DIY painting of a phone case with paints and varnish

Reading time: 5 min.

no comments

Cases for modern smartphones are not cheap items. And the more intricate the decor, the greater the financial costs associated with purchasing such an accessory. But human creative thought has gone so far that many ways have been invented to create the desired decor on an ordinary silicone case for a gadget, having a minimal set of materials and tools at hand, spending a small amount of time and applying a minimum of effort. DIY painting of phone accessories has turned into another form of modern art that anyone can master. A selection of the best master classes for experienced decorators and beginners is presented below.

Simple option

This variation of decor is rightfully considered the simplest.

To perform it you will need the following set of tools and materials:

Phone case made of transparent silicone.
Acrylic paints in two colors (to choose from).
Brushes.
Painting tape.
Cotton buds.

To begin, glue a strip of masking tape to the inner surface of the accessory in the desired location to divide it into two zones.

Next, paint the inside surface of the phone case with acrylic paints, painting the parts between the strip of tape in different colors. Use a cotton swab to remove excess paint from the edges of the product.

Let the accessory dry completely, and then apply two more layers of each paint in the same way from the inside. When the last layer has dried, remove a strip of masking tape - and the simplest, but very stylish design is ready.

Nail polish

For young girls who love glamorous things, it will not be difficult to design a case for their own smartphone using nail polish. The set of required tools and materials needed for dot painting of a mobile phone case is in this case narrower than in the previous one, and you will have to spend an order of magnitude less time.

So, for work you will need:

Decorative nail polish in several shades.
Transparent silicone case.

Cover the outside of the accessory with multi-colored dots of varnish in the sequence as your imagination dictates. Let the decor dry and you can use the cover.

Another variation of this decoration is the so-called “confetti” motif. It is necessary to visually divide the surface of the cover diagonally into two parts. In the lower zone, do some spot painting on the phone case using the same nail polishes in different colors.

Just place the dots not with brushes, but with toothpicks so that they are miniature. You can make them the same size, or you can make them different - it all depends on your individual preferences. Let the varnish dry and use the accessory as intended.

Recommendations

The following tips from cleaning experts will help you cope better with the task:

Before you begin bleaching, the surface must be prepared - remove dust and dirt.
All work should be carried out wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands.
It is necessary to consider what kind of plastic will be processed. For some types of products, special products are produced marked “for refrigerators”, “for microwaves”, etc.
After cleaning is completed, the plastic surface should be wiped dry.
When treating plastic against yellowing with vinegar essence, alcohol, Dimexide and other substances, you must remember that if the cleaning agent gets on areas with inscriptions, they can also be erased.
To clean small plastic items, it is convenient to use an old toothbrush.

The most complete and useful information about methods and means of removing yellow spots and yellowness from various surfaces and products is presented in this section.

Watercolor

This technique is based on the use of watercolors.

To bring your design to life, you need to prepare:

A sheet of white paper.
The silicone case is transparent.
Watercolor paints.
Brushes.
Waterproof handle.
Scissors.
Stationery knife.

Since watercolors on a silicone surface will flow to one point, painting a mobile phone case with your own hands will be done on paper.

Print out a template with a design on a white sheet of paper, or create one yourself using a pen with waterproof ink.

Paint the image with paints and leave until completely dry. Then cut out the template to the size of the accessory, use a utility knife to make a hole along the outline of the camera, place the sheet with the design in a transparent case, insert the phone into it - the design is ready.

Useful tips

Simple rules that you can follow to get the desired result:

choose the cheapest hair dye, since the cost of the product does not affect the quality of coloring,
choose the appropriate color of the paint composition - for bumpers of bright colors, black or other dark colors are best; a transparent product can be painted in any tone,
wash the freshly painted cover thoroughly with soap, so it will not leave marks,
choose permanent dye; do not purchase ammonia-free formulations or tint hair balms.

We recommend: How to make luminous paint with your own hands?

Scuffs and dirt on the bumper cannot be removed using either professional or improvised means. In this case, it is not necessary to throw away the worn-out product and purchase a new one. Using hair dye, you can transform your case beyond recognition by choosing any new shade for it.

Acrylic paints

This technique is for more experienced artists.

In order to create such a work of art by painting a phone case, you need to purchase a set of materials consisting of:

Transparent cover.
Black acrylic paint.
Glass markers.
Purple and orange paint on glass.
Gold outline on glass.
Synthetic round brush No. 4.

Using a glass marker, draw a design on the inside of the case. Since it is transparent, you can make your work much easier - print the template, place it on your work surface, place the accessory itself on top of it and trace the contours of the image. When choosing a sketch, keep in mind that the camera area should not be painted over and it is better that the drawing does not extend there.

First, use black acrylic paint to paint the case for your phone. Paint the entire background from the inside so as to carefully and completely hide the marker line. Let the paint dry and cover the background with another layer if necessary.

Continue working after the second layer has dried with a golden outline. Trace the edge of the background around the image so that one half of the gold line covers the marker, and the other half covers part of the black background. Thanks to this trick, the golden lines on the accessory from the outside will look smoother. If you want to get an additional decorative effect, apply gold not in a continuous line, but dotted.

To make sure that the painting on your mobile phone case is harmonious and does not require correction, periodically turn the accessory towards you with the outer side and check the accuracy of the execution.

As soon as the outline is dry, start working with glass paints. Paint over the elements of the picture with orange, immediately shade some areas with purple, and then let it dry. Even if the paint spreads, there is no need to worry - since the background is black, no errors will be visible from the front side.

After the paints have completely dried, put the accessory on your gadget and enjoy your creation.

How to decorate a phone case: 10 ideas with instructions

Backing in a transparent phone case

This is one of the easiest and fastest ways to change the look of your phone in a case. Having acquired one transparent cover, you get a “frame” into which you can insert any “picture”. The backing can be cut out from beautiful wrapping paper, a magazine photograph you like, you can draw it yourself, you can print a picture you like from the Internet, and so on. When cutting out the backing, don't forget the window for the camera and flash.

Photo and source: lovemaegan.com, seethatthere.com, buzzfeed.com, @_tahles_, shelterness.com

Chic and sparkle: four ways to decorate with rhinestones

Phone case with lace

A variant of the previous decoration method: a strip of lace is glued to the transparent cover from the inside.

Photo: @snowychloe.crafts

Phone case with feather

Another simple way to decorate: put a beautiful feather, for example, a peacock, in a transparent case.

Photo: lovemaegan.com

We decorate a regular T-shirt with sequins

Phone case with cross stitch

For a project like this you need a case with holes. Use it as a canvas for embroidery, choose a suitable pattern - and embroider!

Photo: purlsoho.com, popsugar.com, connectdesign.co.kr, @kel_melbourne

Phone case with stickers

The idea is realized by gluing various figures on an adhesive base to the case.

Photo: @sglodion_, @mandaneil, blog.mjtrim.com

Decorating clothes with beads, seed beads and rhinestones: 33 ideas

Phone case with painted paints

You can paint your phone case - to be sure that the design will be durable, take your case to an artist store and consult with the seller about what type of paint is best suited for the material of your case.

Photo: @thousandskies, @princesszara02

Phone case with splash and drop pattern

The method is suitable for both decoration with nail polish and paint (in the case of paint, consult the seller, see point above). Before work, degrease the case, cover the holes for the cords and camera with small pieces of masking tape, put on gloves and cover the work surface with unnecessary paper - drops can fly over considerable distances. Tapping the brush, apply designs to the case. You can also apply larger drops and stripes by simply pouring varnish/paint from the bottle.

Photo and source: enthrallinggumption.com

What is Zentangle, how to learn it and how to use it in needlework?

Decor of dried flowers for a phone case

An excellent option, requiring, of course, accuracy, attention and the presence of dried flowers. If you don’t have any left over from the summer, you can buy the ones you like and dry them under a press or between the pages of a large book. Place flowers and petals on the cover, making a pattern. Then glue each element. The composition must be secured on top with a thick layer of transparent varnish or transparent liquid silicone.

Photo and source: blog.etsy.com/Clare McGibbon

Phone case painted with permanent markers

A plain or transparent case can be colored with permanent markers. The design can be applied to both the outside and the inside of the cover. Before work, degrease the surface so that the design sticks well.

Photo: @chloe_emily, @reddyoactive_crafts

Phone case with a pattern of colored tape

You can decorate a plain or transparent case with multi-colored tape with or without a pattern. Select several types of tape of the same width and glue it according to the diagram.

Photo and source: chroniclebooks.com

Recommendations from the experts

To make the painting of cell phone cases perfect and pleasing to the eye of both the owner of a unique accessory and the people around him, listen to the recommendations of experienced craftsmen and try to put them into practice.

First, to avoid shaking your hand, which causes uneven lines, position it so that it is completely relaxed. Try to place your elbow on the surface of the desktop.
Secondly, never start applying a second coat or tracing the outline of a design until the previous paint has dried. Otherwise, the work may be washed out and the cover will simply be damaged.
Thirdly, no matter how simple the decor you create, if you are working on the inner surface of the accessory, do not be lazy to turn it back towards you to see how the image looks from the outside. While the paints have not dried, any blots can be corrected using acetone.
Fourthly, if you create a composition with acrylic paints on the outside of the case, do not forget to coat the work with a special varnish to fix it.

Be inspired by creative ideas, develop your own design motifs and feel free to start bringing them to life!

0 Comments