The Dos and Don'ts of Painting Terra-Cotta Pots

DO rinse the pots in warm water...

and scrub them with a nylon bristle brush before painting. This will get rid of minerals and hard-water salts that can cause a white film to appear on the surface of terra-cotta. Let the pots dry before taping and painting. 

DON’T use regular painter’s tape...

if you’re color-blocking your pot. It can pull off some of the freshly applied paint when you remove it. Instead use a low-adhesion tape, like FrogTape delicate surface tape.