Glass painting with acrylic paints at the height of its popularity. Only the lazy one still did not want to buy a drawing kit and draw on the glass surface. Indeed, in order to make a small creative stained-glass window, you do not need to be a professional artist at all. Do you have sense of taste, color and desire to create? It's enough to turn something glassy into something amazing.

Today's master class is dedicated to painting glasses, although you can decorate others in a similar style. glass products- any vessels Christmas decorations, or even windows.

You will need:

• Acrylic contour paste for baguette restoration;
• Fine brush;
• Acrylic lacquer;
• And, the highlight of the program - acrylic paints on glass.

Prepare the surface of the glass for drawing, degrease with alcohol or acetone. Next comes the thick acrylic paste. Of course, you can use a regular acrylic outline, but it will not give the "wirey" effect that the metallic color and consistency of the restorative paste will provide. Bring the tip of the tube to the glass, but do not touch, but stop a centimeter from the surface. When drawing, improvise. Just move the glass under the overlay outline, the main thing is that the lines do not overlap each other too much.

No need to cover the whole glass with a pattern, it will look too catchy and clumsy. It is enough to fill 1/3 of the glass with a pattern, or even a little less. When the outline of the mosaic is applied, it is necessary to let it dry. As a rule, the drying time is indicated on the packaging. You may well put the product aside and continue to deal with it, only the next day.

So, with the help of a contour, you applied a mosaic consisting of many cells to the glass. Now that the outline is dry, each cell needs to be covered with paint. You need to choose several colors of paint that are in harmony with each other and the color of the outline. Each cell is painted in some color - it's a bit boring. But if the cell consists of several colors, it’s already more fun. Place your chosen paint colors on the palette.

With soft movements of the brush, mix the paints, but not until a uniform color. Dip the brush in the place where the paints are mixed and start painting the mosaic cell.

The paint will create its own unique pattern inside your pattern.

But with cells of this color it is better not to overdo it, otherwise your entire product threatens to “blur”. We color the rest of the cells with pure colors.

You can leave a few "windows" unpainted if it looks good. The mosaic is painted - the glass is ready.

- an exciting activity available to anyone who has the desire to do it.

Painting on glass seems difficult to many, but mastering it is much easier than painting with a brush or pencil. This interesting technique is used to create exclusive decorations for the home. With your own hands you can draw various pictures, paint nondescript vases, make an original glass object that will certainly fit into any interior. Work with stained glass paints- a creative, amazing process that can give the room a unique character.

Story

The first painted glass elements appeared hundreds of years ago. Throughout the time, they either lost their popularity, or regained it. According to found written sources, this was at the beginning of the 12th century. Drawings were created on such glasses with a special paint made of copper and iron.

Stained glass painting in the Middle Ages could only be seen in temples. A peculiar play of light immersed the parishioners in a mysterious atmosphere of reverence. The Renaissance can be considered the peak of the popularity of stained glass art. Many wealthy citizens began to give preference to such decoration of windows.

In the 16th century, because of the wars of religion, glass painting died out as an art. The decrease in demand during the Enlightenment was influenced by the desire for transparency, the mass destruction of painted products. Only in the XIX century there was a revival of stained glass painting in Russia, thanks to the given order of Nicholas I on the construction of a glass factory. This type of decor remains popular to this day.

Where and how glass painting is applied

With the help of glass painting, you can create amazing stylish paintings with your own hands, using all the advantages of the material. Stained glass paintings decorate windows, mirrors, various partitions and other interior elements. It is also used to decorate furniture - cabinet doors, kitchen facades. Even large objects will look light and elegant if intricate patterns are applied to them.

Decorate glass pieces of furniture in shopping malls office space. It can be racks, doors, windows. In an apartment or house, this type of decoration is more often used in the bedroom, hallway, living room. You can make a beautiful Hanami style screen, draw cherry blossoms. Such an element of zoning will fill the room with the spirit of the captivating east. You can work with stained glass paints in the following techniques:

• Mosaic stained glass. Geometric, floral ornament, carpet patterns are characteristic;
• Painted. Absolutely all parts of the glass are decorated. Paints are liquid, spread and mix, creating stains, new shades;
• Contour filler. First, a contour is applied, a sketch is created. Then the space is filled with paints;
• Multilayer. Paints are applied in layers, of varying degrees of dampness. In this way, the most realistic images are created;
• Dot painting. Outlines are used to form an image. The saturation of the dots is changed by the color, the density of the paint.

Necessary materials and tools

stained glass painting- imitation of an ordinary stained-glass window with the help of stencils and other devices of the artist. Their large selection allows both professionals and beginners to engage in this type of art. To work in any glass painting technique, you will need special paints, brushes and some auxiliary materials (napkins, alcohol, palette, coating varnish, etc.).

Choice of colors

Drawing material is presented in a huge assortment. When choosing paints, their properties, abrasion resistance, and purpose should be taken into account. Paints on glass can be used for decoration, professional painting of dimensional objects, entertainment with children, training workshops. The expected effect is important - transparency, matte, glossy finish. The choice of paint is influenced by the object of painting itself (windows, ceramic dishes, bottles, vases).

Some types of paints cannot be used for painting objects that come into contact with food due to their toxicity. There are materials that do not withstand contact with water and detergents.

The composition includes natural, synthetic pigments, water, binders. Acrylic paints are produced in a wide range of colors. They can be transparent, cover, create a stained glass effect. The material differs in composition and method of hardening. For homework, it is better to choose a water base that dries quickly at room temperature. Key benefits include the following:

• Light resistance, even glass coating;
• Wide palette of shades, bright colors;
• Possibility of dilution with sparkles;
• abrasion resistance;
• Do not spread when applying acrylic on glass;
• They do not have a pungent odor;
• Convenient packaging (jars, cans, tubes).

Diverse in composition, texture, consistency. They are divided into three main groups - on organic solvents, on water based, acrylic mixtures. In addition to the usual paints for beginners, there are mixtures with various effects, decorative inserts. Popular decor is created using the following materials:

• Sticky. Forms a thin film after drying. It can be removed from a convenient base and transferred to any surface;
• Luster paints. Have a metallic sheen
• Volumetric. During firing, the mixture partially flakes off, creating a corrugated pattern;
• Granular. Special granules are glued with glue, with heat treatment products they spread. It turns out a pimply picture;
• Transparent mother-of-pearl. Apply over the main color, give extra shine;
• Structural. Produced in jars in the form of a paste. After drying, they create an imitation of natural surfaces (stone, wood, leather);
• Paints with additives. Add various sparkles, luminescent pigment.

They have a thick consistency. The gel does not spread, does not slide down the vertical surface. The main area of ​​application is the painting of mirrors, windows, doors, partitions. It is convenient to work with the mixture in stencil technique. Can be used to decorate glass plates, mugs.

You can work with transparent, opaque, translucent gel. Any shade from the palette can be combined, add glitter, create a relief with a palette knife. A stunning effect of a frosty pattern will be obtained when using a translucent satin gel. Water-based mixtures do not require fixing, firmly adhere to the surface. If necessary, they can be easily removed by applying a wet cloth to them for several hours.

Ceramic (fired)

Used to decorate dishes, bottles, vases and other decorative elements of various shapes. In order to fix the special paint well, objects after painting are fired. After that, they can be washed with water without fear that the picture will peel off.

Ceramic paints are made by mixing clay, colorless glaze, fluxes, artificial, natural pigments. According to the method of application, the material can be underglaze, overglaze. For good adhesion, sugar, glycerin are added to the paint. The mixtures to be fired are applied to the product and subjected to heat treatment.

Such mixtures are more often used to decorate mirrors, windows, shop windows for any holiday. Their feature is the ability to delete at any time. Suitable for frequent design changes when there is no longer a need for a thematic painting.

When using film paints, the pattern will first need to be applied to the acetate film. After the painting has dried, it can be easily peeled off and transferred to any place. If the pattern is small, its template can be put in a plastic file and outlined with paints, then leaned against the desired element. Such paints are not fixed on the surface. Before cleaning, washing windows with a film pattern, the application should be removed. After the procedures, you can return back.

Ceramic, glassware, painted with a marker for painting on glass, looks very original. You can work with materials of various classes and sizes. The thickness of the rod, the smoothness of the line will depend on such indicators.

The drawing can be applied immediately with a marker or pre-draw the outline with a simple pencil. After firing, the graphite will disappear, leaving only a colorful pattern. For beginners, it is better to choose plain dishes with a smooth surface. To correctly foresee the proportions, you should draw up a sketch in the full size of the object.

The art of painting on glass is constantly being improved. From a once rare hobby, it has become a ubiquitous hobby. You can create an original drawing on a mirror, door, vase with special paints, which have not been in short supply for a long time. Everyone can try themselves in any of the techniques. In order not to spend money on large batches of material, paints can be made by hand using the following recipes:

1. Gelatin-aniline mixture. Prepared right before work. This paint cannot be stored, so you should knead the solution only once. To prepare, you need to pour 10 g of gelatin with three tablespoons of hot water, prepare powdered aniline dyes, mix everything together. The fluidity of the mixture depends on its temperature;
2. Nitro oil composition. Creating your own paints gives the artist full control over their quality. Can be made from any vegetable oil, it is better to take linen, and pigment. The dye should be placed on a grinding plate, add oil and mix slowly with a muller;
3. Soviet recipes. In the 80s and 90s, paints from various improvised means were used to paint glass. For the basis of the mixtures, PVA glue was chosen. It was mixed with food coloring, gouache, pen refills, acetone, and various solvents.

Brush selection

You can paint on glass with any brushes for painting. They are very easy to display complex outlines of drawings. If the area is impressive, it is better to use large building brushes with a rounded end. For applying a fixative, a transparent varnish, wide models of brushes are used.

For glass painting, objects for painting with both natural and synthetic pile are suitable. Natural bristles are best used for water-based, oil-based paints. After watching several master classes, you will quickly learn how to hold the brush correctly when working in various techniques.

Auxiliary tools and materials

The main working materials for painting on glass are brushes and paints. For each technique, special coloring mixtures and auxiliary materials are chosen. Often use the following methods to simplify painting:

• Lead tape. Adhesive strips allow you to create a stained glass effect;
• Outliner. Colored paste in a tube lays down with a thin pattern on any surface. After hardening, it forms a relief contour that prevents the paint from spreading;
• Masking tape. Protects transparent areas from accidental staining;
• Palette knife. A metal spatula is used when decorating large items;
• Error correction tools. Until the paint has dried, you can wipe it off with a cotton swab dipped in water or solvent. The still unhardened edges of the contour are leveled with a toothpick;
• Materials for templates. Most often, paper, film stencils are used. For products of complex shape, you can use a simple pencil, a disappearing contour.

Deal with this type artistic creativity within the power ordinary person who did not even study the basics of arts and crafts. Painting on glass at home has become possible due to the simplification of technology, a large selection of materials for work, their low cost, and the ability to use stencils.

You can draw on a glass surface on your own at any age, even together with all family members. With each new craft, experience will be gained. In the future, the acquired skills will allow you to create a magnificent, original drawing on the surface, turn a nondescript glass vessel or object into a masterpiece. The main thing in this matter is patience and accuracy.

How to prepare glass for painting

Having firmly decided to bring the idea to life, to start painting on glass, you first need to choose an object that will be the basis for the work, be it a window, a glass, a bottle, a plate, a mirror or other objects. It is better for beginners to use a base with a flat, smooth surface, since it is difficult to work with bends, convex places, the colors spread on them, a complex pattern may look bad, not meet the design requirements for it.

Having decided on the element, it is necessary to prepare its surface. If the master suits the color of the product as the main background, just wash it with soapy water, then rinse clean water. If there are labels, the glass object should be dipped in hot water for a quarter of an hour, then remove the remaining glue. To prevent the fluff from the towel from remaining on the glass, it is better to let it dry on its own. When the item is completely dry, it must be degreased, this can be done with an alcohol-containing liquid.

If you want to change the background color, after all the preparatory operations, cover the surface with a special layer of soil (primer), wait until it dries. Next, apply two layers of acrylic paint of a suitable color. Do not apply the next layer until the first is completely dry. At the final stage, the glass element is varnished.

How to transfer a drawing to glass

Having decided on the image, the next step is to display the pattern on the glass. There are several ways. The fastest is to immediately draw a picture on a glass surface. However, this can only be done by a specialist who is confident in his abilities. It is better for a novice master to use the following simple techniques:

1. Put the sketch under the glass. Having placed the image under the glass surface, use the outline on the glass to redraw it from above. The method is perfect for flat, even transparent objects. If the element has a rounded, complex shape, where it is impossible to attach paper, even using adhesive tape, it must be slightly soaked in water, after which it will become pliable, take on almost any shape, and will hold well on the glass without additional clamps.
2. Copy paper. For opaque objects, bottles with a narrow neck, mirrors, a paper pattern is unacceptable. In this case, it is better to use a carbon copy. The main thing in this method is to attach the sketch and carbon paper well to the surface of the object. If the image accidentally moves, then the work will have to be done again.
3. Food film. A piece of cling film is placed on top of the prepared drawing, while for secure fixation it must be larger than the sketch. With the help of a marker on glass, we trace the contours on the surface packaging material. Next, the film with the translated image is fixed with its front side on a glass object so that there are no voids or folds between them. Using a bamboo stick, a helium pen, carefully outline the contours. As a result, the marker will be transferred to the glass.

Stencil technique

Stencils allow anyone to paint on a glass surface, even if he draws very poorly. Wherein finished goods can be bought in specialized outlets, but many craftsmen prefer to make them themselves, which allows them to choose any image they like. To do this, it is enough to lay a sheet of loose paper on top of the drawing, circle the contours, and cut out the blank along them. Consider step by step instructions how to work with templates:

1. We prepare the surface of the selected object, degrease it.
2. Lay the stencil flat on a flat surface. With the help of adhesive tape we fix it in the corners and around the perimeter. You can also use a temporary spray adhesive to avoid accidental template shifts that can negate all the work done.
3. Now we start painting (for this method, stained glass and acrylic paints can be used). We apply a coloring agent to the surface.
4. It is better to paint from the borders to the center, it is necessary to draw paint little by little, apply a thin layer, removing smudges and excess with a napkin.

Point technique

This method is also called point-to-point. To draw an image in an unconventional drawing technique, you will need to purchase contour paints. It is better to start acquaintance with this species on simple, unnecessary objects. Consider a simple master class on applying bitmap in the form of a flower on the surface of the glass:

1. We take the finished sketch right size. It can be printed on a printer, cut out of a magazine or book.
2. Using temporary spray glue or soaking paper in water, we fix the image on the inside of the glass.
3. We degrease the outer surface of the container.
4. We apply dots along the contour of the drawing, preferably of the same size, while they should be evenly spaced from each other. For work, you can use any colors you like.
5. Having marked the contour, we proceed to fill in the drawing. Dots are also applied here. To do this, you can use a different color, or a shade of the main one.
6. After the paint layer has completely dried, it is advisable to apply a colorless varnish to the picture.

Contour technique

For work use contour paints. Initially, the drawing is outlined, and after it dries, internal voids are painted over. This method allows you to divide the process into several stages, to make a detailed drawing of the picture. For clarity, let's analyze the master class for applying contours to the surface of the plate:

• Prepare the surface of the kitchen utensils.
• We apply the prepared stencil, with the help of a marker we transfer the outlines of the image to the plane of the object.
• Having removed the template, we proceed to applying contour paints to the resulting lines. It is better to use a thick composition, with its help you can create the most even lines.
• To avoid line junctions when working, semicircular and curved borders must be drawn in one motion. Straight lines are the most difficult, requiring some skill.
• In the body of the image itself, you can additionally draw different patterns, curls.
• After the contour has completely dried, you can start painting.

stained glass painting

There are several techniques for imitation of artistic stained-glass windows: photo printing, film stained-glass window, filler, art painting. We will study the first methods a little later. Let's take a closer look at last version. Consider how to paint a window using stained glass paints:

1. We prepare the base, degrease it.
2. We apply the prepared template to the glass surface, fix it, outline the contours with a pneumatic marker.
3. Using black acrylic paint, draw the marked lines.
4. After complete drying, paint over the empty cavities of the picture with a brush.
5. Stained glass paints are distinguished by the fact that they spread strongly, therefore it is not recommended to apply another color until the previous one has completely dried in order to avoid the possibility of mixing colors. It is also better to use varnish substances based on organic resins for work.
6. After completing the drawing, it must be completely dried in a natural way. If you use a hair dryer to dry, the paint may subsequently crack or darken.
7. At the final stage, when the surface is completely dry, it is necessary to cover it with a colorless varnish.

When changing colors, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the brush, wipe it with a rag.

The best way to imitate a real stained glass window. For work, it is desirable to use the contour and stained glass paints from the same manufacturer. On large planes, you can use a stained glass lead tape, which also will not allow coloring substances to mix and spread over the surface. Let's take a look at the step-by-step instructions for making a flooded stained-glass window on glass for an interior door:

1. We create our own sketch. In the absence of skills, download finished projects online.
2. We fasten the selected pattern under the bottom of the prepared base, fix it with adhesive tape.
3. On the surface of the glass, we transfer all the lines with a contour. The height of the contour mixture depends on the planned thickness of the paint layer, which affects its transparency.
4. After drying the workpiece, proceed to the filling of the resulting cells. This can be done with a brush, or more quickly using a syringe. It is necessary to fill in from the edge of the line to the center. Remove leaks carefully.
5. Cells must be filled one by one. Upon completion of the painting, the structure is dried, after which it can be installed in the doorway.

Painting on glass with stained glass paints – process is exciting and creative.

To give the interior a unique character and reveal your creative abilities, you should try yourself as an artist!

Therefore, it is not surprising that in Lately This type of hand-made is becoming more and more popular.

Painting with stained glass paints in ethnic style

Antique table lamp with stained glass painting under Tiffany

As it turns out, glass is the perfect material for making all kinds of fantasies come true. And the process of painting with different colors helps to achieve spiritual harmony and tranquility.

Original set: jug and glasses in bright colors

Start with small items. So, with the help of artistic painting, you can transform an ordinary glass candlestick beyond recognition, turn an ordinary smooth glass into a work of art, and a bottle into a mysterious container for all sorts of little things. Having practiced enough with small objects, you can move on to painting on a larger surface, for example, on window glass.

Advice! Changing the picture every time for a new holiday, you will create a unique mood in the room.

Multi-colored pieces of glass, shimmering in the sun, form bizarre color and light effects.

For inspiration, you can turn to the canvases of famous artists. Perhaps the impressionists and representatives of modernity are most suitable here. You can also use only your own imagination.

Material preparation: choosing paints

Before starting work, it is very important to choose good paints for painting on glass. Poor-quality materials will spoil any, even skillfully executed drawing and will not bring any pleasure from work. Therefore, it is better to invest once in the purchase of quality tools for work. To make glass painting voluminous and interesting, stained glass paints should be used. They are distinguished by a translucent texture, which allows, after the paint has dried, to look at the glass through the colored layer. Thus, a stained glass effect is obtained.

• one;
• synthetic.

Water-based formulations are ideal for beginner craftsmen, as they have the following advantages:

• the ability to be easily washed off, which will allow you to quickly fix an unsightly stroke;
• lack of odors;
• the ability to easily mix, which will allow you to achieve almost any shade and degree of saturation without problems.

However, water-based paints also have a significant drawback - they are unstable to high humidity in the room.

When choosing a paint, carefully study the label. Look for an inscription confirming that the paint is suitable for painting on glass and ceramics. Do not be too lazy to find out the date of manufacture. If it is overdue, then the paints will be dried up, and it is very difficult to work with such.

Water-based paints must not be thinned or applied to uneven surfaces.

Choosing brushes and other tools

It is equally important for glass painting to choose and good brushes. If you use acrylic paints (i.e. water-based), then get soft tools to work with. Brushes must contain artificial bristles.

Advice! Get several brushes of different thicknesses at once, as you will have to draw fine details and various lines.

Another essential tool- tubes with contours (outliners and contour pastes). They are needed to draw the contours of certain areas, which is caused by the need to separate paints that differ in color. This will ensure that there are no sloppy sagging at the junction of the drawings due to the mixing of colors. These tubes have another purpose. So, they will allow you to shade some fragments of the picture due to a clearer drawing of lines.

When choosing an outliner color, be guided by general character drawing. Depending on it, opt for outliners in black, gold, silver and other colors.

For painting, you will also need related materials:

• napkins;
• rags;
• sponge;
• container for mixing paints.

When choosing materials for a future masterpiece, do not forget about varnish. It will protect the painting from damage, make it more resistant to various influences and simply give a beautiful shine. Of course, painting with varnish is optional, but this will save the product from problems in the future.

Advice! To make painting on glass with stained glass paints more accurate, you can use stencils.

Step-by-step instructions for stained glass painting

For painting with stained glass paints on glass, let's take a master class as an example. The general workflow includes the following steps:

• First you need to degrease the base on which the drawing will be applied. This is necessary to give durability to the painting and for a smoother application of paint.

Preparing the glass surface for stained glass painting

• Then you should make a sketch of the future masterpiece. To do this, apply the outline of the composition on a dry surface. Thus, you will outline the boundaries of individual zones, each of which will be painted in its own color.

Screen printing on the container

• Having thus prepared a template for the composition, you can begin to apply paint. Don't be upset if you don't get it right the first time. You must first get used to and feel the ideal layer thickness. If you apply the paint too thinly, then there is a high probability of streaks appearing after the pattern dries, while the surface shade will be inhomogeneous. If you apply them too thickly, then paint from adjacent areas can easily move. Understanding the required thickness of the paint layer will come only with practice, over time.

Advice! If at first it will be difficult for you to apply the paint as accurately as possible, you can beat the lack of artistic skills. To do this, choose drawings not in classical and realistic styles, but compositions in the spirit of cubism, modern and abstract art, etc.

• After applying the paint, the work does not end at all. Now you need to wait for the complete drying of the “canvas”. You can use a hair dryer to speed up the process. However, professionals do not recommend such drying, as it can cause the paint layer to crack and darken individual areas. So if you do not want to specifically achieve such effects, then it is better to refuse drying by thermal means.
• At the final stage, the composition should be varnished. He will give her shine and fix the picture.

The nuances of the correct painting on glass

Do not think that painting on glass with stained glass paints is an expensive pleasure. You can save on the purchase of paints. To do this, do not purchase individual containers with paints, but the whole set.

By purchasing a set of paints right away, you get the opportunity to save money, as well as diversify the pattern.

To make the drawing process safe, do not forget about some precautions. Avoid contact of the paint and the painting itself with food and drinks. Paint should not get into the oral cavity. Therefore, when decorating glasses, glasses and saucers, they should not be used for their intended purpose in the future. Their main current function is to serve as a decor item. This is if you want to be completely safe. However, it is quite acceptable to paint “acting” tableware, subject to a minimum indentation from the upper cut of a cup or glass of 1.5 cm. That is, your lips and nose should not directly contact the paint.

Competent application of a pattern with stained glass paints on glasses for permanent use

What is stained glass?

Stained glass painting is the process of applying paint to glass or ceramics. The first stained-glass windows originated hundreds of years ago and throughout their history they lost and then regained popularity. In this article, we will talk in detail about how stained glass art originated and developed, and we will also describe in detail the technology for creating stained glass.

The first stained-glass windows, judging by the found written sources, appeared in the 12th century. To create them, a special paint was used, consisting of a mixture of copper and iron with glass. It was diluted and used to paint on glass.

In the Middle Ages, stained glass painting was only in temples. Bright reflections and play of color immersed people in an atmosphere of mystery and reverence. The Gothic style also developed stained glass art - enlargement of window openings and the creation of new round windows allowed glass artists to show all their imagination and imagination.

In Rus', stained glass painting was not popular for two reasons:

1. The church forbade painting biblical characters on glass.
2. Industry in Rus' lagged behind the European one.

Soon, stained glass painting ceased to be exclusively ecclesiastical. The Renaissance became the peak of popularity for stained glass art. It was ordered to decorate secular buildings and houses of wealthy citizens.

However, the glory of stained glass was short-lived. The religious wars of the 16th century, and after the Enlightenment, affected its demand. At that time, art strove for transparency, and the stained-glass windows in the church, on the contrary, darkened the room. Therefore, all those few stained-glass windows that remained after the hostilities were destroyed, and ordinary glasses were put in their place.

The 18th and 19th centuries revived the art of stained glass. In Russia, they also began to take an interest in him. However, the level of industrial development has not yet allowed the creation of stained-glass windows.

For this reason, a stained-glass window with the image of the Savior, which is still considered one of the most beautiful in the world, was commissioned to decorate St. Isaac's Cathedral in Germany.

IN mid-nineteenth century, Emperor Nicholas I ordered the construction of a glass factory and since then stained glass windows have been created in our country.

In the 20th century, interest in stained glass faded again. This is due to the Art Nouveau style, which gravitated more to the art of panels than to painting on glass. However, stained glass was revived at the end of the 20th century, and it still remains one of the most popular types of decor.

Where is stained glass used?

In modern interiors, stained glass is quite widespread. This is primarily due to its aesthetic characteristics.

Consider the main types of stained-glass windows in the interior:

1. Window stained glass. Their history goes back hundreds of years, but they still have not lost their popularity. Window stained glass creates a unique play of chiaroscuro, which, changing depending on sunlight, gives the surrounding space a new, unique look.
2. Ceiling stained-glass windows are a unique element in the interior of the apartment. Such stained-glass windows give a bright and festive look, create comfort in the house.
3. Various stained glass designs, for example, a decorative panel, which is not only an element of decor in the interior, but also a way to hide some of the defects of the apartment.
4. Decorative stained glass partitions. Such partitions, especially in a spacious room, serve as an excellent solution to the issue of space zoning.
5. Stained glass accessories such as lamps, mirrors, screens noticeably refresh the interior, allowing you to create your own, unique design.

However, professionally made stained glass windows are quite expensive. What to do if financial opportunities are limited, but you still want to have a beautiful decoration? The modern paint and varnish industry provides a wide range of products for creating stained glass windows with your own hands.

So, you have decided to decorate the glass surface with a beautiful intricate pattern. You do not need deep knowledge about the technology and methods of creating glass painting. To create truly beautiful and bright stained-glass windows, you first need to practice by making two or three trial compositions. Note that the desired result will not work the first time.

It is important to remember that in order to work with stained glass you must have a sharp eye and a high degree of accuracy. Minor defects can be removed, but if they accumulate too much, the picture becomes rather sloppy.

Step 1

Choosing a paint

There are 2 main types of stained glass paints. Consider the features of each of them.

Acrylic paints are distinguished by the fact that in addition to acrylic resin and various polymers, they contain water.

Thanks to the water-based acrylic paints:

1. dry quickly
2. have no smell
3. easy to lay down on an uneven surface, due to its thick consistency

However, it is worth remembering that such "water" paints are not recommended to be diluted with water for the reason that the dye in their composition may not lie flat, but, on the contrary, collect drops on the surface and drain to the side.

Solvent paints got their name from the petroleum solvent that is part of their composition. Such paints are recommended to be diluted with white spirit.

Nuances of using solvent paints:

1. Long drying (from 2-3 hours to 2-3 days).
2. Perfectly flat surface for paint application.
3. toxicity. When working with solvent paints, it is recommended to constantly ventilate the room. Their vapors in large quantities are harmful to humans.
4. Playing with color. The solvent (white spirit) allows you to change the color from deep and saturated to almost transparent.

Step 2

Working with glass

For an ideal result of work, it is necessary not only to choose the right stained glass paint, but also to prepare the glass surface itself for painting. It is not difficult to do this, it is enough to degrease the glass with any detergent and then wipe with alcohol.

Next, we proceed to the selection of the sketch. What should it be?

1. All contours of the selected image must be closed or highlighted with a special contour paste. Otherwise, the colors will merge with each other and achieve the desired result will not work.
2. Drawing without small elements. "Paste" for their selection is not suitable because of the thickness of the contour applied by it, and if you do not highlight such details of the picture, they will simply be "lost" in the overall picture.

Sketch selected. Let's start applying it to the glass surface. To do this, we take a thick opaque fabric, put the desired pattern on it and cover it with glass. We transfer the drawing to the surface. Read below for more details on exactly how to do this.

Advice: To prevent the glass from shifting during the drawing of the sketch, it is recommended to fix it with adhesive tape.

Step 3

Let's start painting

First of all, you should draw a contour according to a ready-made sketch. To do this, we always wear medical gloves so as not to get dirty and not spoil the drawing. We apply paint at an average speed. The erroneous application of the contour can be easily corrected after it dries slightly. To do this, use cotton swabs soaked in an alcohol solution.

So, the circuit is ready. It's time to apply paint. It is important to remember that, depending on the type, stained glass paints fall on the surface in different ways, which means that the staining technique should be different from each other. So, for example, thicker acrylic paints should be applied with a thin brush, while solvent paints, on the contrary, fill the surrounding surface when they hit the glass.

Step 4

Drying and firing

After painting, the stained glass must be dried. Recall that the drying time also depends on the type of paint. To speed up this process and avoid unwanted smudges, it is better not to move the glass surface until the paint is completely dry.

Note that according to the processing method, paints are also divided into 2 types:

1. Fired. Such paints must be heat treated. For this, a conventional oven, heated to 150 degrees, is suitable. At this temperature, the stained glass should be fired for about an hour. The stained glass pattern after such heat treatment can be washed by any means, it will remain just as bright.
2. Unfired. These paints dry at room temperature and it is enough to use a transparent varnish to fix them.

Conclusion

The information in this article will be useful to all creative people who want to touch the art of stained glass and create a beautiful patterned pattern themselves. Creating stained glass windows will allow you to show all your imagination, decorate your home or make a unique gift to friends and family. Try to create your first stained glass window and with each new job you will improve your skills and perhaps eventually become a real professional.