Reverse Glass Painting: How To Guide For TikTok's Newest Crafty Trend!

If you're looking for a new fun and creative activity to keep you occupied, try your hand at reverse glass painting, TikTok's latest pastime. You'll be able to do this even if you don't consider yourself an artist. All you need is some time and a lot of patience (and, let's face it, we have plenty of both nowadays).

First, decide what you'd like to paint. Many people choose cartoon characters because it's easy to trace these designs onto the glass. Once you picked your design, make sure that you flip the image before printing it. The image needs to be flipped because your painting will be on the other side of the glass. In other words, you’re going to paint your design on the wrong side to get the image on the right side of the glass! 

After choosing and printing your image, it’s time to get your canvas, which, in our case, is glass. You can use glass from an old photo frame or go to the dollar store and buy one. What's important is that the size of the glass should match the size of your printed image.

Aside from the glass, the most important supplies you’re going to need are paintbrushes in various sizes (small, medium, and large depending on how intricate your design is), acrylic paint, and primer. The primer will help the acrylic paint stick to the glass. You can get all these supplies from your local craft store or order them online.

After cleaning and drying the glass (making sure the glass is free of lint and dust), use a sharpie to trace your image on the glass, then prime it. Once primed, you can start painting! 

Start by painting the small details first before making your way to larger details. You’re going to paint on the side of your tracing. Here’s where having patience is key. The secret to glass painting is painting in layers. You have to wait for the paint to dry before you can move on to the next layer. This could take a couple of hours to days, depending on your piece. 

Continue to paint layer over layer until you’ve completely covered your image with paint. Once you’ve finished and the paint is dry, turn the glass over, and voila! You've officially completed your first reversed glass painting! 

Your first painting may not turn out the way you’d like it and that okay! It’s part of the process! Don’t give up and try again! Have fun painting!