How to Make a Tinsel Glass Painting

The technique of tinsel glass painting was popular during the Victorian period and it mimicked the earlier ancient oriental and Egyptian art of painting a decor on gilded or enameled glass. You can create the likeness of the ancient art quite easily and all it takes is an empty picture frame, some paint and tin foil. Read on to learn how to make a tinsel glass painting.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A picture or design
• Onionskin or tracing paper
• India ink or opaque black oil based paint marker
• Calligraphy pen or opaque black oil based paint marker
• Opaque enamel paint
• Artist paint brushes
• Liquid glass stain
• Aluminum foil

1. Purchase or find an old frame. Remove the glass and thoroughly clean it. You can refinish the frame if it is in bad shape. You can decorate the frame to enhance your tinsel glass painting.

2. Create a design or trace a design onto onionskin or tracing paper to begin your tinsel glass painting. Lay the glass on top of the design.

3. Outline the design onto the glass with a calligraphy pen and India ink or a fine tip opaque black oil based paint marker. Fill in any areas that will be black.

4. Allow the ink to completely dry before continuing the tinsel glass painting. Once dry, fill in all the background area with your desired color of opaque enamel paint. Make certain you fill in all areas surrounding your outlined picture. Let it dry overnight.

5. Fill in the design areas with appropriate colors of liquid glass stain. If you need to mix colors for a desired shade, paint one color on first, let it dry, and paint the second color on top. Allow this to dry.

6. Cut a piece of aluminum foil that is slightly larger than the glass. Crush it and then lay it out and flatten it again on a level surface that is firm. There will still be a few crinkles in it.

7. Lay the frame face down on the floor. Insert the glass with the painted side up.

8. Cover the frame backing with the aluminum foil and turn the edge of the foil around the edge of the backing to hold. Put the back of the frame on and secure. The foil will show through the stained glass portion of the picture to create an antique tinsel glass painting.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are including lettering then you will need to flip the paper over and copy your design from the reverse side so the letters come out face forward
• You can purchase inexpensive frames at charity resale shops and refinish the wood.
• Use a fine tip brush when filling in small areas of the background such as the area between flower petals.
• When mixing colors of the glass stain practice first on scrap glass or a discarded bottle.

[Meri]

on 8/5/2008 I can't visualize it. Do you have a picture? it sounds wonderful.

[ljhpink]

on 4/2/2008 I have done this with children, simple replace the frame with acetate and use water based markers and acrylic paint. Loads of fun and creativity!

[MidniteWriter]

on 2/23/2008 Wonderful tips, thanks for the ideas.

[julz49221]

on 1/26/2008 I am anxious to see what this looks like as an end result! Great craft idea~