How to Make Hand Painted Wine Glasses

Hand painted wine glasses are wonderful gifts commemorating a special occasion. They can be a fairly easy craft project for the kids, making them a great holiday gift for grandparents or other adults on their lists and in many cases the cost is so minute that children will enjoy using their own savings to purchase glasses and paints! Even if you are not thinking of gift giving, these hand painted wine glasses are an innovative method of dealing with the number of unmatched wine glasses you might have accumulated over the years. Rather than recycling the glasses or giving them away, why not turn them into a unique assortment of ready wine receptacles that showcase your individuality as well as affinity for art? Follow these easy steps and you can add such a collection to your shelves today!

Things You'll Need

• Plain wine glasses
• Glass cleaner
• Paper towel
• Latex gloves
• Stencils
• Blue painter’s tape
• Enamel paints (certified non-toxic)
• Fine paintbrush with soft bristles
• Damp paper towel

Instructions

Make Hand Painted Wine Glasses

1. Purchase plain wine glasses from an outlet or dollar store. Ensure that they are free of cracks or edgings, carvings, and other artwork.

2. Spray glass cleaner onto the paper towel and gently clean the outside of the glass until any smudges, dirt, or finger prints have been removed.

3. Put on the latex gloves. This protects your hands from paint splatters and the wine glasses from your fingerprints.

4. Choose a stencil you like for your hand painted wine glasses. Make sure it is small enough to fit on the glass! Stencils are a great idea for those who are not so artistically inclined that they would trust themselves to paint on designs freehanded. If you like the idea of giving your wine glasses that individual touch, go ahead without the stencils.

5. Rip off four small pieces of blue painter’s tape, place the stencil on the glass and carefully apply the small pieces of painter’s tape around the edges of the stencil to hold it in place.

6. Open up the enamel paint of your choice, dip in the paint brush and gently trace the outline of the stencil. Reapply the paint to the brush often to ensure that the outline is dark.

7. Dip the paintbrush into the paint again to fill in the stenciled image. By contrasting the darker edges with the slightly lighter middle of the design on your hand painted wine glasses you add depth to the design.

8. Let your enamel paint dry before applying a different color to the stenciled design or removing the stencil.

9. Clean off any runs, drips, or designs that simply did not come out right with the damp paper towel.

10. Set the paint following the directions offered by the manufacturer. In some cases this involves putting the glasses in the oven at a predetermined temperature while at other times it may require a specified amount of drying time.

Tips & Warnings

• Using dish soap and warm water instead of glass cleaner is an option for cleaning the glasses prior to hand painting but it is important to remember that some dish soaps leave a residue behind and this will alter the effect and adhesiveness of your paint.

• Grapes are a popular stencil for use on hand painted wine glasses.

• When making a set of hand painted wine glasses, using stencils offers some uniformity, even if you vary colors and add your own personal touches.

• Experiment with different painting methods such as dot painting or feathering.

• Do not put these glasses into the dishwasher! Although most things are fairly safe when in the top rack, enamels will wash off.

• Do not paint the inside of the glasses with the enamel paint, even if it is certified non-toxic. The acidity of the wine or other liquids you might put into the glasses combined with the frequency of use may cause some of the paint to wash off.

Resources

• Do you need some inspiration for patterns and color choices when planning your hand painted wine glasses designs? Visit the UniqueCollectorGlassware.com website for some amazing designs that are sure to stimulate your imagination.
• Visit the HofCraft.com website for a great selection of enamel paints at good prices.
• The GlassSorcery.com website offers a plethora of free stained glass stencils that may be adapted for use on hand painted wineglasses.