Glass painting is a kind of drawing painted on the inside surface of transparent glass with gum or paints for the viewers to appreciate from outside the glass.

Archeological discoveries prove that China had been able to make glass by the Western Zhou Dynasty (1100-771BC). Glass painting, originated in Europe, was introduced into China by Italian painter Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766) in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and it soon became popular in cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Guangzhou, etc.

At the first beginning, glass painting was employed to decorate palace buildings, and later it developed into craftworks such as screens and palace lamps. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong, glass painting spread among ordinary people, and was much favored by wealthy people in China's coastal areas.

Glass painting is a relatively new medium, where proprietary liquid paints are used to color glass. Usually an outline is applied and is filled with the color. Pale tints are possible and colors can be mixed to obtain colors not possible with the original stained glass, only they are less durable and should be protected from the elements.

The subjects for glass painting are extensive, ranging from landscapes, historical resorts, birds, beasts, fishes and worms, to exotic flowers and glasses. There are literally dozens of ways to paint on glass, ranging from using traditional oil paints to using specialized glass paints that require firing with a kiln.

  Traditional stained glass painting

Traditionally, glass painting referred to painting on the surface of a sheet of glass to be included in a stained glass work. This kind of painting, which is actually closer to drawing than painting, was done to add details such as faces and folds of clothing that couldn't be added with traditional lead lines. It was also used to cover up portions of stained glass works so that light was kept from shining through.

In most cases, the glass paints used for stained glass painting are predominately browns and gray-blacks. The colors tend to be water or gum arabic based, and can be applied with a brush in a method similar to the way watercolors are applied. In most cases, these paints are fired onto the glass using a kiln. The heat of the kiln causes them to bond permanently with the glass.

There are several major types of traditional stained glass paints, including vinegar trace paint, matt paint, silver stain, and oil-based paints.