Halloween Painted Jar Luminaries
Learn how to make these super fun and colorful luminaries for Halloween! Kids and adults alike will love this simple project.
Supplies
- Clean glass jars I used pint size Kerr jars, but Ball jars cost less
- Rubbing alcohol
- Acrylic craft paint
- Paintbrushes flat brush and liner brush
- Sharpie marker
- Glaze I use Krylon Triple Thick Crystal Clear Glaze
- Tea lights or LED tea lights
Instructions
- Prep the jars by washing them with soapy water and make sure they are rinsed well and do not have any soap residue. Next give them a rinse with rubbing alcohol and let them air dry.
- When the jars are dry, make sure your fingers are clean so as not to transfer any of your skin's oils to the glass which can cause issues with the paint adhering.
- Use a flat paintbrush to add one layer of acrylic craft paint on the OUTSIDE of each jar. One layer is best as you want the candle light to shine through!
- You can create your own stencils using cardboard or a piece of paper/cardstock for the faces. Or, you can freehand the designs which is what i opted for.
- I used a Sharpie marker to draw on the face, then I simply painted the facial features with black paint using a liner brush.
- I painted the jar rims with black paint. Then let them all dry for about half an hour. Spray with glaze, waiting 20 minutes between coats; I used two coats. Let dry for several hours.
- After they've dried for several hours, you can have some fun displaying them. I place regular tea lights inside the jars and use a long handled lighter to light them. If you prefer, you can use LED tea lights as well!
Video
Expert Tips & FAQs
The most commonly asked question for this project is if I painted the inside or the outside of the jars - the answer is to paint the outside. :)