How to Paint Jewelry

Painting on jewelry gives your pieces an extraordinary appearance. The options are wide open when it comes to embellishing your own bracelets, necklaces, earrings and pins. All it takes is some determination, practice and a willingness to try something new. Using wooden jewelry is one of my favorites, but glass beads and metal pieces can be painted just as easily using acrylic paint and varnish. The paint is non-toxic and safe for children to use.

Things You'll Need

• Beads
• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrush
• Liner brush
• Flat brush
• Water basin
• Paper towels
• Palette
• Acrylic varnish
• Practice paper

Instructions

1. Shake the paint bottles to mix the paint well. Pour a dime-sized puddle of each color onto the palette.

2. Disassemble a beaded necklace and lay the beads flat. Make sure the beads are clean and smooth. If using wood beads, simply wipe them with a clean, moist cloth and dry them with a paper towel. For metal or glass beads, clean with vinegar and let them air-dry completely.

3. Load a dry #2 Filbert paintbrush with paint and practice the brush strokes on the scrap of paper before painting on the beads. This will give you an idea of how the strokes will appear on the surface. In this case, you will practice a heart stroke by placing the brush on the paper and pressing it lightly so the brush hairs and paint spread out a little bit. Pull the brush toward you, moving on a curve, and lift as you do so. End the stroke with no hairs touching the paper, and a teardrop type of mark will be made. Add another teardrop mark alongside the first one so they are touching and you will have a heart shape.

4. Hold each bead by its outer edge and place the teardrop marks onto the bead so they form a heart. Let the strokes dry. When each bead is painted and dry, move onto the next step. Clean the Filbert brush with water until all the paint is removed. Blot it dry on a paper towel.

5. Load a 10/0 liner brush with a contrasting color of paint (your choice). Roll the brush hairs to form a point and lightly place a curved stroke around one side of the heart shape. Perform this stroke on all of the beads and let them dry. Clean the brush with water until it is completely paint-free. Dry with a paper towel.

6. Load a #4 flat brush with varnish and brush the surface of each bead. Let them dry. Brush another coat of varnish over the first coat and let it dry. If you have painted both sides of the beads, varnish both sides, allowing each bead to dry thoroughly between applications of varnish.

Tips & Warnings

• Spray varnish works just as well for a clear finish, but must be sprayed in a well-ventilated area.

• Acrylic paint is non-toxic, but children should be monitored when using it. All types of varnish should be applied in well-ventilated areas.