how do I paint a bicycle chain? I've seen chains with so many colours, white, red, you name it.

I would like to give it a try (this paint job is intended for visual styling of the bike, nothing related to protecting it), but I have no clue on how to do it.

I think there must be a way to paint it without "glueing" the links with paint, I don't know if spray paint does that or not... I'm sure I need to degrease it first, but then what follows?

So, the question:

How do I paint a chain without ruining it? (the painted chain needs to be in working conditions, it will be used).
I think @freiheit already said it: paint the outside of the outer links!

If you ride single/fixed, this part of the links never touch anything else, so the paint does not wear out neither damage other working parts.

I would do it degreasing the chain very well (boiling with soap in the end, perhaps) and then using a hard foam paint roller, with the chain over the ground with its side facing up.

If you don't mind paying for the job, most the colored chains I've seen in google seem to be powder-coated (electrostatic) or anodized. This would give a probably good result, but I think you wouldn't want to pay the price :oP