How to Spray Paint Ceramic to Upcycle Garden Statues & More!

I found this adorable little angel, but it was covered with a 1980's speckled paint finish that I don't find appealing. If that's your jam then don't come at me. I'm not telling you that you can have it in your yard but I wanted something cleaner.

That's really strange to write because I'm the queen of bright colors. Seriously I LOVE color, but I wanted this glossy little cherub to be white.

You'll find loads of these ceramic figurines at thrift stores. Everything from angles to birds can be found for a few dollars. The only problem is they're very dull. I snap them up and either give them a coat of white or some bright color (seriously bright colors are my thing!) and I sell them in my shop. Or people in my family claim them. I think most of my family members have now adopted one of these owls.

This angel was dirty and I mean ick!

I scrubbed it all over with a toothbrush and Dawn dish washing liquid to make sure I got in all the little nooks and crannies (and his little butt crack - yes, I felt weird doing it).

The spray paint isn't going to stick to ceramics that are dirty or greasy. The paint will just flake away so you'll want to sure your pieces are clean and grease free.

Rinse with clean water and dry it off. Don't even think about painting until you know your pieces are good and dry! The water will also cause the paint to flake.

I know you're excited but just learn from my mistakes on this one. Don't move to the next step until the piece is dry.

Whether your ceramic is glossy or the textured kinds that figurines can sometimes come in; they can both be spray painted without much effort. If you use a product like Rust-Oleum 2X then you won't have to take the extra step of priming the ceramic. The primer is built into this paint and it covers like a dream so it's my go to for spray painting anything not just ceramics.

Take whatever you want to paint outside!

I know it says "or a well ventilated area" but don't try to paint inside. The over spray will go everywhere! Over spray is just the paint that does land on the piece you're painting.

People have recommended to me spray boxes or the DIY version of a spray box. Hang on while I laugh, because I'm remembering the time I tried it. I ended up with blue over spray all over my face because the box just redirects the over spray. Right into your face.

Please go outside. Please.

I set mine up on two sawhorses with 2x4's on them so I can move around the piece while I paint.

If you need a second coat of paint then wait for about 15 minutes or so before applying the second coat.

That should be all you need! I have never needed more than two coats of spray paint. Especially not when I use the 2X paint.

I love my little cherub now! Look how adorable he is! Now he’s more of what I wanted.

If you are still nervous about the process of spray painting on ceramics watch the video on my YouTube Channel. I'll walk you through how this piece and others were painted.

If you are still nervous about the process of spray painting on ceramics watch the video on my YouTube Channel. I'll walk you through how this piece and others were painted.