HOW TO USE DRAGONFLY GLAZE

What is Dragonfly Glaze?

Dragonfly Glaze is a multi-surface top coat that can be used over other paint colors to give them a gorgeous color shifting, shimmering finish. The colors shift depending on the angle of the light making them look something like the body of a dragonfly (hence the name!). The iridescent finish looks amazing on rounded surfaces (like these candle holders) since you are viewing the glaze from different angles in one glance.

What Colors are Available in Dragonfly Glaze?

The glaze consists of color-shifting pigments suspended in a base that applies milky but dries clear. The six varieties of FolkArt Dragonfly Glaze available are (from left to right):

• Violet-blue-green
• Full spectrum (a full rainbow shift)
• Gold-red-violet
• Red-violet-blue
• Green-gold-red
• Blue-green-gold

Tips and Tricks for Using Dragonfly Glaze

Check out this video to see what each of these stunning colors looks like in action. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more creative videos like this!

• Because it is a top coat, you need to put a base color of paint down on your project before you use Dragonfly Glaze. You can use either dark or light colors which will give you different-looking results. Dark base colors will give you more dramatic results than light base colors.
• Because the pigments are suspended in a milky base, you want to make sure to give the bottle a really good shake before you start working to make sure the pigments are fully dispersed in that base.
• I have found that you get the most vivid effects when using multiple thin coats of the Dragonfly Glaze. The glaze doesn’t take very long at all to dry, so you’re not going to add any work time to your project by doing more than one layer.
• I think that this looks great on a variety of surfaces, but those pigments really shine when you use them on a rounded surface. A rounded surface allows you to see the colors shift from one color to the next from any angle.
• I also like to use a firm, tightly-packed bristle brush to apply this Dragonfly Glaze. They make sure that you can work out any brushstrokes and remove excess product without adjusting the pigment placement on your project.
• If you apply multiple coats, I recommend alternating the direction of the brushstrokes from one coat to the next. That makes sure that you don’t end up with any streaking of the pigments since your brushstrokes will be going in the opposite direction.
• The Full Spectrum Dragonfly Glaze requires more coats than the other varieties to achieve full coverage of pigments. The color shift is still definitely there, it just requires a bit more time and effort.
• Since the glaze is water-based, you can clean it up easily with a damp cloth. This does mean that the finish is not suitable for outdoor use or DIY projects that will be exposed to water. I have seen some people use an acrylic top coat to seal the glaze but I would be worried that it might dull the sheen. I would test it on a small-scale scrap before trying it on your actual project.

Where Can I Buy Dragonfly Glaze?

Dragonfly Glaze is available online and in brick-and-mortar craft stores. It’s a little pricier than standard craft paint, so wait for sales or use your 40% off coupon on your purchase!

How is Dragonfly Glaze Different from Color Shift Paint?

Dragonfly Glaze is made by FolkArt, one of the offshoots of the Plaid brand. FolkArt also makes Color Shift paint. I have had lots of people wondering what the differences are between these two products, so I wrote a post about it! Click over to see the similarities and differences between Dragonfly Glaze and Color Shift paint.