How to Paint Tambourines

Add style to your instrument.

Tambourines come in a variety of styles including drum-head style and homemade tambourines comprised of paper plates and dried beans. You can apply paint to any tambourine in order to give it extra personality or a fresh look. Painting a traditional tambourine made from animal hides requires special techniques similar to those used to paint leather. For paper tambourines, simply apply a coat of any desired acrylic or tempura paint and allow tambourine to dry.

Things You'll Need

• Acrylic paint
• Paint brush
• Medium grit sandpaper
• Fine grit sandpaper
• Water
• Acrylic spray
• Primer

Instructions

Wood

1. Sand the wooden rim of your tambourine with a medium grade sandpaper to remove all of the varnish.

2. Apply a primer to the wood if you wish to paint most of the surface. If you simply wish to add a few accents, you can either skip the primer step or apply primer to the entire surface. Allow the primer to dry for at least an hour.

3. Use acrylic paint to add accents, designs, or an overall color to your tambourine's wooden frame.

4. Allow paint to dry. Add a clear finish if desired. Apply two coats of finish, allowing drying time after each coat.

Tambourine Hide

1. Use a fine grit sandpaper to "raise the tooth" of the leather. Sand gently to avoid puncturing the tambourine.

2. Apply a mixture of one part white paint to two parts water to ready the surface for paint.

3. Use an acrylic paint to create any design you like on your tambourine. For extra precision, draw the design with pencil before applying paint.

4. Allow the paint to dry and apply a coat of a clear acrylic spray. Allow the spray to dry, then add a second coat of spray.

Tips & Warnings

• You may wish to use a leather dye or a paint made especially for leather for the tambourine hide.

References

• Leather Dyes and Paints
• Painting Leather Shoes
• Painting Wooden Cabinents