Hi there, crafty friends! Welcome to the IHC Craft Room—I’m Mary, and today, we’re diving into a dazzling Easter craft that’s perfect for beginners: a dot-painted wooden cross! If you’ve ever wanted to try dot painting but weren’t sure where to start, this is the project for you. We’re talking bold colors, easy techniques, and all the materials from your local dollar store. So grab your supplies, and let’s get crafty!
👉 Watch the full step-by-step tutorial here:
Materials You’ll Need:
- 9” x 6.5” Standing Wooden Cross (Dollar Tree)
- Chalk Paint – Black (Walmart)
- Acrylic Paints (Dollarama):
- White
- Bright Yellow
- Tutti Frutti
- Christmas Red
- Tropical Blue
- Peacock Blue
- Christmas Green
- Liquitex Matte Varnish (Michaels)
- Red & White Rhinestone Stickers (Dollarama)
- Dotting tools (Amazon)
- Paintbrushes
- Paint palette
- Wet rag
- Cup of water
- Gorilla Super Glue
- Q-tips
- Toothpicks
- Sanding block & emery board
Step 1: Sand & Prep Your Cross
First things first—smooth that wood! Anytime I work with wooden surfaces, I give them a light sanding to prevent splinters (because, let’s be real, nobody enjoys a crafting injury). Once it’s as smooth as a butter, wipe it down with a damp rag to remove any dust.
Step 2: Base Coat It Black
Next, it’s time for the base coat. I applied two thin coats of black chalk paint to the front and back, but honestly, one coat is probably enough. I just like to be extra. Once the paint is dry, seal it with two thin coats of matte varnish. This helps protect the base color in case you need to fix any mistakes later (thank you, trusty Q-tips!).
Step 3: Mark Your Center & Get Ready to Dot
Before we start dotting, let’s plan our layout. I used a chalk pencil to outline where my rhinestone center will go so I don’t accidentally dot over it. Now, we’re ready to bring this cross to life with color!
Step 4: Walk the Dots!
Now for the fun part—dot painting! I used the Walk the Dots technique, where you dip your stylus in paint, dot it onto the surface, and continue dotting until the paint naturally runs out. This creates a beautiful gradient effect with each dot getting smaller as you go. I started at the center and worked my way outward, creating rainbow-colored dotted lines all over the cross. Each row starts with a larger dot and gradually gets smaller as I move outward. Later, I reversed the direction to fill in gaps.
Step 5: Keep It Balanced
While dotting, I followed a few simple rules:
- Leave some space between your lines—this lets the black background peek through and makes the colors pop.
- Alternate between colors evenly to avoid overpowering one shade.
- Mix up dot sizes by switching between different styluses.
- Embrace imperfections! Some of my lines were crooked, and you know what? It still turned out stunning!
Step 6: The Finishing Touches
Once the majority of the cross was covered, I flipped the direction of my dots to create even more dimension. I also added a dotted trim around the base of the cross to tie everything together.
Now, patience is key—let this masterpiece dry for at least 24 hours. Before sealing it with varnish, don’t forget to erase the chalk outline before you varnish it (unless you want the chalk line immortalized forever!).
Finally, I secured the red rhinestone in the center using a small drop of Gorilla Super Glue. And voilà—this Easter cross is complete!
This project was so simple yet so satisfying—a perfect way to practice the Walk the Dots technique while creating something truly eye-catching. If you’re new to dot painting, this is an excellent project to start with!
So, what do you think? Would you try this yourself? Let me know in the comments below! And if you want to learn more about dot painting, check out my step-by-step video tutorial right here:
Let’s keep crafting together—don’t forget to subscribe for more creative fun! Happy crafting! ✨🎨
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