Candy Corn Candles Tutorial

A couple of weeks ago I was at the store and came across an endcap of clearance crafts supplies, including some DecoArt Americana Chalky Finish paint for 92 cents a bottle.  SCORE!  The colors I found are called delicate (yellow), inheritance (orange), and everlasting (white), and I knew immediately I wanted to use them to create a muted, subtle version of candy corn colors.

But should I candy-corn-ify?  I’ve always been a fan of the tall prayer candles in jars, so I made a quick trip to the dollar store to grab a few.  They were the perfect subjects for this project!

Project estimate:

  • Prayer candles, $1 and up
  • Washi or masking tape, on hand or $1 and up
  • Paint, on hand or $1 and up

Total: $1 and up

Start by removing any stickers or labels from your candle jars.  Then wipe the jars down with rubbing alcohol to remove any reside, including oi from your fingers, that may be present.  This will help your paint adhere better!

candy corn candle supplies

Use washi tape (or masking tape) to tape off two lines around the candle.  The tape lines will be unpainted on the finished candle, so I used the skinniest roll of washi tape I could find in my collection.  If you are making a grouping of candles, you can tape them all off at the same places, or vary the placement of the tape lines like I did for a different effect.

Candy Corn Candles Tutorial

Once your lines are taped off, add paint!  You can apply the paint with a brush (being very careful of the tape edges) or with a stencil sponge.  I applied several thin-ish coats to get a nice, even finish.

Tip:  I actually prefer to use a makeup wedge sponge to apply paint because it is a denser sponge and leaves less of a spongy pattern in the surface of the paint.  And you can get a whole package of them for a buck!

Candy Corn Candles Tutorial

After you are done painting, carefully peel away the tape and your candles are ready to add to your Halloween decor!