Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read
This Painted Jeans DIY Will Make Your Denim Look Designer
There’s something special about wearing denim that no one else owns. While designer jeans can cost hundreds, this painted jeans DIY proves you can create a custom, high-fashion look with just a little paint, creativity, and confidence. Thrift some jeans, buy new or paint jeans you already own. Painted denim is having a moment—runway-inspired, artsy, and effortlessly cool. The best part? You don’t need to be an artist to pull it off.
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My jeans were gifted to me by Ruti and I love them!
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Why Painted Jeans Look So Luxe
Designers love hand-painted details because they add texture, dimension, and personality. A few brush strokes can turn everyday jeans into wearable art, giving that “custom atelier” feel without the designer price tag.
Posing with Minnie Pearl
I love painting jeans and did them in another tutorial. They were denim shorts that I painted in a neon splatter design. They were very summery and I wore them often and still love them. See my splatter denim shorts here or in my YouTube video below via my channel @carolynjbraden:
Pro Tips for a Designer Finish
Stick to a limited color palette
Leave negative space for a high-end look
Focus on asymmetry—perfect is overrated
Don’t be scared to ruin them! This often holds me back from creating and my tip is START SLOW and just do it. If you go slowly, you’ll be able to think about each stroke and end up loving whatever you create!
I love working with these two fluffs!
Where to Wear Your Painted Jean Creation
You can wear your painted jeans anywhere. I put together some looks for this article that would be great a for a date night, a casual weekend outing or wear them out dancing! I paired mine with pink go-go style booties that matched a silky Target tank I already had. I love DIY-ing fashion and pairing it with things I already own. I even love thrifting fashion and making it my own by painting or cutting it up in unique ways. I made my sunglasses and tiara.
My finished jeans!
What You’ll Need
Links go out to either the brand website, Amazon, CVS, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Target, Lowe’s, or Temu (code afe55197 gets you 30% off your first order), where we source our supplies based on discounts, budget and pricing.
A pair of jeans (straight-leg or relaxed fits work best), mine were gifted to me and are the Ruti Petite Slouchy Jeans 2.0 and are the perfect length for my 5’1” frame (thrifted jeans work too!)
Acrylic paints in the colors of your choice (Amazon or Walmart or this set via Amazon has all the colors you would need and it’s what I used)
Optional: Textile medium (helps make the paint last on the fabric longer) or you could use fabric or textile paints
Various brushes (This set on Amazon or Walmart would work and sponge brushes were very helpful)
Water
Tarp or a floor/painting area protector (I used a garbage bag that we had on hand and cut it in half, but a drop cloth works)
Optional: Heart stencils
Washing instructions for this fashion item is at the bottom of my tutorial below.
Check out my 1-minute video tutorial for this project on my TikTok now or coming soon here and to my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden!
My Painted Jean Tutorial
How to Paint Your Jeans
Prep your denim
Wash and dry your jeans to remove residue. Place cardboard or wax paper inside the leg so paint doesn’t bleed through.
I started with white
Plan your design
Minimal details look the most designer—think abstract lines, florals, stars, or subtle side-leg accents. I love pink, so I used a mix of pinks, reds and whites that coordinated nicely. I call my design “Blooming Hearts”.
Then I added the pinks
Paint slowly and lightly
Add a bit of fabric medium to your paints in a palette, using the instructions on the bottle.
Start with thin layers. I used a sponge brush and began sponging on the white, then light pink, then dark pink, then I used a tiny sponge brush to stencil on red hearts, then added some gold with a detail brush to give it some sparkle.
Build color gradually and allow to dry in between layers to keep the denim flexible and natural-looking.
I stenciled on the hearts
Let it dry completely
Allow paint to dry for at least 24 hours. If washing, turn them inside out, use a delicate cycle and air dry.
I call my design Blooming Hearts
Style like a pro
Pair your painted jeans with a white tee, blazer, soft sweater or sleek heels or booties to balance the artsy vibe.
My pup loved my design, lol!
Painted jeans are proof that style doesn’t have to be expensive to feel elevated. Once you try this DIY, you’ll never look at plain denim the same way again.
I made my sunglasses and crown
Take Action
If you try any of my ideas, let me know how it turned out—or tag me when you try them because I LOVE seeing your posts💚 If you tag me using @carolynsbloomingcreations or @carolynjbraden, I’ll see it! Or tell me about it in the comments below.
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Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.