Painting A Fraternity Cooler (A Step-by-Step Guide)
5/23/2016
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Almost two months ago, I was invited by one of my friends to his fraternity formal. I had been invited to another one a month prior but was asked pretty late so I didn't get the chance to paint a cooler (I painted him a flask instead which I've included at the bottom of this post). Anyway, this was my first time ever painting a cooler so I was kinda nervous, but with some help from theThe Cooler Connection, I think it turned out pretty well! See how I did it below!
Step 1: Pick and Prime A Cooler
Unlike the larger coolers most girls paint, I decided on this 9qt by Igloo. I asked my date if he wouldn't mind a smaller one and he said that he was so excited to be getting one that it didn't really matter. And honestly, it holds a decent amount and is so easy to sand, prime, and paint that I think I'll be sticking to this size from now on. It's also a lot more practical and can be usedagain for day trips (some beaches also don't allow certain coolers so keep that in mind).
The first thing that I did was sand the cooler. No matter what your primer says (for plastic, extra strength, etc.), MAKE SURE TO SAND. Also, do yourself a favor and get enough sand paper- I barely had enough and I think my cooler could have used a little bit more sanding. Then, prime prime prime until the cooler is completely white. I usedKrylon MAXX Ultimate Coverage Primerand one can was more than enough for this size of a cooler. Since this was my first time painting acooler, I also didn't have any craft supplies yet. I had to get some basicacrylic colors: black, white, the three primary colors, brown (because it's a pain to mix and get right); brushes; and sealer. Thetotal cost of this project? About $40. A little bit expensive but I will be reusing many of these items in the future so it's not too bad.
Step 2: Paint (And Cry)
Now, unto the fun part (but also the most stressful part). If you're a perfectionist like me, you're going to both love and hate painting a cooler. Before I started, I looked up some coolerinspiration on Facebook pages, Pinterest, and the Internet. I also asked my date for ideas (which I'm glad I did because I was pretty stuck on a fourth and final side idea).
| The Front: Tybee Island, GA |
Side 1: But First- |
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| Back: I'm Like A Ringleader... |
Side 2: Georgia Tech, AEPi, and AGD |
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| Top: Name and Vineyard Vines |
Step 3: Seal and Set Sail
When you're all done painting, make sure you seal your designs! Most people recommend Famowood or Envirotex, but I didn't have the time (and I'm honestly a bit intimated by it so maybe next time). Instead, I just did 2-3 coats of Modge Podge followed by 2 coats of Krylon Triple-Thick Crystal Clear Glaze. Make sure to do this outside in a well-ventilated area! And that's it, you're done! Here's the finished product on the very beach that inspired it. Not sure how it's doing now, but it survived a weekend on the beach and in the sun! |
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| And as promised, here's the flask that I painted for the other formal that I attended. My date is a Computer Science major so I used it as the "theme" of the flask. This took meabout 4 hours (because I didn't have paint pens at the time). I also only sealed it withModge Podge which is water-based and of course, not waterproof. You can guess how that turned out. Anyway,I hope this guide was even a tiny bit helpful and that my designs gave you some inspiration. If you have any more additional questions, feel free to leave a comment below. |
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