Thread: How To Use Glass Paints?

Hey Doc, I'm afraid that I can't help you when it comes to the "Vitrea" glass paint that you are using. But I can tell you that when ever I have a new paint that I'm not comfortable trying in one of my better Double Action brushes.
I break out one of my Paasche H Single Action brushes. That brush is inexpensive, extremely simple, and easy to clean up. I have shot a lot of different stuff out of these brushes with pretty good results. Of course I'm assuming that for a stained glass effect on the glass surface is not going to require a lot of detail.

Someone will probably follow shortly with their experience with "Vitrea"

Hey, thanks, Gators! Good point there; I have an old Paasche 'F' model, which isn't doing very much atm, other than gathering dust. It will move some pretty thick substances when I want it to. Of course, it will be a bugger to clean and I don't like spraying white spirit at the best of times. I'll probably have to move my compressor to get at the window... I think I may not bother with that.

Something tells me, if I could have the glass out and flat down on a bench, I'd get on a lot better with this stuff under natural gravity. Using many thin coats, as opposed to one thick one is always best but of course - you do that on a vertical surface - and you end up with it running down all over the place. Taking the glass out isn't really an option. If I could, I definitely would.

Dr. V

You need a horizontal surface and the area to be painted usually has 'lead' around the shapes to contain the paint (like a dam). The paint needs to be almost runny and you sort of make a puddle and spread it out either with a paint brush or by tilting the glass. The whole area you want covered needs to be covered with enough paint that it will run into the edges and corners. Don't let it dry out as you work. It's a bit like icing a cake with chocolate. You have to have it runny enough that if you spread it with a knife the edges all melt together to make a smooth surface. Needless to say, it takes a bit of practice!!!

Hope this helps!

Thank you, Anne. Well yes - that would have helped... only, this isn't possible because the lead is on the outside and I have to paint on the inside. The glass cannot be removed. It's the original glass above the front door on these old terraced houses in England.

I think these paints are definitely old and past their use-by. I managed to, just about, read the old, messed up label on one, which says use the Vitrea thinner. I've been using white spirit to reduce the red but, curiously, found that the blue would not reduce with it at all. It only responded to meths.

Anyway, I've done the best I can within the limitations. I may at some point in future strip it off and purchase new paints - and, of course, a thinner.

Cheers

Dr. V