Frost on a winter's window must have been the inspiration of glass etchers. Who could resist the contrast of clear and opaque glass with the colors of light passing through them? Today, glass etching has become an art form available to everyone and not just glass artisans. Techniques vary from the complex to the sublimely simple, but the results are generally the same: beautiful frosted glass in high contrast to its transparent state.

As a younger man in my early twenties I was frequently commissioned to etch glass on sports cars, van windows and trucks. It was easy money and the results left many a satisfied customer.

The part I loved was the simplicity. My technique involved drawings or photos, masking tape, white shoe polish (the liquid type with the sponge applicator), a rag, some safety glasses, an extension cord and my favorite power tool: the Dremel.