Arts and crafts help!!!!!!?

Question

I need help... how can you paint over little Dixie cups and make the paint stay on instead of chipping off like it normally does?

Answer 1

If they're the type that are waxed, you'll probably have to find a way to get the wax off of them first. Otherwise, you'll have to use smaller amounts of paint & more layers of it with plenty of drying time in between. You didn't say what type of paint you were using, but maybe you need a different type of paint as well. Also some paints as they age (in the bottle or container) tend to chip after they're dry.

Answer 2

You need to purchase Gesso. It is a primer that is used for crafting purposes. It is probably in the paint dept of the craft store, oreven the home improvement store. It is used to prime canvas for paint, but it should work fine for your needs. You can buy a small container, it goes really far. Just put a thin coat on and let it dry completely. You make also want to sand the surface lightly first so there is a rough surface for it to stick to. The gesso will smooth it out. Good luck!

Answer 3

The usual way I think I've heard to paint on waxed surfaces is to add a bit of liquid soap to the paint or pigment... think it breaks the surface tension or something to allow it to grab better.
(But it also could be that that only works as a temporary paint --on glass windows, for example, at Christmas, etc.).

You might need to use several coats of paint, especially if you're using the "craft" type of acrylic paints.
Or you could start with a coat of gesso (opaque white sealer) or another primer or just white paint first, for a more receptive surface, if you wanted. Or perhaps spray the exterior with an "enamel" paint.

Or you could try abraiding the waxed surface a bit before painting.

Or gluing or sticking a more receptive surface around the cup before painting.

If you're just looking to decorate small cups, I used to buy the small white plastic cups for my son when he was little, then decorate them with picture stickers, and a little bit of drawing to make a background, etc., for them (using pens that are okay to use on plastic like photograph markers, or paint markers, etc.).

Actually, I guess you could also make your own stickers if you wanted to paint some particular things.
Just paint or draw your image(s) onto a sheet of self-adhesive paper (from office supply store), or onto white paper labels if they're big enough... when dry, cut them out (leaving a tab for removing the backing), then apply to the cup.
Or make more copies of the same image by scanning the painting and placing a number of the images next to each other in the computer ... then print them out*** or photocopy them onto a sheet of adhesive-backed paper.

*** seal lightly with couple of coats of acrylic spray if you think they'll get wet since inkjet ink will run (toner won't).


HTH,

Diane B.

Answer 4

I can't say i've painted on a Wax Surface but I use a paint called BioColor on many hard surfaces including glass and plastic but after checking the bottle i have it dosent specify "wax". If your looking for a new, versatile paint thats kid friendly i would highly reccomend BioColor.

Answer 5

1. paint it thin. 2. when it dries paint it again. do this until your desired color is in.