Learn how to turn ordinary bottles into beautiful looking earthenware with this easy glass bottle painting tutorial.

I'm often inspired by things I find online or in gift shops and other retail stores. Recently I noticed these two gorgeous vases on Pinterest. I found something similar on Wayfair but the blue was out of stock. So I tried making some with paint.

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How to Paint Glass Bottles

Supplies

glass bottles ( I used an old milk bottle and a Kombucha bottle)
chalk paint in a dark and light color
sponge and bristle brushes
rubbing alcohol
sandpaper
spray polyurethane (optional)

Step 1 - Prep the Bottles

Clean empty glass bottles with soap and water. Remove any labels and then wipe them down with some rubbing alcohol to remove any grease and make sure the paint sticks.

Two bottles with one coat of brown chalk paint.

Step 2 - Coat with Dark Paint Color

Brush on a couple of thin coats of the dark chalk paint allowing it to dry slightly between coats. Chalk paint dries pretty quickly but if you want to use acrylic paint just know it will take a little longer to dry.

One coat of blue paint on top of the brown paint of two bottles.

Step 3 - Add Top Paint Color

Next brush on the top color. In my case, I used a pretty blue chalk paint. As you can see from the image above the first coat does not cover the brown chalk paint. That's to be expected.

A finishing coat of blue paint on two bottles with a bristle brush.

Consider using a bristle or art paintbrush to give the second or third coat of your top coat a smooth finish.

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Two distressed painted bottles with sandpaper and a jar of chalk paint.

Step 4 - Distress Bottles

Take some sandpaper and start removing some of the paint. Be gentle at first until you get a feel for how much pressure you'll want to use and how much paint you want to remove.

Once again it's all about knowing when to stop.

Completed painted and distress bottles with blue paint.

Wait 24 hours for the paint to fully cure before brushing or spraying on some glossy polyurethane. However, this part is optional. It seemed like the bottles that inspired me were glossy so I did spray mine.

Two painted glass bottles on a chest in the foyer with tiny birds, a box of felt succulents and a large resin pineapple.

They now have a new home on our chest in the foyer for all who come into the house to see. I really like the way they turned out and they cost very little to make.

More Bottle Project Ideas

DIY Painted Bottles to Look Like Earthenware

Here's a fun and easy craft that takes ordinary glass bottles and turns them into ceramic or earthenware pieces of decor.

Prep Time5

Active Time2 30

Total Time1 35

Equipment

Sponge brush
Bristle paint brush

Materials

Rubbing Alcohol
Glass bottles
Brown Chalk Paint
Blue Chalk Paint
Sandpaper
Polyurethane spray optional

Instructions

Clean empty bottles well and wipe down with rubbing alcohol to remove any residue.
Paint the bottles with the brown chalk paint. You will probably need two layers for this part.
Once the brown paint has dried add a layer of the blue paint, let it dry, and paint it again with a second and/or third layer of paint until it totally covers the brown paint and looks smooth.
Once all the paint has dried well use some sandpaper to gently rub off the paint in different areas to create a distressed look.
Gently remove any paint dust with a rag.
Let the paint cure for 24 hours before spraying the bottle with polyurethane for a shiny finish if desired.

Notes

Recycle simple bottles even old wine bottles would work. I used an old milk bottle and a bottle that had Kombacha in it.

Tried this project?Tag @hearthnvine on Instagram