Glass | Stained Glass

Want to Try and Sell Your Stained Glass?

Feb 152010

Where to Start?

If you would like to consider trying to sell your stained glass projects then you need to do a little market research to find out if there is any demand. Are people looking for stained glass and if so what type of thing are they looking for?

Find out what people are looking for first before you start making your projects to sell, otherwise you could discover too late that people are not looking for them. There are plenty of places you could research the marketplace and one of the best places to start is via the internet. Do a simple search on the internet for stained glass for sale and the resulting pages will give you the number and type of companies advertising stained glass and you will find out what type of projects and the selling and the prices. Some outlets will even show their bestsellers which is really useful.

Another thing you can try that will give you a really good idea of the numbers of potential customers looking to buy stained glass, is via a keyword search tool. A good free one to use is https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal If you are unfamiliar with these tools don’t worry, they are really simple to use. They are used frequently by business people who sell products online and therefore need to know what people are searching for. Type in where indicated your search term. Imagine you are looking for a stained glass project yourself, what would you type in? A suncatcher perhaps or a stained glass panel? The possibilities are endless. Now type in a key word or a keyword phrase and see what Google brings up. You will notice that the key word “stained glass” will show thousands of people world wide searching. This key word is far too general so you need to scroll down the page and find other words people have used in search of stained glass.

As well as the internet of course there are probably many outlets in your local area and to give you an idea, try looking for the following….

Craft Fairs

Local Craft Store

Art Galleries

Large Chain Stores

Arts and Crafts Organizations

Trade Shows

Flea Markets

Look out for specialist shops and galleries that may handle the sale of these products and don’t forget to ask at your local chamber of commerce and find out about any local events planned like trade craft fairs that may offer just the right opportunity to sell your wares. Also, look in your local newspaper for details of any local events planned.

If you have a craft outlet or chain store in your town then you could try making an appointment to talk to the buyer and ask if they would consider selling your projects. There are probably very few local people trying to sell home made stained glass projects so they may be very happy to offer them for sale, possibly on a sale or return basis to start with.

Craft fairs are probably one of the best venues to start because potential customers are there specifically looking for crafts. Some of the larger craft fairs may expect you to supply a sample of your work to establish the level of quality before they decide if its good enough for you to be allowed to exhibit. Others of course will allow anyone a space in return of a fee and these may be the better option to start with.

In larger towns, craft fairs will attract lots of people because they are such interesting places to visit and where you can buy unique gifts or objects for the home. They can be great places to start in your new enterprise and if you can get chatting to other artisans you will find out lots of useful information and where else they sell their art crafts.

Once you have found a few possible outlets for selling your projects you next need to decide on pricing. How much to charge for each item? Hand made crafts are unique so getting the price right is difficult. You will be able to put a much higher price on them if you are a really skilled in your craft.

Find out what your competition are charging and then you can compare your finished projects with theirs and see if the quality is similar. It doesn’t matter if you are new to the market if you are selling truly good quality objects, you can price the same as established craftspeople. Good quality is good quality after all! In only a short time you will get a feel for it and will be able to gauge the right price.

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Stained Glass Kits – Create Your Own Beautiful Project

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Feb 112010

What Are Stained Glass Kits And What Are They Used For?

Creating objects from stained glass is an art that goes back for centuries. The beautiful stained glass windows that you have seen and the wonderful Tiffany style lamps are examples that show what can be done working with stained glass. This is a craft that anyone can learn. And getting started making your own projects is a great way to get started. One good method of getting your feet wet is to start with stained glass kits that contains all the basic starting materials you need.

Stained glass kits can be bought at any arts and crafts store or online, and you can begin taking advantage of this fun activity today. A stained glass kit is best suited for those who haven’t previously tried stained glass. Basic kits start with the min1mum tools and supplies you will need to get started. This would include a soldering iron, solder, flux, a glass cutter, glass pliers, glass cutter oil and copper foil.

You’ll also find stained glass kits that include all these items plus glass, patterns and additional items to enable you to do a complete project from the start.

Making your own stained glass projects is an extremely fun and enjoyable activity.

What else goes into using stained glass kit?

Cutting the shapes and determining what kind of design you want is just the beginning. After you’ve done this you still have to make sure the designs are right and properly placed. What happens next is the shapes are placed into metal strips soldered together to give the glass strength and stability. This is very important because you would not want to go through the trouble of making a design only to have it be overly vulnerable.

When you see all those pictures in the church window do you think that glass is fragile? I’ll assure it is not and it would take a lot to break it. You’ll also want to consider that when you use stained glass kits you do not have to make them using a design at all, they can just be a collection of colors you like.

You can make them in various geometric designs and patterns. You can even have a collection of small pictures which make the design, but they may only be seen if someone pays very close attention to them up close.

What glass stained kits can do for you:

You’ll be able to create various designs you like however you like. Stained glass can be purchased in various sizes. Large sheets are cut and available in smaller sizes, and then you create your individual pieces. Stained glass comes in many types and styles in thousands of colors. They also come in a series of textures, some of them come with an uneven surface or a pebbly surface. This makes the glass look jeweled when light passes through it. The possibilities when working with stained glass are endless.

If you are interested in trying this fantastic hobby, start with a stained glass kit and give it a try. You’ll find that you will love the results!

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The Art Of Stained Glass – Glass Making, Conservation And Restoration. – York TV

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Feb 082010

Watch a video made by York TV on The Art Of Stained Glass – Glass Making, Conservation And Restoration by Experts.

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Stained Art Exhibit At The Museum of Fine Art

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Feb 082010

Breathtaking exhibition of Stained Glass at The Museum of Fine Art.

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How To Use Lead Nippers To Cut Came Without Distorting It.

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Feb 082010

Learn how to use lead nippers and perfect the art of your stained glass projects.

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How to Cut a Curved Line in Glass

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Feb 082010

As you become more confident you will want to learn how to cut curves in glass. To show you how it’s done, watch the demonstration video below. Once proficient at this technique, it could be the spur to a lifetime of creating truly wonderful projects.

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How to Shape Glass Edges Using a Diamond Max Grinder

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Feb 072010

Learn how to use a Diamond Max glass grinder because it will save you time and energy and the end results will give a professional finish.

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How To Cut A Straight Line- Demonstration Video

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Feb 072010

If you are just starting out in the art of making stained glass you may feel a little daunted at the thought of cutting your first piece of glass. Don’t be, because like most other new things we try, its just a matter of practice. After a few attempts you will realize, that although not yet an expert, you are getting much better at it and once mastered it will be the spur to a lifetime of creativity.

If you are the sort of person that can’t stand wearing protective gloves then you must expect some cuts and bleeding. When I first started, I ruined a good carpet by dripping my bleeding fingers on it but this was mainly due to my haste in wanting to see the finished results. So, remember to cover and protect the floor areas if you prefer to work without gloves, at least until you are a proficient glass cutter.

Below is a video giving a demonstration on cutting a simple straight line. Practice this on some cheap pieces of glass until it comes easily.

Rosemary

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A Simple Stained Glass Suncatcher To Make!

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Feb 042010

Firstly Get The Tools You Will Need To do The Job?

When you are first decide that you would like to try your hand at making stained glass it may be an idea to start on something simple first like a suncatcher for example. They are popular with the beginner because they are inexpensive and there are many kits available. The kits will provide you with everything you will need to get your project started and the results can be very rewarding.

However, if you feel brave enough to start making a suncatcher from scratch then here is some information to help you and here is a list of the stained glass supplies and tools that you will need to begin…..

A room with lots of light to work in
A sturdy work bench
A good quality glass cutter
Some safety glasses to protect your eyes
A hobby knife
A soldering iron and stand
Some cleaning cloths
A scrub brush and toothbrush
A good abrasive surface cleaner
Diagonal cutters
Grozing pliers
Sponge and tray
Flux brush
Carbon Paper
Tracing paper
Colored glass
Cutting oil
Medium copper wire
Copper foil
Copper reinforcing strip
Horseshoe nails
Gloves
Emery cloth
Wooden fid
Flux
Glass grinder (optional)
Solder
Paste wax
Patina

Suncatcher step by step instructions

In the next step you will need to decide what colors of glass you want to use. You will also need a ready made free pattern, or perhaps try and design your own.

Once you have decided on the glass colors to use then the next step is to start cutting. If this is the first time you have tried to cut glass, it may be an idea to practice on some cheap clear glass first by scoring and breaking pieces off one at a time. When you have the hang of it you can start on the colored glass.

Now you will need to use your grozing pliers to nibble away at all the ragged, rough edges and then smooth them as much as possible with either the emery cloth or a grinder if you have one. Then thoroughly wash and clean each piece as you go.

The next stage is applying the copper foil and you need to try to apply it as evenly as possible and then using the wooden fid to burnish and flatten the foil to the glass.

The solder is going to make the finished lines along the foil so trim any area where the lines don’t line up very well. Now spread the foiled glass pieces over your pattern on your work bench. You now need to hammer some nails along the sides to keep each piece from moving whilst you start to solder them. The best nails to use are called horseshoe nails because they are easily removable.

Now you need to start soldering and begin by heating the soldering iron until it’s hot enough to melt the solder. Make sure you are wearing your heat resistant gloves whilst testing the solder. When its hot enough you are ready to start but keep a wet sponge nearby to clean off any impurities that get burnt on the tip.

Where the lines meet on your project you will need to dab some flux along them using your flux bush. Then using the soldering iron, release some solder along the fluxed areas. You will find that the solder will probably only adhere to these fluxed areas.

Try to solder along all the lines as fast as you can because applying too much heat may cause the sticky backing on the foil to melt and burn. When you have completed soldering all the lines and outside edges, leave to cool down. When cool, turn it over and solder the back. This will not take as long because the area between each of the pieces has already been adequately filled.

Any area that has drips, lumps or bumps need to be repaired by using the hot iron to smooth them out. This applies to the outside edges as well.

The next step is to clean off the flux residue with the abrasive surface cleaner, water and a sponge. Once this has been completed, use the toothbrush to apply the Patina along all the solder lines. Choose the patina effect that you want for your finished project early on because the result will be black or bright copper. However, over time the initial color will eventually develop into antiqued look.

The patina needs to be brushed along all the soldered lines of both sides of the project and wiped off again straight away with a cloth. Then clean the whole project with the cleaner once you have achieved the desired effect.

Lastly you need to apply the wax to the project because this application will help keep and preserve the original finish. Make sure you apply the wax to the corners as well and then clean it off. Brush it all over and polish with a dry cloth.

You will be overjoyed with your first project and that sense of achievement will hopefully get you started on the road to making many beautiful creations like the butterfly and the fish images above.

Fish suncatche image credit to http://www.flickr.com/photos/lukaquinn/454865476/
Butterfly image credit to http://www.flickr.com/photos/basykes/8919171/

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A Stained Glass Legacy From Tiffany Studios and the “Tiffany Girls”

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Feb 032010

A Stained Glass Legacy From Tiffany Studios and the “Tiffany Girls”

By Rob Mabry

Louis Comfort Tiffany saw the world through colored chips of glass, and created items of delicate beauty to show us his vision. Known for his intricate designs, using left-over glass from created windows, Tiffany Lamps are prestigious additions to décor with timeless style.

Recreated, utilizing Tiffany’s unique techniques, artists craft Tiffany style lamps that add to home lighting concepts today. But how did the innovator of Art Nouveau begin what is now known as Tiffany Studios?

The path began with Tiffany’s love of art leading him away from the family business of classic silver jewelry, Tiffany & Co. With travels to Europe, studies with artists and melding minds with a “bright” Thomas Edison, Tiffany Studios became an elite producer of stained-glass windows, pottery, jewelry, art glass and specifically a work entitled The Holy City. It is one of the largest stained glass artworks with 58 panels. It is located at the Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church located in Baltimore, Maryland.

At its peak, Tiffany Studios employed over 300 artisans, and decorated houses for famous names such as Mark Twain and President Chester A. Arthur to name a few. Among those artisans, a group of anonymous women that worked in the Women’s Glass Cutting Department, supervised by Clara Driscoll, contributed to the success of Tiffany Studios.

Driscoll was hired by Tiffany in 1888 after completing studies at the Metropolitan Museum Art School. Prior to her arrival, the Tiffany Lamp was static and had a geometric feel. It wasn’t until recently that the world discovered that Driscoll was the creative force behind some of the famous Tiffany style lighting designs. When Tiffany Studio closed in 1930, all records were lost.

Discoveries of historical letters written by Driscoll to her mother and sister demonstrated that she and the Tiffany girls were the creative forces behind Tiffany’s most famous designs. Driscoll and her “girls” brought femininity into the Tiffany lamp, and it is now known that they were the creators of the Dragonfly, Peony and The Wisteria. Driscoll’s first design for Tiffany was the Daffodil. Her career ended in 1908 because she remarried after being a window for some time. It was against the studio’s policy to work while being married.

Tiffany died in 1933; however, the legacy of the studio continues. Leaving a glass-shaped print on the art world, his work is classic. Due to the recent discoveries of Driscoll’s letters, he also proved that behind every great man, stands a great woman.

Rob Mabry is a former military journalist living in San Antonio. He writes about travel, technology and history.

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Stained Glass Art – The Basics

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Feb 032010

Stained Glass Art – The Basics

By Steven Weber

Some Basic Facts About Stained Glass Art

Stained glass art is a deeply rewarding hobby for amateurs, and colorfully expressive medium for serious artists alike. There are many aspects to the craft that you should learn about and master if you are to be successful at it, including how to cut the glass, foiling heavily textured glass, grinding, soldering (flux application and filling gaps, burnishing, etc.), and finishing (application of patina). Other aspects of this unique art form are lamp photography, zinc framing, and, for the more ambitious and assured stained glass art practitioners, pricing your finished works.

Choices on cutting stained glass mean cutting large sheets, cutting curves with a tapping technique, or learning how to cut inside a deep curve. Grinding glass is fairly easy to learn, and artists need not become journeyman technicians on a grinder to be able to smooth out the edges. Foiling heavily textured glass entails taking a strip of quarter inch foil (approx.) and edging the glass with it, then taking a knife and cutting it flush with the edge. Foiling may prove to be a bit of a task, but cutting and trimming it down so the glass pieces fit smoothly will be well worth the extra effort.

In the soldering process, flux application prevents oxidation of the base and filler materials, and is a very brief process, whereby it is simply brushed on once. Flux also acts as a wetting agent, and reduces surface tension. Centering the glass is the next step, and means making space between all the glass pieces for the solder. Dropping the solder comes next, and involves touching a rope of solder to a soldering iron, allowing the substance to melt into the cracks between the glass. Filling the gaps and burnishing comes next, involving taking the hot iron and making finer touches to the solder-filled cracks. Beading the lead lines is a nice aesthetic flourish, and involves taking the hot iron again and making a raised bump of solder at intersections of the malleable strips. Patina application is the final step, and is quite easy. The liquid is merely poured on the finished glass piece and spread around, using protective latex gloves.

Stained glass art translates into finished products such as boxes, lamps, and other decorative objects, as well as entry to other mediums, such as photography. Panel lamps, Styrofoam mold lamps (Worden system), fiberglass mold lamps, or Odyssey system lamps (“no tacky wax method”) are among the choices for lamp-making. Panel and mold set-ups allow you to make your own stained glass lamp designs. Photographing your lampshade for exhibition purposes allows you to put your new objet d’art on film, provided you use the right photographic accessories, such as slow film (100-200 ASA), a camera with 80A filter mounted on a tripod, several feet of black velvet to place the object on, and special incandescent light bulbs and clamps for lighting the lamp for starker, more vivid effect.

Be patient with the stained glass art rendering process; don’t expect to get it on the first try. Keep at it, and try different methods of cutting the glass and patterning it within the frame. Working with different textures and sizes of glass pieces will also allow you to discover various ways to help realize the finished products you envision. Stained glass art offers a uniquely gilded sense of accomplishment for those who “practice” it. For centuries, of course, stained glass artists put the icing on the cake, so to speak, by proffering the majestically colored windows for history’s greatest structures–Europe’s cathedrals, castles, abbeys and churches. The legacy left behind by stained glass art is one of a very noble craft, that is virtually synonymous with Holy Grail quests and the age-old battle for supreme artistic expression even during ages of great repression.

Steven Weber is an avid home hobbyist who works with glass, metal, and clay. On his website he offers additional information about Stained Glass Art

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Stained Glass Mosaic Projects – Work in Vibrant Colors Simply and Cheaply

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Feb 032010

Stained Glass Mosaic Projects – Work in Vibrant Colors Simply and Cheaply

By Pete J Gorman

Have you ever wanted to have a go at stained glass work, but felt intimidated by the cost and the difficulty of getting started? Well that is understandable, considering the large selection of equipment you may need: soldering iron, glass cutters, solder, flux, lead came, not to mention the cost of the stained glass itself. Well there is a compromise solution and that is to have a go with ‘glass on glass’ mosaic.

This is quite an uncommon technique, but basically it combines the simple technique of mosaic with stained glass and can create some beautiful and stunning effects. It is much easier to learn than traditional stained glass techniques and there is little wasted glass because every last piece can be utilized. In fact you positively need broken glass bits. You can either buy complete sheets of stained glass yourself and then cut them into little pieces, or you can buy precut stained glass pieces in various shapes and sizes from online mosaic websites or eBay. If you choose to make your own mosaic pieces then you will need glass cutting pliers or ‘nippers’. These are very safe and easy to use and you can quickly cut hundreds of small mosaic pieces from the stained glass. The other things you will need are:

-A piece of clear glass as a base, you can use picture frame glass for this. (the wood frame is handy too)

-Clear drying glue such as Weldbond

-Dark tile grout and mixing stick.

-Damp Cloth

The basic technique is to first sketch out your design and place the sketch under the clear glass you are affixing the glass mosaic pieces to. You can then easily follow the lines and shapes as you stick each piece of stained glass down using the weldbond. Do not worry if the weldbond appears white, it will soon dry clear. Leave a gap of a few millimeters between each piece, this is where the grout will go later. Once you are happy with your design, confirm all the pieces are fixed to the glass well. Try to avoid getting an excess of glue in the gaps between the mosaic pieces as this can prevent the grout from adhering.

After 24 hours the glue should be set and you can apply the grout. Choose a dark grout black or brown as this makes the stained glass stand out much better than white grout. You can use ’sanded’ grout or ‘unsanded’ grout. The sanded grout is stronger but may cause little scratches when you apply it. The unsanded grout should be fine on smaller pieces of work and is easier to apply. You can also buy premixed coloured grout for bathrooms which is really easy to use. Applying the grout is the messy part, you simply scoop some up using a spreader or spatula and press it onto you Mosaic, gently pushing it into all the gaps. You continue till the whole work is covered and then gently wipe of the excess with a damp cloth. As the grout dries you continue gently wiping the mosaic periodically til most of the grout is removed from the stained glass, however you do not want to remove too much from between the mosaic pieces. You will learn as you go how best to remove the grout, just remember do not let it dry totally on the top surface of the stained glass or else it will be hard to remove. A little ghosting is OK and can be removed once the work is fully dry using a soft damp cloth.

Once dry you can frame your work. If you have used picture glass from a frame, then you can reuse the frame for your mosaic. Framing the mosaic will make the work look more complete and professional. Now the secret to displaying a stained glass on glass mosaic is to have light shining through it so hang the piece up in a window and it should be a real talking point as the glorious colours shine through!

Pete J Gorman is an artist working in Stainedglass Mosaics as well as other mediums

See some examples of this technique and his unique StainedGlass Mosaic Mandalas and find out more information on creating your own Stained Glass Mosaics

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The History of Stained Glass

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Feb 032010

The History of Stained Glass

By Steven Weber

Worldwide the history of stained glass rose with its early beginnings one country at a time. The development of stained glass has been a struggling endeavor to evolve into what it is today. It has been a constant learning process for each and every country and each individual artist. Much like the ever changing stained glass itself, the process, the skills and the beauty of the finished pieces change as our appreciation continues to grow.

The creation of stained glass was not even a concept in its early beginnings, but developed slowly over time until it finally became perfected as a work of art. The history of stained glass begins to unfold as glass had to be invented first and it went through a series of discoveries before it became an every day reality such as glass window panes or bottles.

Once the ability to make glass was overcome the next natural step was to intensify the beauty of glass with what we term as “stain glass”. The evolution of using minerals (metallic oxides and salts) to stain the glass created a new vivid world of color, images and designs forming a new vision of artwork and highly decorative windows. The early history began as building blocks taking us to the creative art forms you see today.

The first obvious appearance showed up in churches in the 10th century, with biblical scenes in German and French churches. Many people were uneducated and these scenes were often used as a teaching method. Much of today’s beautiful stained glass windows can be attributed to the transformation of churches into cathedrals during the Gothic age in Europe. Buildings were becoming taller with larger openings in thinner walls. Rather than using clear glass, artists began incorporating stained windows into the buildings design.

By the18th century scientists, historians and amateur artists rediscovered the beauty of pieces and the history of stained glass was back on track! English immigrants by the name of the Bolton Brothers were one of the first artists to establish stained glass studios in America. It wasn’t long there after, that two famous American painters would begin to change the history once again.

The time period was set in the mid 1800’s when Tiffany and Lafarge began glass experiments hoping to achieve some great visual effects, without painting glass as their predecessors had done. Today you know them from history as Louis Comfort Tiffany and John LaFarge. What had been a struggling time for the evolution of stained glass for centuries would now become the reality of stained glass today!

These two gentlemen were competing rivals, creating and reproducing ornate stained windows used in both churches and private residences. By 1879 LaFarge had designed, developed and copyrighted opalescent glass. Both Tiffany and LaFarge were experimenting with highly colored glass, elaborate cuts, glass layering and plating techniques. They both succeeded in creating stained pieces rich in texture, depth and color.

John LaFarge continued to develop his work for churches and private homes and he remains a very important part of the history that we know. Tiffany was highly effective at marketing his products and his reputation for making opalescent glass pieces grew as fast as his skills developed. The process of adopting copper in place of lead strips surrounded by colored glass was a new innovation and style for the times.

Tiffany either had the luck of the Irish or a stroke of genius, using his techniques to create decorative lamp shades for new electric lighting! Tiffany lamps are a part of the history and highly in demand today. Louis Comfort Tiffany’s ancestors still carry on his legacy with beautiful stained glass lamps, with designs handed down from one generation to another.

Steve Weber is an avid home hobbyist who works with glass, metal, and clay. On his website he offers additional information about making stained glass

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Turn Your Stained Glass Hobby Into a Fun Job!

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Feb 032010

Turn Your Stained Glass Hobby Into a Fun Job

By Augustr Hodes

You have honed your stained glass construction skills and have given all your friends and family stained glass gifts for each time. Why not earn back some of your outlays and more? You can and you can have fun carrying it out.

Most stained glass enthusiasts discover that they have several enjoyable stained glass suncatchers, candle votives and other small projects available. They often test the waters by beginning with booths at craft fairs and other similar occasions. Most small booths at craft fairs are within your means. You don’t have to spend a great amount of money for an elaborate setup.

If your booth is indoors, a few bright lights shining on your glass items will enhance their beauty and attract attention. It is better if you can hang the suncatchers, so you could build a portable frame topped with lattice work and hang them with plastic fishing line. Be sure to weight the frame down if you’re outdoors. One gust of wind can destroy all of your work.

Make sure you have good strong boxes and plenty of packing material to transport your stained glass projects to and from your craft shows. If you pack carefully you will prevent accidents and broken glass items. If your vehicle isn’t large plenty to haul everything, you may think about borrowing or renting a small trailer; but it is better to keep your outlays as low as possible. The concept is to make their living.

Some stained glass crafters build projects all winter then travel to shows all spring, summer and fall. They see that they do well in sales and enjoy meeting people and traveling. They may include shows during the Christmas shopping season because glass articles make excellent gifts and stocking stuffers and sell well as last minute gift items.

Selling stained glass items on eBay and on-line websites can be achieved year about and from home. This way the stained glass crafter can sell on speculation or by special order. The main advantage to selling on speculation is that you can select the job you would like to do and not worry about deadlines or meeting anyone’s specifications. You can work at home in your own workshop and then list the items online

Augustr has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in weight loss,fitness and diet, you can also check out his latest website on indoor bike trainers and toddler sleeping bags.

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Stained Glass and Its Colorful History

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Feb 032010

Stained Glass and Its Colorful History

By Pete J Gorman

Stained Glass is a very special type of material. No wonder it has such a magnetic and powerful effect when we experience it, be that in a dramatic cathedral or in a domestic setting. It is the effect of light shining through the transparent glass that is the source of stained glass’s visual power. It’s not surprising that the process of making this glass was shrouded in such secrecy in the past.

The beginnings of stained glass probably date back to the period of ancient Egypt where it was used in jewelery and possibly as a type of currency. The artists that learned how to manipulate it would certainly have been held in high esteem for their alchemical skills.

More recently, the medium had an essential role in conveying the ideas of the church. Once the technology for making large scale glass windows was appreciated, the Catholic Church used it as a powerful medium to communicate biblical stories and messages and to visually impress the ‘power of God’.

To the poorly educated laymen, walking into a magnificent cathedral for the first time, adorned with dazzling colored portals, all showing biblical scenes, crucifixion and images of heaven and hell, it must have been a truly overwhelming experience. Some of the greatest examples of cathedral windows can still be seen at places such as Chartres Cathedral in France, or Canterbury Cathedral in England.

Whilst this middle ages period is widely regarded as the pinnacle of stained glass work, the tradition still survives today, albeit in a generally less grand mode.There are still many artists who keep the tradition alive and as a hobby the practice is growing worldwide. Glass technology has continued on from this middle ages period, where different metals, elements and chemicals were mixed with the molten glass to create various effects and results.

In modern architecture, specialized glasses are now essential to the designs of the built environment. Whilst traditional stained glass may not frequently be employed in new builds, never the less, new glass technologies are always coming to the fore. Frequently now, in a city you can look up at a modern building and see nothing of the underlying concrete structures, simply the glass. Alongside such modern structures you may well see the origins of that glass technology in the forms of a great cathedral or church. Nowadays many people also take part in stained glass and stained glass mosaic crafts.

Pete J Gorman is an artist working in various mediums including Glass Mosaic. See some examples of this technique and his unique Stained Glass Mosaic A Step by Step Guide to creating a your own glass mosaic. Stainedglass Mosaic Instructions

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How do I get started in Stained Glass?

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Jan 262010

What Stained Glass Tools Do I need To Get Started

There are a number of basics tools and materials that you will need and some of these you may already find in your garage toolbox although there are a few essential tools that are unique to the stained glass art craft. These will be listed in the “Stained Glass How To” book called: Basic Stained Glass Making by Joan Dunning.

Also listed are the basic stained glass materials that you will need, depending on the type of work that you wish to get started on, and these will include for example stained glass patterns and all the other materials you will need.

Where can I work?

Apart from the tools above you will need a place to create your works of art and that doesn’t mean a fully dedicated and equipped studio-workshop (wouldn’t that be nice) but you will need a sturdy and uncluttered work space offering plenty of light because light is the essence of this whole art form. It can be a rough sawn wood frame with a heavy plywood top roughly nailed and or screwed together. It should be a convenient height, big enough, flat level and strong! It will get dirty, hammered and battered, I hope! Another idea is using that old desk that you were meaning to throw out, although you might want to raise it up a bit to provide the best working height for you.

Maybe you already have a workshop bench in your garage whatever, it doesn’t matter and indeed should not matter as the only important thing is to get started right now at Stained Glass How To.

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Unique Stained Glass

About Stained Glass No Responses »

Jan 272009

If you are a stained glass enthusiast, then you don’t need me to tell you what a wonderful art craft it is. Probably one of the most beautiful crafts there is and if your interest in stained glass has extended into creating your own works of art then all the better.

However, you may be someone who appreciates the craft, but has decided that the skills needed are just too difficult. If this is what you think, I would really like to say that providing you have the enthusiasm, then anyone can make a simple project and the satisfaction you will get out of it cannot be measured. When you create your first pieces, perhaps for gifts for the family, it will be something that money just cannot buy and will be totally unique. That’s what I love about it, every piece is different and even if you try to replicate them it’s impossible, I suppose that’s the beauty of handcrafted art.

However, if you really feel you do not want to make your own pieces and you are looking for gifts that are different or perhaps a pieces for your own home. Then there are many to consider, from simple inexpensive stained glass suncatchers that will add color to your room when the sun shines through. Or maybe make a stained glass window to add true value to your home and expresses your unique style. It’s possible to commission a work of art and have an input into it’s design. There are countless themes to consider; perhaps your favorite animals like dolphins, cats, or even birds. The possibilities are endless!

Other examples are:

Stained glass inserts in a couple of your kitchen cabinets.
Beautiful mirrors.
Stained glass Tiffany style lamps.
Stained glass figurines.
Different pieces to reflect the changing seasons.

Also worth looking for ideas at….

AMAZON USA or AMAZON UK

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Spot The Real Tiffany.

About Stained Glass No Responses »

Jan 262009

If like myself, you may feel unsure of your abilities and in fact you may feel that you don’t have an artistic bone in your body but in my opinion the only thing that is stopping you, is you, because all you really need is determination and the one thing I have learnt is that Americans have this in bundles. If you are the sort of person who is able to appreciate the natural wonders that are all around you like the sea, sky, flowers, trees and all the beauties of the world then there is no doubt that you will be able to produce something special in glass art. It probably wont be in the Tiffany category but hey!

Can you spot the real Tiffany from the three images!! Yes??

Oh well, I think I have a way to go before I can compete with the great man himself but never mind your work will be just as precious to you. We all have to start somewhere and some of the crude pieces I have created are my pride and joy.

As mentioned earlier you just need to start with a book of simple instruction and a few tools that are specific for the job and not forgetting of course the beautiful glass that you will find in every colour in the rainbow and “Hey Presto” you have taken the first step.

You might like to get in touch with your local adult training college or stained supplier to see if they are offering any courses on the subject. It may also be wise to purchase a few stained glass books showing some lovely examples of completed work to give you some extra inspiration or why not request a FREE Arts & Crafts Supply Catalog –Delphi Glass. It works for me and every time I see those colours, it switches me on and inspires me to get started on another project. Don’t forget that Christmas will be here in a few months and therefore you will have time to learn how to make some unique presents for your family and friends. I started with some simple stained glass mirrors and I used some really fabulous glass. Although it cost a little more than the normal coloured glass it makes the gift really special.

Once you get started or even if you have already just started in stained glass I would really appreciate it if you would send me pictures of your completed work or current projects. No matter what they look like, good or bad because I can incorporate these in future stained glass how to blogs for everyone to see and maybe together we could inspire many others to get started in this beautiful art craft.

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AMAZON USA or AMAZON UK

Spot The Real Tiffany.

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