DIY Painted Fruit Bowls

Add a little flair to your next picnic or BBQ with these fun DIY fruit bowls! Make this watermelon, strawberry and orange bowl, or get creative and make your own favorite fruit. All you need are some ceramic bowls and a little craft paint, and maybe an oven. All you need to make your design permanent is to either cure the paint for 28 days, or bake your bowls in the oven for 35 minutes at 300˚F.

What you need

– 3 White ceramic bowls (The ones used in this project are from Ikea)
– Martha Stewart craft paints in Green Curry, Habanero Red, Beetle Black, Chamomile Yellow, and Wedding Cake White
– Apple Barrel Craft paint in Jack-O-Lantern Orange
– 1 small flat brush
– 1 Roll of floral arrangement tape (or painter’s tape)

Instructions

Gather your supplies:

Strawberry Bowl

Step 1: Flip your bowl over and apply your tape in the shape of leaves over the base of the bowl. The easiest way to achieve this design is to start with two strips of tape and make an “X”. Then, you can use smaller pieces of tape to create the elliptical shape for each leaf.

Step 2: Paint the outside of the bowl red, making sure not to paint over the leaves. Once dry, flip the bowl over and paint the inside of the bowl. You may need to apply more than one coat, and wait 10 minutes between coats. However, you can work on your watermelon, or orange bowl while you wait!

Step 3: Remove the the tape, then take your yellow paint and make light, downward brush strokes with the side of your brush, to create the look of strawberry seeds. Once dry, flip the bowl over and continue painting seeds on the inside of the bowl.

Step 4: Use the flat side of your brush and light green paint to paint in the leaves.

Orange Bowl

Step 1: Paint the entire outside of the bowl with your orange paint.

Step 2: Use your tape to cover the inside rim of the bowl.

Step 4: Take 3 long strips of tape to section off the inside of the bowl into six sections.

Step 5: Paint the inside of the bowl, allow to dry 10 minutes, then remove the tape.

Optional: Use white paint to add white seeds along the inside of the orange slices. It gives it a more realistic look!

Watermelon Bowl

Step 1: Cut two strips of tape and line them around the rim of the bowl leaving about 1/4″ between.

Step 2: Paint the inside of the bowl red.

Step 3: Paint the outside, and the rim of the bowl light green.

Step 4: Mix a little black paint into your light green paint to create a dark green color to be used on the outside of the bowl.

Step 5: Crate a zigzag design on the outside of the bowl with your dark green paint.

Step 6: Remove the tape from the inside of the bowl, and paint the top-inside of the bowl dark green, leaving a little light green and white.

Step 7: Use the side of your brush, and in a downward motion paint the black seeds.

Your bowls are now ready to be cured for 28 days or baked in the oven! If you chose the baking route, place your bowls in the oven for 35 minutes at 300˚F. Make sure to place the bowls in a cold oven, then once baked, allow the oven to completely cool before removing the bowls from the oven.