When you walk through the halls of a furniture store, you will see a mirror that seems to hold a painting inside. When you approach the mirror, you will realize that the image is painted on the glass surface directly. If you run your hand over the image, you will feel almost every line that you see. Is it a figure magically trapped behind the mirror? Is it the doing of the wicked witch? Relax, it is just the unconventional art technique called glass etching. Try making one then watch your friends get baffled and amazed by it.

Given the brittle properties of glass, glass etching seems improbable. A sharp nudge or a small crack can easily damage any glass surface. So what is the secret of etched structures on glass surfaces? Simple! Just buy a bottle of glass etching cream from an art store or a hardware center and you will see how it magically allows regular mirrors to become your art canvass.

The abrasive chemicals found in glass etching creams make the glass scaly and frosted. The surprising thing about it is the cream only affects the areas that it comes in direct contact with. No cracks are formed. No real damage is done to the glass.

Purchasing a glass etching is pretty expensive. Art dealers can sell these pieces for so much because of the commonly held belief that they are almost impossible to make. Of course, you know better since you know about glass etching creams. Would you rather get fooled by these dealers or would you rather raise your stencil and start our own glass etched piece?

Materials Used:

• glass
• glass stencil
• diamond cutter
• glass etching cream
• water
• gloves
• cloth
• water
• soap
• paint
• internet
• paper
• pencil

Before you start your creation, never forget to wear a pair of gloves. The chemicals found in glass etching creams are quite harmful. As much as the cream can chip glass, it can also easily damage your skin. It is advisable that you have a pair of disposable safety gloves handy.

Start things off by picking a theme to be etched. Carefully observe the theme of your room and see what pattern blends well. To tell you the truth, you can get lost with the number of possible ideas. If you run out of ideas or cannot seem to choose what designs will suit your room best, you can pay a few websites a visit. From there, you can treat yourself to tons of patterns.

You can sketch your chosen patterns on a piece of paper and imagine how each would look in your room. Remember that one little mistake can lead to wasted materials and glass is not really a cheap item to work with.

Once you have selected the best pattern, apply glass etching cream to the areas where you will place your art work. Carve out the patterns and designs with your glass stencil. Gradually, remove the layers of the stencil as you go along. You can use masking tape to hold the stencil steady when you reach a portion that you don’t plan to carve.

To give color to your creation, you can apply paint to the areas that need to be colored. Make sure that you don’t overshoot when you apply layers of paint since it is quite hard to remove. Besides, a forceful rub on the etched surface can possibly chip pieces of your artwork.

There will be cases when you will need to create intricate little details. Normally, your glass stencil can do the job, but if you use other items, things will be a bit easier. Apply glass etching cream on a particular area and see how easy it is to create small patterns like tiny flowers and batik designs with the use of a diamond cutter.

Once done, carefully remove the stencil from the glass surface. Apply a significant amount of etching cream around your creation so that its form will remain intact. After about 15 minutes, rinse your creation with soap and water. Wipe it with dry cloth and your glass masterpiece is done.

Glass etchings look elegant and can highlight any room with their classic beauty. Unveil yours to your friends and hear them give silent oohs and ahs.

* Glass etchings are beautiful and delightful, but do you know how the glass itself is formed? Here’s some interesting information on how glass is made.

Watch The Video

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