Simple Project How-To: Painting Lampshades
If you can draw simple shapes, you can make these lampshades -- it's that easy. Start with a hard-back, fine-weave lampshade, a fine-line black paint pen, and acrylic paints. Just outline any desired design, brush on the color, and turn on the light.
Geometric Squares
Pencil in loose guidelines for these geometric shapes, but allow for the charm of hand-drawn graphics. A soft-bristle brush barely loaded with paint creates a transparent, watercolor look.
What You Need
- Hard-back, fine-weave lampshade
- Extra-fine DecoColor opaque paint marker (140-S Black) or comparable paint pen such as Krylon (not a permanent marking pen)
- Brushes: Royal Soft Grip SG 250 #6 and #10 round-tip nylon head and SG 157 #10 shader square (or any brush suited for acrylic paints)
- DecoArt Americana acrylic crafts paint: Sable Brown (B) and Toffee (T)
- Delta Ceramcoat acrylic crafts paint: Medium Victorian Teal (MVT)
- Plaid FolkArt acrylic crafts paint: Sky Blue (SB)
- Trim as long as the circumference of the shade's bottom edge (optional)
- Hot-glue gun (optional)
Download and print geometric patterns
Scattered Rectangles Instructions
- Using the black opaque paint marker and starting at the seam, draw large rectangles randomly around the shade, sketching the four sides then rounding the corners.
- Fill in with smaller rectangles and circles, being careful to vary the patterns on adjacent rectangles.
- Apply paint to a dry shade. Load a little water on a #10 shader brush, then dab on a paper towel to blot excess liquid. Dip in T and dab lightly where desired on all rectangles. Allow to dry, then brush on more T, mixed with less water, for a more opaque look. Using the same technique, apply SB and MVT. Finally, use a #10 round brush to fill in the circles with B. Allow to dry.
- If desired, affix trim to the shade's bottom edge with hot glue.
Measured Rectangles Instructions
- Measure the shade's top and bottom circumferences. Divide by an even number of desired rectangles (so two color blocks don't end up side by side) to determine the width of each shape. Using a pencil, indicate tick marks at that width around the top and bottom of the shade. Using the black opaque paint marker, connect the tick marks at the top and bottom with vertical lines.
- Decide how many rows of rectangles you want from top to bottom (this pattern has three). With a pencil, mark lines horizontally down the shade along the back seam (e.g., to make three stripes on an 18-inch vertical shade, mark every 6 inches). With the black opaque paint marker, draw rough horizontal lines around the shade to create an irregular grid.
- Fill in each block with smaller rectangles and circles, purposely skewing some lines if necessary to account for tapered edges.
- Paint shapes as in Scattered Rectangles, alternating sections of SB and MVT. First, apply each color with a damp brush and let dry. Then paint accents with the same solid color, mixed with less water for a more opaque look. Paint the circles SB.
- If desired, affix trim to the shade's bottom edge with hot glue.
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