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how to draw a christmas present

How to draw a christmas present - a free christmas present drawing guide

Draw a Christmas present with ribbon and bow, adding patterns, shading, and highlights to practice proportions and symmetry. Finish by coloring neatly.

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Photos of Christmas present drawing examples

Step-by-step guide to draw a Christmas present with ribbon and bow

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How To Draw A Christmas Present

What you need

Paper, pencil, eraser, ruler, coloring materials such as crayons markers or colored pencils, black pen or fineliner, tissue or blending stump for shading

Step 1

Clear a flat workspace and lay out your materials where you can reach them easily.

Step 2

Draw a neat rectangle in the middle of the paper using your ruler to make the sides straight.

Step 3

Lightly draw a vertical and a horizontal centerline across the rectangle to help keep things symmetrical.

Step 4

Draw a ribbon across the box by tracing two straight lines along the centerlines from one edge of the rectangle to the other.

Step 5

Draw a bow where the ribbons cross by sketching a knot and two loops on either side at the ribbon intersection.

Step 6

Add repeating patterns on the wrapping paper like stripes dots or small stars keeping the designs balanced on both sides.

Step 7

Pick where the light is coming from by pointing to a corner of the paper so you know where highlights and shadows will go.

Step 8

Shade the side of the box and the underside of the ribbon that is away from the light using your pencil and blend with the tissue to make it smooth.

Step 9

Gently lift small highlights on the ribbon and bow with your eraser to make them look shiny.

Step 10

Trace the final outlines of the box ribbon bow and patterns with your black pen or fineliner to make everything crisp.

Step 11

Erase the faint centerlines and any extra pencil marks so your drawing looks clean.

Step 12

Color the wrapping paper carefully staying inside the lines and keeping your strokes neat and even.

Step 13

Color the ribbon and bow neatly using brighter colors and add tiny darker strokes where you shaded to keep depth.

Step 14

Draw a soft shadow beneath the box with pencil and blend it to make the present sit on the page.

Step 15

Take a photo or upload a scan and share your finished Christmas present drawing on DIY.org

Help!?

What can I use if I don't have a fineliner, ruler, or blending tissue?

Use a well-sharpened dark pencil or thin permanent marker to trace the final outlines instead of the fineliner, a straight edge like a credit card in place of the ruler for drawing the rectangle and ribbon lines, and a cotton ball or your fingertip to blend the pencil shading if you don't have tissue.

My ribbon looks uneven and my shading is blotchy—how can I fix this?

Redraw the vertical and horizontal centerlines lightly with your ruler to realign the ribbon before inking, then build shading in light layers and blend each layer with tissue as the instructions say to avoid patchy tones.

How can I adapt this drawing for younger or older kids?

For younger children, print a rectangle to trace and let them color the wrapping paper with crayons while skipping the shading and eraser-highlight steps, and for older kids, challenge them to add perspective, detailed repeating patterns, and use fineliner plus blending tissue to refine the ribbon, bow, and shadows.

How can we make the present drawing more special or advanced?

Personalize the gift by drawing a name tag and adding metallic gel-pen highlights on the bow after inking, or extend the activity by making several stacked boxes with different patterned wrapping papers, ribbon colors, and deeper blended shadows to create a scene.

Watch videos on how to draw a Christmas present with ribbon and bow

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Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

Learn How to Draw a Christmas Gift for Kids | Easy Drawing Tutorial

4 Videos

Facts about drawing and shading for kids

🎁 The custom of exchanging decorated gifts at winter festivals has roots in ancient traditions and evolved into today's Christmas present ritual.

🎀 A simple ribbon bow is tied using the same basic knot principle as a shoelace knot — make two loops and knot them together!

📐 Artists use proportion tools like grids and the rule of thirds to keep drawings balanced and help both sides match for symmetry.

🖌️ Chiaroscuro (Italian for 'light-dark') is a classic shading method that makes flat drawings appear three-dimensional with highlights and shadows.

🎨 Small, even strokes and steady pressure make coloring look neat and smooth — coloring edge-to-edge helps keep bright, clean finishes.

How do you draw a Christmas present with ribbon and bow, adding patterns, shading, and highlights?

Start with a light pencil sketch: draw a rectangle for the box and a straight cross to place the ribbon centered. Sketch a bow on top with two mirrored loops and tails. Add patterns (stripes, dots, stars) by repeating shapes on both sides to practice symmetry. Pick a light source, shade away from it and under the bow for depth, and add small highlights on the edges. Finish by coloring neatly with pencils or markers and refine outlines with a fine pen.

What materials do I need to draw and color a Christmas present with ribbon and bow?

Materials you'll need: plain drawing paper or cardstock, a pencil (HB and a softer 2B if available), eraser, ruler for straight ribbon lines, colored pencils or washable markers/crayons for neat coloring, a fine-tip black pen for final outlines, and a white gel pen or small eraser for highlights. Optional: blending stump or cotton swab for smooth shading, and a sharpener. Choose non-toxic, child-safe supplies and a protective surface to keep the table clean.

What ages is this Christmas present drawing activity suitable for?

This activity suits ages 4–12 with adjustments: preschoolers (4–6) can draw a simple box, add big ribbon shapes and color within broad areas with supervision. Ages 7–9 can work on symmetry, simple patterns, and basic shading. Older children (10–12+) can practice proportional measurements, more detailed bows, advanced shading, and highlights. Always adapt complexity, provide guidance for scissors or sharp tools, and let children work at their own pace to build confidence.

What are the benefits of drawing a Christmas present with patterns, shading, and highlights?

Drawing a wrapped present builds fine motor skills, hand–eye coordination, and spatial awareness through proportion and symmetry practice. Shading and highlighting teach light-source observation and basic value control, while adding patterns boosts pattern recognition and creativity. Coloring neatly encourages focus and patience. It's a low-cost, screen-free holiday activity that supports confidence and art technique development. Supervise use of sharp pencils or tools, and let children choose f

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All Activities

how to draw a christmas present

How to draw a christmas present - a free christmas present drawing guide

Draw a Christmas present with ribbon and bow, adding patterns, shading, and highlights to practice proportions and symmetry. Finish by coloring neatly.

Table of contents

Drawing Apps

Photos of Christmas present drawing examples

Step-by-step guide to draw a Christmas present with ribbon and bow

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

How To Draw A Christmas Present

What you need

Paper, pencil, eraser, ruler, coloring materials such as crayons markers or colored pencils, black pen or fineliner, tissue or blending stump for shading

Step 1

Clear a flat workspace and lay out your materials where you can reach them easily.

Step 2

Draw a neat rectangle in the middle of the paper using your ruler to make the sides straight.

Step 3

Lightly draw a vertical and a horizontal centerline across the rectangle to help keep things symmetrical.

Step 4

Draw a ribbon across the box by tracing two straight lines along the centerlines from one edge of the rectangle to the other.

Step 5

Draw a bow where the ribbons cross by sketching a knot and two loops on either side at the ribbon intersection.

Step 6

Add repeating patterns on the wrapping paper like stripes dots or small stars keeping the designs balanced on both sides.

Step 7

Pick where the light is coming from by pointing to a corner of the paper so you know where highlights and shadows will go.

Step 8

Shade the side of the box and the underside of the ribbon that is away from the light using your pencil and blend with the tissue to make it smooth.

Step 9

Gently lift small highlights on the ribbon and bow with your eraser to make them look shiny.

Step 10

Trace the final outlines of the box ribbon bow and patterns with your black pen or fineliner to make everything crisp.

Step 11

Erase the faint centerlines and any extra pencil marks so your drawing looks clean.

Step 12

Color the wrapping paper carefully staying inside the lines and keeping your strokes neat and even.

Step 13

Color the ribbon and bow neatly using brighter colors and add tiny darker strokes where you shaded to keep depth.

Step 14

Draw a soft shadow beneath the box with pencil and blend it to make the present sit on the page.

Step 15

Take a photo or upload a scan and share your finished Christmas present drawing on DIY.org

Help!?

What can I use if I don't have a fineliner, ruler, or blending tissue?

My ribbon looks uneven and my shading is blotchy—how can I fix this?

How can I adapt this drawing for younger or older kids?

How can we make the present drawing more special or advanced?

Watch videos on how to draw a Christmas present with ribbon and bow

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

Learn How to Draw a Christmas Gift for Kids | Easy Drawing Tutorial

4 Videos

Facts about drawing and shading for kids

🎁 The custom of exchanging decorated gifts at winter festivals has roots in ancient traditions and evolved into today's Christmas present ritual.

🎀 A simple ribbon bow is tied using the same basic knot principle as a shoelace knot — make two loops and knot them together!

📐 Artists use proportion tools like grids and the rule of thirds to keep drawings balanced and help both sides match for symmetry.

🖌️ Chiaroscuro (Italian for 'light-dark') is a classic shading method that makes flat drawings appear three-dimensional with highlights and shadows.

🎨 Small, even strokes and steady pressure make coloring look neat and smooth — coloring edge-to-edge helps keep bright, clean finishes.