Glass painting replaces some people with a change of interior. Literally all household items made of glass are to be painted: door and window stained-glass windows, cups, plates, glasses, lamps, chandeliers, countertops and other household utensils.
Paints suitable for coloring glass
Three main types of paints suitable for painting glass are known.
- Polyurethane They quickly dry out and give the picture a glossy sheen. Moreover, a glass object painted with polyurethane paint remains transparent.
- Glifthal. Some craftsmen prefer to use glyptal paints. Their advantage is the ability to achieve a variety of colors and shades. Lack of glyphthal paints in long-term drying.
- Acrylic paints are also used for painting glass. On a glass surface, they lay down in a dense layer and give it a matte finish. Sometimes artists mix acrylics of different shades to achieve depth or richness of color.
Spot painting
Point painting on glass (another name for this style - point-to-point) originated in India about five thousand years ago. A craftsman who has mastered this style will be able to draw quite complex patterns.
This type of drawing on glass, although it is notable for its simplicity, requires the artist to have at least basic knowledge in the visual arts.
An artist who knows the art of spot painting on glass uses three types of paints:
- paints based on synthetic resins;
The cheapest option is a solvent based colorant. It also poses the greatest danger to human health. The benzene contained in it evaporates during the work and, mixed with air molecules, enter the artist’s respiratory system.
Synthetic paints are not so harmful, but they are unsuitable for painting external objects located outside the premises.
The true pleasure experts call the painting of glasses and other glass products with acrylic paints. The high cost of this product more than pays for itself due to its obvious advantages: quick drying (maximum 20 minutes), environmental friendliness, immunity to environmental manifestations and a long shelf life (from 10 to 30 years).
Consumables required for spot painting
In addition to paints, the artist will need a rag and a jar of alcohol (for degreasing the surface on which the drawing will be applied), brushes (wide and narrow), a palette (if the paint is packaged in jars, a palette will not be needed) and a cup of water. Paint is diluted with water, squeezed onto a palette of tubes.
How to make paint yourself
An unprofessional artist does not have to buy ready-made paints in a store. A person for whom glass painting is a hobby can afford a low-cost, but quite high-quality alternative.
To prepare the paint for stained-glass windows, chandeliers and glazed terraces, 5 grams of gelatin is dissolved in 100 grams of water, heated to a temperature of 50-80 degrees. Multi-colored inks are added here. The resulting mixture is still warm applied to defatted glass, after giving the latter a horizontal position.
In the absence of the necessary colors, you can "revive" the dried felt-tip pen by soaking its core with a few drops of water mixed with vinegar. The dye obtained in this way has its own peculiarities: it is afraid of temperature changes (dries only at room temperature) and dampness (surfaces painted with such dyes must be coated with waterproof varnish).
Craftsmen advise
To obtain a saturated black ink, you will need 20 grams of charcoal, some black printing ink and 60 grams of silicate glue. All components are mixed in a glass container, after which the mixture is set aside for some time to cool completely.
If it becomes necessary to obtain a white matte color, silicate glue is combined with white clay (kaolin) in a 4: 1 ratio.
When making home paint, a craftsman must exercise particular care when mixing ingredients. The texture of future paint and how it will lie on the surface of the glass depend on this.
How to paint the glass? How to apply paint?
To color the glasses in different colors, you will need diluted gelatin and dyes for fabrics (also previously diluted with water). These components are slowly mixed together until the desired shade is formed.
Oxides of chromium, copper, antimony, manganese, cobalt and gold can also act as dyes.
Now let's talk about the methods of applying paints.
Before painting glass, it should be thoroughly washed with a specialized detergent and rinsed first with hot and then cold water.
Paint can only be applied after the surface intended for drawing is completely dry and will be degreased with acetone or other alcohol.
The more thoroughly the glass surface is prepared for work, the better the coloring substance will lie down and set. Immediately before starting work, a masking tape is applied to a clean and dry surface (where painting is not provided). The masking tape (or masking tape) must be removed immediately after the painted surface dries.
The application of colorful patterns is carried out using a flat brush (flute), a stiff brush (made of bristles and used to paint the ends), spray guns, foam swabs, paint roller and adhesive tape.
If the surface is to be painted vertically, the paint is applied in small strokes from top to bottom with a dry flat brush. You should not allow layering of smears on one another. This technique is used for drawing on double-glazed windows, interior doors and bottles.
Tools for painting bottle glass. How to paint?
To perform this work, you will need the following tools:
- nail polish remover and cotton pad (for degreasing the surface);
- white soil and foam rubber washcloth;
- carbon paper (carbon paper);
- acrylic paints, texture paste.
A thoroughly washed and dried glass bottle is degreased using a nail polish remover and a cotton pad.
At the next stage of preparation, you will need a foam rubber washcloth and white soil. The primer is applied in two layers, and each of the layers should dry well. Only after that the craftsman will be able to proceed to the next operation.
Even people who have never learned to draw can cope with painting bottles with acrylics . It is enough to find a suitable picture on the pages of magazines or on the Web.
A sheet of paper with a printed pattern is transferred with a carbon paper and fixed on the bottle. Now an amateur artist will need a sharpened pencil. With its help, the main contours of the drawing will be transferred to the surface of the bottle.
Volumetric parts are applied to the glass surface using texture paste, and flat parts are applied using acrylic paints.
When the work is completed and the paints dry, the artist will only have to arm himself with a thin brush and draw the contours of the individual parts.