Hand painted fused glass is bold and uniquely yours. There are several artists on the internet that hand paint glass in their warm glass art designs. Handmade glass paintings range from still life to abstract. These paintings will be done using patterns that I have found on the internet. Use free patterns of faces, animals or still life to make some and turn them into distinctive pendants or pins.
The longest part of the process is the waiting time involved. Using Vitrea paints to create this warm glass art entails a minimum of 24 hours waiting for the paint to cure. The vibrant colors give the piece a glass painting and staining appearance. Glass painting can be achieved with paints that can be fused inside the kiln or using Pebeo Vitrea 160 paints, which are cured and hardened inside the oven.
These are achieved through several steps. By using the Vitrea paints, you achieve the brilliant colors that you can’t seem to receive by using fusible paints.
1. These are made using scrap glass.
2. Clean glass using soap and water or glass cleaner.
3. Dry glass with lint free towel.
4. The details are drawn on the glass with a permanent marker.
5. Using black Glassline paint the outline is traced.
6. Place glass inside the kiln on a prepared kiln shelf. Remember to hold pieces by the edge to prevent fingerprints.
7. The piece is then brought to a full fuse to embed the paint.
8. Annealed the glass and bring to room temperature.
9. Remove glass from kiln.
10. Clean with soap and water to remove the excess kiln wash or kiln paper. Allow to air dry or use a lint free towel to dry.
11. Paint the details with various Vitrea paints. Shake paints before painting.
12. Using red for the lips, white for the outsides of the eyes, a color for the inside of the eye and various colors for the hair and background. Allow each layer to air dry before painting with the next color. This air drying will keep the individual colors sharp and not mix or blend the colors.
13. Allow then to dry for a minimum of 24 hours.
14. Place glass in the oven to set the colors and make them permanent. Fire them for 40-45 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
15. Place a piece of thin Styrofoam inside a container and fill with just enough water to barely cover the Styrofoam.
16. Place glass in container and using a dremel with a core bit drill for your desired size, drill a hole in glass.
17. Attach a pinch bail or wire wrap a bail.
These are hand painted fused glass ladies that I have chosen to make as my theme, but the concept can be designed with any figure or pattern you choose. Try constructing these hand painted fused glass designs yourself and make some exclusive pendants or pins. They are a little time consuming to create, but well worth the effort involved.