So often, looking at the paintings of brilliant artists, many people begin to “itch” their hands. I would like to create a brilliant masterpiece of painting myself, albeit on the scale of my family. The soul requires beauty, and the hand requires canvas and brushes.
But, unfortunately, not everyone is given a natural gift for drawing. So what to do? I want to draw, but I also want to receive satisfaction from the work done and recognition from loved ones.
There is an exit! The modern market of paints and varnishes provides a huge selection of paints for creativity. You can easily find a product that will satisfy your desire to create masterpieces of painting.
Painting with paints
Those who like to decorate their home with their own hands should take a closer look at stained glass paints. This concept includes artistic paints and varnishes intended for painting smooth surfaces.
Stained glass paints can be used to enliven glass, mirrors, plates, and also make a unique piece of furniture from an ordinary glass or vase.
The scope for imagination here is enormous. You can please yourself with this decoration or give a gift to a loved one.
You can use stained glass paints to paint directly on the object being decorated. But another method is no less popular. The drawing is created on ordinary film - even an office document file will do. And then the pattern is transferred to the desired surface.
Application of a fixative
When purchasing a set of stained glass paints, you should know that after they are applied and dried, fixation is necessary.
The universal fixer for any paint is varnish. But, in addition to this function, it is used as a solvent if the material has thickened, or when mixing paints. Porous surfaces are also varnished before painting, which makes it possible to make them smooth, simplifying the painting process.
Types of stained glass paints
Stained glass paints are usually classified either by the main component or by the method of processing and drying.
So, the first classification:
- Water-based stained glass paints.
- Alcohol-based stained glass paints.
- Solvent-based stained glass paints.
Various domestic and foreign companies produce all of the listed types of stained glass paints. When working with them, you must always follow the same safety rules.
The second classification of paints is based on the method of drying them.
Stained glass paints are:
- Burnt.
- Unfired.
Burnt paints
It is necessary to dry it in the oven under certain conditions. The painted product is placed in a cold oven and the temperature is set to 120-180 C. Firing time varies from 20 to 40 minutes. More accurate numbers are always indicated on the paint can, as they depend on the specific manufacturer and composition.
Unfired paints
Dry at room temperature. As with burnt paints, drying time depends on the manufacturer. Such paints can harden from a day to three weeks.
Table 1. Types of paints for stained glass painting.
| Type of paints | Peculiarities |
| Acrylic (unfired | Opaque paints, soluble in water. The paints have bright and pure colors, but darken several tones when completely dry. After drying, the paints do not discolor from exposure to direct sunlight and high temperatures. For permanent fixation, firing in an oven is not required. The paints mix well with each other, which is especially valuable for obtaining new colors and shades. |
| Silicate (firing) | When fired, silicate paints reliably “fuse” with glass. After heat treatment, such paints become transparent. Stained glass painting made with silicate paints, after firing, acquires strength and immunity to external influences. They are evenly distributed on a grease-free glass surface, forming a smooth, shiny layer that does not crack when drying. Painting becomes resistant to external influences only when fired in a kiln. |
Ink, felt-tip pens, markers
There are special felt-tip pens for working with glass or ceramic surfaces. They are created in such a way that, if necessary, the applied image can be removed.
An ideally smooth canvas can be coated with a special ink that has high adhesive properties. With its help you can achieve clear lines. Application is done using a rapidograph. This tool distributes the mascara in such a way that a line of a certain thickness is obtained.
Differences between fired and unfired stained glass paints
If you are just starting your journey as a stained glass artist, then it is better to opt for unfired stained glass paints. They are much easier to use than fired paints. Fired stained glass paints are used by venerable graphic designers.
In addition to being relatively easy to use, unfired stained glass has greater transparency and brighter colors.
For example, if you paint a glass vase with burnt paints and dry it in the oven, the colored areas will lose their transparency. And through the design created with unfired paints, you can easily see the back wall of the product.
If you are planning to paint window glass, then your choice will be unfired stained glass paints. They will provide the necessary transparency for the passage of light. In addition, window glass is very problematic, if not impossible, to dry by firing.
Application
Stained glass paints have their own application technology. First you need to purchase:
- a set of stained glass paints;
- contours for drawing on a glass surface;
- ready-made stencils, which you can make yourself if you wish;
- ethanol;
- brushes;
- cotton buds;
- toothpicks or needle.
Before you paint with stained glass paints, you should choose a pattern. You can take freely available templates and stencils for copying. Further, all work is carried out in stages and in a certain sequence.
Before painting glass, it is degreased with alcohol. If the artist has the talent and skills, then the pattern is applied with a marker. Otherwise, you can fix it on the back side of the product or transfer it to the front side from the stencil using carbon paper.
Each detail must be carefully outlined, avoiding breaks. Then you should wait for it to dry completely, the time indicated in the instructions.
Stained glass paints are applied in a dropwise manner, and then distributed with a brush from the center to the periphery in an even thick layer. Errors should be corrected immediately with cotton swabs, without allowing the coating to dry.
Having painted all the details of the same color, you need to thoroughly rinse the brush, wipe it dry and start working with a different shade. Stained glass paints form air bubbles in their thickness, which can be removed with the tip of a needle or a toothpick. To speed up the drying process of the finished pattern, you can use a hairdryer.
Application of acrylic coating
Painting on glass with acrylic paints also begins with degreasing the working surface and applying the design yourself or using a stencil.
While do-it-yourself stained glass paints are applied only to the contoured drawing, this is not necessary for their acrylic counterparts.
Painting with stained glass paints
Like any other creative process, stained glass painting must begin with the choice of materials.
Materials for painting
You will need these materials.
1. As mentioned above, stained glass paints that do not require additional firing are best suited for beginners. In addition, such paints allow you to obtain a much brighter, more transparent and richer pattern.
2. You will also need a set of brushes with hard bristles of various thicknesses. Stained glass paints are quite liquid, so after applying them to a smooth surface they need to be smeared. An artistic sponge or a piece of regular sponge may also be suitable for this purpose.
3. Before starting work, stock up on solvent, acetone or, as a last resort, nail polish remover. This will help correct mistakes and remove unnecessary strokes.
4. To correct defects, you will also need cotton pads or swabs. Of course, mistakes are difficult to avoid, but you need to try to avoid smearing the paint. Removing excess is quite difficult.
5. Sometimes air bubbles may form during the paint smearing process. They need to be pierced with a toothpick.
6. To create high-quality stained glass, in addition to basic paints, you will need contour stained glass paints. They are usually sold in tube form.
Contour paints are necessary to create boundaries of fragments of the drawing. In the future, they do not allow the main colors to spread and mix.
But, in addition to functional benefits, stained glass contour paints can also play an aesthetic role. With their help, the drawing turns out to be more “alive”. Contour stained glass paints give the effect of a pattern made up of pieces - just like a real stained glass window should be.
Stages of painting with stained glass paints
Preparation
Before starting work, decide on the topic. Make a sketch of the future drawing or find a picture on the Internet. If these methods do not suit you, then you can create a drawing from the fragments of other pictures you like.
Using tracing paper, transfer the sketch onto the surface to be decorated. You can use water markers if you will be painting a vase or other transparent glass object. In this case, attach the sketch to the inside of the object and outline the borders with a felt-tip pen.
Creating an outline
Now you can get to work. Use contour stained glass paints to outline all the boundaries of the picture. Be careful and attentive, do not allow the paint to flow or smudge.
Let the outline dry. The manufacturer indicates the specific drying time on the paint tube or in the included instructions.
Filling the drawing
After the outline has completely dried, you can begin the most enjoyable part of the process - directly filling in the drawing. Apply some paint from a jar or tube to the surface. Using a brush or sponge, carefully paint the inside of the outline.
If during the drying process the paint shrinks and moves away from the boundaries, then do not panic. Wait until the drawing is completely dry and carefully apply another layer of stained glass paint, filling the voids at the borders.
Adviсe
To improve the quality of the work you receive, as well as to facilitate the creative process, follow the advice of professionals.
- When painting parts of a drawing, first use only one color, then another. This way you will avoid excessive drying of the paints in the jars and their rapid deterioration.
- Place the brushes you use in water as often as possible. If the paint dries on the instrument, you can safely throw it away. Such a brush will become absolutely unsuitable for further creativity.
- Before you start working with stained glass paints, you should put on old jeans and a T-shirt. An alternative is to wear a large apron that will cover most of your clothes. Remember that stains from stained glass paints are practically not removed from clothing.
- To prevent paints from drying out and deteriorating, it is better not to keep them open while working. Therefore, it is better to use a palette. To replace a professional tool, you can use an ordinary cardboard or a lid from an unnecessary box.
Stained glass paints. Video.
Creating coverage yourself
Even taking into account the fact that today you can find a wide variety of kits for creating stained glass compositions on sale, some professionals still make them with their own hands.
This material is based on gelatin, to which BF2 adhesive or colorless furniture varnish is added.
To make the required color, fabric color is mixed into the substance. Or you can just use simple gouache.
If a pattern in a stained glass style is being created for the first time, then the newly created coloring mixture must be fixed with transparent varnish so that the pattern is not spoiled by water.
Precautions when working with stained glass paints
When paint dries, it releases toxic fumes. Therefore, you should only throw away used jars and tubes when they are closed. Items decorated with stained glass paints must be dried in a well-ventilated area. Keep household members and animals away.
Contact with skin may cause irritation or itching. Therefore, if this does not cause much inconvenience, it is better to work with stained glass paints with gloves.
If you accidentally swallow paint or get it on your mucous membranes, you should immediately consult a doctor. The eyes and nose should be rinsed immediately with plenty of water. Be sure to show the specialist a jar of your paint.
All paints are flammable and flammable. Keep them out of the reach of children. Their location is not allowed near heating and heating devices, as well as near sources of open fire.
Table 2. Stained glass painting in the interior.
| Application | Feasibility of decoration | Peculiarities |
| Paintings | Stained glass windows made with paints look like watercolor paintings. At the same time, they do not fade from direct sunlight and can be washed. Pictures on glass can be hung on any wall: the rays of the sun will not discolor the composition, and in dark rooms it is possible to use stained glass lighting. On a glass canvas you can reproduce various scenes and various drawing techniques. The size and geometric shape of the glass base of a stained glass picture depend only on the wishes of the customer. | Glass paintings can be decorated with stained glass inserts, rhinestones, semi-precious stones or beads. Such paintings can be framed with imitation frames, flat (painted), three-dimensional (made using other stained glass techniques) or placed in a baguette. |
| Window | Stained glass painting can occupy the entire area of the window, covering up the unsightly cityscape. Stained glass painting can be located around the entire perimeter of the window, only along the vertical part of the frame, only on one sash, in the corner of the window - depending on the customer’s wishes. | At night, the painting will be practically invisible, so such windows are often equipped with lighting. |
| Doors | Doors can be decorated in various ways: stained glass painting can occupy their entire area, or be only on glass inserts, the geometric shape and size of which do not matter when decorated in this way. Both frame and all-glass doors can be decorated with painting. | Doors with painted stained glass will be appropriate in any interior, since an experienced artist will create an image that will organically fit into any style of the room. |
| Ceilings | Stained glass painting can occupy the entire area of the ceiling or be placed on it in the form of inserts. Using stained glass painting you can decorate ceiling lamps and chandelier shades. All ceiling structures decorated with twist painting are much lighter than ceilings decorated using other stained glass techniques. | The pattern of stained glass painting on the ceiling can be repeated on the shades of wall and table lamps, floor lamps or night lamps. In addition, with the overall design of the room, a pattern of stained glass ceiling painting - or its individual elements - may be present in the interior decor. |
| Partitions | Using stained glass painting you can decorate the entire partition or part of it. Painting can be present not only on the glass inserts of the partition, but also on elements made of other materials. Stained glass painting on the partition does not increase the weight of the entire structure, which eliminates the need to use additional reinforced fasteners. | A partition decorated with stained glass paintings can be equipped with lighting and serve as an additional source of lighting. |
| Tables | Stained glass paintings can be used to decorate tabletops and table legs separately. The pattern on the tabletop can be located around the perimeter, in the center, in the corner, or fill the entire surface of the table. | The table and other objects in the room can be decorated similarly to each other at the request of the customer. |
| Kitchen fronts | Stained glass painting in the kitchen is resistant to water, elevated temperatures and household gas combustion products. Not only the facades of kitchen cabinets and cabinets, but also the aprons on the walls are decorated with painting. | In the same style as the facades of cabinets and cabinets, you can decorate the ceiling lamp, door or table with chairs with stained glass painting in the kitchen. |
| Wardrobes | Individual pieces cannot fall out of this stained glass window - it is the most traumatic, which is especially important for families with small children. Stained glass painting is not afraid of exposure to direct sunlight and allows you to decorate the entire surface of the cabinet facade. Sliding wardrobes with stained glass paintings are equipped with lighting and can serve as an additional source of lighting in a dark room (for example, a corridor). | Wardrobes, the facades of which are decorated with stained glass paintings, can become an independent element of room decor. |
Cleaning
The fabric to be painted must be clean. If the glass is slightly dirty, just wipe it with a soft cloth or damp cotton pad. It is not recommended to use synthetic materials, because... If pressed hard, they can dull the surface.
If small and medium-sized glasses are heavily soiled, you can wash them in the bathroom:
- Place the cloth in the bath and clean it with a napkin, while pouring warm water from the shower over it.
- After cleaning, the glass is thoroughly wiped dry - if you leave the surface wet, streaks will appear on it after drying.
After this, it is necessary to immediately proceed to the next stage of work, since the friction of fabric materials on the surface of the glass charges the latter with static electricity. The electrified canvas attracts dust, which leaves micro-scratches on the glass and interferes with painting.
If the glass initially has small scratches, it is necessary to polish it using a special paste. If you don’t have one, you can use a homemade analogue. To make it, mix soda and toothpaste in a 1:2 ratio. The mixture is applied to the damaged area, after which the glass is polished in a circular motion using a polishing roller.
Soap drawings
Everyone has almost forgotten about this method, but in vain! With its help, translucent velvety pictures are obtained, similar to ice covered with frost.
You can make them the old fashioned way: grate a piece of soap on a fine grater, add warm water and beat (preferably with a mixer) until a thick, stable foam is obtained. Dip a sponge into it and apply a design using a stencil. If smudges form, wipe them off with a wet cloth.
It’s even easier to use white liquid soap or a creamy soap base: you don’t need to whisk or dilute anything - just pour it into a saucer and draw! Just one piece of advice: it’s better to cut the stencil out of thick paper or cardboard - it will make the edges of the image clearer.
Or you can draw lace patterns with a thin soap on dry glass. In any case, soap patterns are not only beautiful, but also wash off well from the window, allowing you to save on cleaning products.
Paper decorations
Another greeting from childhood. True, before you had to improvise, but now there are ready-made templates - there are a lot of them on the Internet. Just print, cut and paste.
The New Year theme offers snowmen, Christmas tree balls, symbols of the year, Santa Clauses and Snow Maidens, angels and bells, Christmas trees, deer, houses in snowdrifts... In general, there is so much to choose from!
From this set you can easily create your own unique composition. But you don’t have to be original - traditional snowflakes made of matte paper look wonderful on the window.
Note: the glass should be wiped dry, otherwise the pasted paper will not stick. And don’t use glue, it’s better to use a thick soap solution or sugar syrup, they wash off the windows faster!
