I love it when I see women break away from fearing heavy-duty type industrial equipment like welding torches! Yeah, I don’t care what is said about “we’ve come a long way, baby!” in terms of women’s lib (is that terminology dating me, or what?? Yes … I did march up 5th Avenue in NYC many moons ago, screaming “What do we want”? Equality! When do we want it? NOW!!!” But I digress…) I find that many woman are still very hesitant to pick up anything more menacing than a paint brush.

Anyway, I came across an article by an Alaskan gardener, Christine who shared her experience in picking up a welding torch and making these cool rusty metal fish.

I thought you all just might get some inspiration to try your hand at a new way of creating garden art items – whether or not your tool of choice is a welding torch. It could be anything, even something like picking up a sponge to try your hand at daubing to very easily create a decorative paint technique on a pot to use outdoors. Let your creative juices flow! It’s fun to try new things. You might find a new hobby, too.

You never know … you might gain a passion for something that allows you to give really personalized gifts to friends and family to grace their gardens (and they’ll always remember you when they look at what you made), or maybe this new hobby you enjoy could turn into a side income for you. Hey – who knows?

Anyway, as I always say “Remember … Have Fun!”

Liz and Krista left comments on my blog post how to paint bowling balls about bowling balls painted to look like ladybugs. Krista said she saw a project in a magazine, but couldn’t remember what magazine.

So, this nudged me into trying to help some more and see what I could find, and voila … here are two photos from the many examples I found by doing a Google search. Just enter “ladybug bowling balls” and you’ll get links to many articles, forum discussions and such. Or use Google’s image search to instantly see lots of painted ladybug examples.

This image had been scanned from Backyard Living Magazine – July/August 2006 issue:

And I found these little bowling ball ladybugs featured in an online article by April Johnson.

These two ideas should help inspire any of you who want to try your hand at making a ladybug bowling ball for your next garden art project. Have fun!

I received an email yesterday from Jan asking me:

I have a couple of questions.

1. I want to seal a resin decorative bird bath & protect the colors from the sun exposure. I need a sealer that is safe and non toxic for birds and would prefer a spray. Do you have any recommendations that come to mind?

2. I have several outdoor decorative pieces, such as and old reel mower, wood chair with birdhouse, old wooden wagon, etc, and I want to protect the wood from exposure to the outdoors. What is a good sealer for wood & metal? I agree with one of your previous answers about sealing things and that Thompson’s is not a very good sealer.

Thank you, Jan

My reply:

Hi Jan:
Thank you for contacting me and I hope I can help steer you towards the right products.

Whether the bird bath (or any other garden art or outdoor item) is made from resin or concrete; and whether the colors are inherent in the resin, or painted onto the surface of the resin or concrete, my recommendations for a product remain the same.

#1) To be honest, I don’t *think* (notice I say “think” – I’m NOT 100% sure) the toxicity level of a clear coat sealant such as Krylon spray clear coat paint is going to be toxic enough to kill any birds that stop by to bathe or take a drink in your bird bath.

I mean … if your experience is like mine with my bird bath, the water in the basin is normally almost completely splashed out by mid-afternoon or early evening. Plus it’s almost always kind of yucky with a few bird droppings, and other little pieces of vegetation, thusly I’ve got to swish it out and completely refresh the water on a daily basis (or sometimes even twice a day in hot weather). So it’s not like the water is in contact for a terribly long period, soaking up toxic ingredients from the sealer.

So, how much toxic build-up could there be? I’ve no clue, but I really don’t think I’d be jeopardizing the health of my feathered friends by using Krylon, or a polyurethane or clear acrylic brush-on product. Weed killers used on lawns are probably WAAAAAAY more toxic to our little bird friends.

On a side note … I lost a whole brood of newly hatched baby Bluebirds a few years back. I found their poor tiny dead bodies scattered on my lawn in different spots, but all rather close to the bird house. I couldn’t understand why (no blow flies in the nest, etc.) and then the went on … a neighbor a few doors up from my house had sprayed his yard and whatever he used, man! We could smell it all the way to our house.

Momma and Daddy Bluebird had been very busy all morning and afternoon bringing little grubs and bugs back to feed the babies. And I will bet the babies were fed bugs from the neighbor’s lawn. I am convinced the chemical that neighbor used was deadly to those babies. Just my own “motherly” hunch. However I digress here … back to sealants and toxicity.

I have read that DecoArt Patio Paints makes a non-toxic brush-on clear coat that does work for sealing items to be used outdoors. I will *assume* (again I’m not 100% sure) that it can hold up to exposure to water 24/7, as will happen in a birdbath basin. This product will however be more expensive to use versus a product like Krylon.

But of course it’s your call! And if you can educate me otherwise as to the toxicity level in Krylon or a polyurethane clear coat as it concerns birdbaths, please do tell me.

#2) As far as what is a good sealant for wood or metal – I’d go and ask the sales reps in the paint department at your local paint store or big-box store. (Though I do understand “sometimes” the sales reps do NOT have a clue about any of the products that are in their department … been there and experienced that personally too often! Maybe ask a couple different people at the paint counter just to be safe!  )

However, I know Krylon spray will do a good job on metal. As far as wooden items – I’ve never personally sealed any wooden outdoor furniture, so can’t recommend a product that worked really well for me, but I do know you want to buy a product that is considered a “water sealant”. And yes, do not use the Thompson’s product!

But whether your item is metal or wood, make sure to clean/wash off any dirt or grime, and then lightly sand it before you apply your clear coats. I’d apply at least 2, if not 3 good coats, allowing each coat to dry well before you apply the next one.

As far as the bird bath is concerned, make sure to let your clear coats dry really well (a day or two at least – depends upon temperature and humidity level) before you add water to the basin.

Best of luck with all your projects and do not hesitate to contact me again if the need arises.

~~~

Hey everyone – did you know I have a FREE newsletter for garden art enthusiasts?? If you’d like to get garden art projects, tips and special announcements delivered into your inbox every month … please sign up now!

I received an email from Yogesh, asking for help with trying his hand at applying a decorative paint technique of some sort to a 100-year old pot he really wanted to repaint. That first email didn’t have enough information for me to properly answer him, so I asked him to email me again with more exacting information.

Here’s his reply to me:

Thank you very much for your offer to help me.

Please find attached pics of the pot I was talking about. This pot is around 100 years old, we used to keep water in this, but now I want to keep it in my hall as a show piece.

It was leaking so my mom had applied cement, which you can see in the pic, too. I want to paint it in coffee/dark brown color, but if you can suggest something great I would appreciate it.

Do also let me know which country are you located in? I am from India.

Kindly suggest what best [sic] can be done on this pot? Looking forward to your reply.

Regards, Yogesh

My reply:

Hello Yogesh:
First, I live in Tennessee, in the USA. Nice to know my website is visited by people from other countries.

About what decorative paint technique you could apply to this pot … after reviewing the photos you sent (thank you) this is my suggestion on how to try and bring it back to a more eye-appealing object:

1) Scrape off/sand off/wash off any dirt, loose paint, or loose cement on the pot. If it has any dirt, or grime, or possible greasy residue on the outside surface you must remove it, as the new layers of paint need a clean surface to adhere to. If you wash your pot with water and soap, please make sure it is 100% dry before you proceed. Water might absorb into the pot, especially in the spots that have cement, so give it a few days at least to dry.

2) For a 2-tone coffee/dark brown coloration – that decorative paint technique is not at all hard to do. I will suggest choosing 3 shades of coffee/dark brown colors … light, medium and dark shades. I will assume in India you have stores that sell either “craft paint”, or if those are not available, then you can use paint used for painting inside walls in houses – “latex paints”. Latex paint cleans up with soap and water, which is much easier than using oil-based enamel paints. However, you can also use oil-based enamels.

3) I advise that you use either of these decorative techniques to apply the paints: the daubing technique or sponge technique. Easy to do and either can provide a very nice, antique looking result. My website provides the information on this page Daubing Decorative Paint Technique and this page Sponge Painting Technique.

**Make sure you paint a good base coat of paint onto your pot before you begin to apply the other colors (again … follow the directions in my instructions).

4) PRACTICE FIRST on something other than your pot to make sure you like the colors you chose, and to get the knack of how to daub or sponge on the paint to get the “look” you want after the paint dries. I practice on large pieces of cardboard that I brush on a neutral color paint on first, so that my paint colors show truer than if I painted them onto plain brown cardboard. You may find that you need to use more of one color and less of another; you may decide you don’t like the colors you chose; you may find the way you apply the paints doesn’t look realistic enough … or you may LOVE your first test and know you can proceed to do the same technique onto your pot.

5) After the painted colors have dried, apply at least 2 coats of clear sealant. There are matte, semi-gloss and gloss finishes available. It’s up to you how “dull” or shiny looking you want your pot to be.

That’s about it.

The biggest factors in being successful in making any decorative faux finish look attractive and/or “real” is going to be correct color combination choices AND your SKILL LEVEL or artistic ability in order to apply a convincing painted finish to the pot. These two issues I cannot help you with.

I hope this information helps and I am sure that if you take your time, practice some, experiment with applying the paints in different ways to finally achieve the “look” you want, that your very interesting old jug will take on a whole new life!

Best of luck with your project Yogesh, and do not hesitate to contact me in the future if you have more decorative paint technique or faux finish questions or “how to” concerns.

Gabby emailed me asking:

Hello, can you help me find the right type of paint for a large concrete planter? It is grey concrete and I want to achieve a tuscan look. Also where do I buy this paint?

Thank you sooooo much … Gabby

My reply:

Hi Gabby:
I will be happy to help and answer your questions.

#1) For information on what paints to use and info on what I think will be an easy way for you to get a tuscan look, please refer to my article: Decorative Sponge Painting.

Note: in this article I do not mention concrete planters (but I should – think I’ll add that to the page) but acrylic OR latex paints will be fine for your planter. Follow the directions in my article and you ought to have a nice long lasting decorative paint finish for many years.

Getting the “Tuscan look” you want will of course rest upon your artistic abilities. If need be … practice on a large piece of cardboard to get the color combination and appearance right. Sometimes my color choices aren’t always the greatest after I see them applied together. I have to do trial runs myself sometimes!

#2) In the USA, acrylic craft paints can be found at stores like Michael’s Crafts, Hobby Lobby, even the Wal-Mart in my area has a huge array in their craft section.

Or, regular latex paint can be purchased at stores like Sherwin Williams (though probably pricier than what you need to spend), Home Depot, even Wal-Mart sells latex paints, or most large hardware stores. You do not need to buy the most expensive paints.

#3) Make sure to apply at least 2 or 3 good coats of clear sealant, too. There are matte, semi-gloss and gloss finishes. For a Tuscan look I will say a matte finish is what you should use.

In addition, I suggest you take a few extra minutes to read all the pages I have in the decorative paint techniques section of my website. You’ll get lots more helpful how-tos that will not only help you have success with this decorative paint project, but any others you decide to to try.

Best of luck in dressing up your concrete planter! A Tuscan-type technique really isn’t a too-difficult decorative paint project for even a beginner to try.

I received an email from Beth asking:

First of all I have to tell you I absolutely love your website. I just found it yesterday and am really enjoying all of your information.

Question … does sealing the inside of clay or terra cotta pots affect the plants at all? I have painted several of them for this summer and had left the inside untouched. Was a little hesitant and just wasn’t quite sure. Thanks! Beth

My reply:

Hi Beth:
Thank you so much for your kind compliments. I appreciate you taking the time to tell me.

Sealing the inside of pots causes no problems that I am aware of … I seal all my pots on the inside and my plants are thriving. I use Krylon acrylic clear spray paint, BTW. Always am happy with the long-term results.

However, I know a garden-art artist who swears by Thompson’s Water Sealant to seal the inside of her pots. She says it doesn’t harm her plants in the least.

But, to err on the safe side, I wouldn’t use Thompson’s Water Sealant if you’re going to grow something edible in it – not sure if the sealant would leach into the soil, and ultimately the plant.

On a side note: before she begins a decorative painted technique project, she told me she applies a good coat of SprayN’Seal. It’s a pottery sealer and she says the only place she can find the stuff is at Ace Hardware Stores. (It’s a product from Canada – made by Cartanna International Sales Inc.; phone number is 604-943-2727)

The only other thing I’d like to add here about using Thompson’s Water Sealant … maybe it’s great for terra cotta, but it sure STUNK when I used it years ago on my deck! What a waste of my money; it only lasted one year and did a p##-poor job of sealing my wood deck.

So … even when using on a terra cotta / clay pot … you be the judge as I’ve not personally tried it.

To see all the painted techniques and how-tos on my website that will teach you how to liven up any old plain plastic, resin or terra cotta or clay garden pot, please go to: Decorative Paint Techniques For Garden Planters & Pots.

I recevied this email from Freddie who asked:

I found your website by accident and I love it. I love trying new garden art projects, especially junk garden art! I have tried to make garden spheres many times….some came out better than others….and this year I was lying in bed and it occurred to me to use bowling balls. Sheer Genius, right?

My boss brought me two from his last bowling night, one real beauty that I wouldn’t consider painting, but one I’ll paint. What do you suggest I use for paint?

Of course my husband thinks I’m nuts with bowling balls in our garden. Let me know about the paint. Thanks. Freddie

My reply:
Hi Freddie:
Thank you for contacting me and for the kind compliment about my site. I do try hard to offer great information.

About painting bowling balls (yeah, I kinda love junk garden art, too!) – here’s my suggestions:

•  take sandpaper and scuff up the surface really good; this will help a primer coat and/or paint to adhere much better

•  prime it with something like “Kilz” (there is an exterior all-purpose version–you can find it at Lowe’s or Home-Depot as examples)

•  paint with latex or oil-based paints (I’ve been successful using both)

•  finish with at LEAST a couple of liberal clear top coats (matte, gloss or semi-gloss – whatever you prefer)

If you take care with all the steps, your painted bowling ball should last many years in the sun. But be warned, UV rays really take a toll on everything, and even the best paint job might start showing “age” in a few years. I am sure you understand this.

That is why taking extra time to “do it right” the first time will save you peeling paint before the year is finished.

Does this help? If not, please do not hesitate to contact me again. Have fun!!

~~~

Freddie wrote back to say:

Actually your instructions were what I was thinking about doing anyway, it just seemed too logical and easy.

I’m a big recycler, so reusing bowling balls just seemed a no brainer. My boss actually brought me two of them from his league night at bowling. I’m sure he must think I’ve lost it, but I wanted to make a couple for my sister and her gardens.

Can’t wait to get this funky bowling ball garden art project rolling.

Thanks for the info … Freddie

I received an email from Leslie asking:

This is a fantastic website, extremely helpful. I have found the articles in the Decorative Paint Techniques category very informative. THANKS!

My question: I am using gauze fabric and modpodge and then painting over it with airbrush metallic paint on the outside of the terra cotta clay pot. Any ideas what to use to seal the inside of my pot, so that when dirt goes in and the pot is watered, it won’t effect the outside of the pot?

Thanks so much. Leslie

My reply:
Hi Leslie:
Thanks for the compliments, I really appreciate you taking the time to tell me.

About sealing the inside of a terra cotta pot, there are two ways you can approach this:

#1) Apply a number of coats of an acrylic or latex paint to seal off the inside. (Easier for brush clean-up than oil-base paint.) You can also use a clear spray, like Krylon acrylic. Or, try a polyurethane. Anything, basically, will “seal off” the interior.

#2) The “safest” route to really make double-sure that whatever you’ve applied and/or painted on the exterior of the pot won’t be affected is to use a plastic inner pot to plant in.

I’ve never had a problem with the exterior paint bubbling or flaking off of terra cotta pots, as I do always liberally spray about 3-coats of Krylon onto the interiors … but then again, I haven’t ever used fabric and modpodge on the outsides.

If I were you, I’d make sure to apply a generous base coat of paint on the outside of the pot, too. Unless that would keep your fabric and glue from sticking properly?? That base coat on the outside will also act as a moisture barrier.

If you do use a brush-on paint or spray paint for the interior of the terra cotta pot, I’d make sure to cover all the surfaces extremely well.

Does this help??

Sounds like a fun project. Good luck!

Leslie wrote back:

Dear Claudia: Thanks so much for getting back to me. Your information was wonderful and very helpful!!! I’ll definitely try that technique on the pots. I’m going to do some experiments first to see just how they do outside. I’ll do this before I decide to sell them, so my clients won’t have any problems. All the best, Leslie

My reply:
You’re welcome. Like I said, an inner plastic pot that actually holds the dirt and plant would be the very best bet to increase the longevity of your artistic applications!

And providing a plastic inner pot would let you off the hook “legally” if you are selling your pots … meaning you clearly state on a little label that your embellished terra cotta pots are NOT guaranteed to last forever if someone places dirt and a plant directly into them.

If it were me … I would cover myself in that way if selling them retail. You’ve warned them up front and provided the plastic inner pot … no unhappy customers on up the road!

Just my 2-cents. Claudia

Korenv posted and asked me:

Hello, I’ve just completed my hypertufa sphere project, as per your hollow sphere instructions on The-Artistic-Garden website.

It’s in the process of curing. I made one before this using a liquid cement colorant, which was alright, but a little drab. On my current sphere, I’d like to use paint to give it a “rustic” finish. What should I use? I’m hoping I can use ordinary acrylic paints. Can I also use a water based sealer?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you! Korenv

My reply:

Hi Korenv:
Gee that’s great! You’ve got a successful sphere project in the works!

About what to use — have you read over the Hypertufa & Concrete Stains & Colorant Guides yet?

Scroll about half-way down that page and you’ll see the PDF icon — click on that and the guides will open up. BTW, feel free to print out a copy for future reference.

Maybe you know this, but I’ll mention it just in case … if you used grey portland, well that does tend to make colorants that you add into the recipe look drab. But if you can find white portland, that will allow any colorant added into the hypertufa (or concrete) recipe to be “truer” in color. Of course you still have the dark peat moss if using a ‘tufa recipe, but white portland sure can make a difference!

As far as a topical paint or stain … sure, water based acrylic or latex paint is quite alright, along with a water based sealant. **Just make sure your sphere is good and cured (dry) before you paint the surface.

Hmmmmm … to get a “rustic” look … do you mean sort of like rusted metal? Sorry, when you say rustic that’s what comes to my mind. I’m not sure if you’re also asking for ideas on paint colors/colorations to use??

Let me know what else you might need clarified and I’ll be happy to try and help. Thanks for stopping by.

Chinarabbit then asked a lot of good questions:

Hey, I’d like to know a little more about “water-based sealant” ….. sounds pretty high-tech. Are there any more primitive alternatives? something more basic? anything else that might work? such as a clear laquer? or will any can of clear spray finish do the trick, such as car finish or something ?

I think I have white portland cement I intend to dye, but I would like to add finishing touches with an airbrush, to get a realistic effect. And it needs to be water-proof. Any water-based acrylic or latex-based paint will work equally well because the sealant will seal the paint under a “clear-coat” with the sealant, is that right? So airbrushing would be fine as long as you use a sealant over the top?

Will the sealant give it a glossy look? i would prefer a flat non-glossy sealant that is really quite invisible, just kind of weatherproofs the paint … is that the best for surfaces that maybe be submerged in water, such as under waterfalls? or would it really better to have the color mixed in to withstand the constant flow of water?

I see now that you recommend 2 coats of clear acrylic or urethane finish from a spray can, is that right? And will it be fine for protecting delicate airbrush designs under water? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

My reply:

hey, I’d like to know a little more about “water-based sealant” ….. sounds pretty high-tech.

No, nothing fancy, just means you can clean up your brushes and such with water and soap. As opposed to oil-based paints and sealants.

You can buy low-gloss on up to high gloss clear coats/sealants. Just depends what brand you are looking at. And some (like Krylon) come in spray cans, and other brands you paint on. Any brand should work, as long as it is meant for outdoor use AND is compatible with the paint you are using for air-brushing or top coating with. I guess just read all the info on the can labels, or pick the brains of the folks in the paint department!

About something “more primitive” … you’ve got me on that one? I guess a matte finish as opposed to a gloss finish would be more primitive … in other words, not noticieable that you’d used a sealant.

And I’d suggest at least 2 coats. You say it will be under water … again, double check the specific uses for all the paints and sealants you’ll be using to make sure they can withstand 24/7 contact with water.

Hope this information helps!

I received an email from Marie asking:

If preparing a terra cotta pot for painting to be used outdoors, do you need to spray the sealer on the inside and on the outside of the pot? Marie

My reply:

Hello Marie:
Thank you for contacting me and I will be happy to answer your question. I do suggest you also refer back to the article I wrote about all the basic how-tos regarding how to paint terra cotta.

When I prepare a clean terra cotta pot to be painted and to which I will be adding dirt and plants, I will spray 3-coats of a clear sealer on the inside of the pot, but will use a base coat of whatever color acrylic or latex paint I choose for the outside of the pot.

But, you certainly could use a clear sealer on the outside, as well. And you could certainly just brush on paint on the inside, as opposed to the clear sealer. Many people use paint for the interior.

I just usually brush on a neutral color on the outside for my base coat, normally an off-white if I’m painting lighter colors, or a darker base coat if I’m doing something like a verdigris faux finish.

Just be aware though, that paint and/or a sealer will never allow your pot to hold up through wintertime freeze and thaws, especially if it is a cheaper quality terra cotta. I think you’ll find the information I have about winterizing container garden pots useful and a worthwhile read.

And yes … I remove all my terra cotta pots from the garden during the winter months and place them in a protected area.