How to Paint Terracotta Pots – Easy Tutorial

Now that spring has sprung, I want to plant a ton of flower seeds to brighten up the yard, porches, and my home. That means it is time to paint terracotta pots for my flower seeds.

If you have been following my creative adventures, then you know I love a DIY project! I chose to use clay pots since they are inexpensive and super easy to paint. I am still enjoying the flower pot I painted, and I added a stencil and my spring flower pots. This new one will be enjoyed for years to come. 

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Flower Pot Painting 

My inspiration for my flower pot design was from a thumbprint counting booklet my daughter made in preschool years ago. The cheery little bees would be perfect on my hand-painted terracotta pots. 

After gathering just a few simple items, I was ready to transform my terracotta pot with paint. 

Supplies

• Chalk paint white
• Chalk paint yellow
• Plant pots (terracotta, clay)
• Marker (this is the one I used)
• Paintbrush or foam brush
• Polka dot ribbon
• Sealer Mod Podge or spray sealer 

Gather supplies and prepare your Pots for Painting

Since we used a new terracotta pot, we did not need to clean it before painting. However, if your clay pot is dusty or dirty, you can use a brush and water to clean it. Allow it to dry completely before painting. 

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Supplies for painting clay flower pots

We used a paintbrush to apply two coats of paint to the pot. You can use a foam brush if you prefer. 

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Hand-painting each coat of paint

Painting the Design 

To paint the body of the bee, I used my thumbprint. With a little trial and error, I discovered the best way to add paint to my thumb. Using a paintbrush to apply the paint to my thumb gave the best results. I practiced making thumbprints and the bees on paper before attempting to paint them on my flower pot. 

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After applying the bee body (thumbprint), I allowed the paint to dry before adding the other details. 

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Thumbprint bee body

Using my favorite paint marker (this is the one I used), I added a smile to my bee.

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Drawing the bee’s face

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Drawing on the bee’s eye

After drawing the bee’s face, I added stripes and a tail on its body.  

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Drawing on the bee’s stripes

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Drawing the bee’s antenna

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Using a paint marker to draw wings on the bee

Then I added a dotted line of the bee’s flight pattern. 

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Once I had finished adding bees to the flower pot, I decided it needed a polka dot ribbon to finish it.

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It turned out better than I imagined! 

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Flowerpot painted pot with bees and ribbon in the garden

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See you soon,

Kippi

As seen on Between Naps on the Porch