Glow jars can be a pretty extra party decoration. You can also use it as a bedroom decoration. There are several different ways you can follow to make it. This article will show you how:
Step
Method 1 of 5: Using a Glow Stick
Step 1. Prepare the materials and plan the manufacture from the start
A glow stick or glow stick can only glow for two to six hours, depending on its size. Therefore, plan to make glow jars before you use them. This way, you can enjoy the beauty of the glow jar longer. Here is the list of materials needed:
- 1 glow stick or 2 – 3 glow stick rings
- Craft knife or scissors
- Jars with lids
- Newsprint
- Rubber or latex gloves
- Filter
- Gloss powder (optional)
Step 2. Cover the work area with newsprint
This project can make a room messy so you need to protect the table you are using. If you don't have newsprint, use a plastic bag or even a cheap plastic tablecloth.
Step 3. Open a glass jar and place a strainer on it
The glow stick has a glass tube inside. When you "activate" the stick by breaking it in half, the glass tube will shatter. The filter used is used to hold broken glass.
Do not reuse the filter for cooking. Even after cleaning, there may be shards of glass still stuck in the filter
Step 4. Put on a pair of rubber or latex gloves
Although considered non-toxic, the chemicals in glow sticks can still cause skin irritation. In addition, you are also likely to touch broken glass.
Step 5. Turn on the glow stick
Grasp the stick with both hands, then quickly break it into two halves. Shake the stick to mix the ingredients in. Now, the stick starts to glow brightly.
Step 6. Cut the tip of the glow stick
Hold the stick over the jar, and trim the ends using a craft knife or sharp scissors. Be careful not to let the liquid in it hit you.
If you are a child, ask your parents for help
Step 7. Transfer the contents of the glow stick to a jar
Turn the stick over so the liquid can flow into the jar. The pieces of glass will be retained by the filter. You will need to shake or shake the stick to get all the contents out.
Step 8. Repeat this process for the other glow sticks
Try using a glow stick of the same color. Some colors look pretty when mixed (eg red and white), but others turn out to be cloudy (eg red and green).
Step 9. Discard the glow stick receptacle and broken glass
Put everything in the trash. Make sure you tap the filter against the wall of the trash can to knock out any debris that might get stuck.
Step 10. Remove gloves
The best way to remove it is to grab the wrist of the glove and pull it to the end. After that, the inside of the glove will flip outward. You don't have to worry because the glow stick liquid that sticks to the outside of the glove won't touch your skin.
Step 11. Try adding some glitter powder
Your glow jar is almost ready to use, but you can make it prettier by adding about a teaspoon of glitter powder. You can also use powder of any color you want, but colored powder or powder of a color that matches the color of the stick is preferable.
Step 12. Put the lid on and shake the jar
After that, the glow stick liquid will smear the walls of the jar.
Step 13. Take the jar into a dark room
Enjoy the glow of the jar while it's still glowing. Usually, the light will dim after two to six hours. If you want, you can add more stick liquid to the jar the next night.
Method 2 of 5: Using Glow-in-the-Dark Paint
Step 1. Gather the required materials
Unlike glow jars made from glow sticks, these jars never stop glowing. You only need to “charge” it occasionally by placing the bottle under a bright light for about 15 minutes. Here's a list of the ingredients you'll need:
- Jar (with lid, optional)
- Alcohol
- Glow-in-the-dark paint (glow-in-the-dark paint)
- Fine shimmer powder (optional)
Step 2. Clean the jars using soap and warm water
Even if it looks clean, there may still be some dust stuck to the jar. Dry the jars with a clean towel.
Step 3. Wipe the inside of the jar with rubbing alcohol
Soak a cotton swab in alcohol and use the cotton swab to wipe the walls in the jar. The alcohol will remove any excess oil that makes it difficult for the paint to stick to the walls.
Step 4. Add a few drops of paint into the jar
Place the paint inside the jar to prevent the paint from being scratched or eroded. You don't need a lot of paint because later, you can shake the jar to spread the paint.
Try adding a fine shimmer powder. This powder will mix with the paint and give it an added shine
Step 5. Put the lid on and shake the jar until the paint coats the entire inner wall
You can also tilt the jar and rotate it to coat the wall. If the paint doesn't flow or stick easily, you may not have added enough paint or the paint is too thick. Try adding a few drops of paint, or adding a few drops of warm water and shaking the jar again.
Step 6. Open the jar and put the remaining paint from inside the jar into the paint bottle
This way, the paint will dry more easily and you won't be wasting a lot of paint.
Step 7. Wait for the paint to dry
Usually, the paint dries within two hours, depending on how hot or humid the weather is. Try reading the label for a more specific drying time as each brand has a different drying time.
Step 8. Try adding an extra layer or two for a stronger glow
The first coat of paint may be too thin. This means that the jar will not glow brightly. Once the first coat is dry, pour the paint back into the jar and remove the rest as before. Allow each layer to dry before adding additional layers.
Step 9. Close the jar if you want
Since jars don't hold any spillable filling, you don't really need a lid. On the other hand, the lid of the jar will keep it clean and prevent dust from entering the jar. In addition, the lid can also protect the paint.
Step 10. Leave the jar in a bright light for about 15 minutes before using it
Glow-in-the-dark paint doesn't need ultraviolet light to glow. However, paint like this needs to be filled with "power". If the glow starts to dim, all you need to do is restore it for 15 minutes under bright light.
Method 3 of 5: Using Marker Ink and Water
Step 1. Gather the required materials
These jars cannot fluoresce by themselves. You'll need an ultraviolet light for the jar to glow, but with a bright glow, this method is worth trying. Here are the ingredients you'll need:
- Ultraviolet lamp
- Marker marker (highlighter)
- Hand crafted knife
- Jars with lids
- Water
- Newsprint
- Rubber or latex gloves
Step 2. Protect your workplace
This project can make a room messy so you need to protect the table you are using with a few sheets of newsprint. If you don't have newsprint, use a plastic bag or an inexpensive plastic tablecloth.
Step 3. Put on a pair of rubber or latex gloves
You need to hold the marker ink cartridge which of course can make your hands dirty. Gloves will protect your hands from ink stains.
Step 4. Unscrew the marker using a craft knife
Remove the marker cap, and place the marker on top of the newspaper. Hold the marker with one hand, and cut the plastic tube of the marker with the other. Try not to cut the ink cartridge that is in the cartridge. Instead, rotate the marker as you cut the outer tube.
If you are a child, ask an adult for help with this step
Step 5. Remove the ink cartridges
These cartridges look like felt sticks or rag sticks. Sometimes, these sticks are protected by clear plastic. If the stick is protected by clear plastic, you don't need to remove it.
If you want, you can remove the tip of the marker using a pair of scissors
Step 6. Insert the marker ink cartridge into the jar
You only need one cartridge for each jar. If you removed the tip of the marker, put it in the jar as well.
Step 7. Fill the jar with hot water
Water helps dissolve the ink in the marker. After that, you will remove the cartridge from the jar. The water you enter will glow with an ultraviolet lamp.
Step 8. Cover and shake the jar
This step can release the remaining ink from the cartridge and run it into the water.
Step 9. Leave the cartridge in the water for 4-6 hours
This way, the ink has enough time to flow out of the cartridge and mix with the water. Over time, the water begins to absorb the color of the ink.
Step 10. Remove the cartridge and squeeze out the remaining absorbed water to put it back into the jar
Make sure you're wearing rubber or latex gloves for this step. If you put the tip of the marker into the marker, remove the tip using a pair of pliers. Usually, the tip of the marker is too hard to squeeze so you can throw it away right away.
Step 11. Remove cartridge and remove gloves
If you're also putting the tip of the marker into the jar, you'll need to throw it away as well. After removing the cartridges, remove the gloves. Pull the wrist of the glove so that the glove is upside down and the inside is visible. This way, you won't touch the marker ink that's stuck to the outside of the glove. Once removed, discard gloves.
Step 12. Put the lid on the jar
If you want, you can apply superglue around the lip of the jar before attaching it. With this, no one can open the jar and spill the contents. Like jars made of glow-in-the-dark paint, these jars don't lose their glow and don't need to be refilled like glow stick jars.
Step 13. Place the jar under an ultraviolet lamp to make it glow
Marker ink can fluoresce. However, unlike paint that glows in the dark, this ink does not glow by itself. Therefore, this paint requires light from an ultraviolet lamp. The jar will only glow with the help of an ultraviolet lamp. Also, unlike a paint jar that glows in the dark, you also can't "charge" it so that it glows.
Method 4 of 5: Using Paint and Water
Step 1. Gather the required materials
A jar filled with paint and water makes a pretty glow jar. If you add glitter powder, the jar can be used as a timer or a “soothing” jar. Here are the ingredients you'll need:
- Jars with lids
- Water
- Glow in the dark paint or fluorescent paint
- Ultraviolet lamp (if you use fluorescent paint)
- Fine shimmer powder
Step 2. Fill the jar with warm water
However, do not fill the jar with water to the brim. The added paint will add volume to the water.
Step 3. Add some paint to the jar
The more paint you add, the stronger the glow will be. You can use fluorescent paint or glow-in-the-dark paint. Here are the differences between the two types of paint:
- If you are using fluorescent paint, you will need an ultraviolet lamp for the paint to glow. The paint stops glowing if you move or pick up the lamp.
- If you are using a paint that glows in the dark, you will need to leave it in a bright light for (at least) 15 minutes. The paint can glow in the dark for (maximum) 1 hour.
Step 4. Try adding some glitter powder to add some extra glitter
You only need about a teaspoon of powder. Try to match the color of the powder to the color of the paint used.
Step 5. Put the lid on the jar and lock it firmly
You can also apply super glue around the lip of the jar before attaching the lid. This way, no one can open the jar and spill the contents.
Step 6. Shake the jar to mix the water with the paint
Keep shaking the jar until the paint is evenly mixed with the water. There should be no paint residue or clumps.
Step 7. Install an ultraviolet lamp if you are using fluorescent paint
Unlike paint that glows in the dark, fluorescent paint cannot be charged by “power”. The jar must be placed next to an ultraviolet lamp for it to glow. If you pick up or move the lamp away, the paint won't glow.
You can buy an ultraviolet lamp from a party supply or craft supply store
Step 8. Charge the glow-in-the-dark paint glow by leaving the jar under bright light for (at least) 15 minutes
After that, the jar will glow on its own for about 1 hour. You can recharge the glow power as often as you want.
Step 9. Turn off the lights and watch the jars glow
If you are using an ultraviolet lamp, turn off the normal lamp and turn on the ultraviolet lamp.
Step 10. Shake the jar again if necessary
Paint and water may separate over time. If the paint starts to settle to the bottom of the jar, simply shake the jar again to mix it up.
Method 5 of 5: Making Other Kinds of Jars and Decorating Them
Step 1. Fill the jar with tonic water and close the lid tightly
To make the jars glow, you need to place them next to an ultraviolet lamp. Tonic water will produce a bright blue glow.
Step 2. Use glow-in-the-dark paint to draw dots on the walls of the jar
This pattern creates a starry night effect. Just use glow-in-the-dark paint and dab the paint to make dots all over the walls of the jar. Let the paint dry, then close the jar. Place the jar in the light for about 15 minutes, then take the jar into a dark room. These jars don't need bright light to glow.
Step 3. Decorate the lid of the jar
Regular jar lids give a classic look, especially mason jar lids. You can decorate the lid to make the jar look more special. Here are some ideas you can follow:
- Coat the lid with glue, then sprinkle some glitter powder. Wait for the glue to dry, then tap the lid to remove any remaining powder. To prevent the powder from coming off and sticking to other places, spray the lid with a glossy clear acrylic paint.
- Paint the lid of the jar in another color using acrylic paint or spray paint.
- Attach the tape to the sides of the lid using hot glue.
- Glue the small figurine to the top of the lid using super glue. You can display the paint and sculpture as is, or spray paint them for a solid color.
- Use super glue to attach the faux gemstone to the cap. Pour a small amount of superglue on the area where you want to apply the gemstone, then press the gemstone into the glue. Glue the gemstones one by one.
- Decorate the lid with a sticker. Try using a star-shaped sticker that glows in the dark.
Step 4. Decorate the outside of the jar with black marker
You can design and make jars with a Jack-o-Lantern look or a Day of the Dead sugar skull. You can also make wind loops or spiral patterns. This step is more suitable for glow jars made from glow sticks or marker water.
Step 5. Try adding glitter powder to the jar
You need about a tablespoon of powder. With this powder, the jar will look more shiny. Try matching powder colors to paint colors for best results.
Step 6. Make a galaxy jar
Cover the outside of the jar with a star-shaped sticker, then paint the jar a solid color using spray paint or acrylic paint. Wait for the paint to dry, then remove the sticker. The jar will glow through the star-shaped holes.
Step 7. Make a softer glow by painting the jar with white glue
Pour some white glue on the paper plate. Use a foam brush to apply glue to the outside of the jar. Wait for the glue to dry before using the jar. The muted outer layer will soften the glow of the jars.
This step is more effective for glow jars made from glow sticks. This method is not recommended for jars made from glow-in-the-dark paint because the paint already has a softer glow
Tips
- Make jars of different colors for a cooler effect.
- You can buy ultraviolet light bulbs at a craft or party supply store.
- These jars can be used as adorable room decorations for all genders.
- If you want to give these jars to kids, try using plastic jars instead of glass jars so they don't break.
Warning
- Be careful when using glow stick fluid. The liquid has the potential to cause skin irritation. Do not swallow liquid or get into eyes.
- Do not drink fluorescent mixtures.
