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  • Glass Painting
  • From "Ask DIY"
    episode ADI-204
    advertisement

    Click here to view a larger image.

    Let the light shine through windows decorated with glass paint.

    Click here to view a larger image.

    Figure A

    Click here to view a larger image.

    Figure B

    Q: I want to paint decorative windows. Can you tell me what kind of paint I need to get the look of stained glass?

    A: (Debbie Stapely, Ask DIY Crafts Expert) There is a special kind of glass paint that you can use to paint windows that resemble stained glass. You can buy translucent or opaque paint, depending on whether you want to see through the paint or not. Here's how to paint a design on a glass window:

    Materials:

    Glass paint
    Frosted glass spray (optional)
    Artist's brushes
    Polyurethane
    Glass beads (optional)

    1. If you want the window to afford you some privacy, spray the outside with frosted glass spray and then seal it with a couple of coats of polyurethane.

    2. Find a pattern to use as a guide for painting (figure A). The pattern should be an outline -- the bolder and simpler the shape, the better. If you really love a pattern that would be too intricate, consider enlarging it on a copy machine.

    3. Tape the pattern to the outside of the window with the pattern facing in where you can see it through the window pane.

    4. Dip your brush right into the paint bottle and brush the color onto the glass (figure B), using the pattern as your guide. The nice thing about the special glass paint is that it creates striations as it's brushed on, much like the stained-glass pieces you would buy at the store.

    5. Continue with different colors, and then let the paint dry. Then, if you like, go back and fill in a few more details (such as veins on leaves) with a thinner brush or darker colors.

    6. Seal the paint with two or three coats of polyurethane.

    7. If you like, finish off the design by attaching a few glass beads to the pattern with industrial-strength adhesive made specifically for glass .

    More Questions for Debbie:

    Q: What kind of paint should I use on fabric so it won't feel stiff when it dries?

    A: There are special fabric paints that won't make fabric stiff. Buy them at a craft store.


    Q: I need to find out how to emboss metal. Do I use an embossing heat gun?

    A: Metal comes in so many thicknesses. If you have a very thin metal, you can use just a stylus. But if you have a thicker metal, you may want to use a heat gun and embossing powder. It doesn't really press into the metal, but it gives the illusion of embossing.


    Q: Where can I find foam cut in the shape of door hangers?

    A: I have never seen foam cut in that shape! But you can buy your own foam sheets, design your own pattern and then cut it with ordinary sewing scissors.

    Web site resources for Glass Painting:

    Year-Round Glass Ornaments from HGTV.Com

    Painted Glass Light Cover from DSC. Discovery.Com

    Books:

    The Complete Guide to Glass Painting: Over 90 Techniques With 25 Original Projects and 400 Motifs
    By Alan D. Gear
    ISBN: 1855857731
    Sterling Publishing Company Inc. (2000)
    387 Park Avenue South
    New York, NY 10016
    Phone: 212-532-7160
    Fax: 212-213-2495
    Customer Service Phone: 800-367-9692
    Customer Service Fax: 800-542-7567
    E-Mail: webmaster@sterlingpub.com

    Ceramic and Glassware Style: Paint Your Own Tableware, Glassware and Decorative Objects
    By Alma Caira
    ISBN: 0823005887
    Watson-Guptill Publications
    Billboard Publications Inc.
    1515 Broadway
    New York, NY 10036
    Phone: 212-764-7300
    Fax: 212-382-6090
    Web site: www.watsonguptill.com

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