You don’t need to spend too long on this, just check for any bumps or especially rough spots. If you don’t see anything, then you don’t need to worry about sanding. Even if the pot does have bumps, you have the choice of leaving them to add texture to the look after you paint it.
Although you’ll have to leave the pot to dry at various stages in the process, while it soaks, you can use the time to gather your other supplies and set up your paint area. If you don’t want to leave it for an hour, check it at 10 minute intervals and if it seems clean to your satisfaction, move forward with the process.
Your pots may need a soft brush so you don’t scratch them too much, but if there are any stubborn spots you can switch to a wire brush for extra strength. If you happen to scratch the pot any while brushing it, there’s no need to worry because the paint will cover it and even it out.
Drying may take a few hours, so plan ahead for this part so you don’t waste your time while you wait.
If you are painting outside, you may still want to cover hard surfaces so the paint doesn’t stain anything.
You can use a canning jar, a soup can, a peanut butter jar, or another cylindrical container. The size of jar you’ll need will depend on the size of the pot. If you are painting a large pot, this technique may not be an option. This is not mandatory, but it is easier than holding the pot in your hands for the whole time as you paint.
It’s best to do this outside, or at least in a well-ventilated garage. Spraying this kind of product inside is not safe. Drying may take up to 24 hours. Check the product instructions to be sure. Seal the inside and outside of the pot. If you don’t seal the inside, when you water the plant the water will soak through the pot and can make the paint loosen and peel off. If your pots are decorative and will not have real plants in them, it is not necessary to seal them.
Prime all around the outside, but also extend the primer at least an inch down the inside of the pot. Although some sources say to paint the bottom, it’s best not to put any primer or paint on the bottom of the pot as this can affect proper drainage.
If you have bristled brushes that you want to use, it won’t hurt anything. Foam brushes just work a little better. Bristled brushes are fine for small detail work later on.
You can re-tape over the areas you already painted so you keep the lines betweens colors sharp. Another option is to paint the entire pot with the first color, and then tape the designs you want and paint again over everything so the parts under the tape will stay the original color.
Cover the entire outside of the pot, excluding the bottom. It’s not necessarily harmful to paint the bottom, but it can’t cause the pot to not drain as well as it should. Also paint slightly down the inside because the soil will not go to the very top of the pot, and you most likely don’t want the clay to show. There are some paints that will adhere to a ceramic surface that are baked in an oven to set.
Make sure that each coat is dry before you paint any addition coats. If the paint is not dry, new coats will pull the paint off of the pot. You can use a different color for the second coat if you want to give the pot a shaded look. If you do this, you might want to thin the second coat with water so it is a little more see-through.
This is where you can make the pot as simple or as detailed as you want. For example, you might want to paint a detailed garden scene or you might want to paint the name of the plant in fancy letters.
This is not mandatory, but your paint job will most likely not last as long if you pass on sealing it. You have lots of options when it come to sealants, but pay special attention if you will put the pot outside because not all sealants are meant for all weather. Let the pot sit and dry for a few more days before you plant anything in it.
