- Level
- Beginner
- Time
- 2 hours plus curing
- Rough budget
- $10-$25
Save five or six clean glass jars in different sizes and paint them in soft, matte colors from one family. Painted jars look good holding dried flowers, cotton swabs, or pens, and they work as pure decoration too. Because the colors are related, the group looks planned.
The palette comes from analogous colors, which sit next to each other on the wheel. Greens leaning toward blue and yellow share undertones, so any jar can sit beside any other. Add a neutral and the set feels settled.
Project palette
Explore in Palette Builder Compare these colors
Materials
- 5 to 6 clean glass jars with lids, in assorted sizes
- Acrylic paint made for glass, or multi-surface acrylic, in the palette colors
- Rubbing alcohol and lint-free cloths
- 1 soft flat brush, 1 inch, and a foam brush
- Clear acrylic sealer spray, matte
- Painter's tape
- Paper plate
- Cardboard sheets for drying
- Mild dish soap
Steps
Wash and strip labels
Soak jars in warm soapy water and peel off the labels. Rub off sticky residue with a little oil, then wash again.
Wipe with alcohol
Clean each jar's outside with rubbing alcohol on a cloth. Fingerprints and oil make paint bead up.
Plan the set
Line up the jars and assign colors on paper. Give the most common color to the largest jars.
Paint the first coat
Brush on a thin layer of paint with long, even strokes. The coat will look streaky, and that is normal.
Add more coats
Let each coat dry for about 30 minutes, then add another. Most colors need three thin coats for even coverage.
Add details
Tape off bands or dips and paint a second color, such as pine on the base of a sage jar. Peel the tape once the coat is touch dry.
Seal and cure
Take jars outdoors and spray two light coats of sealer, letting them dry between coats. Cure the jars for 3 days before use.
Style the set
Group jars in odd numbers, placing the tallest at the back. Keep lids in a related color or leave them bare.
Why these colors work
Sage, seafoam, and butter yellow cover a narrow slice of the wheel, from roughly 60 to 160 degrees, so they are analogous. Analogous sets feel calm because the colors share undertones. Ivory and deep pine add the extra lightness range, light and dark, that stops the group from looking flat.
Editorial suggestion: Use butter yellow as a pop on only one or two jars. If the group looks sleepy, deepen one jar with the pine tone rather than adding another hue.
Mistakes to avoid
Painting without cleaning
Oil on the glass makes paint slide and peel. Wipe every jar with alcohol first.
Thick coats
Heavy paint runs and leaves drips on the glass. Build color slowly with thin layers.
Treating painted jars as food containers
Craft paint is decorative and is not rated for contact with food. Paint only the outside, and do not store food in them.
Washing too soon
Paint needs days to harden. Wipe with a dry cloth only, and avoid soaking.
Palette variations
- Blush and gold: soft pink #F0D3D0, rose #D9A2A5, champagne #E6D2A8, cream #FAF5EC.
- Ocean: pale aqua #CDE6E8, teal #4B9AA0, navy #25405E, sand #EADFC9.
- Autumn: wheat #E4C98A, rust #B8582F, olive #7B7F3E, bone #F1EAD9.
Safety
These jars are for decoration only, not for food or drink. Spray sealer outdoors or in a well-ventilated area, and wear a mask if the fumes bother you.