How to Etch A Portrait in Glass

First, the person's photograph is scanned into the computer's photo imaging software, preferably Photoshop, the industry standard(no relation between author and Photoshop). Then the photo should be posterized, and then use some type of effect to make the shading on the face, pixelized, in a manner which the dots represent shading. On each imaging software it is different, and the person using this method should experiment with his/her software to achieve the desired effect. Usually there is a "static" effect, or on Photoshop, use the "film grain" effect, which can work nicely.

Then you print out a copy of this adjusted photo. Find some clear tracing vellum, with a sticky back, and align the photo with the dots as shading, under the clear vellum. Then you must take the first time consuming step of using a pen and duplicating the hundreds, if not thousands of dots onto the vellum over the picture, with a fine magic marker, being very careful to keep the exact design below.

Once this critical step is done, find your glass you want to use for the portrait(peach for causation's, light brown for dark skinned people, also make sure the glass is of a softer variety, and can be easily etched), take the backing off the underside of the clear vellum, and attach it to the top, smoothest side of your prospective glass.

Then a small, rotary tool, or a specially designed diamond tipped etching device can be used, and duplicate the marks and dots previously magic marked onto the clear vellum, by using heavy pressure, and etching the glass through the plastic vellum. Take your time, and be precise, for this process can not be undone, and even one mark out of place will be noticeable.

Then peel the vellum off the glass. At this time, you can cut the glass to size, if you haven't already done so(best to cut glass BEFORE etching, so as to avoid heartbreak of glass cracking down center of portrait).

Then for light colored background glass, take black ink(nail polish works great)and for darker glass use a light tan, or pink, and fill in all the tiny shading dots, wipe the excess off the glass surface, and your portrait appears, and you are an artist!

Once the ink or nail polish has thoroughly dried, you can obtain a can of permanent spray sealant, and coat the portrait, and it is permanent, and can be integrated into a stained glass design, of simply put in a common plate holder, and displayed for all to see!