Ideas for Hand-Painted Flowerpots

Solid Colors

• Paint the lip around the pot in one color and the body of the pot in a second color. This can be the first step in painting a larger, more complex design, or this can be a design unto itself. This makes the pot more colorful, and you can even match the color of the pot to the flowers you're planting inside it. For example, if the flowers you're planting in the pot will be purple and gold, consider painting your pot in 2 shades of gold or 2 shades of violet to accentuate the colors of the flowers.

Geometric Designs

• After painting your base colors on the pot, add a pattern of polka dots, swirls or other geometric designs. Any standard pot becomes more interesting and funky when you paint rows of repeating shapes on the side. This should be an easy option for most adults -- even adults who lack confidence in their own artistic abilities. Use a stencil to ensure a consistent size for all the shapes.

Garden Theme

• Give a new level of meaning to your flowerpot painting by choosing shapes that are garden-related. By painting flowers, ladybugs, bees, butterflies and other subjects often seen in a garden, you can make your flowerpot's design mirror its function. Stick to subjects that can be painted with minimal colors and in easy-to-paint shapes.

Stencils

• For anyone lacking confidence in their ability to paint designs on a pot, stencils will make the same design over and over again without variation. Some craft dealers will even sell stencils that are curved to the shape of a pot for easy handling. Stencils may also be cut from bendable plastic that can easily conform to the shape of a pot.

Tips

• Choose your color palette and design ahead of time. To avoid painting something you're unhappy with, don't rush into the painting process without a plan. Choose colors that either match the room, the flowers in the pot or colors that have a relationship to each other on the color wheel. Keep your design simple. Don't overwhelm yourself with an ambitious design unless you already have a lot of experience painting pots. To add additional visual interest to your pot, try applying the paint using alternative tools, like sponges, fingertips and paint pens. To add flash and texture, glue glitter, rhinestones or tiny decorative tiles to the surface of your pot.