As with other types of colors, those for glass are available in both water and oil varieties. Coloring glass is particularly fun since this material turns out to be an excellent "canvas" and offers the artist many possibilities to express themselves. If you want to learn the basics of painting glass, this is the article for you.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Part One: Preparation
Step 1. Look at the characteristics of the colors
Focus on transparency, color range, stability and ease of application.
- Transparency: how transparent is the color you are going to buy? The colors for the glass can be transparent or opaque. Acrylic paints are usually used to obtain opaque colors, while resin paints usually give transparent colors. Transparent colors are available in glossy and ice-effect varieties.
- Color range: consult a specific color table to understand how the color will appear on the glass, the colors applied to the glass usually appear very different from how they appear on a normal color table.
- Stability: for certain types of objects, such as glasses, stability is a fundamental characteristic. Baked paints are usually more durable.
- Ease of application: how easy is it to apply the color on the glass and distribute it as desired? Is the color transferred with a stencil or a decal? Or by hand?
Step 2. Choose the type of paint
In the field of glass painting, the alternatives to choose from are many, but for painting for purely decorative purposes they are mainly reduced to three:
- Acrylic enamel colors or enamel colors usable on glass and other similar surfaces.
- Acrylic colors to be treated with solvents before application on glass.
- Specific colors for solvent-based glass.
- When it comes to glass painting, the quality of the colors and their cost are key factors. Low-priced colors might be just fine for training or just having fun, but if you intend to create a masterpiece or a quality work, rely on a higher-end product. Inexpensive colors fail in terms of ease of application, brilliance and durability.
Step 3. Get a brush
No special brush is required; you can use normal paint brushes (thin, flat or round) with synthetic bristles (wholly or partially). Some prefer the softness of natural bristles.
Use synthetic brushes or brushes with natural bristles; both are good for glass painting but have different characteristics. Synthetic brushes leave traces of brush strokes while those with natural bristles provide more even coverage
Step 4. Clean the glass
Make sure the glass you are going to paint is properly clean before continuing.
Step 5. Read the instructions for use of the products you have purchased to color the glass
Some colors for glass require a base coat before being applied or a protective coating after application; not following the necessary directions can frustrate all the work.
Method 2 of 3: Second Part: Painting
Step 1. Make the basic drawing
You can use strips of paper or a mold, depending on your needs. Use a stencil or decal, or make the pattern freehand.
An alternative to these methods is to use a permanent marker. Once the drawing is done and fired, the marker trace should remain invisible, making only the paint stand out
Step 2. Use a pipette to apply color to each section of the design
There are two ways to do this: the first is to give the color drop by moving the hand on the affected surface; the second, to use if you think you have added too much paint in one point or that there are gaps between the patches of color, is to spread the paint layer evenly with a toothpick, moving it back and forth. With this trick you will also remove any air bubbles inside the paint layer.
Step 3. Color the parts of the drawing
The basic design you made earlier should help you give the color neatly.
Use an adhesive stencil. Once applied to the surface of the glass, the adhesive stencils allow you to easily follow the lines of the design
Step 4. Use a sponge (optional)
The use of the sponge evens out the color and is indicated if you want to paint an entire object in the same color.
Method 3 of 3: Part Three: Cooking
Step 1. Consider the idea of cooking the object to fix the color
Baking paints last longer. If you prefer to skip this step, there are paints on the market that do not require this process.
The resin colors can be removed until the object is cooked. Using these paints, if you are not satisfied with the result, you can always start over. The color will not set until after cooking
Step 2. For each product, read the instructions regarding its cooking
Some paints require special firing, so always read the instructions before putting colored glass in the oven.
The glass should generally be left in the oven for 30 minutes at a temperature of 150 ° C. Let the object cool before handling it
Advice
- You can exhibit your work so that the painted face is on the opposite side from the observer. In this way you will not have to worry too much if you have given the color wrong, overlapping it in some places on the lines of the preparatory drawing.
- Keep white spirit and a handkerchief handy to quickly correct any errors.
Warnings
- Before buying it, make sure that the color you intend to buy is opaque or transparent; this is to avoid nasty surprises and obtain the desired effect by applying the color on the glass. Glass colors are quite expensive; be careful when buying!
- While diluting the color, mix it slowly; avoid shaking it, as air bubbles could form from which it would then be difficult to get rid of.
- The paint should be of the right consistency; do not dilute it too much or you could make it useless.
