You might need to unscrew the light bulb to lift the lampshade off.
You could also cover everything with tape instead of using plastic bags, but it is easier to just cover the whole area with plastic, and then seal the edges to avoid getting spray paint on parts that you don’t want to paint. You can tape designs onto the lampshade if you want to create a pattern instead of just a single shade all over. Try a zig-zag pattern, for example. [3] X Research source
Work in a ventilated area when you use spray paint. A work area outside or near open doors and windows is the best option.
There is still a chance that the paint can drift outside of the covered area when you spray it, so it’s best not to use nice furniture like a dining room table as your work surface, and avoid spraying near other objects you wouldn’t want to get paint on.
Work in the same direction as you spray to apply the coat of paint evenly. For example, work top to bottom or left to right. Lighter colored spray paints work best so that the light can still shine through the shade. Acrylic spray paint works best to paint any type of lampshade.
If the shade looks splotchy, then you need to apply another coat of paint. Apply the 2nd coat in the same direction as the 1st.
Use long, straight up and down brush strokes to coat the lampshade evenly. Test the lampshade on the lamp once the paint is dry and apply more coats until you are happy with the finished look. Using chalk paint will give the finish an aged, chalky appearance. You can experiment by watering it down a bit to give the finish different looks. Acrylic paint will give your lampshade the most solid looking coat. Fabric paint is similar to acrylic paint, but it will have a less stiff-looking finish since it is designed specifically to soak into fabric easily.
Set aside the lightbulb and any other screws or pieces of the lamp that you took off in a safe place until you put the shade back on.
You can tape the end of the measuring tape to the shade with a piece of painter’s tape or masking tape to make it easier to hold in place. The kind of tape measure that tailors use is the best for measuring around the lamp.
Painter’s tape and masking tape are available in different widths. You can use different sizes of tape to cover larger and smaller areas, or to create stripes of different widths. For tapered lampshades, you may want to trim the tape so it also comes to a tapered point at the top.
Since you will be using acrylic paints that are meant for indoor use, you don’t need to worry about working in a ventilated area. These paints are meant for art projects and other indoor projects.
It will be easiest to paint in a well-lit area. Try to paint during the day when there is natural light, or make sure you have plenty of bright artificial light.
You could also use specialized fabric paint that is available at craft stores for fabric lampshades. Acrylic paint will work on lampshades made of any material. Get paintbrushes of different widths if you want to make different sizes of stripes easily. Keep in mind that lighter colors will allow more light to shine through the lampshade.
You can use chalk paint to create a more distressed, aged look. Fabric paint is another paint option similar to acrylic, but will soak into the fabric more.
You can also buy stencils at an art store or print out designs to cut out. A stencil brush has a flat, round tip for dabbing paint on rather than brushing it on. This helps prevent bleeding and keeps the paint within the lines of your stencil.
It may help to have a variety of paintbrushes in different sizes, depending on how intricate your design is. Think of your lampshade as a coloring book. You can draw on intricate geometric patterns like mandalas or anything else that you think will be fun to paint!
Check for spots all around the shade where the light shines through and makes it look blotchy. If you see any, take the shade off and add another coat of paint until you are happy with how it looks.
