glass mosaic tile art studio of william j enslen jr
| Tip of the Week |
| Try this as a way to permanently sign your name to your finished indoor mosaics. It's virtually indestructible! |
Ever wonder how to sign your indoor glass mosaics so the signature won't rub or wear off? Nothing seems to stick permanently to glass. Permanent marker isn't permanent.
Acrylic and enamel paint rub, chip, or flake off. Nothing works!
Until recently, I signed my indoor glass mosaics with enamel paint and then sprayed on two light coats of clear acrylic sealer to protect the paint. That method works okay, but it
doesn't seem to be as permanent as my new idea.
I had an epiphany a few months ago and I've been signing all my indoor glass mosaics with this method ever since. Try it and see how it works for you.
Acrylic and enamel paint rub, chip, or flake off. Nothing works!
Until recently, I signed my indoor glass mosaics with enamel paint and then sprayed on two light coats of clear acrylic sealer to protect the paint. That method works okay, but it
doesn't seem to be as permanent as my new idea.
I had an epiphany a few months ago and I've been signing all my indoor glass mosaics with this method ever since. Try it and see how it works for you.
NOTE: Use this method only for indoor mosaics. Do not use this method for outdoor mosaics or mosaics that will be displayed in a wet environment (e.g., a
sauna or shower area).
sauna or shower area).
I used scrap glass to demonstrate this approach.
STEP 1: Using a fine-tip permanent marker, sign your name on the glass. I usually put my signature on the bottom-right corner of my indoor mosaics. Put yours where you like it
best. I find a piece of tessera big enough to hold my entire signature so I don't have to write on any grout lines. If I have to write small to fit it on a single piece of tessera so I don't
cross any grout lines, then I write small. Figure 1 shows my signature on a piece of scrap glass.
STEP 1: Using a fine-tip permanent marker, sign your name on the glass. I usually put my signature on the bottom-right corner of my indoor mosaics. Put yours where you like it
best. I find a piece of tessera big enough to hold my entire signature so I don't have to write on any grout lines. If I have to write small to fit it on a single piece of tessera so I don't
cross any grout lines, then I write small. Figure 1 shows my signature on a piece of scrap glass.
| Figure 1. Signature on Glass with a Fine-tip Permanent Marker |
STEP 2: Lay your indoor mosaic art on a flat surface. Do this so the glue won't run or drip. If your mosaic is flat, the glue is thick enough so it stays where you apply it (i.e., it
won't run or drip). With your indoor mosaic laying flat, carefully apply plain white Elmer's Glue-All over your entire signature. Don't touch the tip of the glue bottle to the signature
or the ink might smudge. Slowly squeeze out enough white Elmer's Glue-All to cover the entire signature. See Figure 3.
I don't know why Figure 3 shows the glue color with a yellowish tint. I assume it's because of the fluorescent light that I used. Let me assure you that I used WHITE Elmer's Glue-All
instead of the yellowish Elmer's Carpenter's Glue. Again, I use plain WHITE Elmer's Glue-All.
NOTE: White Elmer's Glue-All is the stuff we all went to school with. I can usually buy a big 7.625-oz bottle at Walmart for about $1.50.
won't run or drip). With your indoor mosaic laying flat, carefully apply plain white Elmer's Glue-All over your entire signature. Don't touch the tip of the glue bottle to the signature
or the ink might smudge. Slowly squeeze out enough white Elmer's Glue-All to cover the entire signature. See Figure 3.
I don't know why Figure 3 shows the glue color with a yellowish tint. I assume it's because of the fluorescent light that I used. Let me assure you that I used WHITE Elmer's Glue-All
instead of the yellowish Elmer's Carpenter's Glue. Again, I use plain WHITE Elmer's Glue-All.
NOTE: White Elmer's Glue-All is the stuff we all went to school with. I can usually buy a big 7.625-oz bottle at Walmart for about $1.50.
|
Notice in Figure 2 how the so-called permanent marker rubs off. In Figure 2, I used my index finger to rub off the ink after it dried for about five minutes.
| Figure 2. Marker Ink Rubs Off Glass |
STEP 3: Allow the glue to thoroughly dry overnight. In Figure 4, notice how the white Elmer's Glue-All dries clear. When wet, the glue doesn't absorb or blur the ink. Instead, the
ink stays intact and the signature looks good after the glue is dry and clear. Note that the glass color also shows through so the glue doesn't affect the mosaic's appearance.
Notice in Figure 4 how the "J" in "Jr" looks smudged. That's because it is smudged. I tried to get cute by using a cotton swab to spread out the glue evenly. Instead of touching
only the glue, I pressed just a hair too hard and touched the ink causing the smudge. Therefore, I suggest that you don't try to even out the glue lines. Instead, hold the tip of
the glue bottle close to the glass and carefully squeeze out the glue. As you can see in Figure 4, the edges of the glue are ragged. In my opinion, they don't need to be perfectly
smooth, straight, and at perfect angles with each other. I don't notice the raggedness unless my nose is right up to the mosaic.
The ink is entombed in the glue and the glue provides strong, permanent protection for my signature on my indoor mosaics.
As noted, don't use this method for outdoor mosaics or for mosaics that will be displayed in a wet environment (e.g., a sauna or shower area).
ink stays intact and the signature looks good after the glue is dry and clear. Note that the glass color also shows through so the glue doesn't affect the mosaic's appearance.
Notice in Figure 4 how the "J" in "Jr" looks smudged. That's because it is smudged. I tried to get cute by using a cotton swab to spread out the glue evenly. Instead of touching
only the glue, I pressed just a hair too hard and touched the ink causing the smudge. Therefore, I suggest that you don't try to even out the glue lines. Instead, hold the tip of
the glue bottle close to the glass and carefully squeeze out the glue. As you can see in Figure 4, the edges of the glue are ragged. In my opinion, they don't need to be perfectly
smooth, straight, and at perfect angles with each other. I don't notice the raggedness unless my nose is right up to the mosaic.
The ink is entombed in the glue and the glue provides strong, permanent protection for my signature on my indoor mosaics.
As noted, don't use this method for outdoor mosaics or for mosaics that will be displayed in a wet environment (e.g., a sauna or shower area).
| Figure 3. WHITE Elmer's Glue-All Covers the Entire Signature |
Figure 5 shows the piece of glass at an angle so you can see that the glue's depth isn't that noticeable. Again, I don't even notice the glue covering my signature unless I'm up
close to the mosaic.
Try this method on a piece of scrap glass and see if you like it. If you do, then you'll know a neat trick that allows you to sign your indoor mosaic art masterpieces and be
comfortable that your signature won't rub or wear off over time.
close to the mosaic.
Try this method on a piece of scrap glass and see if you like it. If you do, then you'll know a neat trick that allows you to sign your indoor mosaic art masterpieces and be
comfortable that your signature won't rub or wear off over time.
| Figure 4. My Signature Shows Through and is Protected by the Dry, Clear Glue |
| Figure 5. The Depth of the Glue is Barely Noticeable |
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| Copyright © 2008-2012 by William J. Enslen, Jr. All rights reserved. Any use - including the reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, republication, or display - of the content (text and illustrations) is strictly prohibited. |
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