Sunday, September 22, 2013

Kraft Korner - Cracked Glass Art


Whoever said that breaking a glass was inauspicious probably had not heard of glass paints and the myriad ways to convert broken glass into beautiful objects of art. The first time I used glass paints was to help my sis when she wanted to do a wall hanging many years ago. I had helped only because she had asked me to and my part was restricted to tracing out a geometric pattern on paper and breaking the bubbles on the paint with a pin head. I was neither fascinated with the job nor with the paints or medium. But after being bitten by the craft bug and especially after seeing Suman's painted bottle, I was itching to try out some glass painting. But I could not lay hands on a piece of glass which I could use to test-run. Desperate with waiting for a test piece, I was even prepared to sacrificing the plainness of a couple of window panes for my trial runs :-)


Thankfully, someone at home accidently cracked a glass tumbler soon enough and I jumped at the opportunity to salvage my test piece. The glass had a couple of thin fracture lines running throughout the body and was chipped at one place (which you can notice even now in the pic). I drew a cracked pattern throughout the glass with permanent marker to camouflage the fracture lines and painted it with black acrylic paint to give an outline. Then I've used acrylic pearl metallic paints of various colours to fill in. I have used just one coat of paint with a dry brush so that the surface remains translucent. I re-coated the black outline and let it dry. Here's the finished product. Try locating the fracture lines... I bet you can't :)
 

Acrylic paints do not make utensils safe enough to serve food/beverages and the glass was chipped anyway. So I did not want to put it to such use. And due to the fractures, it would not withstand usual handling until I coat it with clear paints. I plan to do that soon and till then, here it stands on our dining table, holding tissues!


13 comments:

  1. Great Idea EsVee and love the stained glass effect with metalic acrylics..

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    1. Thanks Radhika.. Looking forward to use glass paints too :)

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  2. I coundn't spot any fractures :) ! Wonderful up-cycling

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  3. Thanks EsVee for the mention!! Glad that I was able to prompt you to try this. You have done an awesome job with your modern geometrical design. really love it!!

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  4. ...jus' a suggestion, use a teeny tiny bit of m-seal, add a little drop of paint (black may be) and use to seal the broken part on the top so that no one gets hurt by mistake, I sealed the broken glass with m-seal in this post and it is still in great shape. http://kalasirjana.blogspot.in/2013/03/recycled-beer-bottle-vase.html

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    1. Thanks for the tip and for the wonderful post that prompted this Suman.. Your ideas are indeed a treat! Will definitely try out the m-seal trick to make it safe.

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  5. This is great as ever.. Where's been this talent all these years? Wish we knew about yr wondrous abilities while we were together.. Cant wait to see you..

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    1. I myself keep wondering dear.. But I must say your embroidery and home decor projects back then kick-started the interest in me :)

      From beginning as just a stress-relieving task, crafting has become my new obsession :) Sure, we have a lot to chat when we meet..

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  6. Esvee your style of writing is so delightful to read!!! Love both your art as well as your writing skills!!
    Keep blogging!!
    Cheers
    Dr Sonia
    Cards Crafts School Projects

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  7. I'm your newest follower.. very beautiful one EsVee.. awesome idea to use a cracked glass... you can try using glass paint to give it a more polished-shiny look... u can try similar work on plastic bottles as well :) will blog about the one that I'm doing pretty soon :) and thanks for reading my blog.. So good to have a new follower :)

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    1. Thanks a lot Berina.. Will definitely try out glass paints soon. And I'm waiting to see your post!!

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