Archive for the ‘The Art Of Stained Glass’ Category

Creating New Church Stained Glass Windows

Creating New Church Stained Glass Windows

Faceted glass consists of approximately one-inch thick dalles of glass cut by hand and broken over an anvil. These pieces of glass are placed in a pattern on a table and a form is set around the perimeter of the panel. Sandy material called granules, are sprinkled between the pieces of glass. The next step is to pour a two-part epoxy resin between the pieces of glass. We then sprinkle another layer of granules over the epoxy resin. Once the epoxy sets, it results in a very strong load-bearing panel. Studios mainly use faceted glass for less complex designs. Faceted glass windows have a higher material costs but require significantly less labor, often making it a more cost effective solution. Faceted glass does not require a protective covering when installed and requires very little maintenance.

Leaded Stained Glass

Windows with little or no painted work are another type of stained glass art that studios commonly use. Leaded glass with little painted work is less labor intensive than fully hand painted cathedral windows. A Studio can design this medium to match most budgets and tastes. (See Step by step – leaded and painted construction below.) Read more »

Let the Sun Shine In – Stained Glass

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A glorious day with the sun shining bright in the sky is very heartwarming and soothes the soul regardless of whether it is summer or winter. The warmth that the sun exudes makes a body comfortable and your home takes on a coziness of its own.

Your windows in your home are a perfect starting point to enhance the light emitting from the brightness outside. Hanging stained glass panels in your windows has never been more popular with the many choices of hand crafted glass depicting brilliant colors and designs.

There are many stained glass window panels to choose from including:

– Stunning flowers such as magnolias, daffodils, irises and roses. All colors of the spectrum are represented and the flowers look so real you can almost smell them!
– Delicious looking grapes in purple, green and golden grapes on the vine produce a beautiful reflection from the light entering your window.
– Birds including hummingbirds, bright red cardinals and bluebirds are but a few of the choices available to let the outdoor world inside your home.
– Butterflies are absolutely stunning with the multitude of vibrant colors and scenes depicting one of Mother Nature’s contributions.
– Animals, domestic and wild are featured in meadows and forests as a natural backdrop. Bears, moose, cats and pheasants all are crafted with a brilliant hue.
– Geometric panels with varying designs serve as a focal point and make the reflection from the sun dance across your room.
– Celtic art images with interweaving lines and magical colors set off any room with portrayals of deer, doves and dragonflies
– Flags that show your patriotism are not limited to red, white and blue. American eagles and seals of all of the US armed forces branches are available.
– Nursery panels are all brightly colored and include images of teddy bears, carousels, hobby horses and trains. All are a sure hit with young children.

Various sizes are available including small stained glass panels depending on your taste. It will be hard to imagine all of the reflecting possibilities when the sun makes contact with stained glass panels. What you see in the morning can be totally different in the afternoon as the sun completes the circuit of your home.

The Soothing Effect and Sophisticated Beauty of Stained Glass over the Years

Beauty of Stained Glass

We always thought that stained glass, being a common fixture as windows in ancient churches and cathedrals, is very old. But boy, do we know how old? The oldest archaeological finds date back to the 7th Century and that is really old but it could be older. The 7th Century finds are just that finds. There could be older artefacts that may not have been found yet.

If older means right after glass was discovered marking the start of glassmaking history, then the oldest stained glass could be about more than 5,500 years old. Yet, as is revealed in the history of glass and glassworks, it was not until 950 to 1240 AD that the first documented evidence of UN-traceried the windows supported by stout and tough iron frames appeared and were found installed at Chartres Cathedral and Canterbury Cathedral in France and England, respectively. Given that the conventional installations were in churches, cathedrals, convents, monasteries, mosques, synagogues and temples; it was thought to be an architectural feature associated only with religious buildings and infrastructure.

In later times, however, the windows started appearing in academic and public buildings, becoming more and more picturesque as both aesthetics and workmanship improved. Louis Comfort Tiffany made enormous contribution to the development of its art and industry as a creative and imaginative architectural and interior design visionary. Read more »

Stained Glass Mosaic Candle Holder

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Hi everyone, I am back. I know I have been out of touch for awhile but its been a busy year so far. I was out of commission with my back again, but hopefully that is over with it sure interferes with my Stained glass and Mosaic projects.

The past month or so I have been very busy trying to get back in the swing of things so I should have a few things to post about. I just completed this awesome Stained Glass Mosaic candle holder approximately 7.5 x 7.5 x 7.5. I am so excited about this one I will definitely be making more of these for Christmas gifts this year. I just love this piece I was making it for a gift but now thinking I may have to keep it for myself.

These candle holders are fun to make. I cut all the glass with my saw (sure glad I have that) and grinded the edges down smoothly. I glued the pieces on with the E6000 clear glue, the flowers on all four sides are from the jewelry section at Michaels.  I used the pre mixed grout (Black) from Home Depot. After all the grout clean up and allowed to dry for a day or so I sealed the grout and added some shiny varnish. The varnish part was a bit tricky for me because I got it on the glass, pretty messy of me. The varnish on the glass is not easy to get off if you let it dry on there. So lessons learned for me lol don’t be so messy with the varnish. These can also be made for purchase upon request.  That’s it for now I have to go make something else. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Bring Focus to your Stained Glass Projects

Patinas are used to color or darken solder lines. The most common patina colors are black and copper. Using patinas brings the focus on the glass and the design of your stained glass piece. This makes the glass colors, textures and designs of the stained glass piece the main focus. Below is one without patina and one after patina.

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Before you apply patinas, be sure all flux residues is removed. This can be done using a commercial flux remover or washing the stained glass piece with dish soap and baking soda.
Steps for Applying Patinas
Use a brush, rag or cotton ball to dab patina on to the zinc frame. Do not use a brushing action, as this can leave streaking or patchy coverage. Read more »

We Love Magnolias – Our Largest Project

This post will be all about our largest project from beginning to installation and I hope you will enjoy.  The first thing was to measure the area which is the transom over our front door, well that was the easy part. Working this project would be difficult since all I had was a photo of the area and my template to go by since I was not staying there at the time. The next couple of photos will show you the area and the template.

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The trick would be to make this an exact fit to the measurements.  I have to say I was a little worried, since there was no way of verifying as you go since I was 2600 miles away , so I could only hope it would fit when we were finished. I had to piece this together to fit my template , since this pattern was for a 9  x  12 square piece there was a lot of cutting and arranging before I could even start cutting the glass. After all the arranging and cutting the pattern pieces it time to start cutting the glass which was very difficult, I broke so many pieces after all it was only my 3rd project and I was cutting them by hand and grinding, I thought I would never get through this so my husband and I decided to by a saw from Gryphon. That was the greatest idea we every had, as soon as the new saw came of course I had to learn how to use it, to make the perfect cuts. Didn’t take very long to learn how to do that correctly and this sure made my project run faster and smoother. I would recommend a saw to everyone who wants to work with glass. The next few photos will be the in process shots we took. Read more »

Stained Glass Windows | Choosing the right pattern and color for your home

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Choosing stained glass windows can be a challenging task simply because of the fact that there are so many different types to choose from. You will find that the following types of stained glass windows exist: Opalescent, Cathedral, Streaky, Textured, Translucent, and Wispy.

However, the glass types of Cathedral, Translucent, and Opalescent are actually the most common types that are chosen by many for their home and/or business.

In this helpful guide, they will introduce you to these common types so that if you are in the process of choosing stained glass windows, you may have a little knowledge on these particular selections.

Cathedral stained windows are extremely popular when it comes to homes, businesses, churches, and synagogues across the nation. This type of window has a glass that is actually transparent in nature and typically reflects at least one single color. There are many different color selections available when it comes to this type of window.

In addition to this, you will find that you can choose among many different types of textures for the glass. Examples of common textures include that of Artique, Glue Chip, Iridescent, and Seedy. This type of glass was originally introduced in cathedrals in the 10th century by the Europeans, which is how it got its name. Read more »

How Stained Glass Works

How Stained Glass Works

­Making stained glass is an ancient art that can be traced back to the early Egyptians. Although the first colored glass may have been used as jewelry or even currency, we probably know the art form best from seeing stained glass in the windows of churches. These windows are really paintings that use light, glass and a metal framework to create a design.

The earliest stained glass windows were created for the Roman Catholic Church, and often told Bible stories in pictures. This was at a time when most people couldn’t read, so these luminous paintings were one of the few representations of the glory and transcendent nature of their spiritual beliefs. At a time before television, radio or even pictures painted on canvas, stained glass windows wer­e probably one of the most dramatic, instructive and important works of art most people were exposed to.

­Many of these ancient masterpieces have been lost as a result of religious upheavals and political strife, but many still remain, like the stained glass windows at Chartres Cathedral in France, or at Canterbury Cathedral in England.

Changes in taste and innovations in glassmaking hav­e made working with stained glass easier than ever before. Because colored glass is now cheaper and good designs and tutorials are easy to find, the hobby is steadily gaining in popularity. With some practice, patience and a few important tools, creating art with colored glass is a hobby that’s available to almost everyone

Stained Glass Artwork: Tools and Techniques Used by Artisans

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Stained glass artists are talented and proficient craftspeople who specialize in bringing every type of designs to existence. To supply art which is sturdy and aesthetically pleasing, artists make use of many tools and techniques on the trade. Here is often a quick (and simplified) summary from the process stained glass artists use to create the colorful styles noticed in churches, federal government buildings, and private residences.

Building a Template

Earlier than an artist brings a do the trick to existence implementing minor and good sized pieces of colored glass, he or she primary provides a detailed drawing with the complete picture. This drawing will need to be precisely the same dimension as the window opening or other area where by the art can be shown. Items of glass will ought to be joined with result in develop the last work, so lines to indicate exactly where this main will go also ought to be integrated while in the template. As compared to the last piece, this template is relatively rather simple in look. Read more »

Understanding Basics of Stained Glass Doors

Stained Glass Doors

The technical challenges concerned with the designing and installation of stained glass doors and windows vary from hobbyists to professionals. Noticing a shade of flower, holding it in mind and creating it as images for a glass work is not that easy. It is the task which is both an art and science.

From drawing a rough shade to giving a final touch to it, a lot of technical knowledge and experience is required. For example, creating stained form of glass doors involves a lot of basics to consider like:

Copper foil panels

Before wrapping the edges with thin metallic strips, it is important checking if the glass matches a pattern. Next steps that come after it includes arranging the foiled glass on the pattern followed by applying flux to the seams and soldering the seams to hold the pieces of glass together. Read more »