Glass Block Christmas Sign - Merry Christmas from the Dayhoff Design Initiative
I picked up some 8x8 glass blocks a few years ago at an auction for $2 and thought, at the time, that I could eventually use them for something. I finally came up with an idea for a lighted sign for the holidays. This painted glass block sign looks like blocks of ice with a message carved in them.
This technique described below could also be used for other non-holiday graphic displays.
This was a trial and error process. I first attempted to back light the glass blocks but the light washed out the lettering on the front of the blocks. So I removed the back from the box and front lit the sign and it worked much better.
Here are the steps for this project:
Print out characters for the message on a printer adjusting the size to fit on the face of the blocks.
Use painters tape to cover the front of the glass blocks
Cut out the printed characters and trace them onto the painters tape.
Using a knife, cut out the tape around the letters so that you are left with the shape of each letter on the glass block.
Using spray frosting or white spray paint, lightly cover the front of the glass blocks. I used a combination of both frosting spray and white spray paint.
After the paint dries, peel away the taped letters revealing the clear surface of the glass blocks below the taped characters.
This will give the effect of blocks of ice covered in frost with the holiday message carved in.
I built a box with an enclosed back with the intention of back lighting the glass blocks. That didn't have the effect I wanted so I removed the back of the box and the shadowing effect of the paint surface contrasted against the clear surface of the characters looked much better.
I used a set of thin tube florescent lights, but a string of holiday lights will work just as well.
This message is visible in the glass blocks day and night.