Gingerbread spoon, white icing smile in the hollowBrown, white, red. Brown all over; an icing smile in the hollow side; wavy cuffs at each end of the handle. Paint pen.
Radish marker, pink bowl back paling toward the neckPink, white, green. Pink at the tip of the rounded back, blended to white at the neck; leafy green handle. Flat brush.
Basil marker, the name lettered across the hollowCream, dark green, white. Cream hollow side with the name in green; two basil leaves at the neck. Paint pen.
Astronaut visor on the bowl's back, silver suit handleWhite, silver, black, orange. A black visor oval on the white rounded back; silver handle with orange bands. Flat brush.
Fox face on the bowl's back, white-tipped handle tailOrange, white, black. Pointed white cheeks meet at a black nose on the rounded back; white handle tip. Round brush.
Frog in the hollow, mouth line across the widest partGreen, yellow, black, pink. Green hollow side with a wide mouth; two eyes at the top edge; spotted handle. Round brush.
Grandma puppet, gray bun on the top edge, shawl handlePeach, gray, lilac, white. Glasses on the rounded back; a lilac shawl with white fringe down the handle. Liner brush.
King on the bowl's back, gold crown along the top edgePeach, gold, red, black. Face on the rounded back; crown points on the top edge; a red robe down the handle. Paint pen.
Lion whose mane rings the rim of the bowl's backGold, orange, brown, black. Short mane strokes all round the rim; face in the middle of the rounded back. Flat brush.
Owl using the hollow of the bowl as two wide eyesBrown, cream, orange, black. Two cream eye discs fill the hollow side; feather scallops down the handle. Round brush.
Princess in the hollow, braid painted down the handlePeach, yellow, pink, gold. Face in the hollow side; a yellow braid runs down the pink handle. Liner brush.
Robot head on the bowl's back, dials down the handleGray, red, yellow, black. Square eyes and a grille mouth on the rounded back; three dials on the handle. Paint pen.
Sailor on the bowl's back, navy and white hoop handlePeach, navy, white, red. Face and a white cap on the rounded back; even hoops ring the handle. Tape and flat brush.
Sleepy moon face in the hollow, starred night handlePale yellow, navy, white. Closed eyes and a small smile in the hollow side; white stars on a navy handle. Paint pen.
Snowman on the bowl's back, coal buttons down the handleWhite, black, orange. White rounded back with a carrot nose; five black dots spaced down a white handle. Brush handle.
Garden markers 12
Basil marker, the name lettered across the hollowCream, dark green, white. Cream hollow side with the name in green; two basil leaves at the neck. Paint pen.
Bee-row marker, yellow striped bowl, dotted flight handleYellow, black, white. Black bands across the rounded back; a dotted loop trail down the handle. Paint pen.
Blackboard marker, dark hollow for a name in white penBlack, white. Matte black hollow side with a thin white border; the name is written in last. Flat brush, paint pen.
Carrot marker, orange handle under a leafy green bowlOrange, green, brown. Feathery leaves on the rounded back; the handle is the root, with thin brown rings. Liner brush.
Lavender marker, purple sprigs climbing the handleLilac, purple, sage. Dabbed flower spikes climb from the tip of the handle; name in the hollow. Brush tip.
Mint marker, pale green bowl back with veined leavesPale green, dark green, white. Three toothed leaves overlap on the rounded back; name down the handle. Liner brush.
Pea marker, one open pod running down the handlePale green, dark green, white. A split pod with a row of round peas down the handle; name in the hollow. Round brush.
Pumpkin marker, orange ribs curving over the bowl's backOrange, dark orange, green. Curved rib lines from neck to tip on the rounded back; a green stalk handle. Flat brush.
Radish marker, pink bowl back paling toward the neckPink, white, green. Pink at the tip of the rounded back, blended to white at the neck; leafy green handle. Flat brush.
Strawberry marker, seed dots over a red rounded backRed, yellow, green. Yellow seed dots in offset rows on the rounded back; leaf cap at the neck. Cotton swab.
Sunflower marker, petals round the rim of the bowlYellow, brown, green. Brown hollow as the seed head; yellow petals on the rim; a green stalk handle. Round brush.
Tomato marker, red bowl back with a green star capRed, green, white. Red rounded back; a five-point green cap at the neck; the name down the handle. Round brush.
Dipped and banded handles 12
Barber stripe wound the whole length of the handleWhite, red. White handle first; one red band winds from neck to tip; the bowl stays bare. Liner brush.
Checker squares in two colors down a flat handleTwo colors. One column of squares on the flat face of the handle, tip to neck; the bowl stays bare. Small flat brush.
Dots that grow larger toward the tip of the handleOne base color, white. Pinpoint dots near the neck, coin-size dots at the tip; the bowl stays bare. Brush handles.
Gold handle tip with a single black ring aboveGold, black. Gold on the last two fingers' width of the handle; one black line above; the bowl stays bare. Liner brush.
Handle end dipped one color up to a taped lineOne color. Tape round the handle a hand's width from the tip; paint below the tape; the bowl stays bare. Flat brush.
Handle fading from a dark tip up to bare woodOne color, a little water. Full strength at the tip, wiped thinner toward the neck; the bowl stays bare. Rag.
Handle measured into three blocks of colorThree colors. Pencil the handle into thirds and tape each join in turn; the bowl stays bare. Tape and flat brush.
Set of four handles, each a shade lighter than the lastOne color, white. A paler tint for each spoon in the set; dip every handle to one height; bowls stay bare. Flat brush.
Seven thin rainbow rings stacked at the handle tipRed to violet. Seven rings a brush-width each from the tip upward; the bowl stays bare. Liner brush.
Speckled dip, toothbrush flecks over a pale handle endCream, brown. Cream dip on the last third; wrap the bare bowl in paper and flick brown over the dip. Old toothbrush.
Three taped bands just under the hanging holeThree colors. Three even bands with bare wood between, starting under the hole; the bowl stays bare. Flat brush.
Zigzag wrap between two solid ends of the handleTwo colors. Solid color at the tip and at the neck; a zigzag band joins them; the bowl stays bare. Paint pen.
Seasons 12
Bunny with tall ears on the bowl's back, carrot handleWhite, pink, orange, green. Pink-lined ears reach the top edge of the rounded back; the handle is a carrot. Round brush.
Fall leaf with veins fanning from the neck over the backRed, orange, gold, brown. Three colors blended wet on the rounded back; brown veins fan out from the neck. Liner brush.
Firework bursts on a navy bowl back, red and white handleNavy, white, red, gold. Three bursts of thin lines on the rounded back; taped stripes down the handle. Liner brush.
Ghost whose long oval mouth sits in the white hollowWhite, black. White all over; two tilted oval eyes and a long oval mouth in the hollow side. Round brush.
Gingerbread spoon, white icing smile in the hollowBrown, white, red. Brown all over; an icing smile in the hollow side; wavy cuffs at each end of the handle. Paint pen.
Jack-o'-lantern grin on an orange hollow, vine handleOrange, black, green. Triangle eyes and a toothy grin in the hollow side; a curling vine down the handle. Round brush.
Santa, white beard filling the bowl's back, red suit handleRed, white, peach, black. Beard covers the lower rounded back; a black belt halfway down the red handle. Sponge.
Scarecrow with a patched bowl-back face, plaid handleTan, orange, brown, red. A stitched smile and one patch on the rounded back; crossed lines down the handle. Liner brush.
Shamrock in the hollow, green ring handle for MarchWhite, two greens. Three heart leaves and a stalk in the hollow side; green rings spaced down the handle. Round brush.
Snowflake on an ice-blue bowl back, silver dotted handleIce blue, white, silver. One six-armed flake fills the rounded back; silver dots down the handle. Paint pen.
Spring chick, yellow bowl back with a small orange beakYellow, orange, black. Yellow rounded back, two dot eyes, a diamond beak; orange leg stripes on the handle. Round brush.
Turkey, feather fan round the rim of the bowl's backBrown, red, orange, yellow. Feathers in three colors round the rim; face on the rounded back. Flat brush.
How it works
A wooden spoon is a head on a body before any paint goes on: the bowl is the face and the handle is everything below it. These 48 designs say which side of the bowl is painted, or keep to the handle.
Read the full guide
The back of the bowl or the hollow
The rounded back pushes a face forward, so most puppets sit there: King on the bowl's back, gold crown along the top edge. The hollow is a ready-made mouth or name plate: Ghost whose long oval mouth sits in the white hollow, Basil marker, the name lettered across the hollow.
For display or play
A spoon painted from this list is a puppet, a plant marker or an ornament. Dipped and banded handles keeps every stroke on the handle and leaves the bowl bare wood: Handle end dipped one color up to a taped line.
Questions and answers
What can I make with a painted wooden spoon?
A puppet, a garden marker or a decoration for one season. Spoon people and puppets holds 12 faces, most with the handle as the body, Garden markers holds 12 with room for a plant name, and Seasons runs from a spring chick to a Santa.
What paint do I use on a wooden spoon?
Acrylic paint is fast-drying, and most kinds are water-based and become water-resistant when dry. Whether a paint or a sealer suits anything that touches food is a question for its label, so the list keeps painted spoons out of the kitchen.
Which side of the spoon do I paint?
Either. The rounded back suits a face that sticks out; the hollow suits a mouth, two big eyes or a name. The 12 designs under Dipped and banded handles leave the bowl bare and paint the handle only.