How to mix a small quantity of glass paint

Part 2

Last month you saw an email we received from David. He asked about mixing a small quantity of glass paint – our usual approach being to mix a lot of paint, enough to keep us going for a week or fortnight.

David wrote:


Hello Gentlemen,

My question is : How do you mix up small quantities of paint for just 2 or 3 small suns …

Stained-glass sun


Full email and my answer here.

And I promised you a film.

Which I’ve now prepared.

It’s in 3 parts.

Part 1:
the way I was first shown to mix a small quantity of glass paint and what’s wrong with this approach

Part 2:
a slower, better way to mix a small quantity of glass paint

Part 3:
five days later – has it dried out?

Here you are, glass paint fanatic I know you are – and kindly be advised that I am headless throughout this fascinating video …

I hope this particularly helps new students coming here from our book, The Glass Painter’s Method – because yes, when you’re starting, it can be frightening I admit to mix the large quantity of glass paint we use here. (Though not as frightening surely as watching someone who talks but doesn’t seem to own a head.)

By all means mix a teaspoon-and-a-half to start with.

Just don’t do it like Part 1.

Take 10 minutes and do it like Part 2.

After 5 goes, you’ll be doing it in half-the-time.

Then you’ll be ready to mix your paint the way we recommend.

About mixing a small quantity of glass paint

Part 1

small quantity of glass paint

We’re glad to hear your questions. They tell us what’s important to you – and we want to know, because your perspectives aren’t the same as ours. For instance, we design and paint to earn a living. Many of you do it because you love it. We love it too. But we also earn a living from it – it’s not the same. It can’t be.

Here’s a familiar theme: how to mix your glass paint.

Our approach is totally at odds with the recipes you read in many books and with what happens in most classes.

Watch This Video About How To Revive Your Hake

And organise your palette

I’m sure this scene’s familiar – it’s how your palette often looks before you start:

  • Your lump of paint is under a small bowl.
  • Your reservoir of left-over paint is under a larger one.

And your “applicator brush” – your hake – is clean and dry.

So yes, I’m sure you’ll recognise this sight:

Hake and stained glass palette at the start of the day

Meanwhile, this is where you want to be before you start to paint:

Hake and stained glass paint

It’s different: yes indeed.

Now your hake is a wonderful brush.

But it’s like a teenager: there’s a knack to waking it up and getting it ready for a day’s work.

A method …