Glass Paint
Here’s How to Use the Various Brands!
Supplies availble at ArtXpress ,Sasupplies, Jeffreys Bay Artsupplies, MKDistribution.
Some Products are NOT being imported anymore i.e. Pebeo (Vitrail).
When it comes to glass paint, there are many options available to the decorative painter. It’s bit overwhelming knowing where to start if you’ve never used them before. And it really doesn’t matter which brand or product(s) you choose, because they all work differently. Try them all and see which work best for you. For decorative painting purposes, the ones we cover here fall into three basic categories: 1. Acrylic enamel paint or enamel paint that’s usable on glass as well as other shiny or slick surfaces. 2. Acrylic paints that become paints for use on glass when a glass and tile medium is added and finally, 3. Specialized solvent based paint. 
Oh, and just so you know,
a special paint brush is not required.
It’s OK to use your regular painting brushes — rounds, liners or flats with synthetic hairs or synthetic mix. Some people prefer the softness of all natural hairs. We enjoy all types of brushes for use with these paints made for glass. See our artist paint brush section for more general information. If you already know about the various paints and just want to know where to start, then simply have a peek at our glass painting page. It has lots of tips and tricks. Before we get into the nitty-gritty, here are just a few pointers… When you’re using glass paint, it’s essential that food or beverages do not come into contact with the painted area. If you are painting wine glasses, for instance, it’s best to leave a 1-inch space at the top of the rim. Simply mask it off with Scotch tape before you start. Likewise, plates are painted on the underside; bowls on the outside … and so on. If your glassware is purely decorative, like a vase or a mirror, then paint with reckless abandon! If you can’t wait to get started, here’s where you can get some free glass painting patterns.
Regardless of the glass paint used, it’s key to make sure the glassware is clean and dry.
It needs special handling so the natural oils from your hands don’t interfere with the sticking of the paint. We recommend wearing latex or surgical gloves and keep away from hand lotions.
If the manufacturer recommends heat setting for the curing process, put the painted glassware in a cool oven.
Set the appropriate temperature, then “bake” for the designated time. When ready, turn the oven off, then open the door to allow the piece to cool to room temperature.
Here is the line up of glass paint products we’ve personally tried and had success with.
About PermEnamel by Delta
This is an impressive durable “air-dry”, opaque paint manufactured specially for painting on glass, ceramics, glossy tiles and even shiny metal! It’s dishwasher, microwave and oven-safe! And, it’s ideal for painting on large items that won’t fit in your home oven for heat setting.
The first thing you do, after cleaning the object with soap and water, is to dry it well. The next step is crucial and you can’t skip it.
With a brush, you apply a coat of STEP 1 Surface Conditioner. This product has been created to increase paint bonding and durability… so it’s imperative that you use it. It’s a simple matter of brushing the conditioner on. No big deal.
Here’s something you’ll notice… almost immediately the conditioner will start to dry and you’ll see that a hazy film has appeared on your clean glass surface. Resist all temptations to wipe or buff the surface. The haze is actually the bonding agents. After the necessary 10 days of curing, this haze will disappear.
Now getting back to the PermEnamel glass paints… Like other glass paints, it’s important to stir them well. A great tip is to store the jars upside down. Then about 20 minutes before you get creative, turn them right side up. Give ‘em a good shake and you’re ready to paint.
For painting over large areas, pat the paint on very lightly using petit fours or other sponges. To paint the actual design and details use clean, dry brushes.
If you want this paint to be more transparent, it’s OK to mix in a bit of PermEnamel Gloss Glaze. Can you use water? Simple answer … Nope!
You’ve got to allow your painted glass to cure for 10 days before use. It can’t come in contact with water or other liquids.
The final step is the application of a protective glaze, available in a clear gloss or satin finish. It’s applied over the finished glass painting with a soft flat brush. Two coats are all that’s needed. This glaze will also remove the surface conditioner haze we mentioned above.
This glass paint comes in many, many shades that can be intermixed. As well, PermEnamel is also available in transparent and iridescent formulations. Keep in mind that the opaque colors can’t be mixed with the Transparent or Iridescent colors.
About PermEnamel Iridescent and Transparent Glass Paints by Delta
The preparations for using the Iridescents and Transparent glass paints by Delta are just like their opaque cousin listed above (the PermEnamels).
The biggest difference is that the paint is dispensed through a nozzle tip. So in effect, you’re drizzling the paint onto your glass surface. Pretty exciting stuff!
Another really cool thing is that you could use these glass paints with the PermEnamel Lead to create a stained glass look.
IRIDESCENT GLASS PAINT
These are color-shifting paints. Really neat stuff because they almost shimmer. Depending on the angle you’re viewing the paints from, these two-toned colors appear to be one… but then Ivory turns to Gold, Gold turns to Ivory… and then gloriously, a gorgeous combination of both colors! Fabulous.
TRANSPARENT GLASS PAINT
This is a really smooth, transparent line of paint. This product really allows the light to shine through. Picture it in a sun catcher where the sun dazzles through and brings your painting to life… or on a votive as the flames dance around and sparkle through. Enchanting indeed!
Just remember that your conditioner is an extremely important first step for all of the PermEnamel glass paints. And you have to wait the full 10 days for the curing to be most effective. And remember, you can’t mix the transparents and the iridescents with the opaque PermEnamels.
Stay tuned… we’re trying out all sorts of design ideas that we’ll be sharing with you soon.
About Ultra Gloss Acrylic Enamels By Decoart
Ultra Gloss Acrylic Enamels, not only serve as glass paint, they can be used on a wide variety of slick and non-porous surfaces. Some of these include hard plastic, candles, resin and leather, to name a few. Ultra Gloss is resistant to scratching, is durable and really glossy.
Before getting on with the glass painting of your surface, clean it with warm water and vinegar. Dry it thoroughly.
It’s not necessary to apply a surface conditioner or finishing coat! These glass paints are air-cured and washable in one week. To make them dishwasher safe, or if using tempered glass, they should be baked in the oven at 325ºF after a 24 hour curing period.
Clear Medium is used to thin the paints, if needed. No water, please.
Like the PermEnamels above, stir the paint well. Sponges and regular acrylic brushes are ideal for painting with this product.
There are lots of colors to choose from and more shades can be created by intermixing.
About Ultra Frost by DecoArt
Glass paint that’s frosted? You bet! With a few sponges, you can take ordinary clear glass and give it a frosted white or colored look that’s quick and easy.
This glass paint is durable and resistant to scratches. Glassware is cleaned with water and vinegar before applying the paint. Allow to air cure for 7 days. Hand washing is recommended.
About Glass-tiques by DecoArt
This glass paint is very transparent and offers an interesting dimensional quality for painting on glass, plastic and even glazed ceramics. Because of the rich texture, you can achieve the look of custom art glass. Oh the fun, the fun!!
Like the other paints listed before, you can’t use water to thin the paint.
The consistency of this glass paint is quite thick, which makes it great for painting on vertical surfaces.
To prepare your glassware, just wash it in warm soapy water and rinse. Then wipe down with warm water and vinegar solution. Allow it to dry completely.
This glass paint may be air-dried or heat-set. The paint must cure for 7 days before it can be hand-washed or baked.
It is recommended for decorative purposes only. By heat setting, you will make this glass paint a little more durable. Hand washing is still recommended.
About Folk Art Enamels by Plaid Enterprises
This acrylic enamel paint can be used for painting on glass. As with the others, this paint is not compatible with water.
Once your glass surface is clean, wipe it down with rubbing alcohol. Now you’re all set to paint your design.
If you’d like to make the paint more transparent, it is OK to mix in a little Folk Art Enamels Clear Medium.
To air-dry and cure, you will need to wait 21 days. Or follow the directions on the bottle for speed curing in the oven. This paint is for decorative purposes only and will need gentle hand washing.
About Folk Art Glass & Tile Medium by Plaid Enterprises
With this product, you can either use the medium as a base coat for the paint to bond to. Or you can mix it in with your bottled acrylic paints.
As a basecoat, you simply apply the medium in the area(s) you will be painting. After it dries, these areas will appear frosted. You can then use your regular acrylics over these areas.
To seal the painting, use a spray lacquer… it will most often make the frosted appearance disappear. Or you could use the glass and tile medium to seal the finished painting, however it may lift the paint. Test it out on some other glass object first.
The other way is to mix your bottled acrylics with the medium to create glass paint. See which you prefer by trying the various suggestions.
About Glass & Tile Painting Mediums by Jo Sonja Inc.
The glass and tile medium we are most familiar with is Jo Sonja Glass & Tile Painting Medium and Primer system. It offers consistently good results.
It is a two-part system that involves preparing the glass with a specially formulated primer first. Then mixing the glass painting medium with Jo Sonja Acrylic Gouache paints to make the paint permanently bond to the glassware.
Once the painting is done, it is fast-cured in a 330ºF (165ºC). No need to apply a protective layer.
About Liquitex Glossies Enamel Colors
These air-dry, acrylic enamel paints are usable on glass and other non-porous/slick surfaces such as primed metal, china, glazed ceramics, etc. As the name implies, they dry to a high glossy finish that’s lightfast and durable.
There are a couple of ways to clean your glassware prior to painting. After washing with soap and water and rinsing well, the surface can be further prepared by cleaning with rubbing alcohol or a mixture of water plus vinegar 1:1. Another way to clean the glass is to simply wipe with denatured alcohol.
As with other glass paints, it is important to stir it well for approximately a minute.
Painted glassware is fully cured after 24 hours, as long as applications are not too thick and gloppy. When more than one layer is required, it is best to allow each thin coat to dry from 1 to 24 hours before applying the next. If your painted items are decorative and do not require scratch resistance then air-drying is sufficient. For a more durable finish, however, they can be oven-baked at 325 F.
These paints can be thinned with water, but no more than 25%. As such you can achieve a glazing effect. Also all colors can be mixed together to achieve a multitude of other hues. They are also available in Metallic formulations. Adding these to regular Glossies will create an iridescent effect.
About Vitrail by Pébéo
Although it’s hard to resist, it’s best not to overwork solvent-based paint such as Vitrail by Pébéo. This type of paint is very transparent. To make it more opaque, many layers are needed to which require at least 20 minutes between coats. If the layers are overworked, it’s likely the paint will lift.
No water allowed either! You can use soap and water to clean your brushes. But they need to be clean and completely dry before you pick up any more paint.
As with the others, this paint needs to be mixed very thoroughly. Shake the heck out of the bottles or roll them on the table. You can even stir them up. Just don’t skip this part.
Read the manufacturer’s instructions for preparing the glass surface. With Vitrail, just hand wash with warm soapy water, rinse and dry. Then wipe the glass down with rubbing alcohol.
We’ve had great success speed-drying layers of this glass paint using a hair-dryer. If you do a test first, it’s likely you can cut the drying time between coats. One trick is to wait till the glass is completely cooled before applying the next layer. No matter what, you can’t rush glass paint.
One of the best things about this glass paint is that once it cures (heat setting) it is virtually dishwasher and oven safe!! It will not easily scratch off.
We’re busy working on some free project ideas. If you’d like us to feature a particular surface, like wine glasses or plates, drop us a line. You may
contact us here
with your ideas or if you just have some questions. We love getting mail!
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