Glass Painting Techniques & Secrets from an English Stained Glass Studio

Your complete guide to kiln-fired stained glass painting: tracing, shading, highlighting, working with oil, and also silver staining

Part 1 – traditional glass painting with glass paint, gum Arabic and water: how to mix your paint, how to store it and how to revive it | why you should paint with a lump of glass paint (not a teaspoonful) | tools and brushes | how to prepare the surface of your glass so it is far easier to trace and shade on | all about tracing, shading and highlighting | plus (very important) how to trace, shade and highlight in a single firing.

Part 2 – glass painting with oil and how to paint a stained glass face: the advantages you get from oil e.g. incredible ease-of-use, fast, cheap and clean | how to mix and store glass paint and oil | the oils you can use | the four different methods of working with oil | 8 step-by-step projects including how to paint a stained glass face.

Part 3 – silver staining with oil: why oil will give you far better results than vinegar or water | why oil will cost you far less than vinegar or water | how oil will save you time and also be far tidier | which oils to use | how to make a perfect batch of silver stain which lasts for months or years | how to trace, shade and flood with silver stain.

Each Part is available by itself
or
save money and get all 3 Parts together

If you like the articles and videos on this website, you’ll love this guide to kiln-fired stained glass painting.

“Just a short note now to tell you that I am delighted with this e-book: what a lot of work you have put into it. Bravo!” (J. Kenneth Leap, New Jersey, USA)

Know this: f you’re not satisfied for any reason or for no reason at all, you can have your money back.

“Gorgeous work and clear instructions” (Roxane Gilbert, Wisconsin, USA)

“I’m enjoying working my way through your e-book” (Pat Kenderdin, South Africa)

“This e-book is amazing!” (Mona Moselhi Nafae, Alexandria, Egypt)

Part 1

‘How you can trace, shade, flood and highlight (front and back) in a single firing, and why you need a lump of paint to do this (not a teaspoonful)’

In Part 1 you will learn:

• How to mix paint that doesn’t dry out as soon as you turn your back
• Tips for storing glass paint so it won’t even dry overnight
• What to do if your paint does dry out
• Managing your palette – avoiding disasters and mishaps, and nine different ways to use a palette knife
• Getting started with silhouettes – easy, confidence-building techniques that will teach you more than you think about glass painting
• All about tracing, shading and highlighting
• Plus how to trace, shade, flood and highlight in just one firing – saving you time and money
• Why – and how – to use gum Arabic to help your paint stick
• Common mistakes with firing and how to avoid them

Your paint

Your paint – it all starts here

It all starts here. If your paint is wrong, you cannot trace or shade with it. But the problem is, your paint’s not ready-made. You don’t buy it “off the shelf”. You don’t squeeze it from a tube. You must first mix and grind it by yourself. Which means you must also know the right proportions, and how to test them, which isn’t easy …

And that’s just for starters, because it’s also you who keeps your paint in top condition while you work. Yes, like ink, it dries. Unlike ink, glass paint turns to dust unless you stop it. And this is a disaster for your work – a waste of time and money. In this e-book you’ll see how how to mix your paint and also how to keep it so it flows. (You’ll also learn why liquid gum Arabic is far better for your work than powder.)

The point is, you must have good paint. Unless it’s good, no way will your lines or shadows work. It’s just not possible.

“I am thoroughly enjoying you e-book, having read it at least 3 times so far. It goes further into much more detail than Albinas Elskus’s book, and it’s far more in-depth than the course I took in California” (Bill Hall, Ohio, US)

This e-book explains it all, and much else besides. Click here and get your free sample from Part 1.

Your palette

The palette is where you keep your paint in excellent condition. Again, if it’s wrong on your palette, no power on earth will let you trace a lovely line or shadow.

So you don’t just need the right kind of palette (you mustn’t use an ordinary piece of glass). It must also be the right size: fact – most palettes are too small (you’ll learn why).

Plus, you must also learn how to keep your palette organised. Yes, organisation is your ‘secret weapon’ which will let you move confidently from light to dark and back to light again.

“Your step-by-step instructions were just what I needed, particularly in regards to mixing paint and preparing a palette. Can’t thank you enough for your help” (Linda Z., Germany)

Perfect control. Every time. You’ll find out how here.

Your knife

Nine ways to use a palette knife

Most people struggle here because they don’t know how to hold a palette knife and don’t really understand the tasks it’s used for – they just ‘know’ they’re meant to use it …).

So they use it when they shouldn’t. And they fail to use it when they should.

Result: chaos on their palette, bad painting on their glass.

“I’ve taken two courses on glass painting and must conclude that I did not LEARN very much about real glass painting so I am very glad to find you and now I will get started again soon with your SYSTEM. Anyway I want to thank you again for this very thoughtful e-book” (Irene de Hosson, Marum, Netherlands)

How to use your palette knife? See page 21 for answers.

Your brushes

You’ll learn what length of tracing brush to use: a short one is best but it must contain the right kind of hair. (Common problem: many books suggest you need a special kind of long-haired brush to paint stained glass. You don’t. These long-haired brushes can seriously limit your style. All will be explained.)

How to use the badger blender

You’ll also learn the right way to use a badger blender: your grip makes all the difference and will determine whether you succeed or fail.

Another common problem is: the pace and strength of blending. Again, I will explain.

I’ll also introduce you to a special kind of brush you probably haven’t heard of. It’s astonishingly useful for making shadows. An unknown, unsung hero called a …

It’s all in this e-book.

“Just doing stained glass wasn’t enough for me. Always seemed to be missing something until I discovered that I could learn to paint on glass. Great stuff guys. Thank you for putting a wonderful gift of knowledge out there: best info I’ve ever seen without taking a class” (Jeff S., Texas, US)

So you see how we’ll start with the basics. It doesn’t matter if someone’s a beginner or looking to paint better: get these basics right, and then you’ll be ready to master the core techniques.

The core techniques

The core techniques

Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, techniques are fundamental to your work. You need a lot of them, not just one. Let me explain. Imagine a guitarist who can only play one chord or a dancer who only knows one kind of step: not exactly versatile. That’s why I take you through a whole collection of techniques so you’ll know enough to deal with many different situations.

You learn how to prepare your glass so it’s good to trace on. Yes, you do this after you clean your glass and before you trace on it. (Other books don’t mention this, which is a crime.)

You learn how to trace the outline, then strengthen and thicken it as needed. (In other words, you paint on top of unfired paint. I know a lot of books tell you this can’t be done. Please allow me to put them right.)

I’ll also show you how to turn lines into shadows: this is one of those “Aha!” techniques – once you understand it, you’ll see how so much lovely church glass was also done like this: it all makes sense. Lastly you’ll learn how to use the thickest, darkest paint of all (very effective), and how to shade with highlights.

“Your technique helped me so much because I did fewer firings” (Claraines Gomez, New Jersey, US)

“I certainly appreciate all the support and advice you have personally provided” (Carlos Umaña Balser)

Step-by-step projects

You get step-by-step projects because everyone needs guidance. 100s of close up and long shot photographs show you what you must aim for at each stage. Fish, shell, bee, monster, tower – you see work-in-progress and also how your glass should look at the end of each stage. You understand exactly what you must copy.

“I just finished reading your entire e-book: as I was reading, I thought of many questions, and then, in the next paragraph, you answered them” (Shereen Timmerman, Spring Valley, California)

A message to you if you already paint stained glass

This amazing thing will make most sense to you if you already paint stained glass: you will learn how to do all your tracing, shading and highlighting, front and also back, in just one firing. Yes, especially the shading. I’ll show you how it’s done.

If you’re new to glass painting, take my word for it for now that shading often causes problems. But here you’ll learn an astonishing technique to shade before you trace, giving you a head-start over other glass painters who must struggle because they don’t know as much as you soon will.

Get your free sample from Part 1.

Guarantee

This e-book explains the techniques we use each day. (That’s why I know they work: because we use them here each day.) So, does ’60 days’ sound fair to you? 60 days to read and use the information? If you decide this information is not for you, you can have your money back at once, no questions asked, because I want you to be happy. Yes, I want you to learn the skills you’re looking for. That’s why you have this 60-day no-risk guarantee.

Core techniques – tracing, shading, highlighting, front and back, in just one firing

Topics in Part 1 include: how to mix perfect glass paint and how to store it, other media you can use, what to do when your glass paint dries out/how to revive dried glass paint, the importance of the palette knife and 9 ways to use it, how to organize your palette, how to undercoat and flood, how to trace and how to strengthen, shading and matting, plus highlighting.

Also – very useful – painting the back of your glass, and adding texture / giving depth.

And that’s just Part 1.

“Thank you so much for writing this e-book. I feel like part of your studio after receiving all the follow-up material and knowing you are just an email away” (Lynn Hamrick, Windsor, PA, US)

Inspect Part 1

You can buy Part 1 by itself or you can save money and buy all three Parts together.

Part 1 on its own costs $12.95. Free sample here. Click here to buy Part 1. If you wish to buy Parts 1, 2 and 3 together, you save $11.85 because our administration costs are much lower, and so the price is $38.85 $27.

Save money – get Parts 1, 2 and 3 for $38.85 just $27 – click here

Part 2

‘How you can use oil to shade effortlessly and leisurely and still do all your glass painting (front and back) in a single firing’

In Part 2, you’ll learn:

• How you can use oil to shade leisurely and effortlessly and still do all your glass painting (front and back) in a single firing
• Add more depth, brilliance and subtlety to your painting than ever before
• The 7 key benefits of working with oil
• How to prepare a perfect batch of oil-based glass paint and how to store it
• The different oils you can use
• How to clean your brushes
• Firing – 4 key strategies for working with oil
• How to use oil on top of unfired water-based paint and give your painting real depth

Why oil is wonderful to paint with

Most books on stained glass painting don’t tell you this, but oil has many benefits you must know about. For one thing, it’s far easier to shade with oil than water. Yes, because oil dries so slowly, you’re never rushed, and you therefore have the time to do it exactly as you want.

So, if you’re already familiar with glass paint mixed with gum and water, now’s maybe a good time to discover the advantages you’ll get by mixing paint with oil.

“What an eye-opener!” (Stephen Chapman, Maryland, USA)

OK, so here’s the basic process

First of all, you work your glass as usual, using glass paint mixed with gum and water. Trace and shade until you’re done. Now this is when you’d usually fire it in the kiln. Usually. But not with oil. No, with oil you carry on. Instead of firing, you now trace and shade some more. It’s wonderful. Here’s why …

You get so much more depth and visual interest with your water and oil technique, that I can’t wait to try it. I am totally thrilled” (Diane Armitage, California, US)

With oil it’s incredible, because you have the time to shade …

With oil, as I said. there’s never any rush.

Oil dries slowly, so you can shade it at your own pace. You have time to experiment and push the shadows around (unlike when you work with water).

What happens is: you paint your oil lines and shadows, then you take your blender and … move them exactly where you want them.

This is so unlike using glass paint mixed with water, it’s maybe difficult to imagine. But it’s true: yes, since oil dries slowly, you actually have time to move the shadows. You can actually push them from one side of the glass to another. You can soften them or strengthen them. You can even remove them altogether and start again.

And when you’re happy, you fire your glass. Just once.

“I am learning more from the information you have supplied me with than from anywhere else and I can’t tell you how very much I appreciate it” (Rebecca Cashin, Minnesota, US)

No waste

With oil, there’s no waste. You make a batch, and it lasts for ages

Another thing with oil: there’s no waste.

So, when you first start, you make more than you need, because it keeps for ages. It doesn’t harden or go stale. It doesn’t have a “Use Before” date. You make a thick paste – so thick you couldn’t actually paint with it, but like this it’s always ready for you to thin it to whatever consistency and strength you need, a little at a time.

After that, it’s so easy to adjust and get it right. Too light, too thin? Easy, just add a bit more paste. Too dark or won’t flow? Just add a bit more thinner – I’ll tell you what to use.

“I would like to say how much I like your guides – the instructions are very thorough. Often in the past I’ve felt like I’m being talked down to and I never reach a level of detail I need. But this has never been the case with your material” (Rod S., Georgia, US)

Oil is also clean

Clean-up is also quick and easy, and this saves you lots of time. Since the oil doesn’t dry on your palette, you just scrape it up and put it in a sealed jar for next time. Like I said, no waste. And it’s ready to go when you are (unlike glass paint mixed with water).

It’s also better for your health. No dust. Dust is messy. Dust is also harmful. Oil doesn’t dry, so there isn’t any dust, so none gets in your lungs. Even if you work with lead-free glass paint mixed with water, it’s still the dust you should avoid but can’t. With oil, there’s no problem. There’s never any dust.

“For the 12 years I’ve been painting, I’ve encountered many artists who guard their secrets (something I never understood). That’s why I really appreciate the opportunity to learn from both of you like this” (Mike McElhattan)

What you see is what you get

No guessing: when you work with oil, your glass will come it looking exactly as you expect it to.

Now here’s another benefit of using oil: what you see is what you get.

Yes, when you just work with glass paint and water, you’ll find your paint will always lighten in the kiln. It’s a fact: you lose 10 – 15% because the fire burns off this much pigment before it fuses to your glass. So it’s lost – gone forever. Wasted.

And this is a problem because it means you have to learn to compensate. This means you must learn to paint far darker than you want it to be, which is difficult.

But with oil, you don’t lose any paint. Oil actually protects the lines and shadows which you’ve done beneath with water.

Wondering how it does this?

It’s because the oil is like a layer of varnish which seals your paint before you even fire it. So goodbye to guess-work. Goodbye to second firings. That’s another thing you’ll learn about here.

“Thanks for your great work on educating on glass painting” (Ab Evenhuis, The Netherlands)

How to mix a batch of oil-based glass paint and the best oils to use: I’ll explain everything.

“The chapters are very detailed and are very helpful: my thanks to you for such a great book with such a lot of information in it” (Varsha U., Bangalore, India)

Also, you’ll get 5 full-length projects, because everyone needs guidance. 100s of photos show you what you must aim for at each stage. You get a butterfly, phoenix, duck-in-flight (also uses enamels), a king’s head, and – very special because this is like a masterclass – you also get a human face. With each project, you see work-in-progress and also how your glass should look at the end of each stage. You understand exactly what you must copy.

“You two are the Masters. You know, Stephen, of all the books I have looked at in the library your chapters are the most helpful” (Eve H., California, USA)

Your guarantee

You have 60 days to read and try out the information in this e-book. If you decide it’s not for you, you can have your money back at once, no questions asked.

Topics in Part 2 include: the 7 key benefits of working with oil, how to prepare a perfect batch of oil-based glass paint and how to store it, the different media you can use, how to clean your brushes, firing – 4 key strategies for working with oil, how to use oil on top of unfired water-based paint and give your painting real depth.

You can buy Part 2 by itself or you can save money and buy all three Parts together.

Part 2 on its own costs $12.95. Click here to buy Part 2. If you wish to buy Parts 1, 2 and 3 together, you save $11.85 because our transaction costs are lower. Get all 3 parts together for $38.85 just $27.

Glass Painting Techniques & Secrets from an English Stained Glass Studio is a 3-part guide to kiln-fired glass painting and silver staining.
It contains 151 pages. It is an immediate PDF download.
You get full instructions and recipes | 13 step-by-step full-colour projects | 33 designs | 100% money-back guarantee.
The price is $27.00 for immediate download of all 3 Parts.

Save money – get Parts 1, 2 and 3 for $38.85 just $27 - click here

Part 3

‘Silver stain – how you can trace, blend, shade & flood from a reliable batch that keeps for months (& why water or vinegar are no good for this)’

Part 3 teaches you about silver staining with oil. This is usually a nightmare: hard to trace with, impossible to shade and blend, unpredictable in the kiln… and yet it shouldn’t be like that. In fact, when I use stain, it isn’t like that at all, and I’ll show you how and why.

• How to trace, blend, shade and flood from a reliable batch that will keep for months (and why water or vinegar are no good for this)
• A new, easy approach with oil – ideal even if you are completely new to silver staining
• How to mix an oil-based batch of silver stain that lasts for ages
• The different oils you can use
• How to find the best firing schedule for your kiln

Remember, using oil with silver stain will let you trace, shade, blend and flood – things you just can’t do with vinegar or water.

“Tried what you said and it worked like a dream” (Judy A., Texas, USA)

That’s right: oil is better, oil is also cheaper. So, now that I have your attention, please read on.

“It’s so refreshing to find someone like you who is so open about techniques in the murky & mysterious world of glass painting! (Why does it have to be like that??!) Finding you has been like stumbling on a pot of gold” (Simon Morgan-Howard, Wales)

The price of stain

$80 for half-a-pound: mixed with vinegar or water, silver stain is expensive and difficult to predict. The dust is also bad for you

First up, stain is incredibly expensive. Anything from $160 to $350 a pound. Ouch! All the same, used properly, it’s worth it. It can make your glass gleam and shine like no other kind of fired paint.

Unpredictable

But second, stain is easy to get wrong, like when it doesn’t work at all, or (the opposite extreme) when it discolours your glass, which ruins it. Yes, used with vinegar or water, the failure-rate is high. Since staining is the very last thing you do, this means your tracing and shading is most likely put at risk.

Messy and harmful

Third, used with vinegar or water, it’s not just messy, stain is also time-consuming and hazardous to use. The dust gets everywhere – also inside your lungs – and it takes ages to prepare a piece for firing in the kiln. (You must wait for the stain to air-dry, then laboriously and carefully remove it where you do not want it.)

And there’s more …

There are other problems too:

• With vinegar or water, it’s impossible to shade from light to dark
• It’s really hard to blend
• It’s impossible to mix and store a batch that works reliably for months and even years
• It’s difficult to apply it smoothly to a specific area; instead you end up applying too much, then picking it out and damaging your lungs with all the dust, not to mention all the stain that’s wasted …
• It’s unreliable because even if you do a test, you can’t then use the same batch to do your real piece

Silver stain is magnificent. But it’s sheer waste to stain with vinegar or water. I’ll explain which oils to use to produce effects like this, every time …

What a mess. What a waste of time and money. What a failure to achieve beauty. But it doesn’t have to be like that. You can do things differently. Here’s how …

You see, information on the correct use of silver stain is scarcer than gold dust. In most books, you’ll be lucky to find a paragraph or two.

Even then, you’ll mostly be instructed in the use of water or vinegar, which as I’ve shown you is such a waste.

So David and I decided to remedy this poor situation. I mean, glass painters have been staining glass for the best part of 800 years. It seems a shame this knowledge should be lost. And it will be lost if folks continue their unsatisfactory ways with water and vinegar …

That’s why I wrote this detailed guide whose title says it all:

“Silver Stain – How to Trace, Blend, Shade and Flood from a Reliable Batch that Lasts for Months”

You will learn:

• How to mix a reliable batch of stain that keeps for months and years
• How to find the best firing schedule for your own kiln
• How to trace with stain
• How to flood with stain
• How to avoid picking out and wasting dried stain ever again
• How to shade stain from dark to light
• How to blend two different kinds of stain together
• How to create textures in stain
• How to give added emphasis and body to your stain shading
• What you must do to preserve the smoothness of your stain shading
• The brushes to use, what to use to store your stain, what to use for a palette

But not just that. This technique of using oil will also save you money on palette knives and brushes. Here’s why …

Stop wrecking your good tools

Silver stain – don’t wreck your expensive brushes: learn about oil

Yes, another problem with using vinegar or water is, the stain will rot your tools. Nothing you can do to stop it because it always does, no matter how clean you are. Always.

And unless you work with oil, you’ll need new ones every year. New brushes, new knives. That’s added cost to you.

But not with oil. Because the oil won’t dry, it won’t corrode your tools. Problem solved. Money saved.

“I must say the information in your glass painting book is extremely helpful as I learn the various processes of stained glass painting. I am really impressed with the knowledge you are willing to share. You’re the best!” (Charlotte P., Florida, USA)

“Your e-book has already been of enormous aid. I am in the midst of a restoration that requires a good deal of replicating quarry pieces with multiple layers of silver stain. The stain has worked well on glass that normally would not accept it well, and most likely because of the use of oil instead of water. It is so much easier to control and even to tidy up that it’s like an entirely different animal. I wish I had crossed paths with you fellows back when I was just starting out as a painter. It would have saved me an enormous amount of frustration. Again, thank you for the truly useful information, and for making it available at such reasonable expense” (Terry Mominee, Evansville, Indiana, US)

You can buy Part 3 by itself or you can save money and buy all three Parts together.

Part 3 on its own costs $12.95. Click here to buy Part 3.

If you wish to buy Parts 1, 2 and 3 together, you save $11.85 because our transaction costs are lower. Get all three parts for $38.85 just $27.

Save money – get Parts 1, 2 and 3 for $38.85 just $27 - click here

Your guarantee: you have 60 days to read and test the information in this e-book. If you decide it’s not for you, you can have your money back at once, no questions asked.

Glass Painting Techniques & Secrets from an English Stained Glass Studio is a 3-part guide to kiln-fired glass painting and silver staining. It contains 151 pages. It is an immediate PDF download. You get full instructions and recipes | 13 step-by-step full-colour projects | 33 designs. You also have a 100% money-back guarantee. The price is $27.00 for immediate download.

“Thank you for capturing your studio’s experience on paper: the chapters are great” (David T., Virginia, USA)

See just below if you want to download a free sample from chapter 1 of Glass Painting Techniques & Secrets from an English Stained Glass Studio.

Free sample from Part 1

If you want a free sample from Glass Painting Techniques & Secrets from an English Stained Glass Studio, that’s no problem.

No e-mail address required.

I won’t pester you with follow-up messages. It’s your decision if you’ll work better once you buy the e-book or just carry on with what you know already.

“I want to download a FREE SAMPLE from Glass Painting Techniques & Secrets from an English Stained Glass Studio.
I understand you won’t bother me with nuisance calls. I will look at the information and decide for myself.
Please give me the free download right now“

“Your guide is a great help to us in our studio” (Ab Evenhuis, Veldhoven, Netherlands)

“The most complete information of the entire picture of glass painting” (Dave Kimmel, Pennsylvania, US)

“Your guide is the best” (John Martinez, California, US)

“Your material is so much easier to understand than all the other books I have seen” (Sonya Conlin, Kent, England)

“I recommend your e-book highly” (Deb Young, Arkansas, US)

“Your guide helps me to produce projects with a better understanding of the art” (Joanne Legault, Manitoba, Canada)

“I have wanted so much to get good instruction – and now at last I have it” (Kara Unland, California, US)

When you want your own full copy, see below.

Buy now

“Yes, I want to get my own FULL and COMPLETE copy of Glass Painting Techniques & Secrets from an English Stained Glass Studio.
I understand this is an immediate PDF download: all I do is click the button and fill in my card details.
The cost is $27.00 and I know I always have a risk-free 60-day money-back guarantee.
I want the FULL information right now“

Save $11.85 – get Parts 1, 2 and 3 for $38.85 just $27 - click here

Afterwards, at any time, you can write to me and I’ll reply.

“Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. We know you are a very busy man, and we very much appreciate your taking the time to address our concerns regarding silver stain. We found your information very helpful, and beneficial to us at a critical time in my project development. Thanks to you and your excellent tutorledge, we were able to overcome this difficult aspect of the panel design, and move through to completion of the process. The results were as good as your advice” (Steven Whorl & Sherry Sonntag-Whorl, Florida, US)

“Thank you so much for answering my questions. I can’t wait to experiment with your suggestions, and I have a couple of students who’ve been waiting for answers as well. So – again – my gratitude for taking the time to assist me (Lynne Rowe, Miami, US)

“Thank you for answering my questions so thoroughly” (Lori Nelson, Omaha, US)

“I really appreciate your time and generous help. Your program seems to be the most complete in information of the entire picture of painting glass” (Dave Kimmel, Pennsylvania, US)

“Thank you for inspiring me” (Stephanie Lostimolo, Oregon, US)

“I’m really encouraged to see people like yourselves who are so generous with your knowledge” (David Engelking, Brisbane, Australia)

“I can’t wait to have a go! What lovely people you are” (Julia Holdcroft, Bexhill on Sea, UK)

“Thanks so much for these tips and information” (Eve Hamner, Nevada City, US)

Best,

“Yes, I want to get my own FULL and COMPLETE copy of Glass Painting Techniques & Secrets from an English Stained Glass Studio.
I understand this is an immediate PDF download: all I do is click the button and fill in my card details.
The cost is just $27 and I know I have a risk-free 60-day money-back guarantee.
I want the FULL information right now“