Paint Your Own Stars And Stripes For Flag Day

The child draws the flag of America

While many people have big plans for July 4, not as many know about Flag Day. Flag Day’s history goes back to the late 1800s, and Congress officially established the date of Flag Day as June 14 every year. Show off your artistic side as you celebrate Flag Day with your hand-painted version this year. Painting your stars and stripes is a fun and simple way to incorporate the flag into your décor. Here’s how:

Gather Your Supplies

To paint your stars and stripes, you will need:

  • A scrap piece of plywood in the size you prefer
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Red, white, and blue craft paints
  • Paintbrushes
  • Paint pen
  • Sandpaper
  • A few rags

Optional supplies include:

  • Cricut machine or star stencil
  • White cardstock (for the Cricut)
  • Wood stain (for a rustic look, if desired)
  • Foam roller

Time to Get Painting

Once you have gathered all your supplies, it’s time to start painting. First, paint the entire board with white paint. Next, if you are going for a rustic look, it’s ok to have areas where the paint is thinner or a little of the board shows through. Also, you can speed up this step using a foam roller. In fact, some craft paints have foam roller attachments that make the job even easier and with less mess.

Fill in the Details

Once the board has dried, you can use your ruler and pencil to measure and draw the 13 stripes and the field where the stars will be. Additionally, you can use the Cricut to create the star stencil with the card stock, use other stencils, or even draw your 50 stars freehand. If you have the paint pen, you can use it to outline the stars and other lines to make it easier to fill in the paint later. Next, use paintbrushes to fill in the blue field and your red stripes.

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For a Rustic Look

If you have opted for the rustic look, don’t worry about areas where the paint might be thin. Once the paint has dried, get some rough sandpaper; around 60 grit is good, and sand in various places until you have some bare spots. You can do a little at a time until you achieve the look you are going for.

Now, mix the water-based stain with an equal part of water. Use a paintbrush to paint the stain onto the worn spots, then use a rag to wipe the stain off. When you have “aged” your flag enough, let it dry. You can now display it inside. However, if you want to show off your stars and stripes outside, you may want to use a clear sealer to ensure your handiwork holds up to the bright sun and weather.

Time to get crafty. It’s so much fun to make your stars and stripes. You’ll have an original piece that honors Flag Day and will last you all summer.

Disclaimer: The stock image is being used for illustrative purposes only, and it is not a direct representation of the business, recipe, or activity listed. Any person depicted in the stock image is a model.