Acrylic Paint on Bamboo to Create Wall Art? Any Help or Ideas Appreciated!?

I bought a few bamboo beach mats (cheap!) and was thinking of painting (acrylic) designs or stripes on them to create some wall art. Nothing very fancy, just something to take up space and add color to a blank wall!



My question ... I don't exactly know how to do this ... should I prime the mats before I paint? What type paint is best ... I have both artist's and craft acrylics ... the area is pretty large, so would craft paint be OK? (I'd hate like heck to waste good-quality paint on this if it doesn't work!)



How to finish it ... varnish? I want to hang it in a bathroom, eventually ... what finish (or product) would protect the painting? The bathroom is well-ventilated, but I want something that will stand up to the humidity.



I would greatly appreciate any ideas ... thank you!

Acrylic Paint on Bamboo to Create Wall Art? Any Help or Ideas Appreciated!?
As long as you use a good primer you can use cheaper paint. If you can scuff up the bamboo matt a little that will help with adhesion but it will probably be fine without.Then use an exterior varnish on top so it will be better with moisture in your bathroom. I think you can find that in the craft store too. I think DecoArt has one.

Happy creating!
Reply:Actually, stain would be best to use on bamboo, paint may end up peeling. Check out the small cans of colored stain at your local hardware store or a Fred Meyer or Kmart if you have one in your area.
Reply:I have actually done this before. Only difference is I made coasters out of mine. (spare cork wood and hot glue gun) The craft paint will be fine to use as long as you sand the wood first. Using a fine grade sand paper would be best, don't worry about over kill. I personally love it when you can see the wood grain as a background. So you use a common house hold clear primer also known as hair spray. Spraying this down first will give the wood an adhesive base. Then paint a design where wood grain shows through. Swirls of color that accent the room tend to be my favorite. After your completely finished painting you need a sealant. A cheap solution is clear acrylic spray paint, sold at walmart for $1.98 a can. It has a blue bottle and a semi clear top. I believe it is titled gloss. Any way buy 2 cans per mat, and spray 1 full can on each side. Overcoating will not hurt it, and you can't be to careful. Spraying both sides will ensure complete protection from the steam and water. Using wooden dowels, twine or leather cord, and a hot glue gun you can hang the mats by tying one end of the string to each side of the dowels, then hot gluing the dowels to the mats. Good luck any questions atomicportraits@live.com