Mini Ceramic Piggy Banks to Paint

These adorable paint-them-yourself bisque mini piggy banks are great fun to decorate.

They also make charming and unique gifts that are appropriate for any time of the year.

Kids love these sweet little piggies, but you certainly don't have to give them just to children. Plenty of big folks love them too!

Although the pigs are small, they are fully functional as banks, complete with a coin slot on top and a removable rubber stopper on the bottom.

Besides being very cute, these unfinished ceramic mini piggy banks also are inexpensive. I have seen sets of twelve being sold (without paints and brushes) for $20-$25 per dozen, sometimes less when the vendor has placed them on sale. Kits that include brushes and paints also are available and generally cost about $5-$10 more than the sets consisting of the banks only.

Painting these ceramic banks can be a fun group project with family or friends. Buy the set that comes with paints and brushes for a kids' party, or take the kit with you on a family trip such as a week at the beach. It's always fun to have group activities to enjoy after you come in from the sun or on bad weather days.

Ceramic mini piggy banks also make great party favors that your guests are sure to treasure as special keepsakes. You also can personalize them and use them as placecards.

Of course, you do need to allow yourself enough time to paint them. So if you want to use these piggy banks as party favors or placecards, be sure to buy the supplies and start painting well in advance of the party date! That way you won't be rushed or stressed out, and you can really have some fun working on this project.

Some Tips for Painting the Piggy Banks

• If there is a sticker on the pig, remove it. Make sure that all sticky residue has been removed too. Use Goo Gone if needed, then wash the Goo Gone off thoroughly.

• Remove the rubber stopper from the bottom of the pig. (Do not put it back on until you have completely finished painting the pig and the paint is dry.)
  

• Run the piggy bank briefly under running water. Don't rub it dry. Let it air dry for a few minutes. You can start painting the bank while it is still damp.

• These pigs are not meant to be glazed and fired in a kiln. I recommend using acrylic craft paints.

• If you want the pig to be a solid color (as opposed to striped), then paint either the top side or the bottom side of the pig and let it dry before painting the other side. Try to avoid leaving thick, distinct lines of demarcation where the paint stops. Feather it in. This helps ensure a smooth finish after both the top and bottom sides have been painted.

Adding Dots

After you have painted the pig, if you want to embellish it with dots, one way to add the dots is to use the eraser end of a pencil. Dip it into paint and then press it against the surface where you want to place the dot.

You also can use the end of a wooden dowel. They come in many sizes.

If you have never done this before, I suggest that you practice a few times on a scrap object or paper to get used to how much paint works best, how hard to press, etc., to do a nice neat job.

For smaller dots, you can use the flat end of a wooden skewer. Sometimes I use the end of a paint brush. For tiny dots, the pointed end of a wooden skewer works well.

You also can add dots of any size freehand using a brush or marker.

Where To Buy

S&S; Worldwide offers a set containing twelve unfinished bisque mini piggy banks, plus paint and brushes. Or you can buy just the banks, and use paint and brushes you already have or buy somewhere else.

S&S; Worldwide also offers a kit with glossy pigs instead of unfinished bisque. I recommend getting the unfinished bisque pigs, as most craft paints adhere much better to that surface than to the glossy, glazed surface. But there are special paints and markers available that will stick to the glazed surface. Just be careful when you place your order to make sure you are ordering what you want. The bisque pigs sold by S&S; Worldwide measure about 3 inches from nose to tail. The glossy pigs are a little bigger, measuring bout 4 inches from nose to tail.

Here are links to more information and to buy the unfinished bisque sets from S&S; Worldwide:

(Please see this FTC information on my affiliate links compensation.)

Oriental Trading Company also sells several similar sets. Their sets do not come with any paints or brushes. The pigs I painted that are shown in the photos at the top of the page came from Oriental Trading. The ones I bought have caps or bows and measure 3-1/4 inches from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. Oriental Trading also sells 4-inch pigs that don't have caps or bows and cost a little more.

I also have seen sets for sale on Amazon.com.

Shop around for the best deals and to see what's on sale.

As I mentioned before, these ceramic piggy banks are very small -- just 3 to 4 inches from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, depending on the vendor. I stress this fact because I don't want you to buy them expecting something larger and then be surprised and disappointed when they arrive.

I always have a lot of fun painting my ceramic piggy banks. I hope you enjoy this creative arts and crafts project as much as I do!