• 60 designs
  • Checked October 2026

Apron Painting Ideas

Press for three apron designs, each with its colors, the part of the apron it uses and the tool.

Apron Painting Ideas

Show all 60
  1. Root vegetables growing down from the waist seamOrange, purple, red, green. Leaves sit on the seam; a carrot, a beet and a radish point to the hem. Round brush.
  2. Mouse looking over the pocket top, paws on the edgeGray, pink, black. Round ears and a nose above the pocket; four toes over its rim. Liner brush.
  3. Pocket as a vegetable bed: orange roots on it, leaves above its edgeBrown, orange, green. Orange roots point down the pocket; feathery tops above its edge. Round brush.

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All 60 designs

The bib 12

  • Bow tie under the neck strap, shirt buttons down the bib Black, white. A bow at the top hem; four buttons in a column to the waist. Round brush.
  • Camera painted mid-bib, two strap lines up to the neck Black, gray, white. A lens ring and a flash square; the strap lines meet the neck strap. Round brush.
  • Collar and lapels painted at the top of the bib Any apron color, white, gray. Two collar points and two lapels, shaded on their lower edges. Flat brush.
  • Half-open zipper from the top hem, a bright lining showing Gray, silver, hot pink. Zipper teeth to mid-bib; a pink V opens above the slider. Liner brush.
  • Medal on a striped ribbon pinned to the left of the bib Gold, red, blue. A short ribbon in two stripes; a gold disc with a star under it. Liner brush.
  • Name tag painted at the top left of the bib White, red, black. A rounded rectangle with a red band; a name of your own inside. Paint pen.
  • Necktie dropping from the neck strap to the waist Navy, red, white. A knot at the top hem; slanted stripes down a long tie shape. Tape.
  • One oversized initial filling the whole bib Any apron color, white. A single capital of your own, as tall as the bib. Stencil.
  • Overalls look: two gold buckles and a stitched chest pocket Denim blue, gold, orange. Gold buckles under the strap ends; orange stitch dashes. Paint pen.
  • Scarf knotted at the neck with two tails down the bib Mustard, white. A knot under the strap; two tails of different lengths with dot pattern. Round brush.
  • String of big painted beads swagging across the bib Turquoise, coral, gold. Beads graded from small at the strap ends to large in the middle. Dotting tool.
  • Sunrise sitting on the waistline, rays up the bib Yellow, orange, pink. A half circle rests on the waist seam; rays reach the top hem. Flat brush.

Pockets 12

  • Joey with head and ears showing above the front pocket Tan, brown, pink. A small head and two ears above the pocket edge; paws over the rim. Round brush.
  • Mouse looking over the pocket top, paws on the edge Gray, pink, black. Round ears and a nose above the pocket; four toes over its rim. Liner brush.
  • Pocket as a bus: faces at its windows, wheels below its edge Yellow, black, white. Three window squares with dot faces; two wheels under the pocket. Paint pen.
  • Pocket as a paint bucket, color sloshing over its top edge Gray, silver, one bright. Bucket bands on the pocket; a wave of color spills above and down. Round brush.
  • Pocket as a toaster: two slices of toast popping above its edge Silver, tan, brown. A dial and a lever line on the pocket; two slices rise above its top edge. Round brush.
  • Pocket as a vegetable bed: orange roots on it, leaves above its edge Brown, orange, green. Orange roots point down the pocket; feathery tops above its edge. Round brush.
  • Pocket as a watering can, a long spout out past its edge Green, silver, pale blue. A handle and a long spout on the apron; drops fall from its rose. Liner brush.
  • Pocket as a window box, flowers rising above its edge Terracotta, green, red, yellow. Slat lines on the pocket; stems and heads on the apron above. Round brush.
  • Pocket as a woven basket with apples heaped above Tan, brown, red, green. Crossed weave lines on the pocket; five apples above its edge. Round brush.
  • Pocket outlined with dashed stitches in a contrast color Any apron color, white. Even dashes just inside all four edges of each pocket. Paint pen.
  • Pocket painted with arched stitching like jeans Denim blue, orange. Two arcs of stitch dashes across the pocket; a rivet dot at each top corner. Paint pen.
  • Twin pockets as a pair of eyes with lashes above White, black, blue. An iris and pupil fill each pocket; five lashes on the apron above. Round brush.

A child's apron 12

  • Bear tummy: a pale oval from bib to hem, paw prints beside Brown, cream, black. The oval fills the middle; a print on each hip. Stamp.
  • Caterpillar climbing from the hem to the neck strap Green, yellow, red. One body segment per color step; the head reaches the top hem. Sponge.
  • Dot-built capitals running from bib to hem down one edge White, five brights. A child's name, one letter under the next, each in its own color. Dotting tool.
  • Fish-scale skirt below the waist tie, the bib left plain Aqua, teal, gold. Rows of scales from the waist seam to the hem; gold on a few. Stencil.
  • Monster face: eyes on the bib, the pocket as its mouth Green, white, black. Three eyes above the waist; white teeth along the pocket's top edge. Flat brush.
  • Paint splats all over, the child's name in the biggest Six brights, black. Round splats with drips; a name lettered inside the largest one. Round brush.
  • Paintbrushes rising from the hem, each tip a different color Brown, silver, six brights. Handles start at the hem; a silver band under the bristles of each. Liner brush.
  • Party set: each child's name inside a balloon on the bib White, brights, black. One round balloon with a string per apron, a name of your own in it. Stencil.
  • Race suit: checked side stripes and a numeral of your own White, black, red. A checked band down each side; a large red numeral on the bib. Tape.
  • Rescue coat front: two bright bands and three buckles Yellow, silver, black. Bands cross the apron below the waist; buckles in a column on the bib. Tape.
  • Train track looping from the pocket up to the bib Gray, brown, red. Two rails and ties in one loop; a small engine near the top. Liner brush.
  • Two handprints at tummy height, where hands get wiped Any two colors. One hand each side of the middle, fingers pointing down. Handprint.

For a cook or a baker 12

  • Chef's jacket front: two columns of buttons on the bib White apron, black. Five buttons a side; a fine line for the overlapping front edge. Dotting tool.
  • Cooking pot at the waist with steam curls up the bib Gray, black, white. The pot sits on the waist seam; three white curls rise to the strap. Liner brush.
  • Five cupcakes sitting on the pocket's top seam Pink, white, brown, brights. Paper cases below, swirled tops above; sprinkle dots on each. Cotton swab.
  • Oven mitt painted over each hip pocket Red, white. A mitt shape covers each pocket, thumb toward the middle; white quilting lines. Flat brush.
  • Pie lattice over the lower half like a pie top Tan, golden brown, red. Woven strips from waist to hem; red filling in the gaps. Tape.
  • Piped icing loops along every edge of the apron Any apron color, white. Small joined loops follow the hem, the sides and the bib's top. Squeeze bottle.
  • Rolling pin lying on the waist seam, flour puffs around it Tan, brown, white. The pin lies along the waist seam; soft white puffs above and below. Sponge.
  • Root vegetables growing down from the waist seam Orange, purple, red, green. Leaves sit on the seam; a carrot, a beet and a radish point to the hem. Round brush.
  • String of chili peppers swagging across the bib Red, green, tan. A cord from strap to strap; peppers hung close along it. Round brush.
  • Tasting spoon on the bib with sauce dripping below it Brown, red. A wooden spoon at a slant; three red drips run toward the waist. Round brush.
  • Thirteen buns in rows on the bib, one with a bite gone Golden brown, cream. Rows of four, four, five; a cream cross line on each bun. Round brush.
  • White flour-look handprints on the hips of a dark apron Dark apron, white. One print on each hip, a little smudged, as if wiped there. Handprint.

For a gardener, a painter or a griller 12

  • A title of your own in capitals over crossed tongs Any apron color, white. Two lines of capitals on the bib; tongs and a spatula crossed below. Stencil.
  • Brush-wipe marks made on purpose across both hips Three colors. Short slanted strokes fan out from each pocket, heaviest by the opening. Flat brush.
  • Burger stacked from hem to bib: bun, lettuce, patty, bun Tan, green, brown, yellow. Wide layers across the whole apron; seeds on the top bun. Flat brush.
  • Flames rising from the hem in three colors Red, orange, yellow. Tall tongues of red at the hem, orange inside them, yellow at the core. Flat brush.
  • Grill marks: slanted dark lines across the bib Any apron color, charcoal. Six parallel lines with soft edges, a second set crossing them. Dry brush.
  • Paint drips from the top hem in spectrum order Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet. Six drips of mixed lengths run down the bib. Round brush.
  • Painted soil smudges and two knee patches near the hem Brown, tan, dark green. Two rounded patches with stitch lines; soft brown smudges around them. Sponge.
  • Pockets stenciled SEEDS and TWINE Any apron color, white. One word in capitals on each pocket, level with each other. Stencil.
  • Seedlings along the hem, each a leaf taller than the last Brown, green. A soil line at the hem; eight sprouts step up in height from left to right. Round brush.
  • Test swatches: brush strokes in rows, a name under each White, any twelve colors, black. Three rows of four strokes; a color name in small capitals. Flat brush.
  • Tool belt painted around the waist with a hammer loop Brown, tan, silver. A belt along the waist seam; two pouches and a hammer on one hip. Flat brush.
  • Vine climbing from one hip pocket to the neck strap Two greens. One stem rises from the pocket in an S curve; leaves in pairs. Liner brush.

How it works

A bib apron covers the front of the body, upper part included, usually with ties at the back. These 60 designs use the bib, the neck strap, the waistline, the pockets and the hem.

Read the full guide

The pocket is a prop

A pocket has a top edge that things can look over, so several designs put something in it: Joey with head and ears showing above the front pocket, or Pocket as a paint bucket, color sloshing over its top edge. On the bib, clothes are the joke: Necktie dropping from the neck strap to the waist.

Painted apron ideas for dad, a cook or a gardener

Twenty-four designs are for the person who wears it. Grill marks: slanted dark lines across the bib and Tool belt painted around the waist with a hammer loop suit a griller or a fixer; Pie lattice over the lower half like a pie top is a baker's.

Questions and answers

What paint do you use on an apron?

We do not test paints. Whether a paint stays soft on cloth, needs heat to set or survives the wash is on its label, so read it before you start.

Which apron designs can kids paint themselves?

The print ones. Two handprints at tummy height, where hands get wiped needs two hands, and Caterpillar climbing from the hem to the neck strap is one sponge dab per segment.

Are there paint party apron ideas for a group?

Yes. Party set: each child's name inside a balloon on the bib gives every guest the same design with a name of their own, and Paint splats all over, the child's name in the biggest lets each child choose the colors.

Do these designs work on a waist apron?

Many do. The pocket and hem designs need no bib, such as Seedlings along the hem, each a leaf taller than the last. The twelve bib designs need the upper part.

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