Glass - Testing techniques

 

Recently, I found a cheap tabletop kiln on Facebook Marketplace with just enough shelf space for my pieces of glass. the plan is to paint and fire the glass in the kiln to produce a permanent image.

Online, I found information on two painting techniques both using Reusche powdered (fusable) powdered paint. Below are two quick line drawings I did. One using the powdered paint mixed with water and propylene glycol water (blue glass), the other with water and gum arabic (amber glass). The kiln is set to fire at 1250 F at a climbing rate of 570F per hour, maintaining the temperature for 5 minutes, then allowed to cool naturally with the kiln closed to avoid temperature shock to the glass. Both painting techniques produced positive results. Even with an Exacto knife, paint would not scratch off. The propylene glycol technique produced darker, continuous lines. The gum arabic produced more textural lines.

testing: painting techniques. Left using gum arabic, right using propylene glycol