How To Paint Glass

How To Paint Glass

Hand-Made Gifts

© Sebanti Ghosh

Apr 2, 2007
How to do glass painting and prepare a unique gift to commemorate a special occasion in a special person's life? Hand-made gifts are always treasured.

There are a wide variety of paints manufactured especially for painting on glass. These can be water-based or oil-based. While the oil-based paints are more glossy and iridescent, a beginner would do well to start off with a water-based paint as they are easier to handle.

The paints may be opaque or translucent. While the former is better suited for conventional patterns like figures and still-life, the later gives an enchanting, shimmering quality to the paintings, particularly used for making sun-catchers. Any one might be chosen, but it is advisable not to use both varieties in the same painting. Each has its own texture and these do not gel.

Glass liners are available, conveniently packaged into tubes. These are again of myriad hues, but a black liner is recommended. It gives a clear definition to the outlines making the paintings stand out.

Requirements:

  • A clean piece of glass, of the desired size. For a first-timer, a square piece of size 8X8”
  • Glass liners
  • Glass paints
  • Paintbrushes
  • Nail-polish remover
  • A soft piece of cloth

Steps:

1. Choose a pattern. For a glass painting, a pattern must be clean lined, with minimum intricate curving and pointed corners. Here is a website that offers excellent patterns for free.

2. Once a pattern is selected, copy it on to a piece of paper of the same size as the piece of glass. The pattern must be drawn exactly on the center of the sheet. A margin of at least one-and-a-half inches must be left out on every side of the page.

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