To recap what we discussed in Glow Paint Info, Glow in the Dark Paint is produced by mixing Glow powder with Clear Ink. Once the glow powder is mixed into the clear ink, the mixture is no longer clear, but takes on the color of the glow powder.

The ink or paint used must be clear or it won’t work. To test if a paint or ink is clear, apply a little on a test patch. If it dries clear, it is okay. If you can’t see surface beneath the paint after it has dried, this paint is not clear and should not be used.

Mixing ratio of glow powder to clear ink is 40% powder to 100% clear ink (measured by weight). You can use any clear ink but solvent based types are preferred.

Now that we have got that out of the way, here are some glow painting tips:

1) The surface to be painted must be white (preferred) or at least light colored. This is because of the basic fact that light colors reflect light and dark colors absorb light. Since glow in the dark paint gives out light, painting on a dark background, will reduce the glowing effects. If you have to paint on a dark surface, apply a layer of white paint first.

2) Glow in the dark painting must be done under UV (black) light. Glow paint is not a normal paint. It is a special effect paint. Your painting would not be viewed under normal light but in the dark. If you paint it under normal light, no matter how smooth and even you think your painting is, when you switch off the lights, the glow painting would be in patches. So our best advice for this would be to switch of all normal lights and use a UV light when painting with glow paint. In this way, you would be able to see the glow effects clearly and apply it evenly.

3) Apply at least 3 coats of glow paint. This is the minimum. The more the better. Basic principle is – the thicker the painted layer, the brighter and longer the glowing effects would be. Solvent paints dry fast so it would be possible to apply each coat within 30 minutes of each other. Do not apply thick coats as it would be difficult to get an evenly painted glowing surface and it also takes longer to dry. Better to apply more thin coats of paint than less thick coats of paint.

4) Protect your glow painting. With proper protection, your painted surface would last a long time. Protection can be as simple as applying a layer or two of Clear Spray Paint over it. For industrial protection, we recommend the Epoxy Protector.

We sell a Glow Painting kit, which contains all the tools and instructions needed, to apply glow in the dark paint on any surface, like a professional.

We hope you found this information useful. If you have any questions or would like to add some tips and tricks, send us an email.