Paint Designs on Glass
Painting glass can offer a rewarding and creative pastime that, with dedication and precision, can result in beautifully decorated ornaments and functional objects. Painting designs on glass involves selecting the piece you want to paint, as well as the paint, a design, and an application method; cleaning the glass and placing it on a level surface, applying the paint; and finally allowing the paint to dry in the appropriate method. The following steps will teach you how to paint designs on glass.
Steps
- Select a piece of glass to paint.
- For decorative pieces, choose glass that has interesting shapes and pleasing lines.
- Functional glass objects such as wine glasses and plates should meet the practical requirements of the object.
- If you're a beginner, it's best to start with a flat surface on a glass object, for example, a plate, the foot of a glass, or a square vase.
- Select the paint.
- Always purchase your paints at a craft store to make sure they're the correct type of paint to use on glass. There are paints that can air dry and paints that need to be baked in an oven to attain the desired level of durability. Check the paint containers to learn the drying instructions.
- Paints usually change color significantly when they dry. To ensure the desired results, refer to a color chart that is painted on glass.
- Opaque paint will provide a solid color that doesn't allow light to pass through.
- To get the effect of fused glass or colored glass, use transparent paint colors that allow the light to pass through.
- If you're painting a glass object that will be used, such as a wine glass or a plate, choose paint that can withstand hand washing, dishwashing machines, and microwave use. Most paints that offer durability and permanence need to be baked after applied, so be sure to choose these types of paints when painting glassware for use.
- If the piece of glass is only for decorative use, you can use paint that can air dry.
- Select a design.
- You can choose a pre-made design or create one of your own.
- Pre-made designs can be traced or printed onto a piece of paper from an original.
- Decide which application method to use.
- Stenciling is a good method if you're a beginner or if you don't have a steady hand. The best method is to use pre-made stencils and fill in the blanks by sponging paint onto the glass, but you can also create your own stencils. To do this, print the design on a piece of paper and cut away the parts of the design that need to be filled in with paint.
- You can also use hair, synthetic, or solid brushes without the aid of stencils.
- To paint the glass a single color, sponging is the best way to distribute the paint evenly.
- Clean the glass.
- Use rubbing alcohol or glass cleaner on a clean cloth or paper towel to remove dirt and grease from the glass. This will allow the paint to adhere to the surface properly.
- Place the glass on a level surface. If it's not, the paint will bleed to one side and the design will be uneven.
- Apply the paint according to the method you selected.
- Use a sponge to apply 1 single color or to paint in stencils.
- Stencils should be stuck onto the surface you wish to paint, and filled in with a sponge.
- To sponge the paint onto the glass, simply dip the sponge into the glass and apply it to the surface evenly.
- To paint on a design, place the design on the underside or inside of the glass and apply paint on the top or outside.
- Glass is a non-porous material, so a little bit of paint covers a relatively large surface.
- Start with the darker colors first and work your way to lighter colors and transparent paint.
- Let the paint dry.
- Air-dry paint will be dry enough to handle in approximately 2 to 3 days.
- When baking the painted glass, follow all instructions on the paint packaging. Usually, you'll be instructed to use a cool oven, but because each type of paint has its own specific compounds, refer to those to avoid disappointing results
Tips
- You can correct mistakes by scraping the paint away (when it's dry) with a craft knife.
Things You'll Need
- Glass object
- Paint
- Rubbing alcohol or glass cleaner
- Clean cloth or paper towel
- Design or stencil
- Paintbrushes (hair, synthetic or solid)
- Sponge
- Craft knife
