If you haven't yet noticed, this is the year of getting back to riding your bike. And you're in good company if you're like us and you finally decided to haul your bike out of the back of the shed to take for a spin and gasped in horror at the cobwebs, flat tires and old chipped paint awaiting you. In this moment you probably hopped online and tried to order the newest, fanciest bike you could find; but you were out of luck, weren't you? Bikes are sold out everywhere! Luckily we're DIYers at COLORSHOT headquarters, so when we wondered how to paint a bike to bring it back to life, we grabbed our COLORSHOT spray paint and figured out HOW TO PAINT A BIKE. Our friend Mikyla Creates captured the process and will give your bike hope in this easy ombre painting tutorial.
- COLORSHOT Premium Spray Paint in desired ombre palette (dark, medium, light)
- Bike
- Painter's tape
- Protective plastic
- Tools (to take bike apart)
This bike could use a little love from COLORSHOT, don't you think? It's time to take it from pink to awesomely ombre!
First choose your color palette. For an ombre look, you don't have to pick all colors in the same color family like Mikyla Creates; you'll just want a light, medium and dark shade that combine nicely together.
Next wipe down your bike to remove all dust and debris. You'll want a completely clean surface before painting.
Remove the seat, tires and chain, as well as any accessories like a basket you'll be painting a different color.
Use painter's tape and plastic to tape off and cover any parts of the bike you won't be painting, or that you'll be painting different colors.
You can use painter's tape on the ground to help mark your color transition points if you want. Or you can just wing it! Starting on one end of the bike, paint with your darkest shade, spraying several light coats instead of one heavy coat.
Make sure to get all of those angles and hard-to-reach areas!
Spray the middle section of the bike with your medium tone, blending some of the color into the darkest shade.
Add your lightest shade to the other end of the bike, blending some of the color into the medium shade.
Paint the handlebars a coordinating shade, blending into your lightest ombre color.
If your bike basket needs a makeover, now's the time to paint it!
Once all parts have completely dried, put your bike back together and admire your work!
It's time to take this beauty out for a spin, don't you think?
And with all of that extra cash you saved by learning how to paint a bike instead of buying a new one, you can treat yourself to a fun new adventure!
