Glass paint
Glass painting is currently one of the fastest growing crafts in South Africa, as it is in many other parts of the Western world. Most craft fairs and have at least one stand that sells the finished articles as well as others representing glass paints and outliners. It is very important to prepare the surface of the glass well before applying paint to it though – it must be free of any dirt, oils and other deposits before you start painting. Clean the surface of the glass thoroughly with soap and warm water, and if it seems necessary with a household cleaner.
The choice of glass paint really depends upon the type of finish that you want – there are basically two choices – transparent glass paint and opaque glass paint. The words speak for themselves. Opaque glass paint can be acrylic or enamel, and a relatively new addition to the latter type is a very attractive iridescent glass paint – this is a new line of colour changing paint that captures the core of iridescence which changes colour depending on the angle from which it is viewed. This gives a truly wonderful effect to the observer. Transparent glass paint allows the light to shine through, and whether used to catch the sun’s radiance or to view the glow of a candle flame, it is really spectacular.
If you are planning to use enamel glass paint it is necessary to prepare the working surface with a surface conditioner after washing with soap and water. This helps to increase the bonding power and ensures that the finished article lasts for a long time. Simply brush the conditioner onto the surface and let it dry naturally. This is a very important step as the conditioner acts as a primer for the final coat of colour. You should also apply a coat of clear gloss or satin on top of the final colour application (not if you are using an iridescent glass paint though as this will make the paint lose its iridescence) in order to enhance the beauty of the finished article. Colours can be surrounded with a lead like edge that comes in a special applicator.
Glass paints can also be used on terra cotta pots with good effect, but you should be aware that terra cotta is porous, and if you are using the pot for plants or anything else where water will be added to the pot, the water will pass through the terra cotta and will ultimately weaken the adhesion of the glass paint on the surface of the pot. If this is envisaged then it is better, for example, to leave the plant in its original plastic container and place that inside the pot.
Painted recycled glass is an excellent idea for festive gifts – most of us have old glass of some kind – maybe jam jars, pickle bottles, wine bottles or the like. Painting a design on any of these items can transform them into attractive and unique gifts – you can fill the finished article with home crafted bath salts, dried flowers, or even different coloured sands to good effect. If you have any queries regarding glass painting visit your nearest Kings Paint branch where one of our representatives will be happy to help you. |
