Handy Tips; Hints for Glass Paints

Cleaning up after painting.

Like any other there are always Hints & Tips for anything you use when making something. I have come across a few things since starting using the Decorfin Glass Paints and want to share these with you as I know there are many friends of mine over on the Crafts Beautiful forum are taking part in our Glass Painting Challenge. If you read the following tips and hints you will soon be well on your way to beautiful & inspiring glass painted makes in card-making.

* When changing to another colour when painting have some luke warm water or even Turps, which is better, to dip your brush in and a paper towel for drying off, leaving clean for next colour.

*Apply the Relief Paint thickly, to do so take the nozzle off and apply or even, draw over the first layer of relief paint ( I tend to do this ) while wet and then leave to dry flat. If you require thicker add as many layers of Relief Paint as you need.

* Apply the Glass Paints thickly to your topper you are making so that brush marks are not seen at all. When doing so though, make sure you have used the Relief Paint thickly too or else the Glass Paint will go over the lines of Relief Paint. I tend to thicken the relief paint at least 3 x when painting thickly. But wait till dry enough to go over with the next layer.

* You can use the Relief Paint also, for writing text on your card makes if you feel comfortable with your handwriting. You can also, use the relief paint to draw swirls and anything else for a drawn effect. 

* When drying the Glass Painted Images created you need to lie flat for 24 hours but, I have found that some colours are not fully dry after the required 24 hours so, a tip from me is to hang your toppers on to a wall or door and allow to dry more as then the colour will not drip and allows more free space to work to make more. When doing so, just use a piece of masking tape or sellotape when pinning up to dry.

* Colours Light Blue and Transparent White take a bit longer to dry I have found and leave a sticky feeling so, bare in mind as I have left things lying around and bits get into them and remain there leaving the topper a bit messy. Also, keep fingers away from the stickiness as will leave finger marks.

 * I have found that when I get craft magazines and see some useful templates of basic shapes, I cut out and keep and use these for drawing over with Relief Paint, especially when creating on acetate as you can lay the Template underneath the acetate and then store away in an envelope for later makes. Very handy are templates, especially if you can not draw. If you are happy with your own drawing skills and enjoy drawing then you can easily make your own templates to use; the heart below is my very own hand drawn template that I use a lot in my crafting. 

* Using Stamps, the Image of, you can use the outline as a base or, if abstract enough to use all detail on it use as a template for your glass painted topper. (I used this Butterfly Stamp below to use as a base for a topper to make a card).

* I have found that Punches in Cardmaking ie. squares, circles etc. and scalloped ones too are handy to punch the shapes out and adhere to the surface you are working on and go over with the glass paints – either to use as a outline or fill in. It is interesting when you have a scalloped square paper with flowers on and you see the Transparent white over the whole square and the pattern can be seen through the glass paint. But, also you can use punched out shapes – especially little shapes – and sprinkle on top of the glass paint whilst wet to create something different and then use the Transparent white over that once dry. This sample below just shows a small sample I have tested out on using Transparent Glass Paint on top of patterned paper, so nothing special. 

  

Watch out for too much paint on the brush – it can get everywhere!

When painting in small designs make sure that you use a small headed fine brush when applying, so not to have paint coming out over the sides of the design.

Make sure your lids are on tightly and storing paints upside down will help stop them drying out.

Masking fluid – this can be used to maintain white marks where wished on the design but, we give this as an idea to try out on canvas.

Layers – decoupage;

When producing layers of glass paint you need to wait til each layer of relief paint and glass paint is dry (use thickly though) and then do the same again for the 2/3/4/5th layers – as many as you wish, just bare in mind the weight of the base the design goes onto.  

The other way to produce layers of glass paint is to create your design and repeat however many times and relief each one using either beads or sticky foam squares to raise each layer. Below, is an example of the 3 layers seperately then, one of all the layers layered together with beads.