Object Painting Ideas: Picture Frames and 13 More Objects

Three designs at a time for a frame, a mask, a mailbox or eleven other objects, each with its colours, prep and brush. Pick a group to stay with one object.

Object Painting Ideas: Picture Frames and 13 More Objects

Show all 40
  1. Colour-dipped corners on bare woodBare wood, one bright. Sand; tape a diagonal across each corner and paint only the triangle outside it. Flat brush.
  2. Sunflower centred on one cornerYellow, brown, green. The brown centre sits on the bottom right corner; petals spread along both rails from it. Round.
  3. Bumblebee bands across the two side railsYellow, black, white. Yellow base coat; tape black bands across both side rails, tiny white wings at each corner.

Next step Paint a small canvas to go inside the frame

All 200 designs

Picture frames 40

  • Beach frame with sand below and sea above Sand, turquoise, white. Bottom rail sand, top rail sea, side rails blended between the two. Sponge the join.
  • Birthday candles standing on the bottom rail White, five brights, yellow. Striped candles stand along the bottom rail, a flame on each; one candle per year.
  • Bumblebee bands across the two side rails Yellow, black, white. Yellow base coat; tape black bands across both side rails, tiny white wings at each corner.
  • Bunting strung across the top rail White, four brights, black. A sagging black line across the top rail; small triangle flags hang from it. Liner, round.
  • Cat peeking over the top rail Grey, white, pink, black. Ears and eyes on the top rail, paws hooked over the inner lip, tail down one side rail.
  • Checkerboard as wide as the rail Cream, sage. Cream base coat; tape squares the width of the rail so a whole square lands on each corner. Flat brush.
  • Clouds on the top rail, rain down the sides Sky blue, white, grey. Blue base coat; clouds along the top rail, short rain dashes down both side rails. Round brush.
  • Colour-dipped corners on bare wood Bare wood, one bright. Sand; tape a diagonal across each corner and paint only the triangle outside it. Flat brush.
  • Crayon-box stripes for a school photo Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. Tape equal stripes across each rail, one colour each, repeating in order.
  • Dashed treasure trail to a red X Tan, brown, red. Tan base coat; a dashed trail wanders round three rails to a red X on the fourth. Brown paint pen.
  • Dry-brushed gold over black on a moulded frame Black, metallic gold. Black base coat; drag an almost dry flat brush across the ridges so only high points catch gold.
  • Film strip with sprocket holes Black, white. Black base coat; small white rounded squares evenly spaced down the two side rails. Paint pen.
  • Fingerprint caterpillar along the bottom rail Green, yellow, black. One fingerprint per body segment along the bottom rail; legs and face in paint pen once dry.
  • Four corners, four seasons Green, yellow, rust, ice blue. One motif per mitred corner: blossom, sun, leaf, snowflake. Rails plain. Round brush.
  • Four pencils, one per rail Yellow, pink, silver, black. Each rail is a pencil: yellow shaft, silver band and pink rubber one end, point the other.
  • Gold inner lip on a plain frame White or black, metallic gold. Frame one flat colour; only the sloped inner edge beside the photo is gold. Small flat.
  • Handwritten caption along the bottom rail White, black. Prime, two coats of white; letter the place and date along the bottom rail only. Black paint pen.
  • Height chart ticks up the left rail White, black, one bright. Ruler ticks up the left rail, a number at every fifth; an arrow at the height on the day.
  • Ivy climbing from the bottom left corner White, two greens. White base coat; the vine starts in one corner and climbs two rails, leaves in pairs. Liner brush.
  • Ladybirds crawling along the top rail White, red, black. White base coat; five ladybirds walk the top rail, one turning down a side. Cotton bud for spots.
  • Lemons at the corners of a blue frame Cobalt, lemon yellow, green, white. Blue base coat; one lemon per corner, leaves along the rails between. Round brush.
  • Little houses along the bottom rail White, five house colours, black. A terrace along the bottom rail, roofs at mixed heights, windows in paint pen.
  • Marbled swirl dragged with a cocktail stick Navy, white, gold. Dot wet colours along one rail, drag a cocktail stick through in one pass, then the next rail.
  • Mown pitch stripes for a team photo Two grass greens, white. Alternate greens in bands along each rail; a white quarter arc on every corner. Liner.
  • Night sky frame with splattered stars Navy, white, pale yellow. Navy base coat; flick white from a stiff brush, add a few larger yellow stars by hand.
  • Ombre fade from top rail to bottom rail Navy, mid blue, pale blue. Dark top rail, pale bottom rail; blend down the two side rails wet into wet. Wide flat.
  • Painted tape strips holding each corner White, three pastels. A short diagonal strip over each corner, as if tape held the photo up. Small flat brush.
  • Paw prints walking round the frame White, black or tan. Prints walk clockwise from the bottom left, toes leading. Cotton bud for the toe pads.
  • Piano keys round the frame White, black. Two coats of white; tape off black keys in twos and threes along all four rails. Small flat brush.
  • Rainbow bands round all four rails Six rainbow colours. Bands follow the rectangle, red on the outer edge, violet beside the photo. Tape, flat brush.
  • Scalloped lace edge round the inner lip White on a pastel base. Half circles in a row round the inner lip, a dot in each, a smaller row outside. Liner brush.
  • Stained wood with one cream pinstripe Wood stain, cream. Stain and let dry; rule one thin cream line a finger in from the outer edge on all four rails. Liner.
  • Sunflower centred on one corner Yellow, brown, green. The brown centre sits on the bottom right corner; petals spread along both rails from it. Round.
  • Tartan with a band down each rail Red, dark green, white. Red base coat; tape a wide green band down every rail, thin white lines beside it. Liner.
  • Terrazzo chips on a pale frame Cream, terracotta, mustard, sage, charcoal. Cream base; angular chips, none touching, some cut off by the edges.
  • Toy train coupled round the frame White, red, blue, green, black. An engine on the bottom rail pulls carriages up and round the other rails. Round, pen.
  • Two-coat frame sanded back at the edges Teal under, cream over. When dry, sand the corners and outer edges so teal shows where hands would wear it.
  • Wedding date with laurel up the sides White, sage, gold. Date lettered centre bottom in gold pen; one laurel sprig climbing each side rail. Liner brush.
  • Whitewash that lets the grain show White, water. Sand, no primer; thin the white one to one, brush along the grain, wipe back with a rag after a minute.
  • Wildflower meadow rising from the bottom rail White, green, pink, yellow, blue. Stems rise from the bottom rail and thin out halfway up the sides. Liner, dot blooms.

Masks 12

  • Barn owl with a heart-shaped face Cream, tan, brown. Cream heart shape round both eye holes; tan feather ticks fanning outwards. Small round brush.
  • Butterfly wings spreading from the nose bridge Blue, black, white. The nose bridge is the body; a wing covers each eye hole, black veins, white dots on the edge.
  • Colombina half-mask in gold filigree Ivory, metallic gold, black. Ivory base coat; gold scrolls mirrored left and right from the nose bridge. Liner brush.
  • Comedy on one half, tragedy on the other White, black, gold. Split a full-face mask down the nose: brow and mouth corner up on the left, down on the right.
  • Cracked porcelain doll face White, pale pink, black. White base coat, rosy cheek circles; hairline cracks spreading from one eye hole. Liner.
  • Fox mask with a white muzzle Orange, white, black. Prime; white from the nose down the cheeks, orange above, black nose tip and ear tips. Flat.
  • Galaxy with the eye holes as black holes Navy, purple, magenta, white. Sponge the colours in a swirl round each eye hole; flick white stars on last.
  • Harlequin diamonds on the left half only Black, white, red, gold. Pencil a diamond grid on one half; fill alternate diamonds, a gold dot at each crossing.
  • Leaf face in three greens Three greens, brown. Overlapping leaves radiate from the nose outwards, darkest at the rim. Filbert, one stroke a leaf.
  • Mardi Gras thirds in purple, green and gold Purple, green, gold. Three upright zones across a half mask; outline each eye hole in the neighbouring colour.
  • Robot face plate with rivets Silver, grey, red. Silver base coat; grey panel lines, a rivet dot at each corner, one red light on the forehead.
  • Two-colour hero mask split on the diagonal Two bold colours, black. Colours meet on a diagonal across a half mask; thick black outline round each eye hole.

Mirrors 12

  • Clouds drifting in from two corners White, pale grey. On the glass: puffy clouds in the top left and bottom right corners only. Sponge, soften the edges.
  • Daisy chain round the edge of the glass White, yellow, green. On the glass, a hand-width in from the frame; centre left clear. Round brush, two coats.
  • Greeting lettered low on the glass White. A short greeting along the bottom of the glass, low enough to clear the face in your reflection. Paint pen.
  • Ivy trailing down from the top of the glass Two greens. On the glass: trails of different lengths drop from the top edge, none past halfway. Liner brush.
  • Mosaic-look blocks on a wide frame Turquoise, cobalt, white, gold. Small uneven blocks with a gap of base colour between them like grout. Small flat.
  • One constellation in each top corner White, silver. On the glass: stars as dots joined by thin lines, copied from a star chart. Paint pen.
  • Painted window bars on an arched mirror White or black. On the glass: one upright bar, two across, and a fan of three in the arch. Tape for straight edges.
  • Porthole frame with rivets Brass gold, dark bronze. Round frame in brass; evenly spaced bronze rivet dots, a pale highlight on each. Tape glass.
  • Strawberries scattered round the glass border Red, green, white. On the glass margin: berries with white seed dots, denser at the corners than the middles.
  • Sunburst rays on a round mirror frame Metallic gold, ochre. On the frame: long and short rays alternate, all pointing outwards. Tape the glass. Flat brush.
  • Two koi circling the glass Orange, white, black. On the glass: two koi chase each other round the edge, a tail overlapping the frame line.
  • Wavy checkerboard mirror frame Two pastels. On a flat wide frame: pencil wavy grid lines, fill alternate cells. Tape the glass. Small flat brush.

Guitars 12

  • Flames rising from the strap-button end Red, orange, yellow. Scuff-sand the gloss; flames climb towards the bridge, yellow at the base, red tips. Filbert.
  • Headstock stripe to match the body Your body colour. One diagonal stripe across the headstock face between the tuners; mask the tuner posts first.
  • Mountain range across the wide end of the body Grey, white, pine green, dusk pink. Peaks run below the bridge; pink sky fades up towards the soundhole. Flat brush.
  • New rosette of daisies round the soundhole White, yellow, green. A ring of daisies one petal wide where the rosette sits. Strings off. Small round brush.
  • Night sky with a halo round the soundhole Navy, white, pale yellow. Mask the bridge; navy top, a pale ring round the soundhole as a moon halo, splatter stars.
  • Painted pickguard and nothing else One colour plus white. Leave the body alone; scuff the pickguard and cover it in small repeating flowers. Paint pen.
  • Patchwork top with painted stitches Five colours, black. Pencil the top into uneven patches; dots, stripes or checks in each; dashed black seam lines.
  • Peacock feather with the soundhole as the eye Teal, royal blue, gold, green. Rings of blue and gold round the soundhole; green barbs sweep out to the edge. Liner.
  • Sun rays bursting from the soundhole Yellow, orange, red. The soundhole is the sun: tapered rays to the edge of the top, colours alternating. Tape, flat.
  • Sunflower with the soundhole as its centre Yellow, ochre, brown. Petals radiate from the soundhole in two staggered rows; brown dots stippled round the rim.
  • Vine from below the bridge to the neck joint Two greens, white. Starts on the wide end of the body, curls round the soundhole, ends at the neck. Liner brush.
  • Wave curling round the soundhole Navy, teal, white. One wave rises from the lower edge of the top and its curl wraps the soundhole; dab white foam.

Tiles 12

  • Blue and white windmill in the Delft manner Cobalt blue on a white glazed tile. One small windmill centred, a tiny scroll in each corner. Liner brush.
  • Compass rose pointing at the edges Navy, red, gold. Main points aim at the middle of each edge, minor points at the corners; N lettered on top. Ruler.
  • Eight-point star that repeats across tiles Teal, white, ochre. Star centred, half-motifs at each edge so neighbouring tiles complete them. Stencil, stipple.
  • Four tiles that make one circle Two colours. A quarter circle in one corner of each tile; set four together and the quarters meet as a ring. Flat.
  • House number, one numeral per tile Navy on white. One large numeral per tile, a thin border line 1 cm in from the edge. Pencil first, flat brush.
  • Kitchen herb set: basil, thyme, rosemary, mint Greens, black. One sprig per tile with its name lettered beneath; four tiles make the set. Liner, paint pen.
  • Monstera leaf cut off by two edges Deep green on white. Leaf enters from the bottom right corner and bleeds off two edges; splits left as bare tile.
  • Noughts and crosses board White, black. Two lines each way divide the tile into nine squares; play it with ten painted pebbles. Ruler, liner.
  • Orange branch crossing one corner Orange, green, white. Branch enters at the top left, two oranges hang towards the centre. Round brush, white tile.
  • Pet silhouette with a lettered name Black on one colour. Solid side-on silhouette centred on the tile, the name lettered beneath it. Paint pen.
  • Poured marble swirl Three colours plus white. Puddle the colours, tilt the tile so they run to the edges and over the sides. No brush.
  • Sea turtle with a flipper to each corner Greens, sand. Seen from above: the shell fills the centre, its plates as hexagons; flippers reach for the corners.

Wooden boxes 12

  • Aquarium wrapping round four sides Blues, orange, green. Weed grows up from the base on every side; one fish swims round a corner, half on each face.
  • Colour blocks that fold over the corners Three colours. Each block covers a corner and folds onto three faces; tape for crisp lines. Flat brush.
  • Cube box painted as a die White, black. Pips on all six faces, opposite faces adding up to seven, as on a real die. Round sponge dabber.
  • Little house with the lid as the roof White, red, grey. Roof tiles in rows of U shapes on the lid; a door on the front, one window on each side.
  • Memory box with a hand-drawn map lid Parchment, brown, red. A map of a place you know on the lid: a dashed route and one red X. Paint pen.
  • Night sky hidden inside the lid Navy, white, gold. Outside stays plain; inside the lid, splattered stars and one gold moon. Mask the hinges.
  • Recipe box with a gingham lid Red, white. Tape a gingham check on the lid; a cream label panel on the front, lettered in paint pen.
  • Seed box with a seedling on each side Cream, greens, black. Sand, prime cream; a different seedling per side, labelled like a specimen drawing. Liner.
  • Stack of three books, spines out Three muted colours, gold. Front face split into three level spines, each with a title line and bands in gold pen.
  • Toolbox bands with a stencilled name Red or blue, white, black. Two white bands run round the box; the name stencilled on the front in block capitals.
  • Treasure chest with painted straps Brown, black, gold. Two black straps over the lid and down the front; gold rivet dots; the clasp becomes the lock.
  • Wrapped present with a ribbon cross One colour, a contrasting ribbon. The band runs over the lid and down all four sides, meeting under a painted bow.

Wood slices and planks 16

  • Beach direction signs on pallet slats Faded blue, white, coral. One slat per arrow; place names and distances in white. Sand splinters off first.
  • Birch trunks on a dark plank Charcoal, white, black. Dark base coat; white trunks along the grain; drag black bark marks sideways with a card edge.
  • Clock face on a large slice Black or white. Twelve numerals round the rim just inside the bark; drill the centre for a clock movement.
  • Full moon slice with one bare branch White, grey, black. The round slice is the moon: sponge white and grey craters, one black branch across the front.
  • Giant ruler growth chart on a tall plank Stain, black. Tick marks up one edge measured with a tape measure, numerals every ten. Paint pen, ruler.
  • Growth rings painted as a rainbow target Six colours. Follow the slice’s own rings outwards from the centre, one colour per band; leave the bark bare.
  • Hedgehog curled to fit the slice Browns, cream. The curled body fills the circle; spines as short strokes radiating out to the bark. Liner brush.
  • Knot in the board turned into an owl’s eye Browns, cream, yellow. Build the owl round a knot: the knot is one eye, paint its twin beside it. Round brush.
  • Mountain lake at sunset on a slice Pink, orange, navy, white. Horizon across the middle; peaks above, their mirror image below in broken strokes.
  • Robin on a snowy twig, for a hanging slice Brown, orange-red, white. Small slice with a drilled hole; robin centred, snow dots round the rim. Round brush.
  • Snowy peaks with bare grain as the sky White, grey. Leave the top half unpainted so the grain reads as streaky sky; paint only the peaks and snow.
  • Striped pallet using the slat gaps as lines Three colours. One colour per slat, repeating; the gaps between slats are your straight lines. Wide flat brush.
  • Sunflower growing the length of a fence board Yellow, brown, green. The stem runs up the grain for the full length; the head fills the top third. Flat brush.
  • Three toadstools rising from the bark edge Red, white, cream. Toadstools of three heights grow from the bottom bark edge; white spots go on last.
  • Welcome lettered down a tall plank White on stained wood. Letters stacked one per hand-width down the board; swap the O for a seasonal shape.
  • Wreath round the rim with a name in the middle Greens, red, white. Leaves follow the bark edge, berries in threes; the name lettered in the clear centre.

Mailboxes 12

  • Airmail dashes round the door edge White, red, navy. Slanted red and navy dashes round the door edge and the back edge, like an airmail envelope.
  • Black and white cow print White, black, pink. White base coat; uneven black patches wrapping over the arch; a pink nose on the door.
  • Camper van in two tones Two pastels, white, black. Split the sides at mid height: windows above, wheels at the base; the door is the van front.
  • Cottage with a shingle roof Cream, grey, green. Shingles in overlapping U rows over the curved top; windows and a climbing rose on the sides.
  • Fish with the door as its mouth Greens, pink, white, black. The door end is the mouth; an eye on each side, scales in rows, tail at the back.
  • Giant letter with an envelope flap door White, red, grey. A V-shaped flap on the door, a painted stamp top right on one side, grey address lines.
  • Lighthouse bands up the post Red, white. Bands a forearm tall up the post; the box above stays one plain colour with the number on it.
  • Red barn with white door trim Barn red, white, black. The tunnel top is the barn roof; white X braces on the door, house number above them.
  • School bus with a row of windows Yellow, black, white. Windows in a row down each side, a black stripe below; the door end is the front of the bus.
  • Starry box with a bright house number Navy, white, pale yellow. Navy all over, splattered stars; the house number large and pale yellow on the door.
  • Watermelon with the rind along the base Pink-red, green, white, black. Red over the arch; a white band then a green band along the bottom edge; black seeds.
  • Wildflowers along both long sides Sky blue, greens, mixed brights. Stems rise from the bottom edge on both long sides; door kept clear for the number.

Cutting boards 12

  • Dipped handle, bare board One colour. Tape a straight line where handle meets board; paint only the handle and the hanging-hole rim. Wall piece.
  • Family recipe in your own handwriting White or black. Rule pencil lines on the display side; title large, ingredients left, method right. Paint pen.
  • Farm stand sign reading EGGS Cream, black, red. Wall piece: cream base coat, block letters fill the paddle, a red arrow runs along the handle.
  • Gingham picnic cloth paddle Red, white. Display side: white base; tape stripes one way, then across, in thinned red so crossings darken. Wide flat.
  • Herb bundle tied at the handle Greens, twine tan. Display side: stems gather at the neck of the handle as if tied; leaves fan over the paddle. Liner.
  • Honeycomb dripping from the far end Amber, yellow, white. Display side: hexagons across the end opposite the handle, drips a third of the way down. Stencil.
  • Lettered kitchen conversions White on a dark stain. Wall piece: rule three columns, cups, spoons, millilitres; copy figures from a trusted cookbook.
  • Olive branch following the curved edge Sage, deep green, black. Display side: the branch bends with one long edge of the board; olives in pairs. Filbert.
  • Rooster facing the handle Red, ochre, black, white. Display side: body centred on the paddle, tail sweeping to the far end, comb to the handle.
  • Round board painted as a pizza Red, cream, green, brown. Sauce circle inside a bare wood crust rim; toppings scattered; one slice line. Wall piece.
  • Scalloped blue border with corner sprigs Cobalt, white. Display side: white panel, a scalloped cobalt border two fingers in, a sprig in each corner. Liner.
  • Three pears down the paddle, one bitten Green, yellow, brown, cream. Display side: pears along the centre line, a cream bite out of the last. Round brush.

Books 12

  • Floral frame round a blank title oval Sage, pinks, cream. Cream oval centre front for the title; flowers crowd the corners and thin towards the oval.
  • Gold-tooled look on a dark cloth cover Metallic gold on dark cloth. Thin border line, a flourish in each corner, one emblem in the centre. Paint pen, ruler.
  • Hidden scene on the fanned fore-edge Thinned acrylic. Fan the pages, clamp them fanned, paint on the slanted margin; shut, the picture disappears.
  • Journal cover with your own star map Navy, white. Navy base coat; dots for stars in sizes by brightness, joined into shapes you invent. Paint pen.
  • Landscape along the closed page edges Blues, greens, white. Clamp the book shut between boards; paint a horizon along the fore-edge with a nearly dry brush.
  • Moonlit forest wrapped round the whole cover Navy, black, silver. One scene runs from the back cover over the spine to the front; keep a title space on the spine.
  • Neutral book stack with one word per spine Cream, grey, black. Paint three thrifted hardbacks in neutrals; letter one word per spine so the stack reads down.
  • Rainbow edges across a shelf of one series Seven colours. One edge colour per volume, so the set reads as a spectrum when shelved edges out. Clamp each book.
  • Secret door on the front cover Browns, black, gold. An arched door fills the front: plank lines, iron hinges at the spine, a gold keyhole opposite.
  • Speckled edges flicked from a stiff brush One colour or gold. Clamp shut, mask the covers with paper, flick paint over the top, fore and bottom edges.
  • Spine in three colour bands with a lettered title Three colours, white. Band the spine in three; letter the title in the middle band. Paint pen over dry acrylic.
  • Stencilled stars on the fore-edge Navy, gold. Clamp shut; navy edge first, then gold stars through a stencil, stippled with very little paint.

Wooden hearts 12

  • Conversation heart with a two-word message Pastel base, red-pink letters. Flat pastel coat; two short words in block capitals across the widest part. Paint pen.
  • Fox face with the point as the nose Orange, white, black. White cheeks up both sides to the lobes, black nose on the point, ears drawn inside the lobes.
  • Gold-dipped point Any colour, metallic gold. Tape a level line a third of the way up from the point; gold below the tape. Flat brush.
  • Hanging trio that spells a three-letter word White, one colour. One letter per heart, strung through the holes top to bottom: JOY, MUM or DAD. Paint pen.
  • Heart filled with thumbprint hearts White, red, pink. White base coat; two thumbprints angled together make each small heart; fill the shape with them.
  • Initials carved in bark Brown, dark brown, cream. Dry-brush bark texture in two browns; initials and a plus sign in cream, as if carved.
  • Leopard spots on a blush heart Blush, tan, black. Tan blobs scattered; ring each with two or three broken black C shapes. Small round brush.
  • Ombre from the point up to the lobes Deep red to blush. Darkest at the point, palest at the lobes; blend while wet with a damp flat brush.
  • Patchwork heart with painted stitches Four colours, white. Divide into patches of dots, stripes and checks; white dashed stitches along each seam. Liner.
  • Strawberry heart with leaves in the dip Red, green, white. Red all over; the leafy cap fills the dip between the lobes; white seed dashes in rows.
  • Sunset with the sun sitting in the dip Orange, pink, purple, black. Sky bands across the width; black hills over the lower third; the sun sits in the dip.
  • Two halves, two colours, split down the centre Two colours. Tape the centre line from the dip to the point; paint one half, peel, re-tape, paint the other.

Skateboards 12

  • Checkerboard that warps towards the tail Black, white. Straight checks at the nose; stretch and bend the grid as it nears the tail. Pencil grid, small flat.
  • Fern fronds on bare maple Deep green on bare wood. Sand off the varnish; fronds fan from the tail towards the nose, leaflets in pairs. Liner.
  • Halftone dots shrinking along the deck Black on one bright. Dots largest at the tail, shrinking to pinpricks at the nose. Sponge dabbers in three sizes.
  • Monster mouth on the nose kick Lime, white, black, pink. The nose kick is the top jaw: zigzag teeth along its edge, two uneven eyes below.
  • Octopus with tentacles to both ends Coral, cream, navy. Head centred between the trucks; four tentacles reach to each end, suckers as cream dots.
  • Off-centre racing stripes Cream, orange, brown. Three stripes of different widths run nose to tail, set a third in from one edge. Tape.
  • One word lettered the full length Two colours. One word in tall condensed letters filling the deck end to end, read with the board held sideways.
  • Paint drips running from the nose White base, four brights. Drips start at the nose edge, each a different length with a rounded end. Round brush.
  • Rocket with its flame on the tail kick Navy, white, red, orange. Rocket points at the nose; the exhaust flame flares across the tail kick; splatter stars.
  • Shark running nose to tail Greys, white, red. Sand the underside; shark runs the full length, open jaws on the nose kick, tail fin on the tail.
  • Snake winding between the truck holes Green, yellow, black. The body S-curves the whole deck, passing between each set of four truck holes; head at the nose.
  • Sunset bands with palm silhouettes Yellow, orange, magenta, black. Bands blend along the length; black palms rise from the tail end. Wide flat, liner.

Rubber ducks 12

  • Astronaut duck White, silver, blue. Shelf ornament: white body, a silver helmet ring round the neck, your own mission patch on a wing.
  • Bumblebee duck Bare yellow, black, white. Shelf ornament: three black bands round the body, small white wings over the moulded wings.
  • Caped hero duck Red, blue, yellow. Shelf ornament: a domino mask across the eyes, a cape down the back, your own chest emblem.
  • Disco ball duck Silver, white, pale blue. Shelf ornament: silver base coat, a grid of tiny squares, random ones white for sparkle.
  • Flamingo duck Hot pink, white, black. Shelf ornament: pink all over, the bill white with a black tip. Two thin coats beat one thick.
  • Graduation duck in school colours Two school colours, black. Shelf ornament: gown in one colour, stole stripes in the other, the year on one wing.
  • Mallard drake duck Green, white, brown, grey. Shelf ornament: green head, white collar, brown breast, grey sides; yellow bill, black tip.
  • Pirate duck with an eye patch Red, white, black. Shelf ornament: stripes round the body below the wings, a black patch over one eye, strap behind.
  • Santa suit duck Red, white, black, gold. Shelf ornament: red body, white trim at base and neck, a black belt with a gold buckle.
  • Skeleton duck for Halloween Black, white. Shelf ornament: black all over; ribs on the chest, wing bones on the wings, eye rings. White paint pen.
  • Strawberry duck Red, green, white. Shelf ornament: red body, a green leaf collar round the neck, white seed dashes; bill stays orange.
  • Tuxedo duck with a bow tie Black, white, red. Shelf ornament: black back and wings, white chest bib, red bow tie under the bill. Small flat brush.

Switch plates 12

  • Arcade panel with the toggle as the joystick Black, red, yellow, blue. Three round buttons painted beside the slot, a coin slot line below. Paint pen.
  • Flower with the top screw as its centre Any petal colour, green. Petals radiate round the top screw; the stem runs down past the slot to the bottom screw.
  • Gilt picture frame round the switch Metallic gold, black. A painted gilt border round the plate edge, so the switch sits in it like a portrait.
  • Marble veining on a white plate White, grey, gold. White base coat; drag grey veins with a liner brush, one thin gold vein beside the longest.
  • ON and OFF with a light bulb doodle White, black, yellow. ON lettered above the slot, OFF below, a bulb doodled round the top screw. Paint pen.
  • Owl with the toggle where the beak goes Browns, cream, orange. Big eyes above the slot, a wing curve down each side; the toggle sits in the beak spot.
  • Rain cloud over the top screw Pale blue, white, grey. Cloud across the top screw; raindrops fall down either side of the slot. Round brush.
  • Robot face with the toggle as the nose Grey, red, yellow. Two eyes above the slot, a grille mouth below; the screw heads become bolts. Paint pen.
  • Rocket with the switch slot as its window White, red, navy. The rocket stands upright round the slot; flames at the bottom screw, stars everywhere else.
  • Sun above the slot, moon below Yellow, navy, white. Sun over the slot, moon and stars under it, so the toggle points at day or night.
  • Tree with the slot as a knothole Browns, greens. The trunk runs up the plate with the slot as its knothole; canopy over the top screw, roots below.
  • Wall pattern carried across the plate Your wall colours. Hold the plate in place, pencil where the stripes or motifs cross it, then paint at the table.

How it works

A picture frame is four rails, four corners and a sloped inner lip, with nothing in the middle, so all 40 picture frame painting ideas are built from those parts. They lead 200 designs for fourteen objects. Here for frames only? Choose the Picture frames group and the other 160 drop away.

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A frame has rails and corners, no middle

Every frame design uses the rails, the mitred corners or the lip beside the photo. Checkerboard as wide as the rail sizes its squares so a whole one lands on each corner. On a moulded frame, a nearly dry brush leaves scratchy strokes: gold catches the ridges and the hollows stay black. Take the glass out first.

Prep depends on the surface

Craft acrylics go on wood, metal, fabric and ceramics, and turn water-resistant once dry, usually within 20 minutes. Sand bare wood along the grain; seal porous MDF. Glazed tile, mirror glass and vinyl are slick, so tile painting ideas begin with a label that names the surface.

  • Decide whether the glass or the frame gets the paint: eight of the 12 mirror painting ideas sit on the glass and keep the centre clear, four decorate the frame, glass taped off.
  • Leave the number readable: USPS asks for a house or apartment number on the box, so mailbox painting ideas work round it. Keep paint off the flag pivot and door catch.
  • Clamp a book shut before painting its page edges, which book painting ideas include. The oldest signed, dated fore-edge painting is from 1653.

Questions and answers

Can I still use the object afterwards?

Treat it as decoration. Cutting board painting ideas are for the display side of a hanging board, never the side that meets food. A painted duck is a shelf ornament, not a bath toy. Skateboard designs go underneath, since grip tape covers the top. Washing, weather and wear are for the paint label.

How do I paint a light switch plate?

Light switch painting ideas belong on a spare plate, painted flat on a table. Never paint one on the wall. Fitting it means unscrewing a cover over wiring: a job for an adult who switches the circuit off first. Four designs give the toggle a job, as in Arcade panel with the toggle as the joystick.

What suits a mask, a guitar or a wood slice?

Mask painting ideas start from the eye holes and the nose bridge. Guitar painting ideas start from the soundhole, which becomes a sun, a sunflower centre or a peacock feather's eye. A wood slice uses its rings: one generally marks one year, and Growth rings painted as a rainbow target colours them in.

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