Stained glass is a unique versatile art. It is used in churches, homes and businesses. With its versatility you can change plain windows to complement decor, advertise, or show off your passion. Stained glass can be used to transform kitchen cabinets, transoms, mirrors and built-in wall units. It can be made one-dimensional or three-dimensional. Size, shape, color, texture and design are only limited by your imagination.
There are 2 methods for making stained glass; lead came and copper foil. Steps regarding design layout and glass cutting are basically the same. The major difference between the two methods is found in the assembly.
Lead came requires fitting the glass pieces into lead channels called cames, which is then soldered at the joints and cemented. The thick came makes it a sturdier choice for large panels and windows.
With copper foil or Tiffany method, the edges of each piece of glass are wrapped in foil then soldered together. The thinness and flexibility of foil is ideal for 3-dimensional pieces, intricate and detailed designs.
Glass etching utilizes abrasive blasting to “frost” the surface of the glass. It is “one-stage” blasting. That is, all of the elements are created in a single blasting session. The etched portions of the design almost always look white and the unetched portions looks black (or clear). Etched elements of the design have to be separated by unetched spaces, otherwise the etched elements all blend together, with no detail.
Glass carving involves blasting (carving) deep into the material (glass, tile, stone) to produce a three dimensional design. There are several types of carving including single stage, two stage, multi-stage and freehand carving. Single stage carving is simply blasting a surface etching deeply into the glass, separating elements with clear spaces, as in surface etching. Two stage ands multi-stage carving involve removing some of the resist (the material protecting the glass) and then blasting again, removing more resist, blasting again. In this way, elements of the design can be carved a different depths creating a three dimensional design in the glass.
Single Stage Carving - Positive Image and Multi-Stage Negative Image (Background etched and leaves shaded) |
Multi Stage Carving
Like surface etching, this techniques just blasts the surface of the glass. Unlike surface etching, the elements in the design are blastd to different apparent shades of gray. The principle of shading is that glass appears clear (or dark) and that fully etched glass appears white. Different shades of gray can be produced by etching the surface to less than 100%. Shading, like carving can be done in single stage, two stage, multi-stage or freehand steps.
Shading on a tempered Glass Door Panel |
Carving and Shading
Glue chipping involves placing a strong glue which bonds to the glass on the glass. Once the glue is dry, it is actually chipped off. This process takes a portion of the surface of the glass with it and produces an effect quite different from etching.
Any of the glass designs may be enhanced by adding color with paint. Knowing how to color etched and carved glass allows special pieces to be produced to satisfy more commission customers, especially those wanting to match corporate or company colors or homeowners wanting etched or carved glass to match a particular decorating theme. It also the artist to create more unique artwork.
Air brushing on glass can produce unique designs. Usually done in multiple layers, the design is laid in first and then subsequent layers of paint create the background for the design.
Gold leafing consists of matte and burnished gilding, but also methods of coloring gold size (to produce gilded elements with different colors) and other unique techniques like using mica powders in different colors. These techniques produce stunning accents to etched and carved glass designs.
Photos in Glass
Photographs can be reproduced in glass. This technique includes scanning photos or importing them from digital cameras or email, cleaning them up and enhancing them in the computer, creating halftones from them and printing negatives. The negative is then used to expose a UV sensitive mask in the darkroom prior to application to the glass. Blasting is done next at a very low psi and with much control required.
Combinations of Techniques
As seen in the examples above, any etching can be produced with one technique, or by a combination of techniques. Glass artists who know multiple techniques can provide the best and most sophisticated designs.
It is this ability to use each technique for its strengths that produce unique and beautiful finished art.
Many of these same techniques can be used in other media, such a wood, stone and ceramic tile.