The Garden Junk forum can better answer your bowling ball question.

Personally, I would be hesitant to paint a lightbulb because I'd be afraid of it overheating. You can buy lightbulbs of differing intensities. Some are colored and some are to help keep bugs away, etc. I guess another option would be to switch out your light fixture or at least the glass part of it. You can buy the glass part in frosted, amber, clear, etc. Or you could probably paint the glass part with fake stain glass paints.

tnflowerlover,
I got a 100 watt orange bulb for the postlamp for Halloween

lightbulbsdirect.com

I wouldn't paint a bulb that you were going to use either. especially with acrylics. You might want to check out glass paint, I think you have to bake it in the oven so that might work but not sure. I have painted a lot of them for decoration but not to use for lighting. crafty12b