Many people have found themselves with a huge amount of free time on their hands, and for some, television shows and movies are starting to get boring. A great way to utilize this extra time is to get creative and do crafts, and painting denim clothes has become both a huge fashion trend and a great way to express your inner-artist. The first step in this process is to get out the required materials. This list might consist of the pieces of clothing that will be painted, the paints that they will be painted with, masking tape, a pencil and paper, scissors, kitchen paper, paintbrushes and water.

The second step in this painting process is to select the piece of clothing that will be painted, and grab a piece of paper to brainstorm design ideas. I jotted down a few design ideas, and decided which colors I would use to paint the shorts. I ultimately decided on a neon green lightning bolt pattern on the left pocket and a solid green block on the right pocket.

In this step, the masking tape will be utilized. Free-hand painting might work for people with a very steady hand, but for beginners the above technique will be better. Placing the tape along the borders of the desired area that you want to paint ensures a straight, precise line, and a more professional looking up-cycle.

Once the right pocket is painted, leave the tape on and let the paint dry. For the left pocket, more precision is required. Creating a lightning bolt (or the desired pattern) out of masking tape might be frustrating for perfectionists, but this is the most challenging part of the process.

The final step is undoubtedly the most satisfying part of the up-cycling process. After painting inside the taped lightning bolts and repeating this step thrice, tear off the tape from each part of the denim. The final, newly-painted, newly-designed product will remain, as a unique, personalized item of clothing for any occasion.