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Activities / Kolam & Rangoli / Rangoli Bottle Lantern

Rangoli Bottle Lantern

Rangoli Bottle Lantern: A Glass Bottle Painted with Rangoli Motifs

Level
Beginner
Duration
1 - 2 hours (plus 2 days curing)
Budget
₹419 – ₹554
Age
12+
State
Tamil Nadu

Materials

  • Clear glass bottle (500 to 750 ml) with a smooth side
  • Glass paint, 6 colours (water based)
  • Black relief liner for glass
  • Round paint brushes, sizes 0 and 2
  • Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol)
  • Battery operated LED fairy lights, warm white
  • Paper, black pen, pencil, toothpicks, cotton buds and masking tape

Steps

  1. Pick a clear glass bottle with no cracks or chips
    Choose a clear, smooth-sided glass bottle of 500 ml to 750 ml, such as a water, juice or wine bottle with a straight body. Hold it up to the light and run a finger around the rim to check for cracks or chips. Common mistake: using a bottle with a rough or ridged surface, which makes the painted lines wobble. If it has any crack or chip, choose a different bottle.
    Tip: A plain straight-sided bottle gives you the biggest flat area to paint.
  2. Soak off the label and the glue, then wash and dry the bottle
    Fill the bottle with warm soapy water and soak it for 30 minutes, then peel off the label. Rub any glue left behind with a little cooking oil on a cloth, then wash the whole bottle again with dish soap. Rinse it well and dry it completely, inside and outside, with a clean cloth. Common mistake: leaving a trace of glue, because paint will not stick there and will peel later.
  3. Wipe the outside with rubbing alcohol and do not touch it again
    Put a few drops of rubbing alcohol on a clean cloth and wipe the outside of the bottle in one direction. This removes oil from your fingers, so paint grips the glass. Let it dry for a minute. From now on, hold the bottle only by the neck and base. Fingerprints on the painting area leave patches where the paint beads up.
  4. Draw your rangoli design on paper, sized to the bottle
    Measure the bottle's height of the area you want to paint (about 12 cm is good) and how far round it is, using a strip of paper. On a sheet of paper, draw a band that size with a flower about 5 cm across in the middle, a ring of 8 petals around it and a ring of dots outside that. Use a black pen so the lines show through the glass later. Common mistake: drawing a design wider than the bottle.
    Tip: Repeat the flower two or three times around the bottle if it looks too plain.
  5. Roll the drawing and slide it inside the bottle as a guide
    Roll the paper with the drawing facing outwards and slide it into the bottle. Let it unroll so it presses against the inside of the glass, with the design facing out and the flower in the middle of the area you will paint. If the paper slips, tape its top edge to the inside of the neck with a short piece of tape. You can now see the design through the glass and trace it from the outside.
  6. Trace the outlines with the black relief liner and let it dry
    Test the liner on a scrap of paper to start the flow, then squeeze gently and trace the shapes through the glass, moving steadily so the line is 1 to 2 mm thick and unbroken. Lay the bottle on a folded towel so it cannot roll, and turn it as you work. Wait 4 hours until the lines are completely dry. Common mistake: lines with gaps, which let colour run between sections, so fix any gap right away with a bit more liner.
    Tip: Wipe the liner nozzle with a tissue now and then so the line stays clean.
  7. Fill each section with glass paint, one colour at a time
    Pull out the paper and, using the size 2 brush, fill the petals and the centre of the flower with glass paint, working from the inside outwards. Paint a thin, even coat that touches the liner, and do not paint two neighbouring sections in a row. Wait about 30 minutes for each colour to set before painting beside it. Common mistake: laying paint on too thick, which makes drips and bubbles.
    Tip: Keep a damp cotton bud ready to pick up any paint that goes over the line.
  8. Add dots and swirls around the design with a toothpick
    Dip the tip of a toothpick in glass paint and touch it to the glass to make a round dot. Make a ring of dots about 1 cm outside the petals, spaced about 7 mm apart, and add a small swirl between every two petals. Re-dip the toothpick for every dot so they stay the same size. Common mistake: dragging the toothpick, which turns dots into streaks.
  9. Let the paint cure for 24 to 48 hours without touching it
    Stand the bottle upright in a dry, dust-free corner away from direct sun. Leave it for at least 24 hours, or the time on your paint label, which can be up to 48 hours or even a week for full hardness. Do not wash it or touch the painted part during this time. Common mistake: switching on lights and handling the bottle too early, which leaves fingerprints in the soft paint.
  10. Put a battery fairy light inside and switch it on
    Feed the string of LED lights into the bottle, leaving the battery pack outside or tucked in the neck. Turn it on in a dim room to see the glow through your painting. Use only battery LEDs, never a candle or a flame, because a flame inside a painted glass bottle can crack it and burn the paint. Wipe the outside gently with a dry cloth when it gets dusty and never soak it in water.
    Tip: Warm white lights make the colours glow best.

Sustainability

High - reuses a glass bottle; glass paint is plastic-based

Safety

Glass can break and cut, so handle it with care and never use a cracked bottle; ventilate when painting; use an LED light or battery lights, not a real flame, inside the bottle