Painting christmas scenes windows

I think for some of the newcomers it might be good to mark the difference between "Artists acrylic" paints and "acrylic" or "acrylic latex" house type paint whether interior or exterior. They will not withstand rain or prolonged dampness. I am not familiar with the limitations, if any, of "house" paints in the uses you folks are talking about, I used art acrylics once inside a small store and it did work, but they didn't seem to have much colour advantage over poster colours and were more expensive, besides not flowing as well in the brushes I use.

Help Help with all suggestions thank you sandi. Barbara I am so sorry to hear that. I have had that happen with tempera and that is one of the many reasons I don't use it. A white base with house paint will work much better, and in the long run it is less expensive. Remove with a big razor blade. This will last A lot longer and look better. Just cheap white house paint will work.

It makes a great base and makes the colors on top "pop" more. I have seen window art where a white paint was used under the actual artwork on the window. What is that paint and where do I find it. Does that make it easier to paint on and easier to clean?

But then, on the inside all they will see is the white outline right? Please help me understand this! I moved to Connecticut and just had a HUGE window painting event last weekend for charity with over window painters. It was a disaster!

Within 2 days, half of the paintings were gone and the stores looked terrible. I about died. We used Tempera paint. Different brands, but mostly Fresco from Michael's Craft stores Some painters used Borax with the paint, some didn't, some cleaned the windows with vineager, some didn't.

It was very, very windy outside. Could this have played a part? I am afraid to use acrylic on 28 store fronts- does it come off as easily as tempera? How about the powder tempera? Is that better quality? Finally, someone on this thread suggested hair spray- Has anyone else tried hairspray? Everyone wants a solution because it was so much fun!

I just need to get an answer! Perhaps a handful. But this was a real mess. I'm just getting started with inside window painting. I use the Tempera paint but it's transparant, what paint can I use to have a solid color, I have an inside home window to do for the Holiday and I can't have transparant paint. What paint can I use as solid paint and that would come off easy.

I need help. Thank you Florence. Sally So nice to see you my friend and thank you for the comment. I too have noticed less and less Christmas windows being painted the last few years. Hopefully I can change that by training some new artists in this dying art.

Glad you enjoyed the hub. I enjoyed this Hub and its comments so much! I have not seen a painted Christmas window in years and years, so it's wonderful to know that there are so many folks out there bringing this joy to others while also earning money. What a great morning read go along with my coffee! To get started, I'd just ask enough to pay for your paints and materials to get you started.

Then you will have enough paint to do your next job and will have some experience under your belt Hi, I have spent the night researching window painting because I would like to start doing it off the side, as an odd job.

I came across your article. I am already an artist but I want to paint windows for three reasons, 1: It would be fun. I know what paints to get, but I'm not sure how else to get started.

Also what is a good price for beginer services? Thankyou for your help: lil' R-tist. It's fun and you could start by practicing on your own windows! Let me know if you do! Interesting hub. I am an artist myself but never tried to paint on windows. Excellent info. Thank you. Eric This is definitely a "niche" market. You can make a good living painting windows. I am currently a newborn baby photographer, which I also love. I plan on coming out of "retirement" though this Christmas to paint some windows.

If all goes well, I may pick up a few accounts and paint a few days a month. Right now though I'm working on other creative pursuits.

I have been an artist for years. Starting with drawing comic book characters and graduating into oil paints. My jobs have been unfulfilling to say the least, mostly management type jobs until I recently rebelled, quit my management job on short notice and got into internet sales SEO Still unfulfilling. I took a phone call recently, from a man that did window splash painting I tried to sell him a top ranking On painting windows. This thread has been going for a while and I am wondering if it is feasible to make a decent living doing this full time?

I'm so intrigued Do people still pay for this? I'm so pumped. HI Daniel Nice to "see" you and glad to hear you are out painting for Easter. I hope to be up and painting again this year - I miss it!!! Brian Thanks for the tips and stopping by and reading. I love hearing from my fellow window painters! Hi, I'm a window-painter from Ireland. I've only ever worked inside and have found that artist's acrylics are generally fine - fairly cheap ones are fine, but not too cheap as they will be watery and transparent.

I use a whiteboard marker and just wipe it off with tissue as I go, using a thin brush for black outlines. I used to use a permanent marker for the outlines but find the brush-line much more effective and versatile.

The only problems I've had were in hot and humid places where the condensation makes the paint flake off, but having read this a fixative spray would probably solve it don't quote me on that though! Alma Thanks so much for coming by and reading. As the former owner of a sign franchise, here is my advice:. Invest in good permanent signage that represents your business everyday.

Then paint your windows occasionally for holidays, special events and things like that. Window painting at least the type I do is more for temporary purposes.

I have been searching for window art painting before, but this is the first time that I find something really helpful. I love this art. I decided to paint my house windows for the holidays. I'm using washable paint because I was afraid to ruin the windows. I've been thinking to add something interestin in my business's window, so I thought to order some acrylic lettering signs.

Now that I reed some comments I'm not sure abouth it. Can you please give an advise? Is it better the acrylic letters or paint it? Jeanie What a wonderful wealth of information in your comment. It's so good to see the "old-timers" like us sharing our tips and ideas.

I just love it!! And I love seeing all this info passed to the newcomers. If we don't pass it along who will? Love this I started in Vancouver Canada in the 70s, stopped in the 80s,came back to it again recently but it led me to a love of classic lettering and signwriting. Its so free, the big sweep, pull from the elbow, the whole arm I was taught to use poster paint and the expensive 'one-stroke' sable lettering brushes, 7 minimum, my fave is a I bought my brushes with my first window moneys, from helping my teacher.

Love those brushes; with poster paint and NEVER bending up the bristles by ever sitting in water jar, they last a long time. I still have my 'friends' from the old days. We used liquid Ivory soap in the paint, just a few drops, if it was 'crawling', or not sticking. I dont often use it though. An auto garage where I used to do the bay windows, would have a film of grease on sometimes, so I got them to wash it for me beforehand!

I dont paint thickly, just one stroke thickness. You can see through the paintings I do, it is kinda like stained glass, and designs have to be set up to work from both sides. I draw in black and outline everything in white. When I started we'd outline with spraycan 'snow', was nice and fast but I haven't seen any for a long time.

Great tip about the bar soap on the outside for laying out! I have used a grease pencil or dabs of that blue painters masking tape. A 3' carpenters level is useful for lettering. Ive had interior condensation almost kill a couple of windows. In our rare cold snaps locations with enough moisture inside--my garage when they hosed the floor down, and a restaurant, the paint started to run. Windows in drier locations were OK. Recently I have found that 'kiddie' poster paints can be 'slimy' or dont have enough pigment to show, esp.

I have also had some that would not mix with other brands without curdling completely, yikes! There is a range of quality, one has to test them. Its my guess that sign-quality poster paint is getting rarer, anyone have any tips on what is good? I have some Rich Art 'fresco tempera paint poster colour' that is not too bad.

For those of you using acrylics, and 'artist' acrylics are the wrong texture to work with sign brushes by the way , a tip is to always wet-then-wipe-off the brush with water before you start to work, so that the 'well' inside the ferrule is not dry when the paint first wicks up into it. If it is dry, some paint will always set up in there before you can wash it out, and the well will clog up faster.

Ive used acrylic and latex house paint for signs but not on windows. I used one-shot oil on exterior windows once, beautiful, fine and dense paint but the brushwork has a big learning curve! Its pretty permanent paint IMHO. And yeah, pin-stripers definitely rock! Thanks Dorsi for your charming characters, and to all, so happy that a new generation is 'climbing the ladder'! Elyse Good tip although it's time consuming if you have done large areas.

Sometimes I paint the white, go onto the next business then come back to finish. Works well if you have another window to paint close-by. Thanks for coming by and the tip! Another tip would be to use a hair dryer to help the paint dry faster.

Test out your new designs on your bathroom mirrors first!! That's how I got comfortable with it before starting. I am now taking appointments for this years Holiday season If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area email me and I will contact you about painting your Hoilday windows this Christmas season.

Thanks and have a great day! Yolanda Hopefully someone in the Chicago area will read this and contact you about painting your windows. Good luck, I'm just about , miles too far away to help you out with this one!

Arely I haven't heard about this type of acrylic but generally acrylic is a great paint to work with.

I use common household paint with a white background. Good luck! Chris Tempera should be fine for indoor use, it's a pain to clean though.

Light water and a razor and lots of paper underneath or a tarp to catch the mess. Some painters remove themselves Do you the artist do that? I have always painted my own windows with tempera colors. But may be looking at this as a business soon. I wanted to start practicing and building a portfolio. My brother owns a store and I will probably ask him to help me out by letting paint his windows, after all what are big brothers for.

I just wanted to make sure that I'm not going to ruin his windows. I'm looking at buying Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylics. Is this okay. And how would you remove acrylic paint from the window. It goes without saying that you need to properly clean the glass before applying the paint. There are many mistakes that people make when painting the windows. First of all, remember to never paint inside the windows unless you live in a region that sees a lot of rainfall.

Painting inside will significantly hide the painting itself due to the reflection of the glass from the outside. Follow these tips, and you should be okay! October 27, Show all. How to Paint Your Windows Like a Pro Using tempera paints is a great option when it comes to painting the windows in your house. I've moved from Boston to Las Vegas and am missing the cold weather.

I think a holiday scene will do the trick to make it feel more like the holidays this year. How easy is the clean up. I will use poster paints. How is the best way to acquire old unused windows for painting on? Can I ask you, how much do you charge? I mean, is there a difference if the drawing is elaborated, or does the season has something to do whit it, is it related to the number of windows I love to celebrate my passion for season changinging imagery, so i draw a bunch of pics of all a season has to offer and then create a window covered illistration that highlights some things to create a big illustrated scene to enjoy I have had however an unexpected sweaty window glass this winter though and my paint has ever so slightly shown melting in places of variable spots I am painting a holiday window at home.

We have a large picture window. I am painting on the inside because we live in Fairbanks, Ak, so painting on the outside of the window isn't doable.

What can I do do that our holiday painted window is more visible for passerbys? It looks great inside but not quite so easy to see from infront of the house. Tempera does not mix well with anything. Follow the directions I gave the commenter above with the polyurethane and acrylics. Let your paint dry completely before adding the next coat or layer. Charge what you feel your talent is worth.

Happy holidays!! If that is the only paint you can get in your area switch up to the acrylic. You'll need a white polyurethane base coat first. Draw out your scene. Fill in large areas with the base paint and leave fine lines open where your design changes so you can define your images for detailing with the acrylic colors.

Allow the base coat to dry for several hours. Hey so I was wanting to bring back the holiday cheer with painting fun scenes that made me smile when I would see them on Windows as a kid. I also live to draw paint ect. But I was wondering what a price guide would be. I don't want to over charge I was thinking banners two windows 90degree angle a word like joy and a character Rudolph a present with a puppy comong out what have you and charging 80 would that be fees able what have you charged for say per character per window of course depending on size and detail Oh and I'm in Colorado so it gets pretty cold out here will tempura paint be good to use with possibly a indoor outdoor white base mixed in?

I am painting Windows this year. The only temper paint I can find is thin and jelly looking. What can I do to thicken it. Thanks for the tips. Next question how do you price your windows? Do you go back and remove the drawings after. And best way to remove the paint. I live in Vancouver bc. I'm a beginner. It rains all the time here. What type of paints should I use on the outside windows that I don't have to scrape off later.

And what should I charge for doing it. Caroline, there is a technique which uses acrylics to ward off moisture damage. Apply a coat of polyurethane or common flat house paint to the design base. You will have to draw out the design first and fill the entire area to be painted in with this base coat. Let it dry 24 hours. Draw the design again and fill in the colors and details with acrylics.

If you can reverse your design and your window interior does not "weep" or collect moisture painting on the inside is possible with tempera. I wish you much luck and water-resistant art! I want to do this to our windows at the school I work for, but I noticed you said they are washable paints and we live in Clearwater, so it rains whenever.

It is a lot of fun once you get the basics down, Jessy. Keep trying. It took me a long time to get the details straight that I depend on for my designs. Thank you for stopping by! I use only Blick brand Tempera paints. They hold up well here. If you want to branch out into a more durable medium, a base coat of latex house paint works well with acrylic for accents and details. This generally will not flake or peel.

I painyed windows christmas gone but the paint kept flaking. I will have to check that out. I am currently picking up ideas for waterproof paint and the type you recommend sounds like a great addition to the paint box.

I am very lucky it is quite dry most of the time where I live so I get away with using Tempera. I appreciate your comments and your visit. Thank you! I use liquid cel vinyl by cartoon color. It cost alote but its dry waterproof but removes with windex and a scraper with. I am glad it was helpful! My paintings have brought me a lot of joy. Areas that are prone to weather issues do require something more sturdy than Tempura. Use a base of latex, from your local hardware store, then do the designs and details with the acrylic paints.

I can use Tempura because the weather in the desert drops in temperatures without the moisture. Thank you for visiting and taking time to comment. Now asked to paint at Country Club and am grateful for your advice. We are in a cold mountainous area, so am concerned with tempera and snow, have only used acrylic and know that tempera has to be easier, but am concerned.

The process is fairly simple. You have to know my little secret --a spray misting bottle and little bit of patience. This takes about 15 minutes for a standard picture window. If you don't remove it the way I recommend it can get really messy. Love this lens, and think you're amazingly talented.

Just one question-does the paint come off easily once the holidays or other occasion are over? Mommie-Moola: Let me know how it turns out! I would love to see your paintings. LadyCharlie: Thank you, LadyCharlie! I would love to see what you get to do after reading this! Christmas art in window painting is an absolute thrill if you love Christmas as much as I do!

Appreciate you comments, lady! Wonderful lens This is a form of Art that I hadn't thought of and I do a lot of Artwork. Thanks for sharing! TanjaCrouch: In a climate like Southern Nevada, you start with the base paints and work your way up on the outside of the windows. In an area that may be subject to extreme cold or heavy rains and humidity, starting backwards is the best course of action to follow.

Thank you for the inquiry. It helps me develop better tips. To find out more, order the guide and it is all there for you in detail. Happy Holidays! I'm a little confused. Don't you paint on the inside of the glass so that you have to do the highlights first and layer up in opposite order?

And how do you do that? RoadMonkey: Paint your designs on the interior side of the glass. You need to be aware of the window "sweating" though. If it does, than acrylic or latex would be the way to decorated. They are a rubbery paint medium that won't melt off the window like tempera might with a moist glass surface.

There are tips for making your Tempera water proof in my book, too. Clean off is the same, but would take a bit more time and effort. Thank you for your visit today! BarbaraCasey: It only takes one painting to get you hooked! Stencils are a great way to trace out design images to fill in with paint if you cannot draw.

Designs and letters are included in the document when you download The Essential Window Painting Guide.