How To Achieve a "Glass Effect" on Cards and Scrapbook Pages | Digital Image and Paper

 

Have you ever wanted to achieve the look of glass on an image for a card?  

The other day I bought a set of digital wildflower images from the XoXoLine store on Etsy, and one of the images was a broken lightbulb with a simple flower growing out it.  I wanted to use this image for a card, and I wanted the lightbulb to look like glass by using Diamond Glaze. 

Links to any products I used are at the end of this blog post.  

Here is a step-by-step for the card I made.

• The first thing I did was to print the lightbulb image at 70% on white cardstock and die-cut it using a 3.25" x 4.5" stitched rectangle die.  Using the same die, I cut 4 more pieces using scraps of white cardstock.  

• I adhered all the pieces together, keeping the image of the lightbulb on top.  The reason for the layers of cardstock is to make the image more sturdy so that, when you apply the Diamond Glaze, the cardstock does not bend or warp.  
• I colored the image using 3 BIC Intensity markers.  The gray/grey marker is perfect for the metal part at the bottom of every lightbulb.   

• I made a top-folding A2 card using white cardstock.  
• I printed one of the designs from the Watercolor Splashes digital paper collection from SylvieVibes on Etsy, die-cut it using a 4" x 5.25" stitched rectangle die,  and adhered it to the card front.  
• Then I adhered the lightbulb/flower image to the card front and set it aside to fully dry before adding the Diamond Glaze.   

• Once it was fully dry, I carefully poured the Diamond Glaze on top of the lightbulb portion of the image.  The glaze moves slowly and normally will not go past the image unless you tilt the card enough for it to flow off the image.  Once I got the whole lightbulb covered in the Diamond Glaze, I set it aside to dry.  You can place it in the sun or in an area where you will not knock it over.  You should also cover the card with a box or plastic container to keep the dust off the glaze.  Allow it to dry for at least 12-24 hours before touching the glaze. 

The glaze will look cloudy, but as it dries, it becomes clear.  Also, you might get small air bubbles in the glaze.  Try to pop them with a pin.  I have a few, but I don't mind them.  

• While that was drying, I printed the image again in the same size, colored the 2 flowers, and fussy cut them.  I also typed up my sentiment, Feliz Aniversario, which is Happy Birthday in Portuguese.
• The next morning, I adhered the flowers and the sentiment to finish the card. 

Something that took me by surprise the next morning was that the BIC Intensity markers bled a bit because of the Diamond Glaze.  I normally use alcohol markers with the glaze, so this is something for you to remember if you do this technique.  The bleeding doesn't bother me because this is a lightbulb, and I feel it adds to the image.   

I'd love to know what you think of this idea.  Please, leave a comment below.  Links to the paper and the image are below too.  Until next time...

Hugs from Brasil.

~Michael

Wildflower Digital Kit from XoXoLine on Etsy

Watercolor Splashes digital paper from SylvieVibes on Etsy  

Diamond Glaze