Applying external coloration to blown Christmas ornaments

**CrassGlass** · 11-17-2015, 11:38 AM

Hi, guys. I haven't been able to find the answer to this anywhere, and I don't have as much time to experiment as I wish I did. I am blowing glass balls and such and silvering their interiors. I want to add color to these guys (stripes, polka dots, whatever), so I've been adding colored glass to the bubbles and then carefully melting the shit in. My low level of skill with hollow work coupled with my standard thickness tubing makes this a very slow and hair-raising process with a whole lot of failures. Merry Christmas and fuck that, thank you. So now I've decided to paint the outside instead. Does anyone know what kind of paints are used when coloring traditional glass ornaments? I need something that is transparent so that the silver will still reflect through the color. I'm guessing some sort of transparent acrylic lacquer, but I'd like to use the same or similar stuff that the actual craftsmen do.

Thank you!

**LowTideGlass** · 11-17-2015, 11:46 AM

I believe you want to use an enamel paint. FolkArt paints have been around for a long time and you should be able to find them at most craft stores.

**CrassGlass** · 11-17-2015, 01:14 PM

Apparently painting on stemware (and Mason jars- gag me!) is "a thing" now, so I purchased a set of Vitrea 160 acrylic enamels on Amazon. It appears these are transparent and can be baked on to harden, so hopefully they will do the trick! I'll report back in case anyone else is interested in how this works out.

**mattholimeau** · 11-17-2015, 01:19 PM

I'd definitely like to see how your efforts turn out.

**Cosmo** · 11-17-2015, 01:31 PM

Yep. The bake-on glass paints work very well. My kids took some drinking glasses and decorated them and it's held up through many cycles through the dishwasher.

**shawnette** · 11-17-2015, 01:58 PM

I haven't use the Vitrea, but I have used the Porcelaine 150s. They work very well.

**khan** · 11-17-2015, 02:04 PM

I dont exactly get it... are you saying your trying to add decoration after the bubble is blown out???
I do the same thing ... i strip alot of the tubing but not after i blow it out... i do all my color adding before i blow out the bubble and it melts in real well by the time its all blown and formed.
I cant imagine melting it in after the bubble is blown.
Khan

**CrassGlass** · 11-17-2015, 02:38 PM

I've been adding the decoration to a warm point. It takes a while to get it melted in, and as the amount of time I spend spinning that point increases, the chances are of me getting it too hot and adding a fold increases as well. Heavy wall tubing might help, but I bought a pallet of standard wall, since that is what Banjo recommended for beginners in Contemporary Lampworking. I've come to regret reading that particular sentence in the book. Until I get some more time to build up some experience working hollow, I think I'm going to avoid applying colored glass. It usually just results in me getting pissy and melting my mistakes into surprisingly not-too-unpretty marbles.

**Cosmo** · 11-17-2015, 02:39 PM

With all due respect to Bandhu, I think heavy wall is easier to learn on. For just the reason you are describing. It's so easy to get standard wall too hot.

**PyroChixRock** · 11-17-2015, 02:40 PM

^^ Seconded

**CrassGlass** · 11-17-2015, 02:53 PM

Had I only know that beforehand... I'm going to have to get good at working with standard wall, because I don't need 500 lbs of clear frit.

**PyroChixRock** · 11-17-2015, 03:00 PM

Glass doesn't go bad on the shelf, luckily.

**LooseSeal Baller** · 11-17-2015, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by CrassGlass

Had I only know that beforehand... I'm going to have to get good at working with standard wall, because I don't need 500 lbs of clear frit.

that's bordering on signature material...

I'm sure you could sell it. probably at a loss, but 500lbs seriously, that shit's gonna last a longgggggg time.

I bet you could burn through a lot fuming

**BORO** · 11-17-2015, 03:27 PM

I used a lot of standard wall when I started. its a bitch.

That said, once its warm , you can work further out and still have success. I know it makes the easiest fume combs.

You can always condense a section before you color it up , or just reduce the whole section w/ color on already. (sounds so easy but its not , I know)

If your torch is big enough to heat it all soft and even its easier. If you have a punty and a handle on medium wall , it folds easier on the melt in. v.s. If you just have a handle , elbow down, till its thick enough to control.

I know you hate it now, but you will be so good so fast when you get thicker tube. P.M. me, I will drop you some free random saw cut shorts of heavy wall in the mail , just need a addy. <If you REALLY never tried anything but standard wall/medium wall.

Then you will know for sure before you buy more glass. Or if its worth it for you jump on the extra heavy now.

**CrassGlass** · 11-18-2015, 08:32 AM

Thanks so much for the kind offer, BoRo. I really appreciate it. I made my bed, so I had might as well lie in it. I think you are right about biting the bullet here. I started out in soft glass with all its shockiness and got into the habit of keeping things warm, so now that I work boro, I've yet to have anything crack on me. I bet if I stick with this thin wall stuff, regardless of how irritating it is now, I will develop good habits out of necessity. My torch is a Mirage, and I don't think I have arms long enough to hold the tubing out far enough for it to heat evenly just by diffusion of the flame. I'm going to have to get these hands to spinning more evenly. Time to bust out the dowels and ribbon while watching movies. Muscle memory, BABY!

**Aymie** · 11-18-2015, 08:59 AM

If you want to come out next Wednesday, I would be happy to give you some pointers. I need to make some ornaments for an exchange on Friday.

**Joe Userton** · 11-18-2015, 09:49 AM

Are you sure you want to use paint on the outside?

Most of the traditional ornaments were done with paint on the inside, that way you still have the nice clear shine of glass as the external layer.

**jr23** · 11-18-2015, 09:50 AM

The reason those guys prob say start with standard wall .

A . Lots of people that start with heavy wall and are self taught never learn to work thin glass back to thick or can shape thin forms .

B . It melts faster and usually a beginner does not have unlimited oxygen money .

I actually use standard wall for a handful of things .

Some sizes are really useful anything 38-50 I love for inside out . After watching the 10 min firekist vid years ago .

It makes great heavy wall pieces when condenced .

**Wilbur** · 11-18-2015, 10:00 AM

O.P, for the record, Bandhu Dunham wrote those books. One volume has a banjo motorcycle on the cover, but the book is not written by him.

Fr beginner holiday ornaments, i recomend 'icicles'

take 8mm rod, Fold it over on itself, like a U that has both sides touching, then heat and spin it up. leave a loop with the curve of the folded over rod. bam, quick and easy sanbdlasting all or part of them gives a good look too.

**CrassGlass** · 11-18-2015, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by Joe Userton

Are you sure you want to use paint on the outside?

Most of the traditional ornaments were done with paint on the inside, that way you still have the nice clear shine of glass as the external layer.

As far as I can tell, all paint is applied outside on traditional glass ornaments. You might be able to paint a peck of pickles with a pour and dump, but that's single color. I can't imagine sodomizing a hollow glass Santa with the variety of curved paint brushes that would be required to add detail to his insides. There is a silvering layer on the interior that reflects light back through the transparent paints so that the whole thing is nice and shiny.