Correctly Paint Ceiling Fixture Glass

If your ceiling fixture glass is boring or outdated, update it with a little creativity and some paint. It's easy to do, and you can create any look you like. Here is all you need to do the job right.

Supplies Needed:
-Paintbrushes
-Primer
-Acrylic paint
-Charcoal pencil

Step 1-Choose Your Design
The design possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Consider the purpose of the room the light is in as well as your personal style. If the light belongs in a child's room you could use cartoon characters or whimsical themes to create a kid-friendly accent. If an elegant main room is what you're looking to enhance, a stained glass design or single color can work well.

Step 2- Choose Your Paint
When you are painting glass fixtures you will need to keep in mind that the fixture may get hot. If you’ve ever touched a light bulb that has recently been on, then you know this. Paint can drip, melt, or worse yet, catch fire if it gets too hot. There are paints available that are designed specifically for heat resistance. You can find glass paints that are actually designed to be heated. These types of paints are either vitreous or enamel, and will require the use of a kiln. If you don’t have a kiln (as most people don’t) you can try a community college art classroom, they will usually allow the public to bring in items that need to be kilned. When you use enamel or vitreous paints, it becomes a two part process. You will use a special tubing paint to outline your design, then once dry you will brush on the enamel paint. The tubing will keep everything in it’s place and will prevent runs or smears. These paints will adhere to the glass with heating. It creates a beautiful finished result, and is completely safe.

Step 3-Prepare the Glass
Make sure to clean and dry the glass thoroughly prior to applying your design. Apply primer to the outside surface of the glass and let dry. If your design has a large background area, paint the entire glass shade with the chosen background color first. You can then easily transfer a design by taping the original artwork to the inside of the glass and tracing it on the outer surface. A stained glass look can be achieved by drawing abstract, interlocking shapes on the outside of the shade. If you are artistic you can draw your design in freehand. A single color can also be appealing and requires no drawing.

Step 4-Apply Paint
If you'd like your colors to be softer, wet the paintbrush before dipping it into the paint. You can rinse the brush off completely and reuse if this is the look you're going for. If bold colors are desired use a dry brush to gather the paint and use a new brush for each color. Follow the pattern you drew onto the shade and let dry.
You can apply a glaze for a finished look if you like. Let the paint dry for about 24 hours and you're ready to enjoy the results of your handiwork.