How to Make Window Clings | Custom and Personalized

How to Make Window Clings | Custom and Personalized

Window clings are a perfect way to decorate your windows for the holiday season and other memorable occasions. Window clings are pretty easy to peel off, rearrange, and replace. But unfortunately for most people, store-bought window clings do not come in varying designs, and they can get expensive.  But fortunately for lovers of window clings, it is easy to make your own for an inexpensive cost! You can even make glue window clings which are safer for kids than the store-bought ones. In this post, we’ll reward you with several ways to make window clings.

How to Make Window Clings Using Fabric Paint

Yes, you read that right, you can also make window clings out of fabric paint. to do this, follow these easy DIY tips. Requirements You’ll Requirements need the following things:

1. Colored fabric paints (fine-tipped paints work best)
2. Clear page protectors
3. Desired picture or pattern
4. Toothpicks
5. Cotton swabs
6. Paper Towels

Step-by-step Guide

1. First things first, do well to create the pattern or drawing that you want to make a window cling from. Ensure that you use a simple line drawing with just a little fine detailing as possible. Coloring books could serve as a great source for a customized sticker
2. Proceed to place your drawing or pattern in a clear sheet protector; this will protect the artwork from the paint. Now, place it face-up on a flat working surface then Tape it into place.
3. Next is to decide on the paint for the outline of your pattern. Ensure that you shake the bottle upside down very well. While the paint is still upside down, tap it up and down on a tabletop a few times to remove any air bubbles.
4. Do well to hold the paint vertically. Then trace the outline of your pattern with the paint, directly on the surface of the sheet protector. Squeeze the paint container if you need heavier coverage to put down a fine, thick layer of paint. If you notice bubbles, you are putting the paint on too thickly. Just in case you make a mistake, clean it off with a cotton swab. As you complete the outline, allow the paint dry for a couple of hours, or as instructed in on the package.
5. Now, use other colors to fill in the unpainted areas of the cling. It's best to work in one tiny section at a time. All you need do is to place the first line of colored paint thickly and smoothly right inside the outline. Continue laying thick lines of colored paint next to each other till you have totally filled the area with paint.
6. Do well to blend side-by-side colors with a toothpick to achieve circular and zigzag strokes, combining two colors into each other so that they can meld where they adjoin. Mix the two colors till you notice that the originally defined lines become blurred. Wipe the toothpick clean whenever it gets too full of paint
7. Allow your window cling dry overnight, or we suggest eight to 12 hours. This amount of time is recommended because the coating applied is pretty thick and heavy.
8. Now make sure you peel the cling from the plastic page protector when the paint has dried thoroughly. You can stick it to any window, mirror, or other glass surfaces. You can also reposition it anytime as desired.

How to Make Window Clings Using Puff Paint

You can also make window clings with puff paint. These are the steps to carry out:

1. Begin by making a pattern. You can use a dark-colored pen to draw a simple design on a sheet of paper. Do well to also cut a page off a coloring book or you can print a design from the internet. If you don't want to use a black pen, you can opt for another dark color.
2. Now you can Tape a sheet of parchment paper on your template. In case you don't have parchment paper, do well to use wax paper. But if you can't find both, place the design into a plastic, zippered bag.
3. Now, outline your design with the puff paint. You may find it labeled as puffy paint, 3D paint, or dimensional paint. You will usually find it in the fabric paint section of a fabric store or your typical arts and crafts store. If you have inner shapes, like spots on a ladybug, or any equivalent, trace around the inner shapes using your outline color.
4. You can make a few practice strokes on a piece of scrap paper first; this will allow you to get a feel for the puff paint, and also prevent it from gushing out.
5. Next is you will in your designs. Do well to make several thick lines, then use the tip of your puff paint bottle to spread them around. We advise not to skimp on the puff paint, ensure it’s as thick as you can. It will be hard to peel off if it is too thin.
6. You can shake on some glitter. Although this is not compulsory, it can make your window clings look extra appealing. Extra-fine glitter would work perfectly, but you can go for other types. Wait for a while before you remove the excess glitter.
7. Wait for your design to dry. Do well to note that it will take at least 48 hours for the paint to dry. However, you can sample smaller pieces after 24 hours. Indeed, puff paint will mostly look darker and a tad more translucent when dry. Make sure you carefully peek under the design. If you notice that the puff paint looks "milky" from behind, it is definitely not ready.
8. Next is to carefully peel off the design. If your proposed piece is very big, do well to peel it off bit by bit so that it does not rip. If the window is stuck or won't come off with ease, put it into the freezer for a few hours. then, try it again.
9. Now, use window clings. Press the smooth side (that is, the side that was against your template) against a clean window. To ensure extra glow, press them against a sunny and bright window.

How to Make Window Clings Using Glue

Here are steps on how to make DIY window decals using glue:

Step 1 Get a sheet of paper and draw a simple design using a dark-colored pen (preferably black). If you don't know how to draw, do well to find a simple outline online and then print it out. Another great idea is to tear a page out of a coloring book.

Step 2 Transfer your design onto a plastic page protector. If you don't have one, you can also make use of a plastic zippered sandwich bag. Plastic wrap is another good option. Do well to tape it to the work surface, on your design. A wax paper may also do. However, stay away from parchment paper because it will absorb the glue and make the window clings difficult to remove.

Step 3 Next step is to mix the glue, dish soap, and food coloring. Measure 2 tablespoons of white school glue and put it into a bowl. Now add 2 drops of dish soap as you stir in liquid or gel food coloring. Use your discretion to determine how much food coloring to use. But have it at the back of your mind that The more you use, the darker and vibrant the color will be. You can also use liquid watercolors if food coloring is now available.

Step 4 At this point, you should apply a thick layer of paint to your design with a good paintbrush. You have to ensure the paint is thick enough so that it will be sturdy. Do well to avoid making it too thick, because it will run and not dry properly. Also, make sure the colors touch or your window cling will fall apart. For a cleaner finish, ensure you outline your design with glitter glue or a glitter glue pen. Puff paint may also do the job.

Step 5 Allow the window cling dry overnight. The window clings will appear more translucent as they dry. Note that if they still appear milky, they are not ready. Take a peek under the template to make sure they are ready.

Step 6 Make sure you peel the window clings off at this point. Do it slowly while you make use of both hands. If your window cling is quite large, do well to pull it off bit by bit. In case the window cling is difficult to pull off, know that it may be too thin. All you need do is paint another layer of glue on top, leave to dry and try again. If your window cling still maintains that difficulty, place it in the freezer for a few hours.

Step 7 Finally, you can now use window clings. Press the side that was against your template on a clean window. For a dazzling effect, place it in a sunny window. Window clings aren't too difficult to make, but you can save a lot of time and headache by just ordering them online.