Santa comforting portrait for greeting card

A charming, reassuring Santa portrait optimized for greeting cards frames him from mid-torso up, positioned slightly to the right of center, rendered in a polished 3D-illustration mix with smooth surfaces and subtle, rounded shading. He looks directly at the viewer with a gentle, empathetic smile and soft, kind eyes, both hands lifted toward the camera in a calming “it’s okay” gesture, palms outward and slightly angled down, fingers relaxed rather than stiff, as if he’s soothing or encouraging someone. His classic red suit with plush white fur trim and muted green gloves reads clearly and cleanly against a large field of copy space that fills the left side and upper area: a warm, modern background gradient that moves from creamy off-white at the bottom to a soft golden-beige higher up, with only the faintest, very low-contrast arcs to suggest subtle light reflections. A warm key light from the upper left gently illuminates Santa’s face and palms, while softer, cooler ambient fill keeps shadows under his hands and along the side of his coat smooth and friendly. The expansive background remains empty of ornaments, patterns, or any visible text, keeping the composition minimal and flexible while Santa’s open-handed gesture and direct eye contact make the viewer feel personally addressed.