Inkersall Women's Group Get Arty Jan 2017

THE DEN @ INKERSALL

The challenge of this glass painting Workshop was to decorate either tiles or glass items that students brought with them.

We experimented with two methods: water-based soluble paints, and peelable paints.  

The method is to first draw a design with a chinagraph pencil.

Then use a glass paint outliner, blow it dry with a hairdryer, and fill in the pattern with coloured paint

Using white tiles and glass paints, with a simple repetitive pattern is something anyone can do, regardless of previous experience. It's always surprising how another pattern will emerge from your original design.

Below are some of the designs made on Jan 18th, along with some further tips for taking your painting to the next stage.

This Maltese-type cross is particularly suited to repetition either as a vertical or horizontal frieze. Very simple  design with a striking impact. Four tiles mounted on a board makes a stunning centrepiece for a dining table.

BUTTERFLIES:

You can take a simple motif like a butterfly and make it dance across a bathroom wall. \If you reproduce the design smaller, the butterflies will look as if they are rising up into the distance. Should you change your mind and want to remove the design, it can be cleaned off without harming the tiles.

                                                                                                        

 BIRD FRIEZES
Two-colour bird designs that work very well. It's amazing how simple and effective just two colours are. I don't know if this is a chicken below, but it looks very stylish pecking away at a flower.

This flamingo was painted on a transparent folder, with peelable glass paints. These have to be applied thickly and left to set for 24 hours before peeling off the folder, and reapplying to a window or other shiny surface, including white tiles.

                                                                  

 FLOWERS:

Daisy chain

Cherry Blossom. This is a very simple design which just catches the delicacy of cherry blossom.

If you want to trace your design and transfer it to another tile, use ordinary kitchen parchment paper. 



This floral design lends itself very well to a frieze as the sinuous branch leads along the wall












These floral crosses can be placed in random patterns or in a row. Simple but sweet.

You can use tiles to make picture frames as well as borders. Collect off-cuts from anyone having their bathroom re-done and see what you can make.

Leaf frieze

Autumnal leaves, or shell patterns make very good motifs for a frieze 

This row of lotus blossoms could be enhanced with a green leaf joining one tile to the next

Very  intricate design of a chrysanthemum which would look stunning on any wall, or window, since it's being painted in peelable paints.   If the paint isn't applied thickly enough it will be hard to peel it off in one solid piece when dry. If it looks too delicate, you can buy transparent peelable paint to reinforce the picture before attempting to lift it off the plastic folder.  

 Painting directly onto glass is perfectly possible. My Granny used to paint cheap drinking glasses back in the 1950s, although I doubt glass paints existed back in the day. Just make sure to leave a space for lips if you are going to drink out of it, and don't put any glass-paintings in the dishwasher.

This is an abstract swirl which reveals a herringbone pattern at its centre. Didn't see that coming! 

I added a little bit of red to this vase of flowers, just to show the artist how a very little paint goes a long way!

This lovely flowery cross makes an ideal pattern for making a border, or an entire wall.

Cloud Dragons romping across the sky. Ever thought of putting tiles around your bathroom mirror?

Last, but not least is perhaps the simplest pattern of all, green squares with plenty of white space. When put together they make an avenue, a border round a fireplace, a dado rail....

I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about glass painting, and won't stop now. You can buy your own paints and experiment at home. Thanks for inviting me to your  Scout Den, and good luck with your newfound Arty Selves!