• Etching glass is the treatment of reflective transparent glass to impress a design seen in light. The etcher employs a hand tool called a scribe to wear and cut the delicate glass. Patient pressure from the hand steadily makes plain a relief in the coarse glass worn by the scribe and the clear glass that remains untouched. Tiny diamond pieces coat the tip of the scribe, a long, narrow tool of stone or metal, to enable cutting.
  
  

Create a Design

• A thorough and precise design is needed for the hard glass, which does not forgive slips. Before cutting into a surface, imagine the light composition the viewer will see. Design both the coarse faces that refine the light to make a shape and the clear faces that show faithful natural light. On a piece of paper, sketch in the coarse faces in layout pencil and sketch the edges of all clear areas. Draw each coarse form in your design, such as a whole tree with trunk and roots, branches and leaves; be sure to include details like curves on leaf edges.
  
  

Laying In the Design

• Making a vivid first impression on the glass is needed for the foundation of work in hard material. Clean dust and debris from the glass. If the hands are not able enough with the scribe, first mark in the design with a wax layout pencil. Position the scribe over the beginning point on the glass piece. Using firm light pressure, carefully stroke in the contours and shapes until the design is complete. Make the entire layout clear.
  
  

Etching the Glass

• Clean the glass again, removing the glass bits from the lay-in stage. Ready the scribe over the beginning point. Work against the glass resistance by scribing the delicate surface until it agreeably gives. Patiently move your hand around each full shape. Use the strong precision of the scribe to wear down the glass surface. For fine contours, use the scribe's tip; use a long surface for broad contours. Etch in stipples and dots for details. Make each contour deep enough to feel prominent to your finger when brushed over the surface.
  
  Judge your work. Take a look at the whole piece from the desired view. Good work is apparent, consistent and beautiful to the eye.
  
  

How to Decorate

• If the genuine look of light is not to your taste, cover the surface with colors that show a range of light. Imagine a color design; color the design in marker, crayon, pastel or pencil on a piece of paper. Arrange your paints or colored paste in a color set. With your fingers or a small painter's brush, brush a color on a shape in the coarse glass. Let the paint dry for a brief time until set on the coarse glass. Wipe off the paint from the smooth glass with a sensitive cloth.
  
  Paint in the full color pattern. Let the piece dry until all painted surfaces are set; 10 to 15 minutes is a good length of time. Wipe off the entire piece to remove all color film. The radiant colors makes the piece full of discriminating character.