Raindrop in three blues, darkest at the round endPale blue, mid blue, navy. Cap up. Three bands blended while wet; one white highlight on the shoulder. Flat brush.
Dozing face on the neck, the cap in nightcap stripesPeach or brown, blue, white. Cap up. Closed eyes on the neck of the bulb; blue and white rings on the cap. Paint pen.
Chick sitting cap down on orange feetYellow, orange, black. Cap down. Yellow glass; a small beak on the widest part; the cap orange. Flat brush.
Eggplant with green calyx points reaching from the capPurple, green, white. Cap up. Purple glass; green points reach from the cap onto it; a white shine line. Round brush.
Garlic bulb with purple streaks running up to the capWhite, cream, purple. Cap up. Thin purple streaks follow the curve from the round end to the neck. Liner brush.
Giant Christmas light with a green cap for a socketOne bright transparent color, green. Cap up. The glass one color all over; the cap dark green. Flat brush.
Jewel drop with painted facetsOne gem color, white, black. Cap up. Triangle facets ruled around the glass in two tints; the cap gold. Paint pen.
Owl with wing scallops around the widest partBrown, cream, orange. Cap up. Two cream eye discs high on the glass; feather scallops below. Round brush.
Paper lantern with gold ribs from cap to tipRed, gold. Cap up. Red glass; eight thin gold lines run from the cap down to meet at the tip. Liner brush.
Pear, its blush on the round end, stalk at the capYellow-green, brown, red. Cap up. A red blush sponged on one side of the round end; brown cap. Sponge.
Penguin with a belly that fills the round end of the glassBlack, white, orange. Cap up. White round end; black neck and back; an orange beak where the glass narrows. Round brush.
Raindrop in three blues, darkest at the round endPale blue, mid blue, navy. Cap up. Three bands blended while wet; one white highlight on the shoulder. Flat brush.
Santa with his beard covering the round endRed, white, peach. Cap up. The cap red as the hat; a peach face band below it; white beard to the tip. Flat brush.
Spider dangling by the cap, legs folded around the glassBlack, white, purple. Cap up. Eight bent legs wrap the round end; two white eyes near the tip. Paint pen.
Toy sack tied at the neck with a painted cordTan, brown, red. Cap up. A cord and bow painted where the glass narrows; two patches on the round end. Liner brush.
Cap down 12
Alien head with large dark eyes, the cap as its collarGreen, black, silver. Cap down. Two slanted black ovals on the widest part; the cap silver. Round brush.
Crystal ball on its stand, stars and mist insidePurple, white, gold. Cap down. Sponged purple mist and white stars on the glass; the cap gold as the stand. Sponge.
Cupcake, the screw threads of the cap as its paper casePink, white, any case color. Cap down. Frosting swirled over the round end; the cap one flat color. Round brush.
Dandelion seed head stippled over the top of the glassWhite, pale gray, green. Cap down. White seed strokes radiate from the top of the glass; the cap green. Liner brush.
Fruit tree with the cap and neck as its trunkGreens, red, brown. Cap down. Leaf dabs cover the round end; red fruit dotted over them; brown below. Sponge.
Gumball machine, candy balls packed over the round endSix candy colors, red, white. Cap down. Dots of every color touch each other; the cap and neck red. Cotton swab.
Microphone with a mesh head and a black handleSilver, black. Cap down. Crosshatch lines over the round end; a black band at the neck; the cap black. Paint pen.
Octopus with eight arms curling down the neck to the capTeal, pale teal, white. Cap down. The round end is the head; arms with sucker dots run to the cap. Round brush.
Parachute canopy in wedges, the cap as its cargo crateOrange, white, brown. Cap down. Alternate wedges meet at the top of the round end; cord lines down the neck. Tape.
Snow globe scene on the glass, the cap painted as its standWhite, green, blue, red. Cap down. A small tree and falling snow on the front of the glass; the cap red. Liner brush.
Speckled blue egg, the cap painted as the cup under itPale blue, brown, white. Cap down. Blue glass flecked brown; the cap white with one painted stripe. Old toothbrush.
Toadstool, red over the round end, the neck as its stalkRed, white, cream. Cap down. Red over the top half of the glass; white spots; the neck and cap cream. Cotton swab.
Animals and faces 12
Black cat face with whiskers across the widest partBlack, yellow, pink, white. Cap down. Yellow eyes high on the round end; a pink nose; the cap left bare. Round brush.
Chick sitting cap down on orange feetYellow, orange, black. Cap down. Yellow glass; a small beak on the widest part; the cap orange. Flat brush.
Dozing face on the neck, the cap in nightcap stripesPeach or brown, blue, white. Cap up. Closed eyes on the neck of the bulb; blue and white rings on the cap. Paint pen.
Fox head with the cap as the tip of its muzzleOrange, white, black. Cap down. White cheeks narrow with the glass; the cap black as the nose. Flat brush.
Frog sitting on the cap, yellow throat under a wide grinGreen, yellow, black. Cap down. The mouth line runs halfway down the glass; eyes near the top. Round brush.
Goldfish on its side with scale arcs along the glassOrange, yellow, white. On its side. The round end is the head; rows of arcs run back to the cap. Round brush.
Hedgehog on its side, quills combed back over the glassBrown, tan, black. On its side. Short dark strokes from the neck toward the round end; the cap tan. Liner brush.
Horse head with a white blaze running down to the capBrown, white, black. Cap down. A blaze from the top of the round end to the neck; eyes at the sides. Flat brush.
Mouse on its side, pink ears painted behind the neckGray, pink, black. On its side. Gray glass; the cap pink as a pointed nose; a tail line along the back. Round brush.
Pig lying on its side, the cap as its snoutPink, darker pink, black. On its side. Pink glass; the cap pink with two black nostril dots on its end. Flat brush.
Queen with the cap gilded as her crownPeach or brown, gold, red. Cap up. A face on the neck of the bulb; a red robe over the round end. Liner brush.
Whale on its side, smiling from the round endBlue, pale blue, white. On its side. A pale belly along the underside; the cap painted as the tail root. Flat brush.
Easy one-color finishes 12
All gold, cap includedGold. Either way up. Two thin coats over glass and cap alike. Flat brush.
Chalkboard black with a word of your ownBlack. Cap up. Matte black glass; one word chalked on the round end once it is dry. Flat brush, chalk.
Clear bulb with only the cap paintedOne bright color. Either way up. The glass stays clear; two coats on the threaded cap. Small flat brush.
Color sponged dense at the tip, thinning toward the neckOne color. Cap up. Dab closely at the round end and more sparsely higher up until the glass is clear. Sponge.
Crisscross net of thin lines over the round endOne color. Cap up. Thin lines one way, then across them, clear diamonds of glass between. Liner brush.
Drips running from the cap down the shouldersOne color. Cap up. Load the brush at the neck and let each drip find its own length. Round brush.
Half painted, half clear, split from cap to tipOne color. Cap up. Tape a line down both sides of the bulb and paint one half. Tape, flat brush.
Lower third of the glass dipped at a slantOne color. Cap up. Dip the round end into the paint at a tilt; the rest stays clear glass. No brush needed.
One-color dots growing toward the round endOne color. Cap up. Pinpoint dots at the neck, thumb-size dots at the tip, clear glass between. Cotton swab.
Single painted line winding from cap to tipOne color. Cap up. Turn the bulb slowly and keep the brush still; six turns from the neck to the tip. Liner brush.
Sponge-stippled frost all over, the cap left bareWhite. Cap up. Dab thin white over all the glass until it looks frosted. Sponge.
Streaks dragged down the glass with a nearly dry brushOne color. Cap up. Pull the brush from the neck to the round end; clear gaps stay between the streaks. Flat brush.
How it works
A classic light bulb is a pear of glass on a threaded metal cap. Which way up it goes decides the design: cap up, the cap is a hat; cap down, a collar or a stand. All 48 say which.
Read the full guide
Cap up, cap down or on its side
Cap up, the round end is the body: Penguin with a belly that fills the round end of the glass. Cap down, it is a head, a treetop or a globe: Gumball machine, candy balls packed over the round end. Five animals lie on their side, such as Pig lying on its side, the cap as its snout.
A decoration, not a lamp
Every design is for a burnt-out bulb kept as an ornament; none of the 48 goes back into a socket. Easy one-color finishes holds 12 with no picture to draw, such as Lower third of the glass dipped at a slant.
Questions and answers
What paint sticks to a light bulb?
That is on the label: glass is smooth, and whether a paint grips it is its maker's claim, not ours. Acrylic paint is fast-drying and most kinds become water-resistant when dry. We do not test paints.
Can a painted light bulb go back in a lamp?
Not one from this list. All 48 designs are written for a burnt-out bulb kept as a decoration, and each line says which way up it goes: cap up, cap down, on its side or either way.
Which designs use the metal cap?
Cap up it is a hat, a stalk or a crown; cap down it is a base, a collar or a nose: Speckled blue egg, the cap painted as the cup under it, Fox head with the cap as the tip of its muzzle.
Where are ideas for drawing a light bulb on paper?
On the list of light bulb drawing ideas: 80 drawings, from worlds inside a bulb to bulbs as other things. This page is the bulb itself as the thing you paint.