Porcelain
Balls
These take
a while to complete, drying time between steps is at
least an hour, but it's even better if you can dry them overnight
between
steps. The finished product resembles Delft Porcelain.
Materials:
* Assorted
paint brushes,
including one large enough to cover the ball, and a fine one for the
detail
work
* Tracing
paper and pencil
* Tape
* White
Gesso
* Acrylic
craft paints: White, and Very Dark Blue
* High
Gloss
Varnish. NOT SPRAY!
* Desired
Pattern
Notes:
1. The
best
way to dry these ornaments between steps is to use wooden shish-kabob
skewers
pushed into a block of floral foam or styrofoam. I use a block of
floral foam
and leave the wrapper on to prevent that annoying green dust from
getting
everywhere. Then put the ornaments on the skewers using the holes.
2.
Applying
the gesso is a very important step. It helps keep the acrylics from
sliding off
the glass.
On a glass
ornament ball that
has had the paint removed:
1) Apply a
coat of gesso to
the ball. Allow to dry at least one hour or overnight.
2) Apply
at least one coat of
white paint and allow to dry at least one hour or overnight. Repeat
this step
if desired.
3) Trace
the desired pattern
onto tracing paper with a pencil. Make the lines very dark by retracing
heavily. When the ball is completely dry, gently tape the traced motif
to the
ball, pencil side down. Use the pencil or a craft stick to rub the
pattern onto
the ball. The coats of paint make the ball surprisingly strong,
however, be
gentle because it can still break if too much pressure is applied
(Speaks the
voice of experience...first time I did these I broke 3 while doing this
step).
4) Use a
fine brush to trace
and paint the motif with the blue paint.
5) Use a
brush-on high gloss
acrylic varnish to finish. DO NOT use spray varnish. It runs, streaks,
and
pools, wrecking the look of the ornament.
You can
also make a variety of
non "porcelain" balls using the same technique and any desired color
paint.
