How to decorate candlesticks with your own hands

For painting we need:

• Glass candlestick
• Glass paints (e.g. L&B)
• Glass contours (L&B)
• Paint for imitation of glass matting – FROST Design (Hobby Line)
• Brushes (round synthetics 0 or 1)
• For washing brushes – thinner No. 2 (is 100% white spirit)
• Auxiliary materials: double-sided tape, sponge, cotton swabs, toothpicks, a cloth for blotting the brush, etc.

Step №1

We degrease the glass surface, for this you can use acetone or nail polish remover. You can also just wash the candlestick with any dishwashing detergent.

Step №2

Do stencil: To do this, you need to print the desired pattern and stick it on the double-sided tape. After that, carefully cut out the desired images and glue them over the entire surface of the candlestick.

Step №3

We will create the effect of frosted glass, for this we will use the FROST Design paint (Hobby Line) – in our case, the gold color. We squeeze the required amount of paint onto the pallet. For application we use a regular sponge. Try to apply the paint evenly and quickly enough, as it dries quickly.

Let the paint dry, then remove the stencils. Here’s what happened:

Step №4

FROST Design paint is a paint that requires firing. We bake our product in the oven, as written in the instructions – for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees. After this time, let the product cool down.

Step №5

We outline the maple leaves (they are also empty spaces on the surface of the candlestick) with a golden outline. We apply the veins on the leaves at the very end.

Tips for contouring

1. When drawing a contour, the hands definitely need support, if the hands are on the weight, then from overstrain they will begin to tremble and the contour will not lie flat.
2. It is better to keep the tip of the tube suspended (without touching the glass) and pull the contour, carefully applying it along the desired line. In this case, the contour will turn out to be thin and even. True, in order for this to work, the contour itself must have good ductility and there must be practically no bubbles in it. From experience – the best Pabeo and L&B contours.
3. If, nevertheless, in your opinion, the contour lay incorrectly (too bold or uneven), then this can be corrected in two ways:
   • With a toothpick, immediately remove the excess amount of the contour;
   • After the outline has dried, trim off the excess with a paper cutter or razor.

Fill the resulting contours with red-yellow paint.

You can use only one color, but it will be more effective to mix several colors. First, apply a lighter shade to the center of the sheet, and then let a darker tone along the edge. And thus we get a smooth transition of color from dark to lighter.

Tips for filling the product with paint

• When filling the contour, it is necessary to apply the required amount of paint to the desired area, and then, as it were, disperse this drop with a brush over the entire area. At the same time, try not to touch the contour itself with the brush, but ensure that the paint itself flows into the area close to the contour.
• In order to avoid “white spots” (gaps between the paint and the outline), you must work in good light.
• In addition, if you started painting some area outlined by the outline, you must not stop and finish filling it. Otherwise, the paint will have time to set, and the next portion of paint forms a marriage in the form of a line you do not need.
• If, nevertheless, a certain amount of paint got on the contour, this can be corrected by wiping off the excess with a cotton swab or a toothpick with a cotton swab.
• Prepare a cloth in advance for blotting the brush, and wipe the brush on it after rinsing, and also remove excess paint from the brush.

Step №7

The final touch is the application of veins on the leaves with a contour. Here is the result of the work done!