This is an easy process that has a professional look. Other than breaking the terra cotta pot, there is no way to mess this up. Have fun!

Step 1: Supplies

You will need the following items:

Terra Cotta Pot

Paint brush (nothing fancy, any brush will work)

Craft paint

Sponge (with a scrubby side)

Water

Sink

Step 2: Step 1: Base Layer

Paint a base layer of a light color.

Dilute the paint with a bit of water so some of the terra cotta shows through

Paint various colors on top of the white. Once again, you can dilute the color.

Using the scrubby side of the sponge, lightly rub the areas that would normally get the most wear.

After scrubbing a bit, rinse the sponge and wipe the area with the soft side of the sponge.

Don't worry, if you took too much paint off, you can just reapply.

Once you have finished removing the paint, let the pot dry for a minute or two. The true colors will be revealed.

Continue this process until you achieve the desired look.

I don't use anything to seal the paint. I figured I would let nature continue the aging process... I just helped by giving it a jump start.