Learn the techniques of reverse painting on glass or what the Germans call “Hinterglasmalerie”....
Painting a scene is a challenge for most people. Now, imagine painting everything in reverse. It can be mind-boggling. As I struggled with the learning curve, I soon realized that I needed help. I was fortunate to have some veteran sign painters coach me through the process of reverse painting on glass. If you are up for the challenge, please read on as I chronicle what I learned.
The History Reverse Painting On Glass.
The Germans call it “Hinterglasmalerie”. That mouthful literally means “behind glass painting”. While reverse painting on glass has been practiced throughout Europe since the 1500s, 19th century Austrians, who didn’t enjoy schlussing down the ski slopes, popularized the pastime as indoor winter activity.
Up until the enactment of the 18th Amendment to the
Constitution, barroom signs in the late 1800s and the early 20th
century were often decorated with reverse glass paintings. Prohibition ended the legal production,
transport and sale of alcohol along with the art of glue chipped and painted
glass signage.
The new American Sign
Museum, which recently opened in Cincinnati, OH displays many turn of the
century glass signs, which were decorated by painting in reverse on the backside of the glass.
Today, production of handcrafted glass signs is very time-consuming, costly
and in most cases commercially impractical. Only a few remaining practitioners
sell their work as signage. A much more lucrative enterprise is to market
reverse glass painting to an affluent clientele as artwork or as decorative
glass for interior décor. It’s all about
positioning! If you don’t believe me, visit an art gallery. You will be amazed
at the prices that artwork commands. Is it any better than the craftsmanship
that I have seen in the sign industry? No way! But, it’s “art”.
Reverse Painting on Glass.
Normally in painting, many painters begin with big, bold,
broad strokes, blocking in the primary subject matter with the background
elements and building the shadow areas.
Once the key elements are established, you will add in the mid-tones,
which define the basic shapes within the composition. Then come the finishing touches: the
highlights and fine details.
When
painting in reverse on glass, you begin painting the very small highlights, the
fine details and the darkest shadows, which you would normally paint last in a composition. The next step is to gradually add in the
mid-tones, working from the light areas to the darker ones, building the values
which model the subject and create its three-dimensional form. The final step
is to add in the remaining shadows and background elements.
Proper Prior Planning.
Before you start painting, proper prior planning can help you save time and avoid mishaps. Planning involves assembling the supplies that you need and, most importantly, thinking through the job before you start.
Supplies. Most of what you will need for reverse
painting on glass you will most likely already have in your shop. The following
list below itemizes these basic tools and supplies:
·
Paint.
(For exterior applications, use either sign enamels or Japan paints. For
interior applications, oil paints are acceptable.)
·
Medium
(If you are using enamels or Japan paints, you can use a linseed oil/turpentine
mixture. For oil paints, use a commercial medium, such as Liquin.)
·
Thinner
(such as turpentine)
·
Brush
cleaner (such as mineral spirits)
·
An
assortment of brushes
·
Palette
knives
·
Palette
·
Easel
·
Mirror
·
Color
Wheel
·
Absorbent
paper towels
·
Latex
gloves
Mediums. In the sign industry boiled linseed oil is
used to promote faster drying. Many old timers will mix their own medium, using
one part linseed oil with three parts turpentine. Boiled linseed oil is generally safe for use with sign
enamels or oil paints, because most of these paints use linseed oil as a binder
or resin. As a paint additive, boiled oils will
dry faster and produce a glossier finish. The downside of boiled oils is that
over time these oils will yellow and darken. It will also alter the color of the paints, especially whites, light colors
and blues.
When using a
linseed/turpentine mixture or any other medium, keep the following facts in
mind. The more medium you use, the more
you dilute the color. The color also
becomes more transparent and durability is compromised.
In mixing a linseed/turpentine mixture, you
can alter the proportions. As you
increase the amount of linseed oil, the medium is referred to as becoming
fatter. As more turpentine is added, the mixture becomes leaner. Too much
turpentine though can cause the pigment to break down. For this reason, you
should never use more than 50% of any thinner in your medium.
The rule of thumb is to paint fat over
lean. Failure to observe this
widely-held maxim can result in the paint cracking or wrinkling. You can further modify the linseed/turpentine
mixture by using driers, either a cobalt drier or Japan drier, to accelerate
the curing process. (More on driers to follow.)
If you use oil paints for an indoor application, you will find that
these paints dry much more slowly than sign enamels or Japan paints. This
extended open time allows you to blend colors and rework areas of your
painting. The disadvantage is that oil paints can take days to dry. Reds, blues and purples dry especially
slowly, compared to the earth tones.
Commercial mediums, such as Winsor Newton
Liquin, are generally fat mediums, compared to linseed oil/turpentine mixtures,
which are relatively lean. The advantage of a fat medium is that it has a
prolonged open time. This allows you the
time to rework your painting over a few days.
If you want your painting to dry in a day or two, use a lean medium.
Driers. The evaporative
process causes an oil paint to dry. Curing, though, is a completely different
process. Curing refers to the
polymerization of the resin, which occurs as the paint oxidizes and simple
molecules crosslink to form more complex molecular structures.
By
attracting oxygen into paint, a cobalt drier accelerates drying times. When adding any drier to paint, use
care. As little as a drop or two added
to a medium is all you need. As a rule of thumb, limit the amount of drier to
less than 5%. Adding too much drier can cause problems, such as wrinkling,
yellowing and cracking. Cobalt driers can also alter the hue of paints,
especially white.
Many of the old sign makers use
Japan driers to speed up paint drying. The question that you need to ask is
whether a drier is really necessary. If you are using a linseed oil/turpentine
mixture as a medium, it will already accelerate drying.
Thinners. As a thinner, many painters prefer the old
fashioned turpentine. Some people prefer mineral spirits. Be aware that not all mineral spirits are
created the same. Formulations vary from
one manufacturer to another. Some formulations can alter the color of paints.
Before using mineral spirits, the best practice is to “Test, Don’t
Guess”. Put a few drops on a white piece
of paper. If it leaves a stain, it is not suitable as a thinner.
Turpentine. The old timers swear by turpentine.
As a solvent, it is compatible with oil paints and sign enamels. While it is a natural tree resin product, do
not be fooled in thinking that it completely safe. Breathing the solvent fumes
is harmful to your health and turpentine will absorb through your skin and into
your bloodstream. Also be aware that the properties of one brand of turpentine
can vary greatly from those of another. If you are a purist and want a pure
product, buy the artist’s grade. It
should be water clear. Most likely, the variety that you will find at your
local hardware store will have some impurities.
Mineral Spirits. While you can use
mineral spirits as a reducer, turpentine and Liquin may be better
thinners. For cleaning, mineral spirits
is a great solvent, that won’t harm your brushes, especially the more expensive
natural hair brushes. Do not use lacquer thinner as a cleaner. It can ruin your
brushes.
Palette. Regardless what type of paint you use, you
will need some type of palette for mixing colors. The prototypical oval-shaped artist’s palette is not very
practical, because its size limits the area that you have to mix colors.
Using
a sheet of glass for a palette is much more utilitarian. On the backside of the glass, mask the
surface with paper application tape. The
white background of the application tape will help you better evaluate the
colors that you are mixing. Glass
palettes are popular because you can easily scrape off any dried paint with a
razor scraper.
Another
option is to use a porcelain palette in the shape of a cookie pan. On the bottom of the pan, apply clear
application tape, such as RTape AT60, to cover the entire area. At the time of clean up, just peel the tape
from the surface and discard it.
Tip: If you are using oil paints and want to keep the colors
that you have mixed, cover the entire pan with Saran kitchen wrap and store the
pan in your freezer until the next use.
Palette Knife. Mix your colors with
a palette knife, not with one of your brushes. Here’s why. A brush can contain residual paint that can
dirty the paint color in the mixing process.
Color Wheel. If you have the
three primary colors (red, yellow and blue), you can theoretically mix any
other color you need. Before you can do that, you must understand the
relationship of one color to another. A color wheel helps you understand those
relationships and arrange the colors of paint on your palette.
Latex Gloves.
If you paint regularly, protect your skin with latex gloves. If you are
allergic to latex, first put on thin cotton gloves before putting on the latex
gloves. Prolonged exposure to solvents can result in contact dermatitis, which
is generally described as an inflammation of the skin. In reality, it is much
worse than it sounds. Redness and itchy skin are the mild symptoms. In severe
cases, you can develop rashes, blisters and lesions. It isn’t a pretty sight.
Surface Preparation.
How can you know whether a particular paint will stick on glass? What’s critical for good paint adhesion is clean glass. When you are painting on the inside of a window in a restaurant or bar, you may want to take extra care before painting. Some sign painters will prep the glass with PrepSol or a Wax and Grease Remover, followed by a final wipe with IPA. Still others clean the surface with acetic acid (white distilled vinegar).The best way to prep glass for a reverse painting is the same as prepping glass for gilding.
To learn this procedure read my story: Surface Prep for Glass Gilding
OLFA Extra Heavy-Duty Scraper for Glass Cleaning
●
Using a razor scraper prior to decoration is an important part of glass
cleaning.
● 4”
blade allows for faster cleaning.
● Non-slip
rubber handle for a sure, comfortable grip.
Picture perfect: the importance of good photography.
Good photography is generally great for reference in creating a painting. It is a great aid in capturing the lighting and color of the subject matter and rendering the composition in correct proportion. By desaturating the picture in Photoshop, you can also very easily map out where the highlights, midtones and shadows are within a scene.
Many
photos, however, are too flat because the subject is lighted from multiple
light sources, arranged at different angles.
Often the lighting is just not natural and you lose much of the contrast
between the highlights and shadows, which model the subject, creating the
three-dimensional appearance.
While
pictures are good for reference, you will need to use your artistic judgment in
deciding which elements to use and not use in your composition. You will also
need to use artistic judgment in color selection and how you intend to render
the elements of your design. Pictures are a great help, but rarely picture
perfect.
Even with professional photography, it can’t
hurt to sketch the composition first. Drawing can help contemplate light
direction, and the arrangement of the basic planes and shapes that comprise
your composition.
Lighting.
The direction of the light source determines the highlights and shadows in the painting. Consistency is critical. Make sure that the light source illuminates the subject matter from the same direction. Throughout the time that you are painting, you must continually remind yourself where the light source is.
If you do a preliminary drawing, a good
practice is to draw an arrow indicating the light direction right on the sketch.
Using your Sketch for
Painting.
If you are painting first surface, you can sketch directly on the substrate.
You typically will not do this when painting on the back of a glass panel. The next best thing is to tape the reverse
image on the first surface or front of the glass. The thickness of the glass
can distort your perception of the drawing and throw you off a bit as you are
trying to duplicate the image. This error in lining up the image
accurately is commonly referred to as “parallax
view”.
Preliminary sketch.
Which Colors to Buy.
A third consideration is color. You don’t need to buy every color that a paint manufacturer makes. With a few primary colors you can virtually mix any color that you need.
Much
of you time should be devoted to mixing colors before the paint brush touches
the substrate. It is always better to
mix colors on your palette rather than trying to modify the hue and value of a
color on the painting itself. This is
especially true if you are painting in reverse on glass.
After mixing the colors, you may also want to
do a thumbnail painting, so you can check how the various colors interact with
one another in the composition. Make
sure that as you are mixing the different colors for the highlights, shadows
and midtones, that there is sufficient contrast among the colors. Otherwise, if the colors are too close to one
another in hue and value, everything will run together in one big blob of color
with no clearly defined shape.
In selecting colors for your palette during
the mixing stage, refer to your color wheel.
Generally artists will not use black in mixing a shade for the shadow
areas. Instead, pick the opposite or
complementary color on the color wheel for the darker shade. Contrast in color
and value also creates more visual interest.
Test Painting.
After you mix the colors that you want on your palette, do a little thumbnail test painting laying one color next to another. That way, you can tell if you have achieved the desired color contrast. A color thumbnail will also reveal how the various colors interact with one another in achieving the overall effect.How to Organize your Palette.
At the top of your palette, arrange your primary and secondary colors from the warmest to the coolest. Also include white in this arrangement.
You may not need every primary and secondary
color. Just select the dominant colors in your composition, as well as the
adjacent primary and secondary colors on the color wheel, along with the
complementary colors and white.
In the pictorial of the yellow flowers,
yellow was the dominant color. The adjacent colors on the color wheel are green
and orange. The complement of yellow is violet. The dominant color of the
leaves is green. The adjacent colors are yellow and blue. The complement of
green is red.
As it turned out, my painting required all of
the primary and secondary colors plus white. Once I laid out the basic colors
on my palette, I was able to mix any intermediate color in any tint or shade.
Tip: Make sure that the surface of the palette that you use is
large enough to mix all of the colors that you will need.
Using Mediums.
When painting, you can use mediums in one of two ways. You can mix it directly in with your colors on your palette. Or you can apply the medium to the substrate and paint on the coated surface.
For painting on glass, typically the medium
is mixed in on the palette. As well as accelerating the drying process, the
medium will act as a thinner. If you
still need to lower the viscosity of the paint, you can add a little
turpentine.
Painting Sequence.
When you are painting first surface, you will block out the primary subject matter by painting the background. After painting the dark shadows of the composition, you will add in the lighter values. The finishing touches are the highlights and the details.
When
you paint in reverse on glass, you do the exact opposite. You start by painting the details and the
highlights. Then you paint the objects
in the foreground and then finish by painting the background.
Conclusion.
Once you have painted on glass, you will see that while it requires concentration, it is not impossible. The major challenge is getting started. Fear of failure is generally the cause of any procrastination. The good news is that you are painting on glass. If you screw up, don’t worry about it. It’s only paint. Just scrape it off and start over.Additional Painting Articles
Using Linseed Oil to Make a MediumWhy Paint Wrinkles
How to Clean Brushes Used for Water-Based Paints
Proper Prep Prior to Repainting Walls
Coating Woodworking Projects with Epoxy Resin
The Practicality of Repainting an Old Acrylic Sign
Acrylic Mediums & Additives
Acrylic Glazes
Finishing Tips
Blending Colors
Making Oil Paint
Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer
Mediums for Oil Painting
Faster, Easier Paint Clean Up
Penetrol Paint Conditioner
Shades of Black
Flesh Tone Paint Recipe
White Lead Oil Paint
Safely Working with Pigment Powders
When to Thin Paint with Naphtha
Damar Varnish Recipe
Fat Over Lean Rule
Applying a Wiping Varnish to Your Carving
Asphaltum
Essential Solvents for Sign Painters
Traditional Gesso Recipe for Encaustic Painters
Painting with Gouache
Epoxy Resins
Flattening Paste for Enamel Paint
Paint Chemistry Terminology
Scratching the Surface with Grey Scotch-Brite Scuff Pads
How Temperature and Humidity Affect Paint Drying
Hingst began his career 42 years ago in the graphic arts field creating and producing advertising and promotional materials for a large test equipment manufacturer. Working for offset printers, large format screen printers, vinyl film manufacturers, and application tape companies, his experience included estimating, production planning, purchasing and production art, as well as sales and marketing. In his capacity as a salesman, Hingst was recognized with numerous sales achievement awards.
Drawing on his experience in production and as graphics installation subcontractor, Hingst provided the industry with practical advice, publishing more than 150 articles for publications, such as Signs Canada, SignCraft, Signs of the Times, Screen Printing, Sign and Digital Graphics and Sign Builder Illustrated. He also posted more than 325 stories on his blog (hingstssignpost.blogspot.com). In 2007 Hingst’s book, Vinyl Sign Techniques, was published.
© 2015 Jim Hingst
THANK You! Very helpful tips.
ReplyDelete