35 Times That Artists Upgraded Thrift Store Paintings With Their Paintbrushes And Shared It In The ‘Repaintings’ Online Community

Plenty of these repaintings feature characters and icons from pop culture, beloved TV shows and movies, as well as some well-known brands. Others, however, are completely original additions that formed in the artists’ minds.

Founded back in 2014, the r/Repaintings subreddit celebrated its 7th birthday in mid-February. Over the years, they’ve amassed a huge collection of upgraded secondhand paintings that any modern museum would be proud to feature.

“Find a painting at a garage sale, thrift store, or in the trash and repaint it. Add some monsters! Add a UFO! Some lasers? Don't mind if I do! Post the results. Before and After pics appreciated,” the subreddit moderators invite redditors and random tourists from all corners of the internet to get their hands dirty with paint and let their creativity loose.

However much technology might change, there’s still something about analog tech that just can’t be beaten. I’m all for digital art, but traditional techniques hold a special place in my heart (just like physical books). So you can imagine how happy I was to read that the ‘Repaintings’ group only allows for “traditionally repainted works with real physical paint.” Sorry, digital art, this time, you won’t be in the spotlight, no matter how much we love you.

Finding a secondhand painting to repaint might be harder than you think during the Covid-19 pandemic. Previously, Bored Panda learned all about the massive changes to how thrift stores function during the endless worldwide lockdowns. With worries of a third coronavirus wave mixed in with loosening regulations here and there, the rules are constantly changing.

In an interview with the Weird Secondhand Finds That Just Need To Be Shared Facebook group team, Bored Panda earlier learned that plenty of thrift stores have moved to online ordering while the pandemic continues to rage on.

“Some even have curbside pickup, so we recommend checking with your favorite stores to see if they've done this," one of the Weird Secondhand Finds team members gave some advice to those of us who have an urge to go secondhand shopping.

What’s more, you can use social media to keep track of your favorite local shops: from what’s new in stock to ordering what you want in advance so you don’t physically have to go to the shop. All you need to do is find what you like online, order it, and then either pick it up yourself or wait for a delivery to your home. That’s certainly one way to get access to thrift store paintings while staying safe.

"Following your favorite shops Facebook pages is also recommended so you can stay up to date on what they're doing as well as get quicker notice when they have sales, new items listed, etc. That way you can safely thrift from the comfort of your own home while still supporting your local shops."