On that note, you should probably change into some work clothes too. It is preferable to set up your painting station somewhere out of the way, because it takes several days to fully complete a pot. The primers, paints, and sealers all need hours to dry, so set up your supplies somewhere you can leave them for at least 48 hours.
Surface impurities on your pot will show through the paint, so make sure it’s as clean and smooth as you can possibly get it. The color of the terracotta will help you tell if it is dry. The pot will be significantly darker when wet, and lighten up as it dries. [3] X Research source
Most primers are a plain white color, but feel free to tint them with your background paint color if you prefer. Tinting them with a darker color may be useful if you want your finished pot to be dark. [6] X Research source
You may need to apply several coats of paint, particularly if you are using light colors. After your first coat of paint is completely dry, you can decide if you need one or two more. Always a coat to dry completely before adding another. By letting them dry in the sun, it’ll speed up the process and you’ll air out the paint smell!
This step, of course, is optional. You can always leave your pot one solid color, depending on the look you are going for.
Print off whatever image you want to use for your stencil. This can be an image, a letter, a design, etc. Tape the printed paper to the poster board, and use an X-Acto knife or other razor blade to cut it out. [10] X Research source Stencils help you make exact duplicates of the same designs.
