How To Spray Paint Ceramic

Learn how to spray paint ceramic with these easy-to-follow instructions and hints. Perfect way to transform thrift store finds!

In case you’re just joining Tried & True (Hi! Hello! Welcome!), I am surrounded by boys. Between my husband and two children (and Bob Barker, our Golden, but he doesn’t read comics), I know more about superheroes and dump trucks than I ever thought was possible. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love it (Martian Manhunter is pretty interesting) but it definitely doesn’t put me in touch with my already minimal (ok, non-existent) girly side.

So, when I saw this Unicorn Hook at Savers the other day, I was elated and bewildered all at the same time. It’s a hook with a unicorn…doesn’t get much more girly than that! But, as it so happens, I needed a hook for the kids’ craft aprons.  Granted, a simple metal hook would have sufficed but it’s a freaking UNICORN HOOK. (sorry for the raised voice but c’mon.)

I tried to talk myself out of buying the hook the entire time at the thrift store but at 99 cents, that unicorn was destined to come home to me. I actually didn’t mind keeping it all white but one of the eyes was badly scratched (unicorns can be so cruel) so spray paint was a must. Briefly considered the ever-popular florescent option but the spray paint can had dried out (must not have closed it correctly the last time I went tagging. Just kidding…I would never use florescent yellow to tag.)

Since she (I’ve taken to calling her Princess Moonshine) was glossy ceramic, I decided to use Krylon Fusion for Plastic spray paint (hammered metal), mostly because it was still on my table from my 15 Minute Rainbow Frame project. Unicorns and rainbows, a coincidence? I think not. I am not being paid by Krylon to endorse their product, it just works really well and I like that it dries within 15 minutes. (Princess Moonshine doesn’t wait for anyone!)

After applying a few light coats of the spray paint and allowing her to dry completely, I added three light coats of Mod Podge Spray Sealer (again, no payment but works well!). The Krylon Fusion can says it doesn’t chip but since it’s going in the playroom of two crazy boys, doesn’t hurt to be safe.

There she is! In all her majestic glory. My sister came over and suggested I paint the horn bright pink because, as it turns out, a silver hook in the shape of a unicorn just isn’t girly enough. I used a pink shade of nail polish that I had to borrow from my mom. Can’t you just see the look of disgust Princess Moonshine has for my nail polish collection?! Unicorns are so judgmental.

You can see from the picture above that she’s actually quite useful! We’ve been needing a hook for quite a while now but the fact that our hook is also a silver unicorn with a bright pink horn? Total win. Of course, the boys could not care less about her. Hmpfh, no accounting for style, I guess. 😀