• 60 designs
  • Checked October 2026

Glass Block Painting Ideas

Press for three glass block designs, each with its colors, which face it goes on and the brush or tool.

Glass Block Painting Ideas

Show all 60
  1. Hay bales stacked in a pyramid, a cat asleep on topGold, tan, black. Six bales with straw strokes and twine lines; a small black cat curled above. Dry brush.
  2. Butterflies in front, a gray shadow of each on the rear faceOrange, black, gray. Three butterflies in front; a gray shape behind each, a little lower. Round brush.
  3. Lanterns strung between two posts, each one left clearBlack, orange. Round shapes masked along a sagging line; orange sponged around them. Sponge.

Next step See more silhouette ideasSee Halloween ideas for a canvas

All 60 designs

Silhouettes for a block lit from inside 12

  • Bare tree filling the face, twigs touching all four edges Black. One trunk from the lower edge; branches spread until the tips reach every side. Liner brush.
  • Birds perched on three wires that cross the face Black. Three sagging lines from side to side; nine small birds spaced along them. Paint pen.
  • Black pines on the front face, gray pines on the back face Black, gray. Three trunks and boughs in front; smaller gray ones behind, seen through the glass. Flat brush.
  • Bridge cables swooping from corner to corner Black. Two towers and a deck line; cables in long curves with upright hangers. Paint pen.
  • Carousel horse on a pole from the top edge to the bottom Black. One horse mid-leap in solid black; the pole runs the height of the face. Stencil.
  • Ferris wheel filling the square, its hub at the center Black. Twelve spokes to a rim that nearly touches the edges; a small cabin on each. Paint pen.
  • Giraffe pair, necks crossing in an X against the glow Black. Two solid giraffes face each other; the necks cross in the upper half. Stencil.
  • Keyhole left clear in a face painted solid Navy. A round-topped keyhole shape masked in the middle of a solid face. Stencil.
  • Moon painted on the back face, branches on the front Pale yellow, black. A full circle on the back; black twigs cross it from the front. Liner brush.
  • Solid black face with one clear initial of your own Black. The whole face painted but a masked capital, which is the only part that glows. Stencil.
  • Stag standing on a ridge that crosses the lower third Black. A solid ridge line from side to side; the stag in profile, antlers near the top. Stencil.
  • Three cactuses in black, a low sun circle left clear Black, orange. Orange sponged over the face but a clear disc; black cactuses in front. Sponge.

Christmas 12

  • Candy-cane stripes around the four narrow sides, both faces left clear Red, white. Slanted red bands on white along every side; nothing on the two faces. Tape.
  • Eight-point star whose long rays end at the edges Gold, white. Four long rays to the sides, four short to the corners, white around them. Tape.
  • Fir tree of stacked green strokes, widest at the foot Three greens, yellow. Slanted strokes in tiers with clear gaps between them; a yellow top. Flat brush.
  • Five ornaments dangling on fine black strings, none level Red, gold, green, black. Fine black strings drop from the upper edge; an ornament ends each. Round brush.
  • Nutcracker face: hat band, mustache and a row of teeth Black, red, white, pink. The hat band runs along the upper edge; teeth sit low in the square. Flat brush.
  • Poinsettia with a petal pointing into each corner Red, dark red, gold, green. Four long petals to the corners, four short between; gold dots. Flat brush.
  • Reindeer head-on, antlers reaching the two top corners Brown, tan, red, black. A tan muzzle low in the square; a red nose at the very middle. Flat brush.
  • Row of three blocks, one frosted capital of your own on each White, red. One frosted-white capital per block on a red-edged face. Stencil.
  • Tartan bands in red and green around one clear capital Red, green, white. Wide bands both ways with fine white lines; one masked capital. Tape.
  • Three stockings on a mantel line across the upper third Red, white, green. A brown mantel line; stockings with white cuffs drop from it. Flat brush.
  • White front face with coal eyes and a carrot: the block is the snowman White, black, orange, pink. The whole face white; coal eyes, a carrot and pink cheek dabs. Sponge.
  • Wreath ring following the edge of the face, middle clear Two greens, red. Leaf dabs in a square-cornered ring; red berry dots in threes. Cotton swab.

Winter scenes 12

  • Frosted face with a clear circle, a fox seen through it White, orange. White dabbed all over but a wiped disc; the fox is painted on the back face. Sponge.
  • Icicles dropping from the upper edge, longest in the middle White, pale blue. Pointed drips of mixed lengths; a pale blue line down one side of each. Round brush.
  • Log cabin with its one window left clear for the light Brown, white, dark green. Log lines across the cabin; snow on the roof; the window unpainted. Flat brush.
  • Northern lights over solid firs along the foot of the face Green, violet, black. Soft upright bands of color over the upper half; the trees are flat black. Sponge.
  • Painted scarf wrapped around all four sides of the block Red, white. A striped band crosses the face and continues over both sides and the back. Tape.
  • Penguin huddle from behind, a single white face turned to you Black, white, orange. A row of black backs across the foot; one white face turned around. Round brush.
  • Pond in the lower half with three skaters and their tracks Pale blue, white, red, navy. An oval of pale blue; small figures; looping white lines. Liner brush.
  • Six small snowflakes, no two alike, in two rows of three White. Six-armed flakes a thumb wide, evenly spaced over a clear or blue face. Paint pen.
  • Slalom run: two fine lines snaking past five small flags White, red, blue. Ski tracks wind from the upper edge to the foot over sponged snow. Liner brush.
  • Sled run winding from a top corner to a small red sled White, pale blue, red. Two parallel lines cross sponged snow; the sled sits in the lower corner. Liner brush.
  • Snow dots on both faces, so flakes look near and far White. Large dots on the front face; small ones on the back, seen through the glass. Cotton swab.
  • Walrus on an ice floe, tusks white against a navy face Brown, white, pale blue, navy. The floe crosses the lower third; the walrus sits in side view. Flat brush.

Fall and Halloween 12

  • Cauldron with green bubbles rising to the upper edge Black, green, purple. The pot sits on the lower edge; bubbles shrink as they climb. Dotting tool.
  • Corn stalks up both sides, a full moon between them Tan, gold, pale yellow. Leaning stalks frame the face; the moon is a clear circle ringed in yellow. Dry brush.
  • Five crows perched on a black fence, orange sky behind Black, orange. Orange sponged over the whole face; a rail and posts in solid black. Stencil.
  • Fox curled among leaves in one lower corner Orange, white, rust, gold. The fox fills the corner; loose leaves drift up from it. Round brush.
  • Hay bales stacked in a pyramid, a cat asleep on top Gold, tan, black. Six bales with straw strokes and twine lines; a small black cat curled above. Dry brush.
  • Lanterns strung between two posts, each one left clear Black, orange. Round shapes masked along a sagging line; orange sponged around them. Sponge.
  • Leaf shapes left clear in a sponged rust face Rust, gold. Paper leaves masked off, color sponged over, the masks lifted. Sponge.
  • Pair of eyes left clear in a solid black face Black. Two slanted eye shapes masked side by side; everything else painted. Stencil.
  • Pumpkin patch on the front face, a huge moon on the back Orange, green, pale yellow. Five pumpkins along the foot; the moon shows through behind them. Round brush.
  • Sheet ghosts on the back face, a picket fence on the front White, black. Three ghosts behind; black pickets across the lower third in front. Flat brush.
  • Spider on a thread from the top, its shadow on the back face Black, gray. A black spider on the front; a larger gray one behind, offset to one side. Liner brush.
  • Wheat sheaf tied at the middle, heads fanned to the corners Gold, tan, brown. Stalks cross at a brown tie; grain dashes at every tip. Liner brush.

Flowers and everyday 12

  • Bee and three clover heads, the bee's wings left clear Yellow, black, pink, green. Clover dabs along the foot; the bee mid-face, wings in outline. Cotton swab.
  • Butterflies in front, a gray shadow of each on the rear face Orange, black, gray. Three butterflies in front; a gray shape behind each, a little lower. Round brush.
  • Colored panes between black lines, like a leaded window Red, blue, yellow, green, black. Translucent color in each pane; black lines last. Liner brush.
  • Daisies with clear middles, so the light is each center White, green. Petals around unpainted discs; stems to the lower edge. Round brush.
  • Fish on the front face, water weeds on the back face Orange, yellow, green. Three fish in front; tall weeds behind, so the block reads as a tank. Round brush.
  • Lavender rows narrowing toward a clear sky Purple, green. Slanted rows of dabs meet at a point two thirds up; nothing above. Cotton swab.
  • Party block: a numeral of your own left clear in confetti Brights, gold. A masked numeral in the middle; dots and dashes everywhere else. Cotton swab.
  • Raindrops over the face with one streak wiped clear Pale blue, white. Small drops all over; one wavering line down the middle left bare. Dotting tool.
  • Sand on the front face, waves on the back face behind it Sand, aqua, white. Sand across the lower third in front; rolling waves behind and above. Sponge.
  • Three dragonflies skimming reeds, wings in outline only Teal, black, green. Three dragonflies, wings outlined in black only; reeds along the foot. Liner brush.
  • Tulip heads on the front face, their stems on the back Red, pink, green. Five heads in a row; the stems and leaves show through from behind. Round brush.
  • Two blocks as bookends, half a globe on each Blue, green, white. Each block shows half the circle, so the pair completes it. Flat brush.

How it works

A glass block is hollow and lets light through while blurring what is behind it. These 60 designs use its square front face, its back face and, for some, light from behind or inside.

Read the full guide

Two faces, one picture

The block has a front and a back with a gap between, so eleven designs set one layer behind another: Black pines on the front face, gray pines on the back face is planned as a far row behind a near one. How clearly the back layer shows depends on how see-through your block is. The silhouettes are solid shapes planned to block the light: Solid black face with one clear initial of your own.

Christmas painted glass block ideas

Twelve designs are for December, all without a word unless you add your own: Fir tree of stacked green strokes, widest at the foot leaves gaps for the light, and Reindeer head-on, antlers reaching the two top corners fills the whole square.

Questions and answers

What paint do you use on a glass block?

We do not test paints. Whether a paint grips glass, needs curing or stays see-through is on its label, so read it before you buy.

Do the designs need lights inside the block?

No. None of the 60 needs a light: each is a picture on the glass. The twelve silhouettes and the designs with a part left clear, such as Log cabin with its one window left clear for the light, are planned for a lit block.

Which glass block designs are for fall and Halloween?

Twelve, among them Pumpkin patch on the front face, a huge moon on the back, Pair of eyes left clear in a solid black face and Leaf shapes left clear in a sponged rust face. None of them is frightening.

Can I paint more than one block as a set?

Yes. Row of three blocks, one frosted capital of your own on each spells a short word across three, and Two blocks as bookends, half a globe on each splits one picture over a pair.

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