How to Use Stained Glass Window Paint

Create your own stained glass windows using stained glass window paint.

Creating a one-of-a-kind stained glass window design is easy using stained glass window paint. The paints are available craft supply stores or online and produce a realistic stained glass look. Creating a design on a window, mirror or any other glass object takes basic painting skills and some time for the liquid leading (the thick black outlines) to dry. Once the liquid leading dries, the process is fast, and the finished project dries within a few hours.

Things You'll Need

• Glass cleaner or vinegar
• Paper towels
• Leading
• Assorted glass window paint
• Clear window paint sealant
• Liquid leading or Redi-Lead

Instructions

1. Clean the glass surface thoroughly with glass cleaner or vinegar before applying the paint. Dust, oil or animal fur gets caught in the paint and remains there until the paint is removed.

2. Draw your design onto the glass using liquid leading. If it is a complicated design, draw it on paper, and tape it to the back of the glass. This gives you a pattern for tracing on the inside of a window. If you are working on a mirror or odd-shaped piece of glass, draw the design with a dry erase marker onto the glass. Trace the design with liquid leading. Wait eight hours before painting. If you are impatient, use Redi-Lead, which comes in solid strips. Stick the self-adhesive strips to the glass, and start painting immediately. Both work well, but the liquid leading is more permanent.

3. Squirt or paint the glass window paint, so that it touches all of the leaded edges in the sections that you paint. It seals the paint together, making it solid. Brush through any air bubbles or tap the back of the object for air bubble removal.

4. Add a second color onto the painted area, and pull a wide toothed comb through the paint. It makes it look more like real stained glass.

5. Paint a second layer of paint across the painted areas once an area dries for darker colors. The paint dries slightly transparent.

6. Paint a coating of clear sealant over the top after the paint dries. Use the sealant that goes with the paint you purchased.

Tips & Warnings

• Use stained glass window paint for painting windows, designs on mirrors, designs on small glass plates, bottles, jewelry or any other glass item.

• Make sure the liquid leading dries for eight hours before painting, or you'll ruin the stained glass project.

References

• Plaid: Stained Glass For Everyone
• All Free Crafts: Faux Stained Glass Window