How to Paint Ornaments With 2 Different Methods
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The Spruce
For the holiday season, painting holiday ornaments can be a fun activity with children, and it is easier than you think. Use whatever shades of paint you like to customize your ornaments to match your style or give as gifts during the holidays. While the green and red color palette is classic, this tutorial instead features colors that you typically won't find in store-bought decorations. You can add a medium brushstroke pattern perfect for people who adore vibrant colors, abstract prints, and vivid details. Or you can try your hand at making wooden ornaments—either is fun for the family.
Preparations
Before you begin, wrap your workspace in kraft paper, contractor's paper, or a drop cloth to protect it from any paint drips or spills. Set out all of your supplies and take the tops off of your glass or plastic ornaments. For wooden ornaments, you might need to use a hot glue gun. Make sure your gun works and that it has a glue stick.
For glass or plastic ornaments, you need to create a drying rack. Push your cake pop sticks into the craft foam. Test out the distance between each post by placing unpainted ornaments on the sticks. Make sure the ornaments do not touch. You don't want your freshly painted ornaments to bump or get ruined.
For wooden ornaments, hang some string to create a drying line. Use the line to suspend and dry your ornaments. Make sure you have kraft paper or plastic beneath the drying line to catch any drips.
Safety Considerations
When making the wooden ornaments, you will need to use a glue gun if you don't have access to a drill or don't want to use eye hooks. Wear leather or heat-resistant gloves and safety glasses or goggles when using a hot glue gun. Keep the hot glue gun away from flammable materials.
Glass or Plastic Ornaments
Glass or plastic ornaments are the most common types of ornaments you see on a Christmas tree. At Christmastime, these ornaments flood holiday-themed stores and are likely the most affordable. If children are working on this project with you, the plastic option is your best bet if you want to avoid the combination of little slippery or clumsy hands and shattering glass. However, if this is an adult project, the paint seems to adhere a little easier on glass.
What You'll Need
Equipment / Tools
Glass or Plastic Ornaments
- Paintbrushes
- Bowls for paint
Wooden Ornaments
- Paintbrushes in various sizes
- Bowls for paint
- Electric drill (optional)
- Hot glue gun (optional)
- Heat-resistant gloves (optional)
- Eye protection (optional)
Materials
Glass or Plastic Ornaments
- Ornaments (glass or plastic)
- Chalky-finish paint (We used The Spruce Best Home in Heartwarming, White Bead Board, Casual Sophistication, and Skydive Blue)
- Kraft paper, contractor's paper, or canvas or plastic dropcloth
- Cake pop sticks (for drying rack)
- Craft foam (for drying rack)
- String or hooks
Wooden Ornaments
- The Spruce Best Home paint in White Bead Board
- Kraft paper, contractor's paper, or canvas or plastic dropcloth
- Masking tape
- Wooden craft balls
- String or twine
- Screw eye hooks (optional)
- Glue sticks for glue gun (optional)
Instructions
The DIY Ornaments Your Tree Deserves
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Gather Materials
Collect your materials and work on a protected surface.
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Apply Your Base Coat
Hold your ornament by its opening and begin painting your first coat. Chalky finish paint has great coverage after a single coat. Once your ornaments are painted, allow them to dry for 30 minutes to an hour. Once dry, go back and do any touchups if needed.
What Is Chalk Paint?
Chalky-finish paint resembles a surface covered in chalk, giving items a flat, matte-looking appearance. It is different from chalkboard paint; you can't write on it as you can with chalkboard paint. This latex-based paint cleans up with water instead of mineral spirits.
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Paint the Accent Color
There are two parts to the pattern. The first is the underlying shade. Select one of your paint colors and begin painting dashes all around the ornament. Once finished, let it dry for about 30 minutes.
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Make a Pattern
On top of the painted silhouette or accent dashes, go back and paint a dash in a different color on top of each one. Allow it to overlap slightly but allow the underlying color to show through.
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Let the Ornaments Dry
Insert cake pop sticks pointy side down into your craft foam to create a makeshift drying rack. Place your ornaments upside down onto the cake pop sticks. Wait a full hour to allow the ornaments to dry.
The Spruce
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Assemble and Display
After the ornaments have finished drying, replace the ornament caps, add some string or a hook, and display.
Wooden Ornaments
For fans of Scandinavian-influenced decor and minimalist aesthetics, wooden ornaments will skew closer to your taste. They're simple yet chic and look naturally stunning against the boughs of evergreen trees.
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Gather Materials
Gather all the items you'll need for creating these wooden ornaments and set them out on your workspace.
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Select Your Pattern and Apply the Masking Tape
Here we used a simple striped pattern, but the options are endless with masking tape. You can make stripes, scallop the edges, or cut out shapes; the list goes on. Once you've decided on a pattern, apply the tape to your wooden sphere.
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Start Painting
Take a medium-size brush and begin painting your ornament. Start with the exposed wood and gently work your way around the tape. Be careful around the edges to avoid the paint from seeping underneath the tape.
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Finish Pattern and Let Dry
If you'd like to add a second pattern, this is a great time to do so while your other side is drying. Then, allow your ornaments to dry for an hour. If needed, go back and do a second coat or any touch-ups.
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Remove the Tape
Carefully peel off the masking tape once your ornaments are completely dry. Pulling off the tape too early can smear the paint, so check to ensure the paint isn't still tacky.
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Glue String or Drill Hooks
A drill bit makes this part quick and easy. Drill a small hole and insert a screw eye hook. If you don't have an electric drill, you can hot glue a piece of string or twine to the top of your ornament. Tie a knot on one end, then glue the knotted end down to the top. Allow it to set and dry before lifting it by the string.
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Decorate the Tree
Hang your completed ornaments on the tree.
Other Types of Paint You Can Use
For this project, we used chalky-finish paint. It adheres well to most surfaces and has a unique, matte look. However, if you want a glossier look, most people use acrylic paint with glass or plastic balls. This painting technique is much different, requiring you to unscrew the ornament top and drizzling the paint inside the ornament using a squirt bottle. You are essentially coating the inside of the ornament with the paint color you select. This method allows your ornaments to have a shinier appearance from the outside.
Another method people like to personalize ornaments or recolor old glass or plastic ornaments is to use spray paint. It's less precise, but you can lay out an ornament on a piece of plywood or cardboard and spray a few coats (even mix different colors) for colorful effects.
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What kind of paint do you use for ornaments?
You can use several different types of paints on ornaments, including chalky-finish paint, acrylic paint, and spray paint.
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How do you seal acrylic paint on ornaments?
To seal the paint on your ornament, you can apply a clear craft sealer to the surface.
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How do you get paint to stick inside ornaments?
To paint the inside of an ornament, pour a small amount of paint inside, cover the open top with a paper towel, and then swirl the paint around until it coats the entire inner surface. Wait for the paint to dry completely before replacing the ornament top.