11/20/2024
Designing your own custom dichroic glass...there are endless possibilities! Dichro, for short, is an amazing glass that adds pizazz to glass. It's made by bonding several layers of metal coatings atop each other on a piece of glass, creating different colors depending on what angle you view it... a sort of magic, if you will. ๐Colors, glittery affect, sparkles, mirror-ish, and more...it brings glass fusing to a different level.๐
You can buy dichro glass that has designs, or you can customize it youself using a Sharpie permanent marker and an etching product like Armor Etch ! ๐๐ผI learned this technique years ago when I was first learning glass fusing. Unfortunately, I don't know who to credit this technique.๐๐ผ I am just sharing. When I was taught the process it was on a public forum, and not revealing the process of a paid tutorial.
โ ๏ธโ ๏ธโ ๏ธWhen using etching cream I highly advise you to wear eye protection!โ ๏ธโ ๏ธโ ๏ธ
My experience with this technique:
โ I have always used a red Sharpie marker, that is what I was taught, but I've heard black Sharpie works too.
โ There are other etching creams on the market, I've used Armor Etch with success.
โ Dichro: you can use clear backed or black backed, depending on your project, and the intended outcome. ***My personal experience, this has only been successful, for me, using CBS (Coatings by Sandburg) dichroic glass. I've tried Dicro Magic with no luck (maybe there's a trick I don't know?)
My process: draw your design, freehand, by stencil, or other method, using the Sharpie marker (I've never tried another brand of marker.) Let it dry, it doesn't take long.
I work near a sink, protect your counter, and sink, because etching creams WILL remove finishes on almost everything it touches!
I place my dichro piece on a paper towel (on the protected counter) and apply Armor Etch with a Q-tip, making sure to cover the piece thoroughly. (If you want a "worn" look, don't have an even layer of Armor Etch...make it "blotchy.")
The amount of time you leave the etching cream on the dichro is crucial! Leaving it on too long will remove all of the dichroic coating.
๐๐ผIdeally, experimenting on a small scrap piece works great to begin with, so you can get a feel for the removal time/process.๐๐ผ
Once I feel the etching cream has been on long enough to reveal my pattern, I carefully rinse it off in warm water (water temp my preference only), and gently wipe off the etching cream and marker. Dry with a soft towel!
๐ฅNow you're ready to create with it!! (The red Sharpie has always burned off in the kiln, for me. If there is any red marker left on the piece & you'd like it off before firing, take a small amount of basic fingernail polish remover on a tissue will wipe it off, then rinse with water.
๐ด๐ดRemember, what you've covered with Sharpie is what will retain the dichroic coating!
๐จThink creatively... designs, names, sketches, patterns, logos (be careful of copyright infringements.) These etched dichro glass pieces can be layered & fused for a look with depth.
๐Have fun!
