How to Make a Thrifted Ghost Painting
Choose your painting and clean it. If you don’t already have a painting you want to add ghosts to, go to a thrift store and pick out one you like. Most people prefer paintings of landscapes or scenery. Once you have your painting, remove it from its frame (if necessary) and give it a quick wipe down with a cloth to clean it and remove any dust. Dust off the frame, as well, and clean the glass if there’s any covering the painting. Depending on how the painting is made, you may need to remove the frame, then peel off the finishing paper. Use a putty knife or butter knife to fold back the metal staples of the frame and take the painting out.
Prepare your workspace and supplies. Choose a work surface, like a table, big enough to hold your painting, and cover it with newspaper, an old towel, or anything else that will protect the surface from the paint. Grab some acrylic paint in your preferred colors (usually white and black), paint brushes, and a jar of water to rinse your brushes. It’s also a good idea to have some paper towels on hand, as well as a pencil to sketch your ghosts before painting them. It may be possible to use paints other than acrylic, but that’s typically what’s recommended. Some prefer using acrylic paint pens, as they’re easier to draw with.
Decide where you want to place your ghosts. Unless you’re a professional painter, it will be difficult to return the painting to its original state if you paint a ghost and then decide you want to move it. Before getting out your paint, take some time to study the painting and determine where and how you want to position your ghosts. If you want, cut some ghost shapes out of a piece of paper and arrange them on top of the painting. This will give you a general idea of what the final product will look like. If you choose to sketch your ghosts in pencil, be very gentle if you need to erase the marks. Erasing too much could damage the painting.
Use white acrylic paint to outline and fill in your sheet ghost. Once you’ve decided where you want to place your ghost, dip your paint brush into some white paint, then draw an upside down U shape to create the outline of your ghost. Fill in the bottom of the shape with a ruffled line. Then, use more white paint to color in the rest of the ghost’s body.
Create depth and shadows with gray paint. Because the other images in your painting will likely feature shadows, giving your ghost some dimension will help make it look like it was always a part of the image. To do this, dip a small paint brush into some gray paint (or make gray by mixing white and black), and add a couple vertical lines from the middle of the ghost’s body down to the bottom to create creases in the sheet. This will give the illusion of folds in the sheet.
Add eye holes, props, and other details to your ghost. Make sure the white paint is dry, then dip your brush into some black paint. Draw and fill in two small ovals to create the eyes. If you want, now is also the time to add other details to your painting—maybe your ghost is holding a pumpkin or wearing a witch hat. It’s up to you! Feel free to paint other ghosts to make your painting more populated, as well.
Let the painting dry, then reassemble it. Set your painting aside until the paint is completely dry. Then, if your painting was in a frame, reassemble it. If it didn’t come with a frame, consider putting it in one to preserve it. Then, hang it up to admire your work. Consider sharing it on TikTok or another social media platform, as well!
What is the ghost painting trend?
The ghost painting trend involves painting sheet ghosts on thrifted artwork. The thrifted ghost painting trend originally went viral on TikTok in 2023, as users began posting videos of them painting sheet ghosts onto vintage paintings. Those participating in the trend go to a thrift store or consignment shop, find an old painting they like, and add a little ghost somewhere in the scene. It’s a fun way to be creative and save a bit of money on Halloween decor.
How to Find Good Paintings to Use
Look for vintage paintings at thrift stores. The ghost painting trend is also known as the thrifted ghost painting trend, as the idea is to find an old painting at a thrift store and upcycle it into a cute piece of Halloween decor. Visit your local thrift store to see if you can find a painting you like—the older the better. Alternatively, check out some garage sales, Facebook Marketplace, or ask around to see if anyone you know is looking to get rid of some old artwork.
Opt for paintings of scenery or landscapes. While you can make a ghost painting out of any piece of art you want, most people go for pieces that feature landscapes or scenery of some sort. These types of paintings give you plenty of space to work with and allow you to use your imagination to decide where and how you want to position your ghost. Consider looking for paintings with fall colors so they match the Halloween aesthetic. If you’re not interested in traditional landscapes, consider choosing a painting with a city scene or a neighborhood instead. Or, go for a scene inside a house, like in a kitchen or a bathroom.
Unique Ghost Painting Ideas
Paint your ghost doing daily activities. A great way to make your ghost painting unique is to have your ghost directly interact with the world around them. For example, if your painting features a garden, give your ghost a watering can and a sun hat. If there’s a bathtub, paint your ghost relaxing in a bubble bath. The possibilities are endless! If your painting features a beach, paint a few ghosts playing volleyball, having a picnic, or even surfing!
Base your painting on a holiday other than Halloween. The ghost painting trend is most closely associated with Halloween, but if you’re a fan of spooky season, why not incorporate ghostly decor into your home year round? Paint your ghost decorating a Christmas tree if you celebrate Christmas, or making paper Valentines for Valentine’s Day. Dress it up like a leprechaun for St. Patrick’s Day, or add some fireworks to a night sky for the Fourth of July.
Add ghost animals. Populate your painting by giving your ghost a little companion. Draw the head of an animal (like a cat or a dog) in the shape you normally would, but finish its body with sheet ruffles like your ghost. Paint it white and give it black ovals for eyes. Consider painting your ghost walking a dog, or curled up next to a cat while reading a book.
Paint your ghosts a color other than white. If you think a plain white sheet ghost is too basic, feel free to change up the colors! Paint a ghost your favorite color, or give it a pattern you’d see on bed sheets, like little flowers. This is a great way to make your ghost painting stand out from the crowd!
Making the Trend Fun
Invite friends or family to join you. If you want to participate in the ghost painting trend, why not turn it into a painting party? Make a day of it by going to the thrift store with your friends or family and helping each other pick out a painting. Then, have fun talking and laughing while you paint. This is a great way to bond with your loved ones while celebrating the season.
Eat some Halloween-themed snacks. If you want to get in the spooky spirit, pick a few Halloween-themed recipes and whip up some finger foods. Consider making some Pillsbury Halloween cookies, mummy hot dogs, or some Halloween Chex Mix with candy corn.
Watch some spooky movies while you work. Whether you like horror movies or something a little more family-friendly, there are tons of great Halloween movies to choose from. Put one on in the background while you work. Who knows—it may even give you some inspiration for your painting.
Pros & Cons of the Ghost Painting Trend
It’s a fun and affordable craft. Buying new Halloween decor can get expensive, so upcycling an old painting is a great way to celebrate the holiday without spending too much money. If you already have an old painting and some paint, you won’t have to spend any money at all! Plus, you get a piece that’s uniquely yours rather than something that is commercially produced. Additionally, you don’t have to be a trained painter to make a cute ghost painting. Since the ghosts are basically white blobs, anyone can participate in this trend without worrying that their painting will look bad.
It saves paintings from landfills. If no one buys them, products in thrift stores may end up in landfills rather than being recycled. By upcycling a painting to do the ghost painting trend, you help the environment and keep a work of art from being lost entirely.
Artists may not want someone painting over their work. While there aren’t many downsides to participating in the ghost painting trend, some people are personally against it because they believe it detracts from the original artist’s work, as you’re literally painting over it. Consider your own morals and how you feel about covering another artist’s work when deciding if you want to participate. Others don’t see any problem with the trend because the paintings were already in a thrift store. Painting the ghosts is a way to give them new life so people can enjoy them once again.
The original painting may lose its value. If possible, do some research on the piece and the artist to determine if it’s valuable before painting it. Many people would be upset if they painted ghosts on a piece only to discover later on that the original was worth a lot of money. If this isn’t something you care about, though, go ahead and add your ghosts and have fun.
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