painting crisp, even thickness lines

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Bonnie Rubinstein
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Location: River Falls, WI

painting crisp, even thickness lines

Post by Bonnie Rubinstein »

HI All, Wondering if there are any new paint products to achieve curvilinear, even-thickness, thin lines on glass. I have tried many paints over the years unsuccessfully. Too thick, lines spread unevenly, etc. I have heard some good things about Fusemaster EZ fire enamels. Any feedback on this product or others?
Thanks! Bonnie
Bonnie Rubinstein
Brad Walker
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Re: painting crisp, even thickness lines

Post by Brad Walker »

We use Sunshine Enamels. Mixed properly, they work like oil paints or acrylics.

Caveat: we also sell them: https://www.warmglass.com/enamels
Bonnie Rubinstein
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Re: painting crisp, even thickness lines

Post by Bonnie Rubinstein »

Hi Brad, I have tried those in the past. For this particular project, lines cannot vary in thickness or be uneven. Very non-organic.. more architectural. So, a brush doesn't work. I spoke to Bullseye and they said their Colorline paints could solve this. Anyone tried those? Thank you.
Bonnie Rubinstein
Brad Walker
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Re: painting crisp, even thickness lines

Post by Brad Walker »

There's not a huge difference in the way the Colorline paints work than the Sunshine.

To get an absolutely straight line, use a resist and paint through that, rather than by hand.
Don Burt
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Re: painting crisp, even thickness lines

Post by Don Burt »

I second what Brad suggested. It is relatively easy to use two blades taped together to cut through vinyl paint mask resist. It would be unrealistic to attempt it on a three dimensional surface but on flat glass without too much texture it works. I like Oracal 813 resist because I can see my cuts, sort of, and it is still transparent to see guide drawings underneath it. Or if you could screen print it that could approach CAD accuracy. But hand painting using a good brush and good technique can do some seriously technical looking work. Liquid paint in little applicator bottles with tiny nozzles (Color Line) are less controllable than a good rigger brush (rigger, scroller, liner, scripter) and properly mixed paint. You Tube automotive pin striping videos might encourage you. I love to watch those people work. It aint the paint, its only partially the brush, it's mostly the application technique.
Bonnie Rubinstein
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Location: River Falls, WI

Re: painting crisp, even thickness lines

Post by Bonnie Rubinstein »

Okay- thanks! Time to do some research..
Bonnie Rubinstein
Terry Gallentine
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Re: painting crisp, even thickness lines

Post by Terry Gallentine »

Don- I like the idea of using the Oracal 13 resist and using a parallel blade cutter but I was wondering how you prefer to apply the paint to the lines. I have used airbrush in the past but it creates a lot of mess. Do you just paint the paints on the lines and does the Oracal eliminate any underfeathering of the cut lines?
Don Burt
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Re: painting crisp, even thickness lines

Post by Don Burt »

Terry, I airbrush transparent enamels, even for lines through a resist. Yes, it requires commitment to say the least.
For black lines, drawing, I almost always freehand trace with a rigger. I trace with paint prepared with D1368 water friendly medium. I go slow.
If I were to try to do straight lines through a resist in black to get a less organic line than freehand, I would also use D1368 and hope that the glass texture doesn't cause the resist to bleed. The cool thing about D1368 is that even though it is viscous, it lays pretty flat, dries slow, and eventually deposits off of the bush onto the glass in a very controllable manner. You just have to let it flow slowly and not try to go all jackson pollock with it.

Stencil burning video below (hope this is ok with board moderator)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtJGf9IOFHc

Green mask that is pretty tenacious and reasonably priced.

https://www.uscutter.com/GreenStar-Stencil-Vinyl
Buttercup
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Re: painting crisp, even thickness lines

Post by Buttercup »

You've been given some very good advice. If you still haven't solved your problem have you considered laying down a smooth, dense mat and substractively (is that a word?) removing the paint you don't want, after the mat is dry, of course? That's how I achieve fiddly bits that would be too frustrating to execute at consistently-even thickness with a brush when painterly lines are not appropriate.

Drafting templates provide a variety of options to achieve shapes you want. Use an Exacto knife or any pointy object against the edge of the template to scribe a line in the mat. Move the template precisely to a parallel position then scribe the second line. Take away the paint you don't want, outside the two parallel lines.

https://www.draftex.com.au/collection/t ... ves/curves

There are many more shapes available.

Good luck. Jen
JestersBaubles
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Re: painting crisp, even thickness lines

Post by JestersBaubles »

You've probably already figured this out, but I find that Color Line self-levels and flows fairly significantly.

I've been having fun with it, but I'm also planning on some experiments on how not to have it flow.



Dana
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Re: painting crisp, even thickness lines

Post by JestersBaubles »

I am image challenged - the last response was supposed to include images. Anyway, before fire/after fire photos.

[img]
camilla-beforefire.jpg
[/img]
camilla-beforefire.jpg
(and now you get to see what my brother received for his birthday, after I visited him in late February... the last trip for a while, I suppose!)

Dana
Attachments
camilla-afterfire.jpg
Bonnie Rubinstein
Posts: 213
Joined: Sun May 04, 2003 9:04 pm
Location: River Falls, WI

Re: painting crisp, even thickness lines

Post by Bonnie Rubinstein »

Thanks, all. I decided to use skinny glass noodles for the straight lines, and avoided making any painted lines. But I will need to use them at some point soon, so I will refer to your suggestions then.

Stay safe, everyone.
Bonnie Rubinstein
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