How to Paint Mardi Gras Floats

A Mardi Gras float is usually brightly colored in purple, green and yellow.

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is a carnival put on at the end of the Epiphany season before the start of Lent. In the United States, it is most popular in New Orleans. This festival is now predominantly known for the huge celebratory parties and the parade with brightly decorated floats. Painting the floats is not in itself difficult, but some care must be taken to acquire appropriate paint and ensure that the float (usually made of papier-mâché) is completely dry. If you paint the float before it is dry, you may seal in moisture, making the float unstable and possibly dangerous.

Things You'll Need

• Paint
• Sealant
• Brushes

Instructions

1. Consider what type of paint to use on your float. Choose paint that you can buy in large quantities and that will be waterproof when dry. Acrylic paints will dry quickly to a waterproof finish, but they can be expensive and difficult to find in very large quantities. Oil paints, such as those used for house painting, will take days or weeks to dry, but they will also be waterproof. Oil paints may be slightly cheaper than acrylic; they are shinier and can be sculpted into textures. You can also mix and modify the color and texture easily while the paint is wet; however, if you are new to the concept of color mixing, you should avoid oil paints, which can easily become muddied.

2. Draw the design you want to paint on your float. Use a drawing instrument with which you are comfortable and that shows up on the papier-mâché.

3. Use house painting brushes and large artist brushes to paint your design. Avoid making details smaller than the smallest of your large artist brushes. Since you will be driving or walking your float, it will be difficult if not impossible for observers to see tiny details. Save yourself the work and focus on more important things. For example, if you have a papier-mâché figure, focus on detailing the face.

4. Avoid leaving any places without paint. The paint is a layer of protection in case it rains during the Mardi Gras parade, so you should paint even those areas that are invisible from the parade viewers. Use a paint that is a different color from the float so you can see where you haven't painted.

5. Protect your float by applying a sealant to it after the paint is dry. Look for a low-gloss or matte formula to avoid blinding parade-goers with sunlight reflection. You can find sealant in spray or liquid formulas. The spray will be better for areas too detailed or delicate for applying with a brush. These formulas are not as thick as the liquid ones, so apply multiple coats. Use liquid sealant on the body of the float.