5 helpful tips for stained glass

1. Float glass - which side do you paint enamel on? 

Float - or window - glass has what is called a "box" or "canned" and beside it a tune. This is the modern method of manufacturing flat glass. Molton glass is floated on a pool of liquid tin, where gravity and surface tension do their job to smooth and polish the sheets of glass. 

This is the side touching the tin - the 'tinned' side - you want to avoid the use of glass paint, you want to paint on the side "air". The oxide residue left on the side "tin" is likely to affect the color of your paint stained glass while cooking. 

So how do you know which side is the side "box"? You can buy a flashlight Shortwave UV - sometimes called Tin Side Detector - and watch your float glass in a dark room. The tinned side will have a fuzzy white glow that you will not see on the side of the air.

2. How did you vibrant colors with paint glass? 

The secret is to make several thin layers of paint stained glass, rather than one thick layer. You have more control over your work this way, and you will not risk the glass paint bubbling up, or become too dark to see through. 

3. Increase the color depth of glass paint by sanding 

If transparency is not important, you can make your glass paint colors more vivid by a light sandblasting the glass before applying the paint. The coarseness of the grain also makes a difference in texture to the final result. Normally, a layer of paint screenprinted transparent glass is a bit bland, first sandblasted color makes remarkably strong. 

4. I use paint on glass plates! 

If you plan to do the dishes in which glass paint on it, it must, must not contain lead! The manufacturers know that you intend to make articles for consumption, and they will tell you the meaning of their ranges unleaded. These can be transparent or opaque. 

5. How can I save electricity and cooking time valuable? 

By mixing the paint for your first glass layer Damar varnish and distilled turpentine instead of the more usual water and gum arabic. It's good to work online or in print, but not matting - unless you want to ruin your badger. Let dry completely - the varnish will harden - before applying a second layer that is mixed with water. This second application does not disturb the first as the water-based, but beware - there is no margin for error and wiping off - you must be confident! You can then fire these two layers together.

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