Easy Ghost Paintings On Thrifted Art For Halloween

Welcome! Today, Donna from Do Dodson Designs shares her creative tips for painting ghosts on thrift store art. If you’re looking for a fun way to update your decor with a touch of spook and whimsy, Donna’s guide is perfect for you. Let’s get started! 

(The following is an excerpt from Do Dodson Designs. Read the full article here.)     

Thrift Store Paintings  

Have you seen the latest ghost painting trend on tiktok and social media? OMG! It is freaking genius! They take old paintings and paint cute little whimsical ghosts in the background. I want Halloween decorations that wow, and this is it!  

Right then and there, I decided that the theme for our indoor Halloween decor would be ghosts this year. 

I just had to try this simple ghost craft using old artwork, and I’m so glad I did. Below are the step-by-step instructions to have amazing Halloween art without taking a single art lesson. This was my first attempt at painting a ghost. See one, DO one, teach one. It was that simple. 

What You’ll Need 

• old artwork (nothing valuable)  

• chalk stick (for the ghost’s outline) 

• Cotton (white) and Coffee Bean (brown/black) Chalk Mineral Paint 

• soft synthetic paintbrush 

• artist brushes 

STEP 1: Painting Background (Optional) 

You can skip this step if you want. The reason I’m adding a dark wash over the old print is because it had a blue hue, and I wanted the scenery to appear it was at night.  

To do this, I mixed a touch of paint with water. Basically, it was colored water.  

With the print lying flat, quickly brush over the whole painting with the watery mixture and a good quality synthetic brush. Immediately blot with paper towels. Be careful not to rub, as the water can cause damage to the print.   

Allow the paint to dry completely before the next step. 

STEP 2: Easy Ghost Drawing 

After drying the background paint, draw the ghost’s outline using a chalk stick. You can also use a pencil, but I find it was easier with the chalk stick. If I messed up too badly, I could always use a damp paper towel and blot it off.  

I admit I did some ghost drawing practicing the night before to feel a bit more comfortable since this was my first attempt. All the ghosts I’ve seen painted were more whimsical with simple shapes.  

You know I gotta put my own spin on them. I wanted mine to be more “realistic” with a flowing gown. What is that thing called that ghosts wear? A sheet? I dunno! 

STEP 3: Painting The Ghosts – Blending & Shading 

With my ghost outlines in place (two of them), I pulled out the paint and brushes. I placed the two paint colors (white and black) on a paper plate. My artist’s palette for the day. Disposable with no cleanup. Also, grab the paper towels and a bowl of water to wash out the brush as needed. Blending colors can get messy. 

With white paint, fill in the ghost figure with a chisel-tipped artist’s brush. It works well with curves and blending. Here’s where you’ll need those fine motor skills. Don’t worry about full coverage; you will blend gray paint (made by mixing white and black) with white for shading. 

Don’t forget about shadowing. Imagine the light hitting the front of the ghost. That is the side that will be the lightest in color.  

Add a bit of black to the back side where the light doesn’t hit. This may take a bit of practice, but you can do this too. 

Lastly, add some ghost eyes using a pointed-tipped artist’s brush and a tiny amount of black paint.  

I thought about adding googly eyes, but I didn’t. The solid eyes were more of the ghost look I was wanting. 

STEP 4: Painting An Oops Ghost!

Okay, remember I said I was painting two ghosts? Stuff happens, and I was less than happy when I mistakenly smeared white paint in the middle of my artwork. That’s what I get when I set the paint on top of it like it was spillproof. Will I ever learn? Probably not.

A third ghost it is! I had to get creative with the placement and make this one fly away into the midnight sky. No one will know but you and me. You have been sworn to secrecy.

Thanks for checking out Donna’s ghostly thrift store art project! We hope you’re inspired to give it a try. Share your creations with us, and stay tuned for more DIY fun!

For more ideas to spook up your home decor, check out our blog, Spookify Your Home: Halloween DIY Decor Ideas with Dixie Belle.