Glass painting techniques can be used to make stained glass, paint wine glasses as well as for reverse glass painting. Here are some simple steps explained to learn this art.
One of the most popular visual arts is glass painting. Glass painting has reduced the gap between the fine art and folk art. It is a perfect blend of both, folk and fine arts. Glass painting has been incorporated in many ways like in stained glass, reverse glass, wine glass, etc. Reverse glass painting techniques are similar to the usual glass painting techniques. In stained glass painting, the glass is colored by using a powdered metal whereas in reverse glass painting, a clear glass is used to which colors are added. Glass painting was popularized because of its use by some of the renowned artists like Klee and Gainsborough. In this article, we will be describing the techniques for stained glass, wine glass and reverse glass.
Stained Glass Painting Techniques
Stained glass painting is a unique combination of artistic skills, color and imagination. This art needs perseverance and patience to excel in. Use the glass painting techniques very carefully to enjoy learning this art.
Requirements:
Wire
Paint
Dropper
Ink pen
Glass stopper
Liquid lead applicator
Paper sketch of a pattern
Acrylic paint or glass stains
Thoroughly clean the base of your painting canvas that is the glass. If the glass is translucent, then keep the paper sketch of the desired pattern beneath the glass. The carbon paper should be kept facing downwards on the glass below it. You can use tape to stick the paper to the glass to inhibit it from moving. Once the paper is in place and you have the coloring material ready, start tracing. Open a part of the applicator bottle with the help of a pocket knife in such a way that the bead of leaking liquid lead has an appropriate width for the glass painting. With the help of a heated wire make a hole of about one-sixteenth of an inch on the cap of the applicator. Press the bottle gently so that you get an even stream of the resulting lead. For smooth flow of lead you can keep the bottle in warm water as well. The pressure applied on the bottle should be uniform by holding it at a forty-five degree angle to the glass. Make sure you clean the tip after drawing each line. Now it's time to color the painting. Make the different shades by adding dark colors to the lighter ones. Add drop by drop and test the shades before applying because the colors look lighter when applied on the glass. The shade of the first stain should be lighter and later the dark shades should be introduced to blend with the lighter shades. Use glass stoppers to allow the smooth flow of stain. Check for the dust particles afterward and remove the bubbles with the help of a dropper. Cover the painting until the it dries. You can even make a decorative stained glass window film in a similar way for your house.
Wine Glass Painting Techniques
Glass painting can turn an ordinary old wine glass into a beautiful work of art by simply following these glass painting techniques.
Requirements:
Glass paint
Wine glass
Painting brush
Draw the design or pattern of your choice on the trace paper. Take a wine glass, preferably with a smooth surface because it's easy to draw on them and handle them for painting. You can also use glasses with cut outs that will give a different look to your painting. Prepare shades by mixing the colors or you can use the paint directly. Paint the glass from outside and wait for at least an hour to apply the second layer. Use one color at a time. Let the paint dry completely and protect it from dust. Hand painted wine glasses will add to the beauty of your home decor.
Reverse Glass Painting Techniques
Though this glass painting looks complicated, it is quite simple. Follow the steps carefully.
Requirements:
Craft glue
Gel marker
Plastic sheet
Glitter marker
Paint sticks
Drawing paper
Black construction paper
Permanent marker of different colors
Make the desired design on the drawing paper and trace it on the plastic sheet with a black permanent marker. Turn over the sheet to avoid rubbing off the outlines. Copy the outline on the reverse side of the glass just the way you did it during stained glass painting. The only difference is that it is on the reverse side of the glass. Use glitter paints to highlight the outlines. The steps are similar to the stained glass painting. The reverse glass painting would look beautiful if hung on a window with sunlight allowed to pass through it.
Simply using the glass painting techniques and following some glass painting tips, you would learn master this unique art. Glass painting is a great idea for school projects for kids, young and old, as the requirements are not many and glass painting techniques are not difficult to learn.
