How to Make Faux Painted Feathers DIY (Decor Ideas)

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How to Make Faux Painted Feathers DIY (Decor Ideas)

If you love feather crafts but don’t want to use real feathers, this colorful, budget-friendly tutorial is for you!

These DIY painted feathers are made entirely from blue painter’s tape and paper twisted wire, and they look amazing as party decor, garlands, gift toppers, added to a dream catcher or boho wall art.

Let's get started!

You can paint feathers in any color combination you like — bright rainbow tones, muted neutrals, or metallics.

Plus, because you make them yourself, you can control the size, shape, and texture of every small feather or large statement piece.

Let’s make some fake feathers that are easy to customize, fun to paint, and totally customizable!

Supplies Needed for Colorful Feathers:

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Blue painter’s tape (2-inch wide) – This will form the main structure of each feather.
Paper twisted wire – Found in the floral or craft section; it forms the central spine of the feather.
Scissors – For cutting the tape and trimming the feather edges.
Acrylic paint – I used Plaid Multi-Surface Acrylic Craft Paint in bright colors.
Permanent marker – For adding fine lines, dots, and feather details once the paint dries.
A little bit of water – To thin your paint slightly and help with blending or dry brush effects.
Paper towel – For blotting your brush or cleaning up extra paint.
Wooden beads (optional) – To string your feathers into a garland and hang them as decor.

Step 1: Build the Feather Base

Start by cutting a piece of paper twisted wire about 6 to 8 inches long — this will be your feather’s “stem.”

Then, tear off two pieces of blue painter’s tape about the same length.

Lay one strip sticky side up on your work surface, place the wire in the center, and then sandwich it with the second strip sticky side down.

Press firmly to seal the wire between the two layers.

Then, tear off two pieces of blue painter’s tape about the same length. Lay one strip sticky side up on your work surface, place the wire in the center, and then sandwich it with the second strip sticky side down. Press firmly to seal the wire between the two layers.

This creates a flexible, slightly textured surface that mimics the feel of real feathers.

The paper twisted wire acts like the quill or central spine, keeping your feather sturdy but lightweight.

Don't be overly concerned about wrinkles or getting the wire exactly straight inside the taped layers.

Just make a bunch of them and you can edit them when you get to the cutting stage of the feathers.

These look fabulous as accents in a flower bouquet, sticking out of a carved pumpkin or hung on a garland across the mantle for Fall.

So decide how many feathers you need and make the bases for all of them at once.

Step 2: Cut Out the Feather Shape

Using sharp scissors, trim the taped piece into a feather shape.

Start with a gentle curve on each side that comes to a soft point at the top.

To give your feather more realism, snip tiny little notches along the edges.

You can make some short and some long for variety — just like the different types of feathers you’d find in nature.

If you want to make small feathers, start with shorter wire and smaller strips of tape.

For big statement pieces, go longer and wider.

You can even layer multiple fake feathers together later for a fuller effect.

Step 3: Paint the Feathers

Now for the fun part — feather painting!

Using your acrylic paint, apply a base coat in your favorite paint color.

You can go with classic white, turquoise, coral, or bold rainbow hues.

Plaid Multi-Surface Acrylic Paint works perfectly for this because it adheres well to tape and dries quickly.

Step 3: Paint the Feathers Now for the fun part — feather painting! Using your acrylic paint, apply a base coat in your favorite paint color. You can go with classic white, turquoise, coral, or bold rainbow hues. Plaid Multi-Surface Acrylic Paint works perfectly for this because it adheres well to tape and dries quickly.

You can also use a dry brush technique for texture — just dip your brush lightly in paint, dab off the excess on a paper towel, and sweep gently across the surface to create soft feather-like streaks.

Mixing a touch of white paint into your colors can give you soft pastel tones or highlight effects.

Try layering colors, too — maybe a turquoise base with white tips or a pink feather with gold accents!

Paint each of the feathers completely, so all the tape is covered.

Curl the end of the wire and find a place to hang them while they dry.

I used a bunch of bright colors of paints and painted each base feather a different color.

If you don't have a place to hang these feathers to dry, just paint one side at a time with drying in between.

After your brightly colored feathers are dry, you can use them as is, or take it one step further with more paint and marker-drawn decorations.

I used more bright multi-surface paint to add more color to each feather.

This technique makes all the feathers match, without having the same exact base color.

These darling feathers would make great name tag place settings for a holiday dinner, painted in colors to match the tableware.

Let the kids join in the painting and decorating, these do not have to be exact or perfect.

I love the ragged edges of paint and bright colors, no stress on this simple DIY craft!

Let that fresh layer of paint dry completely before any additional decorating.

These would be perfect and gorgeous for any decor idea right now!

Step 4: Add Feather Details

Once your feathers are dry, grab your permanent marker to add fine details and texture.

Draw a line down the center of the feather to emphasize the “spine.”

Then, sketch smaller diagonal lines coming off that center to mimic natural barbs.

You can also add dots, stripes, or geometric shapes for a modern twist.

Step 4: Add Feather Details Once your feathers are dry, grab your permanent marker to add fine details and texture. Draw a line down the center of the feather to emphasize the “spine.” Then, sketch smaller diagonal lines coming off that center to mimic natural barbs. You can also add dots, stripes, or geometric shapes for a modern twist.

This is where your personality shines through — make them realistic, whimsical, or stylized!

Try combining different paint colors and marker shades for even more dimension.

Step 5: Assemble or Display

Your DIY painted feathers are now ready to use!

You can leave them as-is for simple display or incorporate them into larger feather crafts.

Here are a few fun DIY ideas for your finished fake feathers:

Garlands or mobiles: String several feathers onto twine with wooden beads between each one for a natural boho look.
Name Tag Place Settings: Keep them simple, write a name in gold pen across the feather and place on each plate.
Gift toppers: Tie a single feather to a wrapped present for a handmade touch.
Stick them into a pumpkin for fancy hair, turkey feathers or for a fun modern look.
Add to Floral Bouquets: Give some additional Fall flair to a vase.
Wall decor: Mount your favorite colorful feathers in a shadow box or glue them to a canvas.
Bookmarks: Flatten smaller feathers between books for a lightweight, artistic marker.
Costume accessories: Glue them to a headband or hat for a quick DIY embellishment.

The possibilities are endless! These painted feathers are versatile, durable, and easy to make in bulk — perfect for craft nights or party projects with kids.

Step 5: Assemble or Display Your DIY painted feathers are now ready to use! You can leave them as-is for simple display or incorporate them into larger feather crafts. Here are a few fun DIY ideas for your finished fake feathers: Garlands or mobiles: String several feathers onto twine with wooden beads between each one for a natural boho look. Name Tag Place Settings: Keep them simple, write a name in gold pen across the feather and place on each plate. Gift toppers: Tie a single feather to a wrapped present for a handmade touch. Stick them into a pumpkin for fancy hair, turkey feathers or for a fun modern look. Add to Floral Bouquets: Give some additional Fall flair to a vase. Wall decor: Mount your favorite colorful feathers in a shadow box or glue them to a canvas. Bookmarks: Flatten smaller feathers between books for a lightweight, artistic marker. Costume accessories: Glue them to a headband or hat for a quick DIY embellishment. The possibilities are endless! These painted feathers are versatile, durable, and easy to make in bulk — perfect for craft nights or party projects with kids.

Tips for Best Results

Experiment with paint layers. Use light and dark tones of the same color for depth.
Try different brush sizes. Smaller brushes are great for fine lines; larger ones cover more surface for bold color blocks.
Use metallic or pearl acrylic paint. This gives your colorful feathers a shimmery, ethereal touch.
Don’t forget texture. You can crumple the tape slightly before painting to create a more natural feather feel.
Clean your brush often. Wipe with a paper towel between colors to prevent muddy mixing.
And of course — always keep a cup of a little bit of water nearby to rinse your brush between colors!

Other Variations to Try:

Once you’ve mastered the basic diy painted feathers, you can experiment with different types of feathers and finishes.
Gradient Feathers: Blend two or three paint colors together while still wet for a soft ombre effect.
Tribal-Inspired Feathers: Add bold geometric shapes with black and white acrylic paint for a graphic look.
Nature-Inspired Feathers: Stick to earthy tones like brown, gold, and cream for a more realistic appearance.
Mini Feathers: Make small feathers and attach them to jewelry, hair clips, or cards.
Paint Over Real Feathers: If you want to mix things up, try feather painting over actual craft feathers for a hybrid texture.

This colorful feather project is relaxing, colorful, and endlessly customizable. It’s the kind of craft you can do while chatting with friends, watching your favorite show, or even waiting for easy dinners to finish cooking.

Plus, because it uses simple materials like blue painter’s tape, paper twisted wire, and acrylic paint, it’s inexpensive and mess-free — no need to buy real feathers or specialty supplies.

If you love related interests like boho home decor, colorful party crafts, or mixed media art, these DIY painted feathers will fit perfectly into your creative lineup. They’re lightweight, modern, and completely cruelty-free.

This colorful feather project is relaxing, colorful, and endlessly customizable. It’s the kind of craft you can do while chatting with friends, watching your favorite show, or even waiting for easy dinners to finish cooking. Plus, because it uses simple materials like blue painter’s tape, paper twisted wire, and acrylic paint, it’s inexpensive and mess-free — no need to buy real feathers or specialty supplies. If you love related interests like boho home decor, colorful party crafts, or mixed media art, these DIY painted feathers will fit perfectly into your creative lineup. They’re lightweight, modern, and completely cruelty-free.

That's it!

Feather crafts have always been a creative way to add movement, texture, and symbolism to your projects. These fake feathers made from painter’s tape prove that you don’t need real feathers to make something beautiful.

With a few simple supplies, a splash of acrylic paint, and your imagination, you can paint feathers in every color of the rainbow — or stick to minimalist white and gold for a chic modern twist.

Whether you’re decorating a room, making a costume, or crafting just for fun, these colorful feathers are sure to brighten your day and spark creativity. So grab your brushes, pour a little white paint, keep your paper towel handy, and start crafting your own unique collection of DIY painted feathers!

Like, Pin and Save!

Feather crafts have always been a creative way to add movement, texture, and symbolism to your projects. These fake feathers made from painter’s tape prove that you don’t need real feathers to make something beautiful. With a few simple supplies, a splash of acrylic paint, and your imagination, you can paint feathers in every color of the rainbow — or stick to minimalist white and gold for a chic modern twist. Whether you’re decorating a room, making a costume, or crafting just for fun, these colorful feathers are sure to brighten your day and spark creativity. So grab your brushes, pour a little white paint, keep your paper towel handy, and start crafting your own unique collection of DIY painted feathers!

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