This information on this page is important if you’re new to silver stain.
Or if you only mix your with water or vinegar.
This information is not for people who already mix their stain with other liquids.
Or if you already know how to trace, blend, shade and flood with silver stain.
All other glass painters, please continue – this is really useful to you.
As you’ll know from our studio manual, Glass Painting Techniques & Secrets from an English Stained Glass Studio (you can get a sample chapter here): once you’ve finished all the tracing, shading and highlighting you want to do with glass paint and water (and gum Arabic), then it’s often a good idea to carry on with glass paint mixed with oil (and no gum Arabic).
And then – you fire your glass just once.
OK, so the advantages of oil are … ?
Glass painters often ask why I use oil before I fire my tracing and shading.
You’ll soon see. It’s all to do with the lovely effects that oil lets you quickly make.