Glass transfer painting is a creative way to bring new life to an image or design.
Glass transfer paintings were very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Engravings printed on paper were plentiful, and amateur artists applied various techniques to transfer those prints to glass. They then used the glass transfer as a template on which to paint in a manner that resembled paint-by-numbers. Today, there are a variety of processes to accomplish the transfer of images to glass, but the inkjet printing method is one of the easiest.
Instructions
1. Clean the glass with fingernail polish remover or alcohol.
2. Apply a medium coat of varnish to the glass with a brush.
3. Wait until the varnish is tacky enough to apply your image. When the varnish holds a fingerprint without disappearing, it is ready.
4. Place your image, ink side down, onto the varnish.
5. Hold the image in place and burnish it firmly into the varnish.
6. Apply a small amount of fingernail polish remover to a cotton ball and dab it firmly over the entire surface until the image appears through the wet paper.
7. Burnish again, firmly.
8. Spray water onto the paper, enough to wet it down without soaking.
9. Use your finger to carefully rub the paper off the glass. Spray with water as necessary to keep the paper wet. Continue rubbing until all the paper is removed and just the ink remains on the glass.
