If you love making stained glass projects, then you’ll love the cool effects that painting on stained glass can have. It gives you more of a chance to be creative, allowing for more of a flow of ideas without having to worry about cutting or other processes that need your complete accuracy to ensure a beautiful outcome.
The paints used for stained glass painting are made by taking ground glass and mixing it with a variety of colored pigments and a flux. They can be applied in any number of ways and then they get permanently affixed by being fired in a kiln. These paints may be transparent or opaque, and you can mix them together though it is advised that you stick to the same manufacturer when mixing paints for consistency reasons.
While stained glass painting is a wonderful way to experiment with a broad range of vibrant colors, you’ll need to make sure you keep exact records of your paint color tests to see what you mixed and what temperatures you used or it will all be for nothing.
When you buy paints for stained glass painting, you’ll need to find out which ones are low or high firing. Low firing paint is better suited to stained glass as it can then be used quite easily with panels. Meanwhile, high firing paints are better to use for your fusing projects since they can handle hot temperatures much better.
Are you ready to start painting? Good! Grab whatever inspires you to use as your paint brush, whether it’s an actual paint brush, sponges dipped in paint or even potatoes! Stencils also work great. Use whatever will help you achieve the texture and design that you desire. Before you make it permanent though, practice your technique. Nothing could be worse than finding the right glass for the project and then ruining it with a botched pattern.
To ensure your paint comes out smooth once it’s fired, you should mix one part paint with two parts of water, oil, or some other water-based substance so that it will render the paint into a creamy consistency. You’ll want to mix this up thoroughly to ensure the best results. Keep in mind that once it gets fired, the paint will reveal your brush strokes. Choosing a soft brush that can capably hold a lot of paint as well as applying your paint in quick, strong and confident strokes will help to minimize the appearance of brush strokes.
One of the most important things when trying out the technique of stained glass painting is to remember to keep safe. Stained glass painting can be dangerous due to the fumes. When working with it, be sure to always wear a mask and gloves to protect yourself. Work in a well-ventilated area too. If you feel dizzy, be sure to take a break and get fresh air.
Have you tried stained glass painting before? Tell us about it in the comments and show off your work in our Delphi artist gallery. Be sure to tag your work with “stained glass painting.” Want to learn how to paint stained glass and other exciting techniques? We offer glass painting classes and more. Check out our class schedules and sign up today! You can also find more inspiration for all your glass projects by viewing our videos
Raise Your Glass: Discover the Technique of Stained Glass Painting
