If your mirror is quite dirty, use a mild soap solution to wipe it down. Follow up with plain water, and then dry the surface with the cloth. To get rid of fingerprints and greasy residue, dip the cloth in a small amount of rubbing alcohol and wipe down the surface.
Purchase water-soluble pencils at any art supply store. It’s important to use a water-soluble pencil so you can easily remove any remaining lines once you finish your painting. You don’t have to use white, specifically, white shows up best on a mirrored surface.
For example, if you are painting koi onto a mirror, don’t paint the entire water backdrop blue. Leave a few unpainted areas in the water, which will create interesting effects once the painting is finished. If you are painting a portrait, sketch in the form of the person, but leave the backdrop unpainted. Once the painting is complete, the background behind the portrait will be reflective and ever-changing.
Leave the gesso to dry for 24 hours before proceeding. Liquid gesso can be purchased at any art supply store.
Make sure you carefully go over all of the gessoed areas with white paint. You don’t want any gesso peeking out after you’ve finished your piece. Allow the white acrylic paint to dry for 30 to 60 minutes.
For example, if you want to lighten any color, add a small amount of white paint. Use the knife to completely blend the two colors together. If you want it lighter, add more white and mix again. If you need to make brown paint, combine equal quantities of complementary colors. Complementary color pairings you can try: yellow and purple, green and red, or blue and orange. [7] X Research source
Keep clean Q-tips nearby. If you accidentally get paint in an area you want to remain reflective, quickly wipe it away using the cotton swab. If you have a pretty severe paint smear, grab some glass cleaner and dunk the Q-tip in that before wiping it away.
Use a fresh paintbrush for each paint color you work with. Use the size that makes sense for the area you’re painting. For example, use a small brush for detail work. For larger areas, use a flat brush or rounded brush.
It’s important to work on a perfectly flat surface because the spray paint could drip and run otherwise. To be safe, you should wear a face mask and eye protection when spray painting in a well-ventilated area. If you’re spray painting in an enclosed space, upgrade the dust mask to a face mask with a respirator.
If your frame was previously painted, it’s completely fine to spray paint right over that. The only exception is if the paint is flaking or chipping. If it is, use a wire brush to remove the flakes, then sand the surface until it’s smooth.
Allow the first coat of spray paint to dry for 1-2 hours. [16] X Expert Source Amy GuerreroArts & Crafts Specialist Expert Interview. 28 April 2021. [17] X Research source Don’t try to cover the frame in one coat – this will likely lead to dripping and running. Do several thin coats.
