I am a painter but never painted on mirror. My mother used to have a kit that was like stained glass paint that she used on all sorts of windows and mirrors. I can't remember the name of it. You would paint the lead part using the pattern and then fill in the rest with your colors. Do you live near a large craft store or Walmart??? They would probably know what I am talking about. Maybe practice on something before you attempt your mirror. I can't remember if it could be peeled off or not. Good luck and happy crafting.

Kim is probably thinking of a product like Gallery Glass. But Gallery Glass will turn milky white if there is any moisture or steam in your bath at any given time. The paint is easily removable but not water resisitant.

I would use a paint that is made for surfaces like glass, tile, or mirror - an acrylic enamel. There is no special prep to the surface, just cleaning it well before painting and the instructions are right on the paint packages. The paint is permanent when cured but if you make an error while painting you can wipe it off and start again. I prefer FolkArt brand acrylic enamels. They should do the job and remain looking good for a very long time.

At the major craft stores you can actually buy a sample pack that includes a variety of colors but small amounts of each. For small projects they are perfect!

Thank you both so much for all your great advice! I will go to the craft store this weekend to buy some acrylic enamel paints. I can't wait to try it!

Is it okay to use a stencil as my pattern?

Once the mirror is completed I'll try to post a photo of the finished product!

Thanks once again!

don't know if you have completed your project yet, If not - sounds like you might be on the right path. I would highly recommend the FolkArt Brand enamel paints - they are not too runny and they hold up well. Wash your mirror well before you paint then wipe down with Alcohol or vinegar water. Enamel paint should cure in about 21 days - however, it is paint and if you scrub it hard enough it may come off. During that 21 days of curing (unless you have baked your item, only light wipe off with a damp cloth if you do need to wipe it off. Hope that helps - I do a lot of painting on glass and mirrors and have learned not to waste my money on other paints. Kim www.picturetrail.com/kar3762 kickapoocuntryfolkart@yahoo.com

Kar 3762, welcome to the Painting forum. I tried to go see your album, but it requires a user ID. Hope you will be able to share your projects with us. Luvs

Justa' thought for you..in my main bathroom (double wide mobile) the mirror takes up nearly the entire vanity area. Not to mention that because I am only 5'3"..I had to get a step stool to clean it!! LOL!
I did my bathroom in a sage green with terra cotta accents & a seashell theme. Got the bright idea to tape off the outside edges of the mirror in a 4" bevel frame, then used epoxy (hot glue too to hold until the epoxy set up)..and placed all types of seashells, netting & sponges. Turned out awesome.
Think of other materials that interest you-perhaps stained glass in a 2 or 3" band? It's really easy to apply & they have colored grout that I squeezed into an old pastry bag & made the job easier to grout the tiny spaces. If you go to a stained glass store (or if you know someone who dabbles in glass)-have them cut you some square tiles of glass (if you want a 3" band-use 1.5" squares of glass-heck-get a 2nd color in 1.5" strips, 3inches long- in your color choices. Would look nice. In fact-I covered my entire L shaped vanity in my master bath this way-in greens, aqua & some rose colored glass..I cut, laid & grouted 1588 pieces! Did it 8 yrs ago & it looks as good today as it did then.

There is some great advice already given but I'd like to add:

There is a "Folk Art" product called "Glass Medium" that you paint/brush/sponge on glass first and let it set overnight to dry. You put it on the area you want to paint as it makes a film when it drys. It allows "acrylic" paint to adhere to the glass better, otherwise acrylic paint just doesn't stick to glass very well. A better choice for glass is "enamel" paint. As said above, letting it set for 21 days is the recommended "curing" time before washing it. I don't think you'll have that much of a problem washing it once it's cured, just don't scrub it too hard. Also know that "stencil" paint is a totally different type of paint. It's all in how it is made. You might want to check out some of the decorative painting books at the craft stores before you purchase paint. In the front of most of the books there is a section on the different paints/brushes to use for painting things. Donna Dewberry's One Stroke Painting books have that section. Her glass painting books also explain about "baking" a glass piece to cure it. There is a specific way to do it.

Good luck and yes, if you're able to, please post a pic of your project when you're done. We love the pics!!!

Sal

Lisa,

I forgot that there is now a sealer for Gallery Glass that is suppose to keep it safe from moisture and condensation causing the problem I stated above. I have done GG projects for years but I've never used the sealer - it's new within the last few years. The few people I have talked to that have tried the sealer were not happy with the look of the finished product. But the beauty of GG is that you can just peel it off if you don't like it.

There are other acrylic enamels you can use that take less time to cure or use a sealer. Following is some info on the most commonly used acrylic enamels found at stores:

DELTA'S AIR-DRY PERMENAMEL
- Suppose to be very durable. Is not baked on but requires a sealer. Dishwasher, oven, and microwave safe. Also great for use on shower and wall tiles.

DECOART'S ULTRA GLOSS AIR-DRY ENAMEL
- Air cures in 7 days. Is dishwasher safe if baked on a surface like dishware. SCRATCH RESISTANT.

FOLKART'S NEW AIR-DRY ENAMEL
- Is cured and permanent after air-drying for 21-22 days. Can also be baked on. When baked on it is suppose to be dishwasher and microwave safe. SCRATCH RESISTANT.