Paint Your Own Ladybug Wood Cutout

I’m back with another adorable spring project for you! Today I’m painting a ladybug wood cutout to show you how it’s done. I just love the way this turned out!

When you’re painting a ladybug wood cutout it is so easy to get lost in wonderful thoughts of spring and summer. We have to take it where we can get it, am I right? I love this project for that reason but also because this is a different style of wood cutout than we’re used to. I’ll talk more about that below but it’s so fun to try out new items for door decor! Also, we are going to be playing with glitter today. As much as glitter drives me crazy, there is no denying that the results are amazing! Especially with this sweet little bug.

Painting a Ladybug Wood Cutout

Ladybugs just never seem to go out of style! Year after year there is a scramble to get all our ladybug products ready to go for you guys. I don’t know what it is but people who love crafts and door decor love ladybugs! They sure are adorable and they are perfect for spring and summer decor. In the video below, I show you how to paint this one so you will be ready to make your own door hanger for those sunny days!

Design Options…

So I mentioned that this cutout is a little bit different than the ones we are used to. You can absolutely get this in a smaller size and add it to a wreath or wreath rail like you normally would but we also have another option for you! You can get the large ladybug like I’m using and Richard will cut two holes in it. Those holes allow for a different type of decorating design. What I do with them is add greenery, florals, and a fabulous bow and secure them in place with a pipe cleaner. It looks sooo cute! Either way you decide to use this cute little bug, it is painted just the same.

Painting Tips…

Painting a large piece like this that doesn’t have a ton of detail to break it up is fun but offers its own challenges. The wings on this ladybug have some large open spaces and that can make it harder to get a smooth look to your paint. No worries though, I came up with a solution! All you need is a handy dandy water bottle and you’ll be all set. What you do is put on a first coat of paint, then spritz it with a little water and blend it. Continue adding paint and water until your piece is nice and smooth. This doesn’t take as much paint as it sounds, just a couple of layers and your paint will look beautifully even and smooth. Miracle achieved!

Painting a Ladybug Wood Cutout Supply List

• Ladybug wood cutout
• Paint brushes (1”, liner brush, and filbert brush)
• Red paint (I used chalk paint but you can use any red paint that you have)
• Black paint
• Grey paint
• Spray bottle of water
• Mod Podge
• Paper for catching glitter
• Black glitter
• Red glitter
• Rustoleum Clear 2X

Paint by Line Instructions

1. Use the 1” brush to apply the red paint to both wings.
2. Next, use the same size brush to apply the black paint to the head, antennae, and body.
3. Now paint a second coat of red paint onto one wing. Then spritz it with water and use the water and more paint to make a nice even coat.
4. Next, use red paint and a small brush to apply an accent line at the bottom of the ladybug body. Just follow the lines!
5. Once your paint is dry (you can use a heat gun to speed this along) it’s time to move onto the next steps.
6. Use the black paint and a filbert brush to fill in the dots on your bug.
7. Next, use the dark grey paint and the liner brush to add an outline to the wings and body of your ladybug. Make sure the paint is dry before moving on to the glitter steps.
8. Start by painting the Mod Podge over the red line on the bug’s body. Then shake the red glitter over it. Tap the cutout to let the glitter settle in place then dump the glitter off the cutout and onto your paper. Use your paper to pour the glitter back into the container.
9. Next, working with one wing at a time, paint your black dots with Mod Podge and glitter them with the black glitter in the same way that you did the red.
10. Continue with the remaining dots on the wings and then the tops of the antennae.

This was such a fun piece to paint! I love adding in new techniques and, of course, glitter. I did my ladybug in the traditional colors but you can do any color combo you want! It would be really cute with purple and yellow or pink and green, you get the idea. However you decide to make your bug, I hope you have as much fun as I did! Have fun painting friends!

If you need any help with painting your own wood signs or wreath rails and decorating your custom wreath rails, be sure to check out more of our tutorials on Hot Mesh Mom Blog.

We would love to see your amazing wreath rail designs! Please share with us over at the Hot Mesh Mom Facebook.

Just pin this project tutorial to save the instructions for later!