Using Glow in the Dark Paint in a Painting

The last posting mentioned that the landscape painting had another secret. As you now know from the title of this post – it included some glow-in-the-dark paint.

I bought a small container from eBay and didn’t know quite what to expect.

However I like to experiment with new materials…


My first try

My first project was to use it on a lighthouse window in a picture I had previously painted. I thought that if the lighthouse window would glow in the dark it would add an interesting dimension to the picture.






The picture is displayed in quite a dark hallway and I was disappointed that there was no glow. I applied several layers of the paint but there wasn’t any improvement.


I have it so I will use it!

Seeing as I had most of the paint left I decided to give it another try. The hallway is fairly dark and maybe the paint wasn’t getting enough light in that position.

This time I applied the paint to the landscape so that the glow would look like a shimmer in the sky that was reflected on the watery section in the centre of the picture, indicated by the marked area in the photo.




As in my first attempt, I applied a few layers of the glow-in-the-dark paint. This is recommended in the instructions that came with it.


Display and Glow

I hung the painting and forgot about it. But this time it worked. :-)
As soon as the lights were out the areas that I used the glow in the dark paint on gave off a slight glow – enough for me to see even without my glasses on!

The picture is displayed on the wall on the same side of the bedroom as the digital clock. I don’t know if this gives enough light to make a difference or not, I only know that it works there.


Green Might be Better?

According to the website the brightest glow comes from the green paint. The one I have is white, which is second in their table.

I can imagine painting a sunset with over hanging trees and using the green on the leaves for an interesting glow look. I might get around to that some time.


For the Full Range

You don't need to look on eBay for this paint supplier. They have a website at www.kilabitzzz.co.uk with their full range.

They also sell some other interesting paints. There is one for UV lights and a temperature changing one too. If you're looking for something different it may be worth a look.