How to Glass Paint

Glass painting is an elegant and attractive traditional folk art. In most cases, this will be reverse glass painting in which the paint is applied on the "reverse" of the glass, then the unpainted side is displayed, hiding the coarse paint strokes, while still displaying the bright colors of the paint. The process can be modified in various ways, using tinted glass, smoked glass, and translucent glass. In the case of the latter, the artist can create elegant effects by applying thick black outlines to colored patterns in the form of mosaics to imitate the effect of stained glass.

Collect the following materials: a ready-made picture frame, fitted with glass and a cardboard backing (assuming you don't want to use specially tinted or frosted glass and your own hand-made frame). Also acquire poster paints with the basic colors that allow for mixing and combining hues. Start with red, yellow, blue and white, but add to these green, purple, black and brown. You will also need one broad and one fine detailed brush, a plate or pallet to mix the colors, white paper for color testing and to serve as a backing when the painting is done. You may also require a sample scene, but your naturally imaginative talent can be more inspired even if the results appear primitive.

Remove the glass from the frame and clean thoroughly with alcohol. If you like, you can center and tape your pattern image onto the glass. Now copy the picture using the poster paints. Mix the colors as you need them. Try to use small fine strokes to emphasize the detail. Keep as close as possible to the light and dark areas to give your finished result a sense of depth. Note especially that the first colors you apply will be the ones that show through the back, so for example, do the white clouds first before applying the background blue sky. This could take some practise. If you have a throwaway glass to experiment with first, you may want to do this, depending on how serious you are about your project and whether you intend to display or to sell the results at a craft show. Be prepared to visit craft shows to check out what other artists have been able to accomplish, and always be willing to gather a few tips as you go.

When finished, let the paint dry thoroughly, then put the glass into the frame, unpainted side facing out. Add the white backing paper (or bristol board), cut to fit, then add the cardboard backing, clamps and hang for display.

.15hqqv.

Links Stained Glass History

Carnival Glass

Bean Sprouts Wedding Cake Toppers Easter Egg Painting Glass Painting Pastillage

Free counters provided by Andale.