Although paint is typically seen on a canvas, wood, or ceramics, paint can be applied almost anywhere. It’s a great way to add color and vibrancy to anything you want to customize.
One of the more popular customizations taking over right now is for AirPods cases. As more people switch to wireless earbuds, AirPods are rising in popularity.
For those who like to stand out, the plain white AirPods case can be a bore. If you have everything else in your life customized, it makes sense that you’d want to customize your AirPods case with a fresh coat of paint, too.
So, how do you paint an AirPods case? To paint an AirPods case, you’ll need to prepare the surface by sanding or deglazing, taping the parts that shouldn’t be painted, applying a primer, then painting with acrylic paints. Finish your art with an acrylic sealer.
Painting an AirPods case is delicate work and requires a high level of attention to detail so you don’t ruin the electronic components. If you work meticulously, though, you can have the custom AirPods case of your dreams.
Best Paints To Use For Painting An AirPods Case
If you’re ready to dive in and paint your AirPods case, the best paint to use is acrylic paint. Acrylic paints are water-based and highly flexible, making them a great choice to add to your plastic AirPods case.
A great advantage to using acrylic paints is that they’re easy to find in a high variety of colors, so you’ll be able to customize your AirPods case right down to the exact shades of colors you choose.
There are several great options out there for acrylic paints, but one brand we recommend is Angelus. Angelus is a leather products brand, but their acrylic leather paint is perfect for an AirPods case because it’s designed to adhere to a slick, smooth surface.
You can also go more traditional with the brand Apple Barrel. They’re a common acrylic paint that you’ll find in most craft and department stores. You can purchase an 18-color pack of Apple Barrel acrylic paints online.
Arteza is another brand of acrylic paints that has a stellar reputation. You can get a 20-pack of their regular colors, or you can go for a brighter look and purchase their iridescent acrylic paints.
A final option for paints for your AirPods case is using an airbrush. If you already have an airbrush kit for other painting projects, then you can use your airbrush to paint your AirPods case.
Simply purchase a pack of airbrush paints and load in the colors you want to apply to your AirPods case.
Many artists use their airbrush to paint the background of their AirPods case, then come in with regular acrylic paints and small paintbrushes to add the details of their designs.
You can watch this in action by checking out this video below from Tomhundred as he customizes an AirPods case using an airbrush and paintbrushes.
Design Ideas For Painting An AirPods Case
While there are endless designs that would look great on canvas or large pieces of wood, your options start to get limited when you paint a smaller surface like an AirPods case.
A popular design idea for painting an AirPods case is to do a small landscape scene, such as an ocean scene with waves and the sun. This can be accomplished easily on a small surface and still add a lot of color and flair to your AirPods case. You could also do an image of a small animal or insect, such as a butterfly or a bird. Flowers work well on small areas, too.
The video below by Shruti Prasanth on YouTube takes you through 8 different ideas for designs that can be painted on an AirPods case.
You don’t have to go detailed, though. You can do a simple solid color by just airbrushing your AirPods case your favorite color. If the solid color is too plain, you could add polka dots or stripes to give the case some personality.
You can paint your initials and create a monogram, or you can paint your name or a word that means a lot to you.
If you want to keep it simple but don’t like the idea of a plain solid color, try doing a gradient or ombre look like in the video from Tomhundred we linked above. Make your AirPods case sparkle by painting it a solid color, then adding a layer of glitter on top.
Although your options become limited when working on such a small space, there are still plenty of designs you can do to set yourself apart and create a fun, custom AirPods case.
Supplies For Painting An AirPods Case
Once you pick your design for your AirPods case, it’s time to gather your supplies. We’ll go into more detail on why you need these supplies in the section below, but for now, check out our shopping list to make sure you have everything ready.
- Sandpaper
- Deglazer
- Paint primer
- Masking tape (or painter’s tape)
- Acrylic paint
- Paintbrushes
- Fine tip/detail paintbrushes
- Sealant
How To Paint An Airpods Case
Painting an AirPods case can be a lot of fun, but it also requires a lot of time and work to get it right.
Before you get started painting, you’ll need to prepare your AirPods case. The case is made of polycarbonate plastic. You can tell by looking at and feeling your AirPods case that it’s shiny and slick, which isn’t the ideal surface for taking paint well.
To prepare your AirPods case for paint, you can try a combination of the following methods: sanding, deglazing, and priming. If you’re going with sanding, you’ll just need a small pack of sandpaper sheets to sand the surface.
With deglazing and priming, you want to make sure you have products that will work well on your case without ruining the material or interfering with the electronics. It’s recommended that you apply your masking or painter’s tape to your case before you begin applying any chemicals to your AirPods case.
Apply tape over the bottom charging port and over the metal bracket that allows the case to open and close. To put it simply, put tape over the parts of your AirPods case that are silver instead of white.
If you only want to paint the bottom of your AirPods case and not the top lid, then apply tape over the top lid too. Once you’ve taped up your case, you can begin adding your deglazer or your primer. After your deglazer or primer has dried, it’s time to get painting!
Grab your paintbrushes and paint or your airbrush kit and begin applying paint to your case. If it’s not saturated in color on the first coat, allow your initial layer to dry before adding more.
It’s best to apply the paint in several thin layers than one thick layer. Thick layers of paint don’t dry correctly, so you want to be sure you apply your paint lightly to allow for proper drying.
After your design is done, allow the paint to dry completely, then apply your acrylic sealant. This will be the final step that protects your newly painted case from normal wear and tear.
You can expect to see scratches or scuffs in the paint if you keep your case in the same pocket as your keys or another sharp object, but the sealer will protect it from normal wear and tear that might occur just from it being in a soft, fabric pocket on its own.
To summarize, follow the steps below to paint your AirPods case for best results:
- Tape the parts of your AirPods case that you don’t want to apply paint to or that shouldn’t get paint in them, such as the charging port.
- Sand, deglaze, or prime your AirPods case surface. It should go from looking shiny to looking a little more dull or matte.
- Apply your paint in thin layers, allowing for proper dry times in between each layer.
- Let the paint dry completely. It’s best to leave your AirPods case on a piece of cardboard or another disposable surface to dry.
- Apply your acrylic paint sealer. Once the acrylic sealer has dried completely, your case is done!
Tips And Tricks For Painting An AirPods Case
Although painting an AirPods case can be as simple as preparing the surface, painting, and letting it dry, there are some tips and tricks that can make it easier to get the design you’re looking for.
Try outlining your design in Sharpie before you go in with the paints. This will give you a good place to start before applying your paint.
If you want to have an even better game plan before painting, trace the outline of your AirPods case onto a piece of cardstock paper and cut it out.
With the cardstock, practice your paintings like Shruti did in her video linked above. This will help you work out any design issues when working with such a small surface.
It’s also important to make sure you’re not painting your AirPods case sealed. After each layer dries, try to open your AirPods case. Make sure the lid is still able to separate from the body of the case.
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