How to Paint a Bottle

Painting Plastic Bottles

1). Remove as much of the label as possible. Soak the bottle and the cap in warm soapy water for about 30 minutes to clean the bottle and loosen the remaining adhesive. Dry the bottle upside down for at least two hours.
2). Spread newspaper or a drop cloth over your work surface to protect it from any dripping paint.
3). Squirt two or three squirts of acrylic paint into the water bottle. Place the cap on the bottle and tighten it. Hand the bottle to the child and have him shake the bottle vigorously in different directions.
4). Examine the bottle to see if the insides are fully coated. If there are parts that are not coated in paint, add another squirt and give the bottle back to the child.
5). Let the paint dry for about 30 minutes. Acrylic paint dries rather quickly, especially when you apply it in thin layers. Additionally, the paint is on the inside of the bottle so there is little risk of transferring it to other surfaces.
6). Decorate the outside of the bottle, if you wish. You can apply paint directly on the surface with small tubes of acrylic glitter glue.

1). Remove as much of the label as possible. Soak the glass bottle in warm soapy water for 30 minutes. If adhesive remains or if you notice smudges on the glass, use window cleaner. Dry the bottle upside down until it is completely dry both inside and out.
2). Cover your work surface with newspaper or a drop cloth to protect it from the paint.
3). Apply a base coat of glass paint with a soft sponge. Make sure the glass paint isn't a type that must be heat-dried. Also, spray paints may seem like they would be easier to use, but in fact, it is difficult to get an even coat on the bottle with spray paint.
4). Let the paint dry completely. The amount of drying time will vary considerably depending on the type of paint, the temperature and the humidity levels in your work place.
5). Decorate the bottle, if desired. While single colors can be quite beautiful, you can paint designs on the bottle. Draw the design on the bottle using an outline paste designed for glass. Then, fill in your design. You can apply details with a standard paintbrush.