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The following article includes pertinent information that may cause you to reconsider what you thought you understood. The most important thing is to study with an open mind and be willing to revise your understanding if necessary.

You may have mastered stained glass construction, but stained glass painting seems like a mystery and looks difficult. Most stained glass crafters know little about the process and the materials needed for painting stained glass; but it should be just another step in the whole process of creating beautiful stained glass windows.

Some people have a misconception that stained glass is clear glass that has been painted to a desired color. Actually, stained glass is colored while it is still in its molten form by adding metal oxides. Painted stained glass is already colored and has had a design painted on it.

Painting on stained glass is done to add humanistic details of the face, hands, feet, or shading of the body and hair. Painting reduces the amount of cutting and leading of many tiny pieces of stained glass. Painting enhances the beauty, textures, and color that are already in the stained glass.

You don’t have to be a talented “artist” in order to paint on stained glass windows; although, a little drawing experience and some knowledge of perspective and the human anatomy can be helpful. If you can find classes on stained glass painting, it always helps to learn from someone who has already learned what works and doesn’t work. If you cannot find classes, look for information online, on related online forums and in instructional books at craft stores, stained glass shops, or in your local library.

You can spend as little or as much as you want on stained glass painting tools and supplies. You can get started for as little as $20 to $100. You can save money by making some of your own stained glass painting equipment. Suppliers for stained glass paints and tools can be found by searching on the internet and at craft and supply stores. Be careful of the paints you choose because the paints for stained glass painting are specific.

Truthfully, the only difference between you and Stained Glass experts is time. If you’ll invest a little more time in reading, you’ll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to Stained Glass.

Stained glass paint is a high-fired permanent paint which actually has glass (called the vehicle) in it. Stained glass paint also contains lead and has coloring agents like sand, alumina, clay, red or white lead oxide, boric acid, potassium and sodium. The lead in the stained glass paint refracts light. The matt (paint) can be applied, taken out in the tracing, fired, and then applied again, depending on the lighting, detail, and textures you want to achieve in your stained glass painting.

A few good brushes, spatulas, a small easel with a thick-plated glass surface, a light box and an inexpensive small, electric kiln would be a good start on supplies needed to do stained glass painting. In order to save money, you could build your own easel and light box and purchase a used kiln from ads in stained glass magazines or online. You can also make your own mahl sticks and bridges which are wooden supports for your hand and arm for helping with paint stroke technique.

Your work area does not have to be large. It could be an area set aside in your stained glass workshop with a good source of natural light from a window. You need plenty of storage including a palette box for storing the color palettes you make.

You will need squares and rectangles of scrap clear glass, ground and rounded on the edges to prevent cutting yourself. These scraps will be for practicing your stained glass painting and tracing technique.

Armed with the knowledge you gain from sources and practice, you will find that there really is no mystery to stained glass painting.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

The following article includes pertinent information that may cause you to reconsider what you thought you understood. The most important thing is to study with an open mind and be willing to revise your understanding if necessary.

Scoring and breaking stained glass is an art that you can achieve but not without some practice. All it takes is a little patience and you will soon be able to cut and break stained glass like a pro! The first thing to do when cutting stained glass is to relax when you are handling stained glass. It will make the work go much more smoothly.

Having the proper stained glass cutter is important. Various companies manufacture different types of stained glass cutters. They have cutting wheels of either carbide or steel. The wheel size and honing angles vary for use in specific types of glass cutting.

If you want the proper cutter for stained glass, it is best to go to a stained glass supplier. Cutters in hardware stores are generally made specifically for cutting clear glass.

Carbide wheels cost more but last longer than steel wheels. They will eventually get dull or even nicked and have to be replaced; but, you can replace the wheel only and not have to get a whole new cutter.

Stained glass cutters need to be lubricated to keep the wheels rolling freely. Most stained glass cutters, like Toyo or Fletcher pistol grip and pencil grip cutters, have a reservoir for lubricating oil which runs down a wick to the cutting wheel.

Stained glass cutters come with different handles which make the choice one of preference and fit. Once you have chosen your favorite cutters, it is best not to let other people use your cutter. They will put pressure on it differently than you which changes the balance.

Most of this information comes straight from the Stained Glass pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you’ll know what they know.

Pencil grip stained glass cutters have a ball on one end which is used to tap the stained glass underneath the score line to begin a running break so that the glass can be pulled apart. Stained glass that has been scored can be pulled apart by hand; but sometimes, the glass pieces are too small to grip. Glass pliers can be used to separate the pieces that are too small to grasp.

Special “running” pliers are made for breaking straight lines. Some glass pliers have smooth gripping surfaces. Others have teeth for scraping off rough edges or shards of stained glass. Gripping one side of the glass firmly with your thumb along one side of the score gives the glass some stability. The breakers are used on the opposite side, pointing toward the score. You use a quick pulling away and down motion.

If your score is long, it is better to “rock” your pliers at one end to start a running break; then do the same at the opposite end of the score, then pull the stained glass apart.

A good score is done in one continuous motion. Starts and stops will only cause a bad score line which will end up in a bad break. Going over a score line twice dulls your stained glass cutter and makes a bad score line.

Stand up when scoring stained glass so that you can apply even pressure using the weight of your arm and leave your wrist free to follow curves. A metal ruler can be used to assist in cutting straight lines.

Be sure to hold the stained glass cutter straight up and down. If your cutter is leaning to one side, it results in a beveled cut, causing the stained glass pieces to fit poorly. Make sure you glass is clean before you cut it so that nothing interferes with a smooth score. Cut on the smooth side of the stained glass.

Of course, it’s impossible to put everything about Stained Glass into just one article. But you can’t deny that you’ve just added to your understanding about Stained Glass, and that’s time well spent.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

The following article presents the very latest information on Stained Glass. If you have a particular interest in Stained Glass, then this informative article is required reading.

This list is meant to help create a shopping list for the beginning stained glass art student. Not all of the items will be needed for every project, for instance you will use either lead cames OR copper foil and their corresponding accessories depending on the stained glass style you will be working with. Other tools listed may be very helpful, but not entirely necessary, one pair of pliers may be enough to do several jobs for example.

Glass Cutters- One of the most important tools you will use in stained glass making, good glass cuts will make or break your project. These range from very inexpensive carbide steel wheel cutters (you will need to add cutting oil as you go along) to slightly more expensive self-oiling tungsten carbide or pistol grip wheel cutters.

Cutting Oil- This helps to reduce friction allowing a smoother cut and also keeps glass debris from encumbering the cutting wheel’s progress.

Soldering Iron- (pronounced like soddering) This is used to melt lead solder which in turn is used to join pieces of metal, such as the lead cames or copper foil that will hold your stained glass pieces together.

Solder- The type you will be using in stained glass making should be an alloy (mixture) of tin and lead. This usually comes in a spool of either a 50/50 or 60/40 blend. The 60/40 is slightly more expensive, flows more smoothly and is therefore preferable for making a stained glass project.

Sal Ammoniac- This is soldering iron tip cleaner made from a naturally occurring mineral that reacts to the heat of the soldering iron and removes debris when the iron is gently rubbed on it.

Flux- Helps remove oxidation and other dirt and debris from the metal surfaces so that the solder can adhere to it. This is an absolute necessity to keep your stained glass pieces together; the solder just won’t “stick” without it!

Flux Brush- A very inexpensive brush used to apply the flux.

Flux Remover- Can be used to neutralize flux or patina and is often used at the end of projects to clean up small errors and over-flow.

Cutting Square- Helpful when drawing squares or other designs requiring a right angle.

Ruler- Used for measuring project dimensions as well as for drawing or cutting a straight line. A non-skid backing such as cork or rubber will help keep it from sliding on the glass.

Pattern Shears- These are special scissors that automatically cut the proper size strip of paper between pattern pieces to allow room for the lead cames or copper foils to be placed between the various stained glass pieces of the design.

Grozing Pliers- These pliers have narrow, serrated jaws for picking up small chucks of glass and can be used to remove uneven or jagged pieces of stained glass after cutting.

Running Pliers- These thick pliers help to carefully break stained glass pieces that have been scored on the design lines.

Needle Nose Pliers- A good all around tool to keep handy, can be used for small detail work.

Wire Cutters- These can be used to cut reinforcing wire or the picture hanging wire to hang your finished stained glass art project.

Hammer or Mallet- A good rubber headed mallet can be used to gently tap stained glass pieces into place.

Carborundum Stone- A trademarked name for a grinding tool used to smooth the edges of cut pieces of stained glass. Should be wetted periodically to make smoothing easier.

Electric Glass Grinder- A bit more luxurious way to smooth the glass edges; this is a machine that will do the job faster and more efficiently. This is definitely nice, but optional.

Copper Foil- One of the choices of material to hold the pieces of stained glass together. Comes in various widths depending on the look of your project-make sure your pattern shears are the same width as your foil or came.

Copper Foil Dispenser- Another nicety, this makes handling the copper foil easier, much the way a tape dispenser makes tape easier to handle.

Lead Cames- The original choice in stained glass support systems. These come as long strips of lead with grooves or channels on either one side or both, depending on whether it is to be used as an inside or outer edge piece of the stained glass.

Lead Vise- Holds the lead came in place to allow it to be stretched before use.

Lead Cutters- Also known as lead pliers these snips are especially helpful when cutting cames for use in the corners of your stained glass project.

See how much you can learn about Stained Glass when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.

Lead Knife- Can be used to make clean straight cuts on lead cames.

Horseshoe Nails- Great for holding frames in place when assembling your stained glass project.

Dustpan and Brush- Helps to keep your workplace clean which is important in making stained glass projects because debris will prevent things from sticking properly.

Safety Goggles- Keeps pieces of lead or glass from damaging the eyes during cutting, always remember “safety first”!

Wooden Block Holder- Can be helpful for holding pieces of stained glass.

Masking Tape- Always handy in the workshop; may be used to hold pattern pieces together or many other uses.

Picture Hanging Wire or Other Fasteners- For hanging your completed stained glass project.

Lead Board with Right Angle Support- Useful in holding a lead stained glass project in place during assembly while keeping the edges clean and straight.

Wood or Plastic Fid- Great as a burnishing or spreading tool when applying foil to stained glass.

Glazing Cement- Seals and strengthens the joint areas of the lead cames.

Whiting- Helps to dry and set the glazing cement. Can also be used to remove excess putty from the stained glass.

Stiff Bristle Brush- Used for applying glazing cement.

Patina- Liquid solution that changes the appearance of solder, can give a more antiqued appearance.

Rubber Gloves- Absolutely necessary when applying patina or any other solvents to the project; you do not want these penetrating your skin!

Mirror Sealer- This aerosol spray is used on the back of mirrors to keep the reflective coating from being scratched or damaged.

Finishing Compound- Provides the finishing touch to your stained glass project, adding polish and shine while providing a protective finish to help prevent oxidation and tarnish buildup.

Pushpins, Tacks and Jig Material- Items that may be helpful in holding certain pieces together while assembling your stained glass project.

Craft Knife- Perfect for correcting small errors in copper foiling and other small tasks.

Steel Wool- May remove oxidized material from solder and other metal parts.

Plastic Basin and Sponge- With warm soapy water to clean glass and metal debris from your stained glass workspace.

Carbon Paper- For making pattern copies.

Tracing Paper- For tracing the original design unto a clean copy.

Rubber Cement- For holding pattern pieces on glass to make cutting them out easier.

Pens, Pencils, Markers and Colored Pencils- Needed for drawing and coloring in pattern pieces.

There you have it, a not-so-condensed shopping list to get you on your way to a new hobby in stained glass art making!

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

Light is truly the inspiration for stained glass in both the physical and literal senses. During the Gothic Era from about 1150 – 1500 A.D. there was no electricity so alternate ways of lighting Cathedrals was necessary. Immense and exquisite stained glass windows were created and intended to provide physical light by allowing in much needed sunlight, but they were also intended to provide spiritual light. The King James Version of the Bible in John 8:12 says “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Jesus was the inspiration for and his life, gruesome death and subsequent resurrection were the subject of the majority of stained glass windows created during that period in history.

Grand and magnificent cathedrals carved up gigantic stones and supported by immense pillars and flying buttresses reaching up towards the Heavens in worship of God and His son were crowned with beautiful jewels known as stained glass. In some Cathedrals, stained glass panels covered entire walls and the supporting pillars go almost entirely unnoticed. The pillars alone could not have supported the weight of the structure, which is the purpose of the flying buttresses (they braced the structure from the outside).

The art of making stained glass has been poetically referred to as “painting with light” taking the analogy even further. This term was coined due to the fact that rather than reflecting light off of it, a stained glass window allows light to be transmitted through it. It is a unique partnership, as neither the light nor the window is as magnificent without the other.

If you don’t have accurate details regarding Stained Glass, then you might make a bad choice on the subject. Don’t let that happen: keep reading.

Abbot Suger of the Cathedral at St. Denis in France was among the first to employ the Gothic form of architecture in an attempt to glorify God and Jesus Christ. The following quote is taken from a writing of Suger, included as a part of a transcription on the doors to the Cathedral. That gives insight into his motivations for using large amounts of stained glass and the relationship of the physical light to the spiritual, “…The noble work is bright, but, being nobly bright, the work should brighten the minds, allowing them to travel through the lights to the true light, where Christ is the true door.”

He later gave a detailed explanation as to what the purpose of the exemplary works of stained glass window art were in the church; “Thus sometimes when, because of my delight in the beauty of the house of God, the multicolor loveliness of the gems has called me away from external cares, and worthy meditation, transporting me from material to immaterial things, has persuaded me to examine the diversity of holy virtues, then I seem to see myself existing on some level, as it were, beyond our earthly one, neither completely in the slime of earth nor completely in the purity of heaven.

By the gift of God I can be transported in an anagogical manner from this inferior level to that superior one.” Walking into a mighty cathedral such as St. Denis, even today, one can feel the influence this passion for light had on the development of the art of stained glass making and the worship of God during the Gothic Era.

Sometimes it’s tough to sort out all the details related to this subject, but I’m positive you’ll have no trouble making sense of the information presented above.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

In today’s world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.

When you go to a stained glass artisan, don’t expect to walk in and tell him/her you want a window put in your front door and then ask, “How much will it cost?” The stained glass artisan cannot give you a quote off the top of his/her head. There is a process to arriving at a price for a stained glass window.

When you know that you want a custom stained glass window, you should arrive at the stained glass studio with some facts and ideas before you ask a stained glass artisan for a price quote. The first thing you need to know is the exact measurement of the opening. The base price of a custom built stained glass piece begins with pricing based on square footage, and then per piece. Therefore, the more intricate the piece is, the more costly.

Each stained glass artisan has his/her own pricing scale. An example of just the basis of the quote would be: $125 per square foot plus $1.50 per piece in the pattern for a stained glass window constructed with lead came. A lower charge of $110 per square foot plus $1.50 per piece might be given for a stained glass window constructed with copper foil. But that’s just the beginning.

If you don’t know what design to settle on and you request full-size cartoons (patterns) to look at on your opening, the stained glass artisan might charge $50 or more per cartoon to cover his/her extra time – especially if you decide not to have the stained glass window made.

The type of glass used in a stained glass window has bearing on the cost. For instance, red glass is more expensive than some other colors because gold is a metal used in making red glass. The brand Kokomo glass is generally more expensive than Spectrum glass. Some of the “art” glass is more expensive than other glass.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on Stained Glass now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

Beveled glass and bevel clusters (especially if they have to be custom made) are often far more expensive than stained glass. For an individual stained glass artisan to custom make bevel clusters, it requires a lengthy process. This would increase the quoted price for your custom stained glass window.

If you decide to have gems, glass globs or faceted jewels or rondels added to the design, these will increase the price of your custom stained glass window. Some gems are more expensive than others, and these add to the intricacy of the work to be done.

Other considerations in the overall cost of your stained glass window are installation and how it will be framed and whether or not the artisan will be responsible for framing and installation. The stained glass artisan may refer you to a framer or a carpenter if the artisan does not do the installation. Other costs include things like whether or not a storm window is included or if the stained glass piece will be sandwiched and weather-sealed between two pieces of glass.

It will help the stained glass artisan to know what type of glass to choose if you know whether or not you need glass that will provide total privacy. Is there anything that you would like to bring into the stained glass design like nature or flowers? Do you want colors or just clear textures? Do you like Prairie style or Art Nouvea?

When you have a design and the glass chosen and the finished size, your stained glass artisan will be able to give you a price on your beautiful custom stained glass window.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Copper foil is a stained glass leading technique that has a more delicate or intricate look to it than the lead came technique. Louis C. Tiffany created the copper foil technique in the early 1900′s. Tiffany didn’t have the adhesive-backed copper foil that we have today. When he built his copper foil stained glass projects, he painstakingly cut the copper strips and applied wax to them to secure it to the stained glass.

Copper foil is often used for decorative glass boxes, stained glass lamps, and other stained glass projects with intricate curves. The copper foil is flexible and when the solder bead is applied correctly, it is strong enough for just about any stained glass project.

Deciding whether to use copper foil or lead came on a project is mostly a personal choice; yet, some areas may have building restrictions or codes that you might want to check. Some people believe that the copper foil method of stained glass construction is not strong enough for large stained glass windows.

There are methods of reinforcing stained glass windows whether they are constructed by the copper foil method or the came method. Rebar is used to reinforce large stained glass windows. There is a copper flat wire called “Strong Line” that is also used as reinforcement by placing it between the pieces of stained glass before soldering.

The copper color of Tiffany’s thin strips of copper for his stained glass window construction would have shown in, for instance, clear glass. Today’s copper foil comes in various backing colors like copper, black, silver and brass. This gives the stained glass artisan choices of backing that will show up less through clear glass; and for instance, if you use silver backing on white stained glass, there will not be a line of shadow on the white stained glass near the solder lines.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

Also, if you plan to leave the solder lines silver and not use a patina to color the solder, then silver back will look better wherever there is clear glass. The same works for using a copper patina on the lead; you would want copper backed foil on your stained glass. Black-backed foil would look best on that clear glass if you are using black patina.

Copper foil tape is a “dead soft copper” which, when burnished onto the stained glass, sticks closely to the glass. It comes in various widths with popular sizes being: 1/8″, 3/16″, 1/4″, 7/32″ 3/8″ and 1/2″. Most copper foil tapes are in 36 yard rolls.

When working with larger stained glass projects, 3-dimensional articles or windows, a wider copper foil like 3/8″ or 1/2″ will be stronger. Thicker stained glass requires a wider tape. When you are doing very intricate or delicate stained glass work, you might prefer to use the narrower 3/16″ copper foil tape.

When you wrap stained glass in copper foil tape, be sure that the edges of the glass are ground and then cleaned very well; otherwise, the foil will not stick to the stained glass. Wrapping the glass edges carefully and being sure equal amounts of foil are folded up onto either side of the stained glass will ensure a smooth, even solder line. Be sure to rub or burnish the foil until it is smooth and secure.

Copper foil for stained glass construction is available through wholesale distributors all over the world. A very popular and reliable copper foil is manufactured by Edco Supply Corporation in Brooklyn, New York. Stained glass retail stores, craft stores, and online stores carry copper foil for stained glass.

That’s the latest from the Stained Glass authorities. Once you’re familiar with these ideas, you’ll be ready to move to the next level.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say about Stained Glass? The information in the article below comes straight from well-informed experts with special knowledge about Stained Glass.

If you have a retail stained glass shop, you probably already have a wholesale account set up with a supplier like Ed Hoy’s or Delphi Glass, but what if you don’t have a shop and you are a stained glass hobbyist? There are several places you can go to buy stained glass.

You can establish a retail account with some of the same stained glass supply companies with which retail stores set up their wholesale accounts. Most require credit cards to pay for your purchases if you order by phone from their stained glass catalogs. Some allow you to pay by check, but wait until the check has cleared before they ship your stained glass order.

Stained glass magazines are full of advertisements for stained glass suppliers and you can search on-line. The magazine advertisements and articles also show pictures of some of the stained glass available so you get an idea of what the different types of glass look like. The stained glass suppliers’ catalogs have color pictures of all the glass and colors they offer. The only problem is that you can’t get a true feel of the glass and see exactly how it looks with natural light going through it.

If you can visit a stained glass warehouse, you will be able to see for yourself the many colors and textures of stained glass. This will help you so you know in the future what you are ordering. Be sure to call the stained glass wholesale warehouse or store before you travel there to be sure that they are open. Some wholesale stores only allow people with wholesale accounts in their warehouses by appointment; some have certain days when retail buyers are allowed.

So far, we’ve uncovered some interesting facts about Stained Glass. You may decide that the following information is even more interesting.

There are many types, textures and colors of stained glass from which to choose. Sample boxes from different stained glass manufacturers can be purchased, but are very expensive and not practical for a hobbyist. You can create your own sample box by cutting squares or rectangles of about 1″ x 2″ of the glass that you do purchase along the way. Label them with the manufacturer’s name, the color, and the universal order number which stands for the name, color and texture.

When you order stained glass by phone or by mail order, the glass can be sent to you in 12″ x 12″ sheets or up to 1/2 sheets. Most full-sized stained glass sheets are 24″ x 48″ and do not ship well, so they have to be sent by freight truck, which is quite expensive. If you order over $1,000 worth of full-size stained glass sheets for your retail store, you can offset the cost of freight through your retail pricing. If you are a hobbyist, it isn’t practical.

You can purchase most of the stained glass you need through a local retail stained glass shop. Some will special order glass for you, but don’t be surprised if a small shop owner cannot accommodate you by special ordering a piece of stained glass. Wholesalers require them to meet minimum dollar amounts and the small stained glass shop or studio owner probably will not be able to meet that minimum based on your needs, alone. Stained glass shops with a larger client base will place stained glass orders more frequently. You might have to wait until the shop has a large enough stained glass purchase order.

Stained glass varies in texture and color. Your supplier may not be able to match additional stained glass sheets; so, purchase all the stained glass for your project at the same time.

Now you can understand why there’s a growing interest in Stained Glass. When people start looking for more information about Stained Glass, you’ll be in a position to meet their needs.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his new GVO affiliate site: GVO

When most people think of Stained Glass, what comes to mind is usually basic information that’s not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there’s a lot more to Stained Glass than just the basics.

There are many techniques that can be used to create beautiful and interesting works of art in stained glass. This article deals with stained glass painting. This technique has been used for centuries and was the most popular form of stained glass during the Renaissance era due to their keen aspiration for intricate details in artwork. Painting of stained glass became so popular, in fact, that the earlier stained glass arts of using “pot metal glass” almost disappeared entirely.

You will need several items handy to do stained glass painting. Obviously you will need paint and paintbrushes, if you cannot afford the specialized stained glass type you may be able to improvise with regular artist’s paintbrushes. You will also need access to a kiln to set your work. Many professional studios will allow you to use their kiln for an hourly rate. Next, you will need a palette for mixing your paint. A piece of sandblasted glass is the most suitable choice for mixing you stained glass paints. A palette knife is a helpful tool in mixing the paint. The paints are made from a mixture of powdered oxides, gum arabic and water.

As with other forms of stained glass art, you will want to start with your design on paper. Make sure there is some definition to your design and that the differently colored areas are outlined in a darker color. You may tape your design to the bottom of your glass so that it will remain in place during painting. Begin painting the dark outlines of your design with a tracer or rigger (long brush with a slender point). You will want your trace paint to be dark enough to block out light and provide contrast with your lighter colors. You must apply the outlines in long, smooth, continuous strokes. Do not try to “go over” your lines once they have dried (which does not take long!).

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

If you do you will cause the paint to bubble and separate (fry) when the glass is fired in the kiln. You should not touch the line at all once it has been painted, although you may correct some mistakes and overages by gently scraping the paint off with a toothpick AFTER it has dried completely. Next, your stained glass trace paint is fired in the kiln at approximately 1150? F.

After your trace paint has been fired, you are ready to apply your shading colors. The shading color may be dropped into a particular area of the stained glass and then brushed or “mopped” over the entire area where that color is desired. You may then use various brushes with different strokes or techniques to create a stippled or otherwise textured look. Keep in mind that the color of the shaded area will appear lighter in your finished stained glass project after it has been fired in the kiln.

You may also wish to enhance the look of your project with silver stain. Silver stain will be applied to the back side of your stained glass project (the opposite side from your painting) and will actually change the color of the glass rather than simply cover it. Silver stain can be corrosive as it contains silver nitrate so use with caution and please use clean brushes for this portion of the project. The effect of silver stain is a lovely yellow to amber-colored hue to the stained glass and provides a lovely background to your stained glass artwork.

Your skill and technique in painting stained glass will improve over time, as with any new endeavor. Be patient and allow yourself to enjoy the process. Painting stained glass can be a rewarding hobby and with a little practice you may even create a masterpiece someday!

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Adsense Sites and make sure to download the free adsense sites package!

If you have some experience in stained glass handi-crafts repairing your old or damaged stained glass window is a project you may consider doing yourself. This article assumes you have at least some experience in this craft. If your window is very valuable, if you do not have any experience in stained glass window making or if you lack confidence in your abilities this is a task you may want to leave to the professionals. Otherwise, the process is very much like creating a new stained glass window and even a little easier in the sense that you do not have to do much, if any, glass cutting.
Problem #1: The leaded stained glass window cames are around seventy years old (or older) and have become brittle causing bulging or breaking.

This usually begins to happen in a stained glass window over seventy years old. Lead does not rot or rust, but it does lose its elasticity and become brittle over time. If left unattended it may cause the stained glass pieces to fall out or break as well.

The Solution:

Re-leading the window. This is time consuming, but very worthwhile to restore your stained glass window to its original beauty and integrity. The following steps must be taken:

1. Take a photograph of the window and measure lead cames to help with reconstructing it later.

2. Take the panel out of the window frame and remove panel framing.

3. Next, you will need to take the entire panel apart using the soldering iron to loosen solder and gently pry the old cames from the glass pieces.

4. Dispose of old lead in an environmentally friendly way, you should probably take it to a metal recycling facility.

5. Next each piece of glass should be thoroughly cleaned and dried. Lay the pieces in place so as not to become confused later.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

6. Reassemble panel using with new lead cames in the same width as the original.

7. Broken stained glass pieces should be traced and matched as closely as possible to a new piece of glass cut with the pattern you create. Another option if you have all the broken pieces and either cannot match the stained glass closely enough or do not want to put new pieces in, is to use thin lead cames to hold the broken pieces together. This option will likely make it obvious that the window has been repaired, so use with care.

8. New cement should be applied to both sides

9. New reinforcement bars should now be attached.

10. The stained glass panel is now ready to be re-framed and re-hung.

This process should be done when the window is nearing seventy years old. Following the steps above should result in a complete restoration of your stained glass window and it should be as structurally sound as a brand new one.
Problem #2: One stained glass panel in a window less than 70-years-old is broken.

The Solution:

This will depend on the location of the broken piece. If it is near the outer edge, you may be able to get away with carefully breaking the damaged piece out of the frame and using the soldering iron to loosen the lead cames and then re-soldering the new piece in place as in #7 above. If the broken piece is in a difficult location or if there are several broken pieces, you may want to re-lead the entire window following the above instructions. If there is a small crack, you might consider using a glass repair kit from the automotive shop. These are used to fix small chips and cracks in windshields and if the damage is slight, may be a suitable way to repair the crack and prevent further damage.

There are a number of other small repairs that you can do yourself such as re-painting areas that have flaked off, but these will need to be removed and re-kilned and you may want to consult with a professional for help with that. Restoring your stained glass window may be a painstaking process, but it is worth it to preserve its original beauty and make it last for future generations.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Adsense Sites and make sure to download the free adsense sites package!

Every stained glass instructor is different, but the things you will learn from someone who has already been through the frustrations of learning the art of stained glass are invaluable. Learning in a stained glass class will save you a lot of time and grief that you would encounter if you were self-taught. You will learn the basic techniques for scoring, breaking, grinding and leading stained glass. You will also learn about the basic tools necessary to complete a stained glass project.

In your stained glass class, you will learn how to select stained glass for your projects. You will learn about different types, textures and colors of stained glass and how to optimize the use of colors in your design.

You might not create your own design for your first project. You will probably do a simple stained glass suncatcher from a pattern. Depending on the length of your stained glass class, you might also make a small stained glass panel.

You will begin by choosing glass for your stained glass project. You will learn the appropriate way to hold a scoring tool and then how to break the scored glass with your hands, groziers, or running pliers (for straight lines). You’ll be taught that scoring is done on the smoother side of the stained glass.

To successfully break the stained glass, you will learn how to score straight lines, inside curves and outside curves. Your experienced teacher will be able to show you tricks that will make these easier to do and which tools work best. He/she should have different styles of tools for you to try out so that you can choose what works best for you.

If your Stained Glass facts are out-of-date, how will that affect your actions and decisions? Make certain you don’t let important Stained Glass information slip by you.

You will also learn how to use a glass grinder so that you can smooth the edges of the stained glass and make adjustments so that the pieces will fit the stained glass design. As you lay the pieces of glass on the pattern, you must leave just enough space between them to make up for the thickness of the lead came or copper foil that will be wrapped around them.

You will either learn the copper foil method of stained glass or the lead came method. You will learn how to wrap and burnish the stained glass edges with copper foil. Be patient, this will take practice. You will learn how to assemble your stained glass project using lead channels. You will learn how to use cutting tools in order for you to cut and fit the came so that your stained glass project will have smooth lines and joints.

You’ll be shown different tools for wrapping foil; or, you might prefer to wrap by hand. Various burnishing tools are available. Try out different tools.

For the copper foil stained glass project, you will use flux to prepare the foil for applying solder to it. You will learn how to use a soldering iron and how to “tin” the foil by applying a flat coat of solder to all surfaces of the foil. Next, you will go back over it and apply a smooth, raised “bead” line.
In the lead came project you will learn how to solder the joints and fill the gap between the glass and lead with “putty.” The next step you will learn is how to add a patina which will turn the solder black and makes the colors of the stained glass pop out.

After you have framed the project, finally, you will learn how to clean and polish your completed stained glass panel.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what’s important about Stained Glass.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Adsense Sites and make sure to download the free adsense sites package!