps of cold down the front

Hand painting a smiling snowman on a square canvas with falling snow against a dark blue background.

Paint on the Snowman Arms

Use a thin liner, brush and brown paint to draw stick arms. This is an easy as drawing a straight line straight out of the body and then a little Y angle at the end of the stick to finish the arm. You can add a little white paint along the top when it dries if you wanna make it look like there’s snow resting on the arms.

A person paints a smiling snowman on a dark blue canvas with falling snowflakes, using a paintbrush and black and white paint.

Add the Painted Carrot Nose

Once the eyes and mouth are painted in, use a bit of orange to create a small sideways triangle to make a carrot nose. You can also do a black dot for the lump of coal nose.

A person paints the carrot nose of a snowman on a winter-themed canvas with a brush.

Embellish and Add Small Details

Add a hat and scarf with a small brush. We painted a black top hat and a red scarf, but you can do any color you like.

A person paints a snowman on a canvas. The snowman has a red scarf, carrot nose, and is set against a night sky with falling snowflakes.

Once your adorable snowmen are painted, you’re ready to display your artwork! Here is one we painted separately, cut out and then taped onto a vintage painting with low tack double sided tape. You can also grab this as a printable for personal use to decorate with!

A painted snowman with a red scarf and black hat stands next to a tree in a snowy landscape with pink-tinged trees.

Below you can also grab the free printable for personal use to either use as a template or print and cut out to add to your winter and Christmas decor!

Five snowmen with various hats, scarves, and facial expressions are illustrated. One is a simple sketch, and the others are in different styles and poses.

We hope you loved this acrylic painting tutorial for making snowman art! Happy painting!