In the photos you can see an example of how simple a freehand etching is to do. I am using a tabletop rotary tool equipped with a smooth grain stone tip to engrave the word sugar into the glass sugar dispenser from our table (I bought it for my coffee, so I should be safe from any consequences from my girlfriend, haha). While this is no work of art, it shows you that within mere minutes you can sit down and engrave a glass object of your choice with relative ease.

Etching in this way is simple and easy, and can be done on any glass imaginable. The only safety precautions needed are a set of safety glasses so no micro shards get into your eyes, and a light touch when etching the glass. You do not want to really cut into the glass much as you are just trying to rough up the surface to make it opaque.

By cutting too deep into the glass you can weaken its structure. Which brings us to the next way of etching glass: using stencils and etching cream. This process is a little messier and requires more initial prep, but on the flip side it also produces a perfect, consistent, frosted surface.

Glass etching is merely the process of abrading or acid burning away smooth glass to produce an opaque finish in contrast, so in using an etching cream we are using an acid-based cream to eat away at the smooth surface of the glass to achieve the desired opaque effect.