Potting glitz

This painting project will bring colour and sparkle to your outdoors, and the kids will love getting involved.

Learn how to paint terracotta pots

You’ll need

For basecoats, the kids chose:

We also used:

If you are planning to grow plants in your pots, paint inside and out with Resene Aquapel and Terracotta Sealer.
Plan out your design on paper or with pencil on your pot – this is a good exercise for older children.
Do a basecoat and wait to dry. For keen painters, waiting is hard work, but patience pays off.
Have fun painting! If you plan to plant them later, remember to paint over the rim and an inch down inside the pot.

Painting pots with your kids

Paint pots to brighten up your garden

Decorate painted terracotta pots and plant flowers

Soft-tipped brushes work best – the paint goes on smoothly without scratches.
For budding artists, try cotton buds. In addition to reducing the amount of paint the kids slop on, the small dots are a neat design feature. Younger children will also love using fingers, and what a cool way to display their handprints.
Try a few Resene metallic testpots to add a bit of glitz.

Tip: For pops of colour at this time of year, try planting pansies, polyanthus, lobelia, calendula or alyssum.