Activity Ideas
Activity Packs
Craft Demonstrating
Craft Manuals
Glass Painting Manual
Memories
Teachers Sets
|
|
How to mix and use glass paints
I've been teaching glass painting for over 10
years now and the ideas below will help you to make the most of your
precious resources. It may make all the difference to the look of
your finished project and how you, and your learners feel about what
they're made.
Always mix enough
Because you don't have the luxury of buying all the colours you'd like
(glass paints are expensive) it helps to know how to mix them.
Virtually any hue can be made except the pure colours of white and
black.
I always take 4 standard colours with me - red, yellow and blue
primary, and green as a secondary colour. With these 4 colours
you can 'make' most of the colours you are likely to want, or be asked
for.
It can be quite a challenge to come up with the exact tone of colour
requested so let everyone know that the mixing can often be a chancy
thing. There are no guarantees. If you want to repeat results,
keep a notebook!
It's easier to turn a light colour
darker
You'll use up much less paint if you try to turn a light colour darker,
than attempting to lighten a darker colour.
First of all use some logic in which two colours you should mix to get
the colour you want. People often come up with surprising ideas
on what colours make what. Print off a colour-mixing chart as a
reference for the standard colours.
Follow this approach
for mixing orange
Q. What two colours would you need to mix
orange? A. Yellow and red.
- Decant a few drops of yellow and
red onto an unwaxed paper or ceramic plate.
- With your brush, scoop up some of
the darker (red) colour and mix it evenly into some of the yellow.
- Test the resulting mix on a clean bit of
plate. If you need to, add more yellow or red until you get the
colour you want.
Mix enough
If you've chosen to mix a colour, it's vital to make sure you mix
enough! You don't want anyone to run out of a special colour mix
before the project is finished.
Use some common sense and mix enough but not masses as the paint will
dry very quickly on such a large open surface.
I always suggest that any extra unwanted mixed paint is shared around
the table before it dries. There's no point having two plate mixes of
the same 'colour'.
If the paint isn’t mixed and applied at the same time you'll see
it. There'll be a definite visible area where new paint has been
applied next to or on top of older, dried paint. And don’t think
by that that you have ages to do this painting. We're talking minutes
here before the paint will dry enough to leave a surface skim. (though
to be completely dry manufacturers' often recommend a full 24 hours).
Loading your brush
We tend to be very mean spirited when painting generally because
we've been taught to be economical. Now is not the time to be
scrooge-like with the paint - your project won't thank you in the long
run.
If you're using one of the colours in the pots then dip your brush
straight into the pot If you're using the mixed paint
take it from the plate. Really load your brush ready for painting.
Pushing not brushing
This one causes the most resistance because we're used to brushing when
painting and decorating. But you really must avoid
it as you'll see brush strokes on the surface.
If you are economical with the paint, you'll find that brushing will
almost 'brush out' the paint leaving you with a very thin looking
covering of paint. And you'll see the brush strokes. There
is a solution!
Load your brush as recommended above and rather than brushing, PUSH the
paint so that it lies between the lines. Think of it like a
convex (raised) area, with the paint lying like a lump on the
surface. You don't want a mass of unruly paint, just enough to
give the depth of colour that you need.
Voilá. There you have it. You've mixed your paint and
learnt how to apply it to your project so that the paint (thick and
rich in colour) will dry on the surface.
If you've used tons of paint it's best to let the paint dry naturally,
with nothing likely to knock it or fall onto it. I sometime use a
hairdryer if I'm in a hurry, but if you've applied a fair bit of glass
paint, a hairdryer will cause it to ripple and may push the paint into
other areas.
Glass painting is a great hobby and a perfect medium to share with
others. Because the results are so immediate, everyone loves
using the materials and making glass-painting projects.
Have fun and just remember to follow some sensible recommendations for
stress free sessions.
=====================================================
Geraldine Jozefiak is passionate about
crafts and their place in
education. Be part of raising standards in teaching and learning
by offering the best possible creative opportunities.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looking for
craft
projects, books, teaching manuals or courses? Need ideas on what
to teach and how to teach it?
"The Craft Teacher" can save you time and stress in teaching and
learning crafts.
Click Here => http://www.the-craft-teacher.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
** Attention
Ezine
editors and Site owners**
Please feel
free to
reprint this article as long as you leave the article complete, with
all the links in place. Do not change the content and include the
resource box above.
We would appreciate a note of your use so that we can have a
look. Thank you.
|
|
