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ETCH INTO GLASS USING CRICUT
Etching (definition): the act or process of making designs or pictures on a metal plate, glass, etc., by the corrosive action of an acid. Cool right? And it’s actually pretty simple to do, with the use of a stencil!
This tutorial will allow you to make some gorgeous designs on any glass or window that will last the duration of your blank. Personalize champagne flutes for a wedding gift, label the glass jars in your kitchen, and make that wine glass YOUR wine glass. For this tutorial we used a design from our FREE sports heartbeat bundle. To download the bundle click here
*Do make sure that you follow proper safety precautions when following this tutorial as you will be working with an acid. We recommend using gloves and eye goggles for this project – just in case!
This design comes with a personal and commercial license to use up to 250 made items, but please do not re-sell or re-distribute the files. To download the free ‘sports heartbeat’ SVG bundle click here!
What you’ll need…
Materials
- Sports heartbeat SVG bundle
- Protective gloves and eyewear
- Stencil vinyl
- A glass
- Scotch tape
- Etching cream
- Transfer tape
- Isopropyl (90% or higher)
- Lint-free cloth
Tools
- Cutting machine (Cricut maker, Silhouette, Explore or Joy)
- A Cricut light gip mat (blue) or standard grip green mat
- Weeding tool
- A fine-point blade
- A paintbrush
- Scraping tool
Instructions
- Upload the design you would like to use from our free Sport Heartbeat bundle. Highlight the SVG and click ‘insert image’ to move it into your canvas area. The SVG has all 5 sports designs in one, so whether you’re a football/soccer/baseball/tennis/basketball fan… this FREE bundle is for you!
2. Delete the designs you don’t want by highlighting them and clicking backspace/delete.
3. Resize your design to fit on to your blank. You can use a measuring tape to help you.
3. Next you will need to invert your design so it can be used as a stencil. To do this, draw a rectangle around your design. Start by selecting ‘shapes’ and then ‘square’.
4. Click on the little padlock above your dimensions. This will turn the aspect radio off and allow you to resize your square into a rectangle. You can drag the circled corner of your square to resize it, or insert the dimensions manually.
5. Move the rectangle layer behind your SVG so that you can see it. You can do this one of two ways. First: select the rectangle layer and physically drag it underneath the SVG layer in the right-hand layers panel. Second: use a keyboard shortcut. Click on the rectangle layer and on your keyboard type (for MAC): CMD down arrow, for PC: [ or Ctrl down arrow.
6. To make the positioning of your SVG on your glass much easier, make sure that the SVG is centred in the very middle of the rectangle. To get this exact, highlight both layers and, in the top panel, select alignment –> centre.
7. Highlight both layers again, and slice. This will cut out your SVG design from the rectangle (soon to be your stencil).
8. This will create an extra layer. In order to make the hole in your rectangle (and thus make your stencil), you will need to delete the two layers shown below.
9. That’s your stencil ready to cut. The empty spaces where your etching cream will be painted on! Click make it, then under base material click ‘all materials’ and find ‘stencil vinyl’ in the list.
10. Cut your stencil vinyl to size and lay it on your mat. Stencil vinyl is prone to getting a few air bubbles. Don’t fret if this happens, just use your scraper tool to push the bubbles out as best as you can.
11. Cut your design, and then weed it using your tool
12. Clean your glass with Isopropyl alcohol (90% or higher) using a lint free cloth. The cleaner the surface the better. This ensures that your stencil adheres well to the glass.
13. Next, I recommend that you use some scotch tape to stick your glass to your surface. This will prevent your glass from moving while you adhere your stencil.
14. Next, just like with regular vinyl, take some transfer paper and carefully adhere the stencil to the glass surface by pressing firmly to smooth over the entire design and peel away. Push the bubbles down and smooth out the design as best as you can using your hands and a scraper tool. Bear in mind, any gaps or bubbles around your design can allow the etching cream to seep under near. This will be visible in the end result. Curving your design can make adhesion easier if you are really struggling
15. Next you want to begin taping around your design with masking tape to prevent any of the etching cream from touching the glass outside of your stencil. Even if the cream touches it for a second, it will still leave a permanent mark on your blank.
16. Put on your gloves and safety goggles and prepare your Etching cream. Follow the back of the tub exactly as directed. Make sure your work area is room temperature (about 70°F / 21°C), well ventilated, and easily accessible to running water.
17. Get a 3-minute timer on your phone ready. Shake the etching cream before applying. Then, use a small paintbrush to coat a thick layer of cream over the stencil to fully cover it. Do this quickly and as evenly as possible and then let it sit (undisturbed) for the duration. For a standard glass 3 minutes should be absolutely fine. A little trial and error should make for perfect results with your blank as high-quality leaded glass can be a little more stubborn. Don’t leave it on too long as this will scorch your glass and may start to dissolve the stencil.
18. Wash off the etching cream thoroughly with warm water and dish soap. You can your paintbrush as a scrubber too and clean both at the same time! Stainless steel sinks or a plastic pail with water are preferred. Porcelain and enamel sinks may dull over time when exposed to etching cream.
19. Peel away the vinyl and tape, to reveal your design!
20. Bottoms up.
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