Lesson 7: Applying Paint and Etching Cream to Glass
Etching Glass
After that, etching glass will sound exceedingly simple - and actually, it is. No need to worry about color. Just a design and a frosted effect.
The Stencil
You can buy flexible adhesive stencils especially made for glass etching. They are adhesive because the stencil really needs to stick to the glass in order to insure a sharp, clean edge. Very thin stencils from film can also be used if held on with stencil adhesive. But I have found that I have many more design possibilities if I make my own stencil using clear ConTact paper. I can trace the design onto the clear paper through a ready cut stencil, or I can use carbon paper to transfer a design onto it. Taking a craft knife I then cut away the insides of my outline to form a clear, adhesive stencil.
You can cut it right on the glass surface that you are etching, as long as your design is clearly visible and you are careful not to smudge it. Simply lift away each cut out piece until you are finished. NOTE: If you are cutting away some recognizable shapes, such as leaves or stars, save them for our bonus project.
Or you can cut the stencil while the ConTact paper is still stuck to the backing and then lift it off to carefully position on the object you want to etch. In either case, make sure that the paper is firmly attached to the glass, especially at the edges.
When you are done cutting, you are ready to etch.
Faux Etching with Frosted Paint
Now you have choices. You can do a real etch with acid, or you can fake it with frosted glass paint.
If using frosted glass paint, just brush it on with a wide brush, taking care to spread the paint evenly with no brush marks showing. Better still, apply the paint with a dense foam cosmetic sponge, dabbing it on until you are satisfied with the effect. Let dry and the peel away your stencil. This is fast, and looks good. It doesn't involve acid and so is entirely safe. But it is, after all, paint, and so is only as permanent as the type of paint you used generally tends to be.
Acid Etching
If using etching acid, the process is not too different. But you may want to take precautions, like putting on rubber gloves and perhaps even an eye shield should you splash.
If you are etching a flat surface, the best way to apply the etching cream is with a metal spatula, so that you get a thin but even application. On curved surfaces a brush is more practical. But make sure you have all of the stencil openings thoroughly and evenly covered with the cream.
Leave it on for five minutes, and then rinse thoroughly with warm water.
When all the cream is removed, peel off your stencil. At first the etching effect won't show up too well, but as the glass dries you should see a distinct frosted (and permanent) area where you applied the etching cream.
It's as simple as that!
What if you want some more depth? Try a multiple overlay stencil. Apply your second overlay just as you did the first, following the same steps. Wherever the overlay intersects with the original, you should get a deeper effect. It may not be really obvious, but in the light, you may see that the extra work was worth it.
Sand Blasting
For real depth, you want to use sand blasting to create the etched effect. In this case you need something called rubber resist. I got mine from a monument company, since they also use it to sandblast names, dates and designs onto tombstones. Some glass stores may also carry it. In the photo here the frosted areas have been sandblasted, while the remaining areas were painted with glass paint - kind of a multimedia fake skylight.
Transfer your design onto the glass (and make sure it is sturdy glass - at least 1/2") exactly as you did onto the ConTact paper, and then, using your craft knife, cut away the resist from the openings. When you are finished, you can take it to either the glass company or the monument company to have it sandblasted.
If you want more depth, use more overlays. Sandblast after each overlay. Some areas will be exposed to the blasting process many times, whereas some will only be exposed once. That is how you create depth - your deepest areas are the ones that go through the process the most.
This is the surest way to get great depth. At the Riverwalk in New Orleans scenes depicting jazz musicians have been sandblasted into glass doors at least an inch thick - and the engraving of each scene is sometimes a full half inch deep. But it is time consuming and expensive - and the necessary materials can be hard to get hold of. Still - it's worth a try if you can get access to the necessary things.
