Mirrors offer a reflection of ourselves -- the reflection of who we are on the outside. When we learn to etch on mirrors, we change the purpose of that mirror. It no longer enables us to see only our external image, but also reflects a part of our inner creative beauty to the world.
Materials Needed for Mirror Etching
If you have never done mirror etching before, it is probably best to start out with a small mirror. If you decide you enjoy the process, you can move up in size as you gain more confidence.
Other items that will be required for this project include a pencil, clear tape, white contact paper, carbon paper unless you are able to hand draw your design, an X-acto knife with extra blades, a small artist's brush, Armour Etching Cream and a design.
For learning purposes, it is best to start with a design similar to what you see in a coloring book as the lines are well-defined.
Preparing a Mirror for Etching
You will be covering the entire surface of your mirror with one solid sheet of contact paper. If you can remove your mirror from its frame, you can use the mirror to trace the size of the mirror onto your contact paper. Once you have done this, cut it out, peel off the back, and lay it carefully on your mirror surface. Smooth it out as well as you can to remove any bubbles. If you cannot remove the mirror from the frame, you will have to measure your mirror and draw the proper shape on your contact paper.
After you have your contact paper on your mirror, you will want to tape your carbon paper over top of it, then tape your design over top of that. This way, as you are tracing the design, it will not move or shift.
Whether you are using carbon paper or drawing the design yourself, you will have to make sure that you double line everything within the design. The double lines should be at least one-eighth inch wide if possible. Coloring book outlines usually have fairly thick dark lines, so you would trace the outside and the inside of the thick line, without coloring it in, when transferring it onto your contact paper. When you are done tracing your design, remove the traced copy and the carbon paper.
Making the Cut
Check over the design you have made on the contact paper and make sure everything is double lined. Now, with a steady hand, you will begin cutting along the outside and inside lines with your X-acto knife, following the contours of the design.
It is best, at first, to cut in small increments, so if you have a long straight line, cut on the outside line about one inch, cut on the inside line about one inch, then make a straight cut between the two at the point you began and a straight cut between the two at the point where you ended. Use the tip of your X-acto knife to peel up a corner of what you have just cut and peel it off. When you get more comfortable, you can cut longer stretches.
Wherever you cut and remove the contact paper is where you will be using the etching cream, so be sure you are cutting in the proper places and have not missed double lining anything.
Etching Your Design
Now that you have your entire design cut out, it is time to etch it into your mirror. With your paint brush, dab your Armour Etching Cream thickly over the areas of mirror that are showing. Do not scrimp on the cream if you want a good etching.
Leave the etching cream on for no less than a minute and no more than five minutes. When the time is up, rinse your mirror with tap water until all of the etching cream is gone. Peel off the rest of the contact paper, allow your mirror to dry, then clean it with window cleaner. You have completed your first mirror etching.
Extra Tips Concerning Mirror Etching
Always have extra X-acto blades at hand as, sometimes, you may press a little too hard which causes the tip to break off. Maintaining a sharp tool makes it the etching process much easier, so try to cut with a light hand.
Etching can be done on glass using the exact same process.
Though you can purchase pre-made peel and stick stencils at most craft stores which require no contact paper or cutting, you are limited as to what designs you can get. It is much more fun to choose a design you like and learn to etch your mirrors creatively and to share your inner creative self with the world.
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