This long-distance date idea is perfect for couples who love spooky season, painting, and creative Halloween activities. The thrifted ghost painting trend went viral on TikTok, with people turning old paintings into spooky scenes by adding ghosts, pumpkins, bats, cobwebs, and other scary details.
What makes the trend so fun is how simple it is to take an ordinary painting and turn it into something completely different. A peaceful landscape can become haunted, a quiet house can suddenly have ghosts in the windows, and a garden can turn into a spooky little graveyard.
To make the trend work for long-distance couples, we created an online version of the ghost thrift painting activity so you can enjoy it together from anywhere. It is a fun, creative Halloween date that lets you chat, paint, and turn an ordinary image into your own spooky masterpiece.
How to do this date
- 1Pick a timeThat works for both of you; use a time zone converter if needed.
- 2Hop on a video callUsing Zoom, Google Meet, Discord, FaceTime, Microsoft Teams, or Skype.
Option 1: Paint the Same Picture Together
- 3Find an old painting onlineLook for a vintage-style painting you both like. Landscapes, forests, houses, gardens, and countryside scenes work especially well because there is plenty of space to add spooky details.
- 4Go to Aggie.ioOpen Aggie.io, an online drawing canvas that lets you both edit the same image together in real time.
- 5Upload your paintingOne person uploads the painting you chose so it becomes the background for your Halloween makeover.
- 6Invite your partnerShare the collaborative drawing link so you can both open the same canvas.
- 7Make it spookyStart adding ghosts, pumpkins, bats, cobwebs, gravestones, black cats, skeletons, or anything else you want.
- 8Save your finished paintingOnce you are happy with your haunted masterpiece, save the final image as a Halloween keepsake.
Option 2: Paint Your Own Versions
- 9Use the LDRDATE Mini Game belowEach person opens the mini game below in their own browser. You can paint directly on our website, so there is nothing else to download or set up!
- 10Choose a paintingPick one of the paintings listed in the mini game. You can both choose the same painting to see how differently you transform it, or choose different ones
- 11Make it spookyPaint directly on your chosen image and give it a Halloween makeover. Add as many spooky details as you want, such as:
Little ghosts
Pumpkins
Bats- 🕸️ Cobwebs
- 🪦 Gravestones
- 🐈⬛ Black cats
- 🌫️ Fog or mist
Skeletons
Blood splatters or dripping blood
- 12Save your finished imageOnce your Halloween masterpiece is complete, save the finished image to your device..
- 13Reveal your paintingsCount down from three and reveal your finished images to each other. Compare your paintings and see how differently you recreated the ghost thrift painting trend.
Ghost Thrift Painting
Make it a night to remember
- Create a Halloween Atmosphere. Dim the lights, turn on candles or orange lights, grab a blanket, and make your rooms feel extra spooky while you paint.
- Do This Date on Halloween. Plan your painting date for Halloween so you can celebrate together from miles apart. Wear costumes or your favorite Halloween pyjamas to make the evening even more festive.
- Make It a Paint and Sip. Pick up your favorite wine and enjoy a glass while you paint your pumpkins together.
- Make a Spooky Painting Playlist. Play Halloween music while you paint. Try classic Halloween songs, spooky instrumentals, movie soundtracks, or make a shared playlist before the date.
Compare your masterpieces and see how differently (or similarly) you brought the exact same picture to life.
Try a virtual psychic reading and see what surprises the universe has in store for your relationship.
Explore the night sky, discover constellations and planets, and turn your video call into a virtual stargazing date.