How to Paint Roses on Flower Pots
Plant your flowers in a pot as beautiful as the plants that will soon grow in them. Any terra-cotta flower pot can be transformed from its original brown to a customized creation with a few layers of paint and sealant. Painted flower pots make excellent gift ideas and can often be sold for a significant profit. Or keep them to yourself and adorn your home with homemade, professional-looking flower pots.
Things You'll Need
- Terra-cotta flower pot
- Sand paper
- Styrofoam or plastic
- Acrylic or latex paint (various colors)
- Brush or sponge
- Rose picture
- Tracing paper
- Transparent plastic (at least two millimeters thick)
- Permanent marker
- Sharp knife
- Tape
- Water-based polyurethane
Instructions
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1
Prepare the pot for painting by sanding down any rough spots on the outside of the pot. Stuff the inside of the pot with plastic garbage bags to prevent excess paint from touching the inside of the pot.
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2
Paint the outside of the pot with two or three coats of the desired base color. Allow the paint to dry.
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3
Create a stencil of a rose. Locate a picture and trace only the dominant lines onto tracing paper. Lay a transparent plastic material over the traced picture. This material should be at least two millimeters thick. Trace the image with a thick permanent marker. Cut out the stencil carefully, using a very sharp blade to cut around the lines rather than along them. The lines determine what part of the plastic must remain for the stencil.
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4
Secure the stencil to the pot so that it will not shift. Apply paint to the stencil with a small brush or sponge. Allow the paint to dry and remove the stencil. Repeat as desired.
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5
Let the pot dry overnight.
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6
Seal the outside with two or three coats of a water-based polyurethane. Make sure the polyurethane is acceptable for use on a painted surface.
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Tips & Warnings
Patio Paint brand paint is ideal for terra-cotta pots and is available at most craft stores. When the pot needs to be cleaned, use only a soft damp brush. An abrasive surface will damage the finish and design.
Avoid mistakes by testing the stencil on a piece of paper or test pot before applying it to the flower pot. Identify what colors should be used where and perfect your technique. Avoid using oil-based polyurethane on the outside of the pot. It will cause discoloration of the painted design.
