A painted lampshade - Part 4 - Painting your lampshade

Part 4 - Painting Your Lampshade

With all the designing and planning complete, it's finally time to paint your lampshade!

Tips for Painting Your Lampshade

• I suggest you work from the top down to avoid smudging the work you have just painted.
• Try to start and end any borders or trims at the seam of your lampshade as it's the best place for any awkward joins to be hidden.
• Don't forget the trick of resting on your little finger to steady your hand when painting; this will be particularly useful when working on your lampshade due to its curved surface.
• You can turn the lampshade as you paint, or work in sections - it's up to you and whatever you find easiest.
• Try to paint the same colour all in one go if you can.
• Make sure your paint isn't too watery, as this will cause drips to run down your lampshade. If something does start to run, hold your lampshade flat and gently pat the area with a damp cloth to lift the paint.
• As I've said many times before in this course, please don't worry about achieving perfection! The charm of hand painting is in the little quirks - just be confident in your brush strokes and enjoy the process.

You Will Need:

• A lampshade
• Either emulsion or acrylic paints in colours of your choice
• Paint palette
• A selection of thin paintbrushes
• A flat or angled brush to paint the trim
• 2-3 water jars filled with water depending on the colours you are using
• Damp cloth