freehand glass etching

I am making personalized shot glasses for each of my friends this year (or coffee cups for those who don't partake). This is a bit different from standard etching in that it does not use a stencil: for small curved glasses like these, stencils don't quite stick.

I also included basic instructions for custom stenciling, just in case...

So, while the manufacturer recommends glass etching products for stencils it's possible to use it like paint. The wine glasses I did last year were hugely popular, so I hope these are a success too.

step 1gather materials and tools
You will need: 1 jar of Armour Etch (from most craft stores, possibly from a hardware store?) 1 (or more) glasses or any object made out of glass 1 paintbrush And since etching cream is really nasty and caustic: 1 pair of gloves eye protection If you want to stencil your design you'll want some vinyl contact paper. Make sure it's sticky enough, but even then yo…

step 2wash and begin
Clean and dry all of your glassware thoroughly. Use the brush to draw your design, or the first stage of your design. With larger designs, you will need to stagger the painting so that all of the areas are etched evenly. OR If you are using a stencil, apply it at this point... Or apply a solid sheet of vinyl and use a fine blade to cut out your design. Smooth …

step 3Wait wait wait....
After the first stage of etching cream has been applied, set it aside for about 7 minutes. Paint your next glass, or check your email, just don't let the glass etching cream get all over! After 7 minutes, come back and wash and dry your glass.

step 4Paint in as many stages as you need
Finish as many parts of your design in as many stages as you need. I used 2 stages, one for the flower, and one for the branches. Glass etching is fast, and fairly inexpensive!