Great glass

Here's a new “canvas” for you to paint on, glass.

Glassy art: Learniing to paint Photo: M. Moorthy

What seems to be attracting schoolchildren in the city is painting on glass. This form of painting made its appearance in 18th Century in Gujarat. Chinese artists who had settled in Gujarat influenced the local traditions of producing glass painting designs.

Different hues

Glass painting, which is closer to drawing than painting, is done on the surface of any thick sheet of glass. A dark colour liner is used to outline the drawing on the glass and special paints called ‘stained glass paints' are used for painting. “I use glass paints on cutlery, photo frames and even mirrors.” says Tanisha, a student of glass painting. Glass can be used just like a canvas for other forms of painting, one can paint scenery, graphics and even figures on glass

Another popular technique is glass soldering, where different pieces of coloured glass, that fit together like a puzzle are attached using a strong adhesive and then painted on.

Here are four easy steps to make your first painting:

Step-1

Clean the glass with dry cotton and then with water or thinner.

Step -2

Set your design or pattern, previously drawn on paper, under the glass on a plain surface like a wooden table.

Step-3

Use the “liner” and draw the design over the glass and then let it dry for about 20 minutes.

Step-4

Colour it with your choice of stain glass colours and leave it to dry.