DIY glass decoration

Thanks to glass decoration, you can create real masterpieces in your home that will attract a lot of attention.

There are many techniques, some of which require the purchase of fairly expensive equipment, while others require standard items.

In this article we will figure out how to make glass decor yourself.

Colored paper

One of the simplest ways to transform glass is to cover it with colored paper. You can create a beautiful picture both on the window and on the transparent insert of the interior door. Decorating glass with paper will not take you much time. Where should I start? Draw a sketch on an A4 sheet of paper, and then copy the drawing onto tracing paper adjusted to the size of the glass. Cut out the stencils of the parts of the drawing and transfer them to colored paper. When all the preparations are made, you can start decorating. To make your work easier, you need to glue a paper sketch to the back of the glass. Attach the paper using PVA glue according to the drawing. You can use a glue stick, but the likelihood that the application will fall off after drying is almost 100%. Therefore, it is better to use a more reliable adhesive substance. When the paper applique is ready, you can add a stroke to the resulting collage. Using a thick black marker, create separations between the details of the drawing. Outlining will help make the applique more neat.

Films

Decorating glass is an interesting process. The activity can be made fun if you use colored films rather than colored paper to decorate smooth surfaces. The result of your activity will be brighter, and the transparency of the glass will be higher than if you decorated the surface with ordinary paper. What is the process of decorating glass with film? You need to draw a sketch of the future application on paper. Break the drawing into blanks and transfer each part onto films. Cut out the parts and place them on the glass according to a pre-planned plan. Working with films is easier than working with paper. The process of creating an image will be similar to gluing colored stickers. Separate the colored part of the film from the backing and stick it in the designated area. The finished drawing does not need to be supplemented with anything. If you do not plan to peel off the self-adhesive film from the glass in the future, then you should heat the resulting image with a hairdryer to make the adhesion of the glue and the surface more reliable.

Create a mirror surface

How to make a mirror? First you need to polish our glass by wetting its surface with water.

to prepare the following items in advance :

glass;
containers in which the solution will be prepared and mixed with silver;
latex gloves;
silver (nitrate) and tin (bichloride);
distilled water, caustic potassium or soda;
honey, ammonia and formaldehyde;
alcohol, cotton wool;
clear varnish;
glass rod and nitric acid;
a spray bottle that will be used to apply the mixture to the glass, plus a brush with soft bristles;
frame or wooden sheet with clips;
dye.

We put on rubber gloves and carry out all work exclusively in them.

Next, when you manipulate the glass, hold it carefully by the edges, otherwise you risk staining the smooth surface . This is important because the material will need to be frequently dragged from place to place, washed and various substances applied to it.

The procedure is as follows:

We wash the glass with distilled water and crushed chalk. All sides must be clean, incl. ends.
We treat the surface with a degreasing alkali solution (sodium or potassium, containing about 10%).
Rinse the glass again with distilled water.
Wipe clean glass with a cotton swab dipped in a 1% solution of stannous chloride. Then immediately place the mirror in a container filled with distilled water. Let it get wet.
While the glass is poured, clean and degrease (with the same alkaline solution) the container in which you plan to silver the glass. Please note that the surface temperature of the future mirror in water should be 10 degrees higher than that of the solution induced for silvering.

You will need to prepare two solutions containing the contents with which the glass will be coated. Use only distilled water:

The first solution consists of silver nitrate (1.6 g) and water (30 ml). After mixing them, watch what kind of sediment you get. Drip 25% ammonia into it until it disappears, then add another half cup of water.
Pour a 40% formaldehyde solution (5g) into the second container with divisions.

Mix both liquids.

Then proceed like this:

Place the glass horizontally on the surface prepared for silvering.
Now start covering the glass: pour the resulting solution into the middle, roll it out in an even layer using a glass rod. Or lower the glass into the chemical mixture so that the silver does not fall on the opposite side.
The solution needs to harden. To “mirror” it needs 3-10 minutes, depending on the initial temperature of the mixture.
When everything is dry, you need to place the mirror vertically. While the silver layer is not fixed, it may be damaged, so lean the product against the support with the untreated side.
The mirror needs to dry for 2 hours at temperatures up to 100 degrees.
Inspect the received product. Silver stains can be wiped off with cotton wool and a solution of nitric acid.
Rinse the mirror first in water and then in alcohol.
The silver layer should have cooled by this time. Spray it with clear varnish from a spray bottle.
When the varnish is dry, paint the darkened surface. Then paint the silvered part with red lead, diluting it in turpentine. The glass part must be wiped with a solution of nitric acid.
Let everything dry and look at the result. If everything suits you, all that remains is to place the mirror in a frame with clips.

Toothpaste

New Year is coming soon and you want to decorate your windows? One of the easiest ways to do this is to spray a toothpaste solution on the windows. How to make a beautiful image on a window? To do this, you will need to draw or print a holiday-themed stencil. You can draw a snowman, Santa Claus or a winter landscape. Then you need to cut out some parts of the picture. The image should be as simple as possible and minimally detailed. When the stencil is ready, use tape to attach it to the window. In a small bowl, mix white toothpaste with a minimal amount of water. Now you can start decorating the glass. On an old toothbrush, take a little of the solution that was prepared and use a spraying motion to fill the voids in the stencil. The thicker your toothpaste solution is, the brighter the pattern will be. When all the gaps are filled in, give the drawing time to dry. After this you can remove the stencil. A beautiful picture will be ready.

Gouache

Does your creativity tell you that you can paint complex images without a stencil? How to decorate glass with your own hands using gouache? You will need a glass pencil. Using a wax pencil, draw a sketch on the window. The topic can be any. You can depict anything - from a landscape to a portrait, from a multi-figure composition to something abstract. The image is ready, now you need to color it. Get out gouache and brushes of different sizes. You don't need water to paint glass. The paint will be applied in a thick layer, and in a drawing on glass it is very important that there are no gaps. Fill the outline of the image. Try to keep it in one layer. It is not advisable to apply a second coat of paint on glass. The bottom colored layer is deformed and drains. Therefore, immediately mix the desired shade and paint with confident strokes. Gouache should be painted in the same way as if you were painting in oil. Confident, broad strokes will give the drawing a unique flavor.

Stained glass paint

A good artist will not paint glass with gouache or toothpaste. He will pick up stained glass paint. Using this technique, you can decorate not only glass in windows and doors, but also household items. For example, glass vases for decoration or simple glass plates are great. Blanks can be purchased at specialized art stores or you can find dishes at a hardware store.

How to work with stained glass paint? The painting process is similar to decorating glass with gouache. You need to draw a sketch using a wax pencil, and then fill it with specialized stained glass paint. After the color pigments have dried, the artist must use an outline to separate the details of the drawing. This can be done before you start applying the color, but the thing will look neater if you apply the outline after the paint. The final stage is coating the product with varnish.

What do you need to know before you start?

Glass is a universal material used to create various interior items.
Not only dishes and furniture are made from it, but also paintings and panels.

You can give a second life to even a broken object by using shards and fragments.

There are different types of glass, differing depending on the application :

construction;
porous;
liquid;
artistic, finishing, etc.

Such a variety of materials allows a skilled person to create unique kaleidoscopes and make products of bizarre shapes and colors.

Even a beginner can create many crafts ; the main thing is to have the necessary tools, patience and desire.

First you need to determine what exactly you want to make from glass. Here a lot depends on the author’s imagination and the resources at his disposal.

All products can be divided into categories:

household;
aesthetic.

Here are just a few examples:

candlestick decoration;
ornaments on glass, flower compositions;
small souvenirs made of broken glass;
thematic installations;
decoration of household items - dishes, chandeliers, mirrors.

Let's figure out in order what items can be made from old unnecessary glass.

Acrylic paint

There are different types of glass decoration. The main ones are drawing, bas-relief and appliqué. Another way to decorate glass with paint is to use acrylic. Universal paint can be used on various surfaces. It is great for ceramics, wood, plastic and glass. Acrylic goes well with acrylic paste. Using these two components, you can make not only a flat, but also a three-dimensional image. What will the work process look like? You need to draw a sketch on paper and then attach it to the back of the glass. After that, take acrylic paste and use a thick brush to lay out the volumetric parts of the drawing. Give the paste time to dry. When the substance has set, you can start painting. Apply light shades first and then layer darker colors. Do not mix layers of paint. Let the bottom coat dry first before applying the top coat. The finished image should be varnished.

Beautiful frame for a mirror

This method of decorating a mirror has already been described - we take the decor and glue it on. But not on the mirror surface itself, but on the frame. The frame can be made from the same piece of fiberboard, or you can buy a mirror in a plastic (for example) frame.

Decorating the frame for the mirror

From mosaic

To create a mosaic you will need mosaic pieces; you can use fragments of ceramics or colored glass, mirrors. You will also need glue (silicone) and grout for the seams of ceramic tiles (can be white or colored).

From fiberboard (cardboard will not work, as the decor will be heavy), cut out a frame for the mirror, place it in the center, and draw an outline. Next, apply strips of glue to the frame and lay mosaic tiles or pieces of glass on it.

Mosaic mirror frame

After everything has been laid out and the glue has dried (about three days), take the grout and dilute it to a thick sour cream state (the proportions are written on the packaging). This mixture is used to fill the gaps between the tiles. When all the gaps are filled, remove the excess with a damp cloth. To prevent the mosaic from looking dull, you need to remove all the grout so that the tiles are clean. And this must be done before the grout dries.

Homemade mosaic mirror frames

This mirror decor is perfect for the bathroom. The decor is washable and fits well into the bathroom design concept. Such a mirror will look especially decorative if the mosaic is matched to the tone of the tiles.

Looks natural in the bathroom

Sea salt

Decorating window glass can be done not only with paint. Sea salt can be an unusual decorative coating for your window. How to use it in decoration? Draw a sketch of the design on paper. Glue the image to the back of the glass. Take PVA glue and draw the outline of the design with it. When the glue has set a little, sprinkle it with sea salt. If you want to get a color drawing, you will need to paint over the salt in advance using gouache. If you don’t have salt on the farm, you can use fine sand instead. But still, from a technical point of view, decorating with salt is safer for the window. When you wash off the image, the salt will dissolve and small particles of sand will scratch the mirror surface of the glass.

Decoupage as a decoration tool

The essence of the decoupage technique is to cover the surface with cut or torn paper fragments and cover them with varnish. In this way, anyone can decorate their home with unique things and interior elements, decorated with hand painting, because this is exactly what glass decoupage looks like on any object, especially on a door.

Decoupage glass door

This design looks attractive on a transparent surface. Glass transforms the image, breathes life into it and adds volume. In addition to this interesting technique, you can update the decor using fabric and wallpaper. They will improve the style of an old door, embodying your fantasies or decor ideas from leading designers.

Plasticine

Do you want to keep your child busy, but don't know how to do it? Let your child decorate glass using plasticine. This technique of decorating glass is not very popular. Many parents are afraid that their child will cut himself with the sharp edge of the creative base. To prevent your child from getting injured, immediately teach your child safety precautions, and also carefully monitor the process of your child’s work. How to decorate glass with plasticine? You can draw an image in advance, or you don’t have to. In the first case, you will need to put the sketch under glass, and in the second, you should start imagining. The work process will look like this: you need to tear off a small piece of plasticine, roll it into a ball, and then smear it on the glass. But you don’t need to smear the plasticine too hard to get a smear.

Aquarium

To make it yourself, you will need:

Premium grade silicate glass .
Glue containing silicone. Look carefully at the information on the packaging: it should indicate that it is suitable for aquariums (it does not contain antibacterial substances that harm fish and plants).
About 8 pieces of small corners , suitable for pre-designed sizes.

When gluing parts, you need to remember certain requirements:

the seams must be thick, at least 2-3 mm;
The outer edges must be sanded, and those under the glue must not be touched.

The build process itself looks like this:

We take one block and make a hole in it with a thread for a bolt of a suitable size. In the other we make several holes for the self-tapping screws on which the bars will be attached.
Total will be used 4 bars of the same length, on both sides of which corners are attached. The length of the bar determines the internal width of the aquarium.
Prepare 8 plywood and rubber spacers of suitable size.
The glass that will be located on the sides must be clamped with a special device . The bars ensure the same length and parallel arrangement of the glass relative to each other. But keep in mind that you will have to work hard before you get right angles between the edges of the glass. You will need to take a square and measure the diagonals.
The resulting structure must be laid on its side and glass attached to it. If everything is smooth, then the side windows are positioned perfectly.
We apply sealant and carefully lay the front glass, pressing down a little so that the substance fills the seam completely.
After a couple of hours, you can turn the structure over again and glue the rear window in the same way.
Wait two hours for the material to dry.
Next, you need to remove the bars from the bottom of the glass, then turn the structure upside down and glue the very base (bottom) of the aquarium here.
Again, leave the product for two hours, turn it over and glue strips of glass along the top edge. In this design they play the role of stiffening ribs.
We leave the product for exactly one day . This time should be enough for everything to dry. Now the aquarium is ready.

Do not rush to immediately “transport” fish and other marine life here. Conduct a 3-5 hour hydrotest - fill it with water and check whether the structure is leaking liquid, whether the seams are leaking, etc.

Now you have an idea of how to make an aquarium yourself at home.

Liquid glass

Thinking about how to decorate a glass plate? Then pay attention to liquid glass technology. To work you will need beautiful decorative material. These could be shells, beads, beautiful stones, small toys or any other decorative elements. From the collected material, you need to lay out a composition at the bottom of the plate. If you want your product to have a background, then the bottom of the container must be covered with acrylic in advance. When the composition is ready, it should be carefully filled with a layer of liquid glass. All you have to do is wait for the glass to harden and the product will be ready.

Herbarium and flower in glass

This is a very unusual, rare and beautiful fake. This technique allows you to “immortalize” any flower (or other object) in glass, making it into a decoration (for example, a pendant).

First you need to dry the flower. Next, you need to bake the plant in glass.

Naturally, in order for the sheets to be visible, you need to use only transparent glass (intended for fusing or regular glass).

The only tools you may need are a special oven, a glass cutter and a machine for grinding the edges of glass.

You need to cut and sharpen two circles of equal diameter , the dimensions of which will fit the flower. Plus, you need to leave a little space if you want to make a pendant (a hole will be made in a small area for the cord).

By the way, this is a difficult operation to predict the end result. It is difficult to control the process : the grass may burn completely, or a clear silhouette will remain.

To minimize possible damage, it is better to paint the flower in advance: even if the leaves fade, the paint will retain the original shape of the flower and remain inside the glass.

You can approach the matter artistically by coloring the flower with transitions of shades.

You need to use only fusing paints - they do not fade at high temperatures. After applying it, you need to let it dry.

We put the painted plant between the pieces of glass and put it in the oven.

You need to choose the right baking mode . It is selected depending on the glass used. The approximate range is 740-800 degrees.

Please note that air bubbles may form . If after baking there are few of them and their sizes are small, they can further decorate the product.

If the plant burns out only partially, it may turn out a little lacy and fibrous.