I kept it simple with some paint.
I like customizing and personalizing random stuff around the house. This time, I decided to add a little color to an already sleek looking Bluetooth headphones I use regularly at home.
Supplies and Stuff
These are the items I used to customize my headphones:
Headphones. My headphones served as my canvas for this project.
Sandpaper. I used a 220-grit sandpaper for prepping the surface.
Wet wipe. I used a baby wipe to clean the surface.
Paint. I used mostly Posca paint markers, but also used a bit of my Artist's Loft beginners acrylic paint.
Paintbrush. I used a paint brush for applying acrylic paint and Mod Podge.
Toothpick. The toothpick let me spread paint into small areas.
Protective coating. I opted to use Mod Podge to protect the painted surface.
Cotton swab. I used a Q-Tip to wipe Mod Podge off the edges and other areas I didn't want Mod Podge on.
Prepping
I first needed to decide how I wanted to customize my headphones. I thought about doing something more detailed, such as colorful doodles covering the entire surface of the headphones. Then I thought about doing a paint drip or melted icing effect.
Instead, I got lazy and decided to keep the customization simple. I took a photo of both sides of the headphones and used my Samsung Note 9 to sketch a few designs.
I finally decided to simply paint the buttons on the right side of the headphones' solid colors. This would ideally make the customizing quick and easy.
I sanded the buttons to ensure the paint wouldn't come off the surface easily over time. Then I wiped off any loose particles with a baby wipe. I use baby wipes to clean my dogs' paws after they've been out, so I always have baby wipes when I don't want to use my antibacterial wipes.
Painting
I used Posca paint markers to cover each button with a different solid color. For all but the yellow color, I only needed two coats for full paint coverage.
There were a few times when I accidentally painted "outside of the line." I used the wet wipe to wipe the paint off the edges while it was still wet.
After I applied the first coat of paint, I let it sit for a couple minutes or so before applying the second coat. Fortunately, Posca paints seem to dry quickly in my experience.
Unfortunately, the yellow didn't provide a full coverage. My guess is the flow of paint was low because I used a lot of it for my two separate customized laptop sleeves.
I attempted to apply another two coats of a different yellow color, but it also didn't provide a full paint coverage. I decided to give up because I didn't want to add more coats of paint over the one button. I worried I'd ruin the design or my headphones if I kept working with it.
I have a new pack of Posca paint markers I could've opened, but I decided to use my Artist's Loft beginners acrylic paint instead. I regret doing so because the brush strokes were apparent after it dried. Two coats of the acrylic paint also didn't provide full coverage.
For grins, I decided to paint within the product's logo at the top of the headband. The tips of the markers were too big to fill-in the small areas of the logo. I used a toothpick in place of a paintbrush to apply the paint to the small, tight areas and corners of the logo.
Protecting
The paint dried matte, but I wanted a semi-glossy look sleek and shiny like the design of the headphones. I thought about protecting the paint with a coat or two of a clear coat glossy spray paint. I would've needed to mask areas to keep the buttons from becoming sticky, or stuck, after I applied the clear coat.
To keep things simple, I decided to use glossy Mod Podge instead. I figured I'd have more control over where the Mod Podge is applied, preventing any sticky or stuck disaster possibilities.
I used a paintbrush to apply the Mod Podge over the buttons, but I regret doing so. Like what happened after my last coat of yellow paint dried, the brush strokes were visible and apparent after the Mod Podge dried. I wish I used a sponge for this application, but the thought never crossed my mind at the time.
My Thoughts
Overall, I liked adding color to my headphones. The colors I chose, and the amount of colors used is not overwhelming. It's rather pleasing to my eyes at least.
I do regret not opening and using a new yellow Posca paint marker. I avoided opening it because I want to save it for use on a bigger or more elaborate project. Poscas are NOT cheap! However, I think it would've been the best option in this project.
I also regret using a paintbrush to apply the Mod Podge. It doesn't show well in the images, but it's visible in the video and in-person.
Otherwise, I'm not going to do anything more to my headphones. I thought about redoing the yellow button, but the truth is I'll rarely look at the headphones. I won't see the customization when I'm wearing it. I'm usually doing something other than staring at myself in a mirror when I put on my headphones.
What's Next?
The same day I customized my headphones, I also customized an old LG phone I may try using to record videos. I'll at least upload that customization project as a video sometime next week.
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Thanks, and have a great day!
Simply Jelly Jam