DIY Rainbow Purse Makeover for Spring

I’ve been seeing rainbow motifs popping up more and more lately in really interesting color palettes and exaggerated shapes. And since it’s been almost a year since last summer’s painter’s stripe purse, I thought it was time for this squircle to get the makeover treatment.

I tried to go outside of my usual color comfort zone and was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this. Now I want to experiment with different rainbows- possibly in a completely monotone color scheme or as a half rainbow peaking over a rounded corner!

Since this is a pretty straightforward DIY, I’m sharing my general painting makeover tips instead of a traditional tutorial.

You’ll Need
acrylic paint*
rounded paintbrush
a purse that needs a makeover (I used this one, but any rounded purse works! I like these blush circle & ocrhe, half-moon options as well)

Work outside in, from your outermost rainbow band to the innermost. This will help keep your shapes consistent and prevent smearing.

Gently roll the end of the paintbrush into the stroke to get a smooth line. Paint from one end to the halfway point, then switch sides and go from the other end to meet in the middle and blend the two strokes. I find this helpful for getting symmetrical sides instead of trying to get it perfect in one go.

Depending on your paint, you might have to do a second coat. Just let completely dry in between coats for full coverage.

The great part about faux leather is how easily you can fix paint mistakes! When your paint is still wet, you can take the edge of a wet paper towel and quickly remove any spots.

*Quick note about using acrylic paint vs. fabric: I used acrylic because it’s more opaque than fabric paint and the flat surface of this purse doesn’t require a flexible paint. If you’re doing this on a tote or any bag that has a softer form, build up layers of fabric paint to prevent cracking.