Getting Started with this Mirror Thing
So, I had this idea a while back, you know? Mirrors. Painting on 'em. Seemed easy enough. Saw some cool stuff online, thought, "Hey, I can do that." Famous last words, right?
First thing, I had to dig out some old mirrors. Had a couple from an old dresser, just gathering dust in the garage. Perfect. Or so I thought. They weren't exactly pristine, let me tell you.
The Prep Work - More Annoying Than Expected
Okay, so step one: cleaning. You'd think, "Wipe it down, good to go." Nope. These things were properly grimy. Took me a good hour, maybe more, scrubbing away. And you absolutely have to make sure there's NO grease, no streaks, no nothing. Otherwise, the paint just slides right off or looks terrible. I learned that the hard way on a little test spot. What a waste of paint that was.
Then I was wondering about primer. Some folks online swear you need it for glass, others say don't bother. I figured, what the heck, I'll try one with a special glass primer I picked up, and one without. For science, you know?
Slapping on Some Paint
Right, so the actual painting. I grabbed my acrylics. I generally get on well with acrylics; they dry fast, and I've got a ton of colors.
Here's the gear I rounded up:
- A couple of those old mirrors I salvaged.
- My usual collection of acrylic paints – all sorts of colors.
- A mix of brushes, some fine ones for details I probably wouldn't manage, and some broader ones.
- Rubbing alcohol and a whole roll of paper towels. Essential, these were.
- That special glass primer I mentioned, for the experiment.
I didn't have some masterpiece sketched out in my head. For the first mirror, I just started blocking in some simple geometric shapes. On the second one, the one with the primer, I tried for something a bit more flowy, sort of abstract. Big mistake trying to get too fancy too soon. The paint, even my good stuff, acts real funny on a smooth glass surface. It wants to bead up, or if you spread it too thin, it goes all streaky. You gotta be patient. Put a thin coat, let it get a bit tacky, then go again. Building it up in layers seemed to be the key.
The mirror where I used the primer? Yeah, honestly, it was a bit better. The paint seemed to grab on a little easier. But it still wasn't like painting on a canvas or even wood. It’s a whole different ball game, this mirror painting stuff.
Waiting Game and The Big Reveal
Drying took what felt like forever. I was so tempted to poke it, to see if it was dry. Kept having to tell myself, "Just leave it alone, mate, let it cure properly." It's hard when you just want to see the finished thing.
Once they were finally, properly dry to the touch, I propped them up and had a good look. The geometric one? Turned out okay, actually. A bit rustic, you could say. The abstract, flowy one? Well, it’s… it’s definitely unique. My youngest said it looked like a rainbow slug had a party on it. Kids, eh? Brutally honest, sometimes.
The way the light plays with the painted parts and the clear mirror is pretty neat, though. The paint blocks some of the reflection, and then you see yourself in other bits. It’s an interesting effect. Not sure I'd hang it in a gallery, but it was a decent way to spend an afternoon and save a couple of old mirrors from ending up in a skip.
What I Reckon Now
So, yeah, mirrors painting. It’s doable. Definitely not as straightforward as some of those quick craft videos make it out to be. My biggest piece of advice? Patience, and really, really good prep. Don't skimp on cleaning that glass properly, or you're just making more work for yourself.
Would I rush out to do it again? Hmm, maybe. If I found a really cool old mirror and had a super clear idea of what I wanted to do. For now, I think I'll probably stick to good old canvas. It's just less… temperamental. But hey, you don't know if you don't try, right? Sometimes you make something pretty cool, and sometimes you just make a colourful mess and learn a thing or two. This project was a solid mix of both, I’d say.
