How to Potato Print a Border
Adding a border - elegant, whimsical or romantic - is one of the quickest and easiest ways to define a space or dress up a room.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Acrylic Paints
- Several Large Potatoes
- Sharp Knife
- Felt-tip Pens
- Rulers
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1
Choose the area you want to paint - around a door frame, or along the top of the wainscotting - and decide on a design.
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2
Mark your border, if you wish. Use a yardstick or tape measure to mark the desired height. Then use a yardstick and chalk to join the marks to create a faint, easily removable line that runs all the way across the wall or around the room.
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3
Cut off and discard 1/3 of a potato with one clean cut.
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4
Rinse the flat surface of the potato and dry it on a paper towel.
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5
Use a felt-tip pen to sketch your design on the flat surface.
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6
Score about 1/2-inch deep along the lines and carefully cut away or scoop out the unwanted part.
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7
Rinse and dry.
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8
Pour a small amount of paint onto a smooth, flat surface such as a glass pie plate.
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9
Stamp the potato gently onto the paint; then stamp it on the wall.
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10
Use a ruler, held above or below so you don't smear the paint, to find your next target and repeat the process.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Practice first. Use a quick, firm motion with no twist or slide to avoid smearing.
A border design can have several parts in different colors (for example, a quarter-moon in gold and a star in silver) but potato printing is a simple technique and works best with simple designs. If you want something more intricate, a stencil may be a better choice.
Potatoes are flat. If your walls are irregular, you would probably be better off with another technique such as sponge painting.
