Alcohol Ink on Glass Bottle
I’m working on a post about cutting bottles, which is something I just recently started doing. I’ve been coming up with ways to use the bottles I cut, and I want to share what I did with the very first one. I’m sharing it separately because this is something you could do on any glass, really. A glass vase, bottle, candleholder, etc. You could even try it on a sheet of glass and make faux stained glass art to hang up. So many possibilities (I’m even making notes as I go)! A little alcohol ink can make some truly beautiful art.
First, here’s my supply list.
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- Glass bottle/jar/etc.
- Stencils
- Alcohol ink
- Alcohol ink applicator
- Isopropyl alcohol and a paper towel/cotton swab to clean up messes
- Krylon Kamar Varnish
- Gloves
You can buy stencils online or at your local craft store, but I made mine using my Silhouette Cameo and this stencil material. For this particular project, I decided on butterflies. What I’ve learned from making other stencils, the more complicated the stencil, the more difficult it is to work with. That hasn’t stopped me from trying, but I appreciate the simplicity of these butterflies.
After collecting three-packs of alcohol ink from craft stores, I finally splurged and bought this big set. If you can use coupons at the craft stores, you can get some good deals on the three-packs.
I used an alcohol ink applicator that I bought, but you can also DIY your own using cut pieces of felt, some velcro, and a wood block.
I like Krylon’s Kamar Varnish because I’ve used it on different alcohol ink projects in the past, and it hasn’t disturbed the ink at all. I did a lot of research when I first started working with alcohol ink, and I kept coming back to this.
In case you’re new to working with alcohol ink… it can be messy. It’s a good idea to protect your work surface. I used a piece of parchment paper this time. It’s also a good idea to wear gloves. Not only does it protect your hands from the ink, it also prevents fingerprints on the glass.
Here’s what I did…
Once I had my stencils cut out, I carefully pressed them onto the glass. I took extra care to press it down, to make sure that the alcohol ink wouldn’t sneak under it.
I debated how to apply the alcohol ink, but the best—and least messy—way I found was to put drops of ink on the felt applicator and then press it on the glass. The more you go over the same spots, the more the ink will move around and change. As the ink starts to dry, you get smaller dots. For my butterflies, I stuck to similar colors for each one—blues/purples, greens/yellows, and reds/oranges.
One of my favorite things about alcohol ink is that it dries so fast! You don’t have to wait long before unveiling your creation. So after just a little while, once the ink had dried, I peeled off the stencil. I found a couple of tiny ink spots where I didn’t want them, so I used a little bit of isopropyl alcohol to clean it up. Easy!
All that’s left to do is spray a couple of coats of Krylon’s Kamar Varnish on this. I haven’t done this yet because it’s either been too cold here, or warm but too windy. I’ll do it when we get a nice enough day this spring.
If I decide to use this as a candleholder, I’ll use a battery-operated tea light or a strand of fairy lights. I *have* lit alcohol ink on fire, but that was on purpose. (Check out my alcohol ink coaster post.) I’m not sure about lighting a fire near it otherwise.
After making this, I have big plans to make more of them. I’ve only collected a few clear bottles so far, and I’m working on getting them cleaned, cut, and sanded.
I’d love to see what you make! You can share with me on Instagram and Facebook if you’d like to.
Happy crafting!
