Lesson 6: Painting on Glass -Supplies
I've read a lot of blurbs about glass painting being so simple that you can turn out something spectacular in an hour or so - even if you've never done it before. That may or may not be true. As stencilers, we are accustomed to working with a fairly dry brush - and with glass that isn't always desirable.
And, like most fabric paint, glass paints are often transparent. This can take some getting used to. Put yellow paint over blue and you won't get a yellow highlight - you'll get green! Still, there are tricks and techniques that can help you to get the effect you want, as well as many different types of paint that may be best suited for the type of project you are doing. We'll take a look at those paints and other necessary equipment for painting glass in this chapter.
Using Stencils to Paint on Glass
There are two ways that stencils are used with glass - to which I will add a third. The first is to use a stencil just like any other form of hard surface stenciling, to restrict the paintable area and leave a design or picture on the surface when painted.
The second is quite similar, except instead of using paint the stenciler uses etching acid to produce a frosted design on glass. Both of these require different materials and techniques, which I will explain.
The third way so use a stencil and clear glass is to make a pattern from the stencil, tracing the openings on paper so that you are left with a line drawing of the stencil shape. The paper pattern is then placed below the clear glass and used as a guide for outlining and painting. You can also use stencils to create shapes using peelable glass paint, and then stick them onto another glass surface as decoration. (More on this in the paint section.)
Glass painting and glass etching are two different processes, using different materials and even different types of stencils. I will deal with glass painting and its materials first, and cover etching separately.
In painting glass, you have several paint options. You also may want to choose special types of applicators. Even the type of stencil you use may be specified by the nature of what you are stenciling, as well as by the paints you choose. Let's look at the paints first, since their properties will determine how you approach your project.
One note - while there are many paints for glass on the market, I am only looking at those suitable for home use. Many glass paints require a kiln, which isn't practical for the typical craftsperson.
Another important note - while you can use ordinary acrylic paints on glass for ornamental purposes, it is best to seek out paints made especially for glass if you want your work to last, or if it needs to be washed often - as in dishware. In arts and crafts stores, you may not find all of these in the crafts section of the store. Many of the paints discussed below can be found, instead, with the "fine arts" paints and supplies. So don't be too quick to conclude that your local store doesn't have them.
By the way, some glass paints actually are acrylic, but have been specially formulated for use on glass. You can mix and match any and all acrylic paints on the same object. But do not mix paints that need heat setting with those that do not.
Good Sources for Glass Painting Supplies
Most of the manufacturers of glass paints and supplies have their own web sites, and many of those sites are filled with great projects for you to try. But you can't buy directly from them. So I have searched for some online sources of these supplies at discount. I can recommend the following three:
- Mister Art sells a great selection of glass paints and dyes, all at discounted prices.
- Dick Blick is one of my own favorite sources for paint supplies of all kinds, and has an extensive selection of glass painting supplies and accessories.
- I only just discovered Sunshine Crafts and discovered that it is the only US supplier for Pebeo's solvent based glass paints, and one of the few who carry Pebeo's Artisticks along with many other lines of glass paint and supplies. I was impressed with both their customer service and prices, and the delivery was incredibly fast.
