Paint Glass Bottles
Recycled glass containers make excellent vases, candleholders or simply decorative jars for display. Some bottles may already be colored and ready for decorating, but many of the bottles you will find around the home are clear glass and do not make an attractive project on their own. Clear colored glass requires painting to add color and dimension to the finished product. With a few supplies and a little time, you can paint glass bottles in any color you desire.
Instructions
1. Collect empty glass bottles with interesting shapes and designs. Empty jars from flavored oils, and specialty vinegar and beverage jars are often tall and slender making them ideal for vases. Empty jars from pickles, dips and other preserved food are often short and stout making them ideal for glass containers for display or as trinket jars.
2. Wash the empty bottles in hot soapy water and dry thoroughly. Allow bottles with labels to soak for ½ hour to remove the paper label.
3. Visit the craft store to purchase paint designed for use on glass. These come in a wide selection of colors and are even available in spray form. You may wish to use stained glass paint to created a colorful design. Select the colors that appeal to you.
4. Prepare a work area in well-ventilated spot by lining a worktable with old newspapers. Be sure to wear old clothes or a protective smock to avoid soiling your clothes. Apply a base coat to the bottle. You can either brush or spray this onto the outside of the bottle or create a base coat on the inside. To coat the inside, pour a teaspoon of paint into the bottle and twirl the bottle to coat the inside. Add more paint if necessary. Coat the inside of the bottle thoroughly and allow to dry overnight. If you are using stained glass paint and want the light to shine through the glass skip this step.
5. Paint the outside the desired color following the instructions on the paint container. Allow to set for 24 hours to dry completely. Display your artwork on shelf or give as a gift to someone special on your list.
