by Rachelle de Bretagne

Created on: September 15, 2008

Painting on glass can create some really nice projects. There are difficulties which you will encounter, though these can easily be overcome with practice. This article sets out to explain the whole procedure and different techniques used for glass painting. If this work is to be carried out by children, be careful that they are supervised as glass paints are solvent based and can be harmful in the wrong hands, though with supervision can be used by a child who is old enough to understand basic painting principles.

*Paint supplies.
*Brushes
*Other types of medium used for glass painting.
*Support.
*Outlining.
*Getting designs onto glass.
*Painting the glass.

Paint supplies.

When buying paints, be careful that they are clearly labeled as glass paints. These can be found in craft stores, and will have a special thinner that goes with the paint. It is essential to buy the right thinner for the paint chosen as this will help you in your work, and will be used to clean brushes after use.

The Pebeo range of paints are suitable for glass and are sold in small manageable quantities. Another range which is much longer lasting is a German make called Deka which comes in a wide range of colors.

Brushes

Brushes are only used for fine small work. For large areas, they will leave streaks, and a better method is to use a different medium to apply the paint as described below. Brushes should be fine bristle of good quality and in small sizes, since large sizes tend to blob and leave too much paint on the surface.

Other types of medium used for glass painting.

Paint can be applied very nicely with the tip of a nail, end of a knitting needle, or pin. This allows the worker to apply small amounts in drops which do not streak when finished and are suitable for large areas which would otherwise show brush marks.

Support.

Often glass painting is performed on bottles and round shapes. Do ensure that you have a means of support for all glasswork, so that it will not turn and damage while wet. Often a lint free cloth will provide the support needed.

Outlining.

For small designs outlining with lead is desirable and this comes in small tubes and is applied before the painting process begins. This gives a great edge to the painting itself and contains the lead paint rather than letting it flow to other areas.

Getting designs onto glass.

If you are working on a flat piece of glass, draw your design clearly on paper first, and size it using your computer. It's pretty easy to do, though if you get stuck there

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