Lesson 6: Painting on Glass -Supplies
Glass Paints that are Optionally Bakeable
A few paint brands allow you the freedom to either allow them to air cure, if they won't get a lot of handling and use, or to bake. These paints do not come with the surface conditioner and sealant that the Delta paints have, and so will not hold up as well, but they will at least allow you to put them in the sink with dish soap to clean them without too much fear. In fact, manufacturers recommend that you wash pieces painted with these by hand, and stack them in a dish rack not touching each other to diminish possible chipping and flaking.
Note that all of these are acrylic paints. So you can mix and match. What medium works with one line of paint will work with the others. Do not, however, mix media intended for acrylic paints with non-acrylics, or it may weaken the bond of paint to glass.
Liquitex Glossies line of paints can withstand light use when air-dried, and need hand washing with a soft cloth. But it can also be baked for extra durability. They have a thicker consistency than most glass paints, and are opaque. The color selection is not huge, but they may be the easiest paint for beginners to learn with.
You can use water to thin these paints, but do so carefully - no more that 25% water. You are best using the thinner or extender specifically made for the purpose. Learn more about painting with this line at the Liquitex site.
Ultra Gloss paints, by DecoArt, are similar to Liquitex in application and curing, but the color line is more extensive and includes pearlized and glitter colors. They also have an outline paint, which is very useful in creating dimensional effects, or for filling in bridges in stenciled designs. Do not thin these with water as it will weaken the bond between glass and paint. For more information on this line of paints see the DecoArt pages. You can also find several projects for painting on glass at this site.
A third option, and the most economical, is FolkArt Enamels by Plaid. These are fairly new on the market, and like the Liquitex can air dry or be baked for extra durability. The range of colors is good, although not as extensive as Ultra Gloss - but they are usually easier to find in crafts stores. They even come in two sets, primary and traditional colors, that will let you try several of the colors in small quantities for under $3 a set. Note that these are enamels, probably best thinned with a diluting medium rather than water.
These paints give you the best of both worlds, in one sense. They are relatively inexpensive, easy to work with, and with the optional baking they are suitable for at least going into the dish sink with the dinner plates. But remember that professionals use kiln firing to make their paints an actual part of the glass. Baking with these low cost paints is not the same. The paint still sits on top of the glass as opposed to becoming a part of it, and can scratch or flake off with continued use. So use (and wash) with caution.
Another point to consider is that these paints do air cure to a point, and so once they have dried it will be difficult to change your mind about any part of the design or to go back and correct errors. You will be able to scrape up mistakes carefully with a craft knife, but if you go back to an unfinished piece after a day or two and change your mind about something, the paint will not come up without a bit of work on your part.
