Turning Plain Glass Into Faux Stained Glass

MaryAnn Gieraltowski
by MaryAnn Gieraltowski
3 Materials
Easy
Just another idea to dress up your windows, or to create a piece of artwork to hang in your windows. For me, I dressed up a shower door in our summer cottage by the lake.
First, this is not my original idea, I'd like to take credit but I can't. I saw a finished product and thought to myself, I can do that! The original artist used glue, I used mod podge with food coloring. There is colored mod podge that I bought and tried, but for a more vibrant and deep color, I stuck with food coloring.
I first drew my design, hung it on the inside
Once I had the outline complete and let dry for 24 hours, it was as simple as painting inside the lines. The hardest part was working in a limited space, sometimes laying down on the bathroom floor. I found, depending upon if you're right or left handed, starting at the opposite side of the piece. I'm right handed so I started on the left, so I wouldn't inadvertently stick my hand in the paint (if that makes any sense).
I removed the pattern when I was ready to pai
When you're done with your first coat, if you'd like the colors more vivid, go over it again. I found using the food coloring allowed me to start with a base color, and add more color if I chose. For the most part, I used one coat. I'm very proud of the end product. It was easy, a little time consuming depending upon your pattern, but only took two days to complete.
A close up of the fish from the outside.
And the view from inside the shower.
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  • I've done the tissue paper and water with glue stained glass look on my old apartment bathroom apartment window..it's still there eight years later after many tenants and has faded.. I'm going to try this on my front lower half of my living room storm door to keep my Yorkie from seeing outside lol when he sits on the ottoman lol!

  • Gail Sisson Gail Sisson on Jun 23, 2021

    Hi Louise I am looking to cover a shower door can you please explain your tissue paper and glue idea. Was it ordinary tissue paper and did you just wet it and put it on then mod podge over the top of everything. Sounds lovely and it obviously holds up ok. 'Thanks

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