How to Paint Glass: Translucent or Transparent
- 1). Select a glass project that will allow sunlight to reach the glass. The transparency of glass depends on the amount of light that passes through the surface. Good projects might include suncatchers, glass stones for flower arrangements in windows, and stemware.
- 2). Clean your project surface using rubbing alcohol. This will remove trace oils from your fingers. Once you clean your surface it is important not to handle the surface further.
- 3). Tape your design to the reverse side of your project using painter's tape. Keep in mind that many glass paints are not considered food or dishwasher safe and should not come into direct contact with food or beverages.
- 4). Paint your transparent or translucent design onto your project glass. If you are mixing the types of paints, make sure that you are using the same manufacturer and that the paints have the same cure time and baking time. Clean up any mistakes with a Q-tip and solvent. Allow the paints to cure based on the manufacturer's recommendation. Typically the cure time is 24 to 48 hours, but some paints require up to 10 days, so read the labels.
- 5). Place your project on an aluminum-foil-covered baking sheet. Insert the sheet into a cold oven. Set the temperature for 325 degrees. For stemware or fragile (thin) glass, turn the oven off at 10 minutes. For thick and stronger pieces allow the oven to bake for 40 minutes before turning it off. Allow the oven and project to cool completely before handling.
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