Stained glass is an art in its own right. Dating back to the 12th century, these decorative glass windows have been seen in churches and cathedrals, as well as other grand buildings across the land. The colours of the glass are produced by adding metallic salts during construction. The small pieces of coloured glass were then held together by lead, and patterns and pictures would be created. In the Victorian era, stained glass became a popular feature in homes; this trend was embraced by architects, including Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Frank Lloyd Wright, who saw its secular appeal. Today, it is proving popular once more in the home as an alternative to curtains or blinds, or as an original feature.
Create your own stained glass
Creating stained glass windows can also be done yourself at home. There are DIY kits on the market that contain everything that you require to make your own beautiful designs; starter kits for copper foil, lead and combination stained glass are available to buy online and in art shops. The beginner’s kit usually comes with the essentials such as a soldering iron, grozing pliers, Cutting Square, glass pack and many other necessities. These DIY kits can be rather expensive, from mid to high range in price. However, it won’t cost as much the next time you make one because you’ll have most of the essential kit, as they are a onetime purchase you will only need to top up a few supplies. Stained glass windows are worth the effort, as they create beautiful effects, transforming sunrays into different colours.
You can also create your own homemade faux stained windows glass with glass paints and stencils. This would be a good way to begin. It would be an opportunity to experiment with different colours and patterns. The designs can be as imaginative as you wish. However, you’re probably best to start with something simple, such as a flower. The kit required for this would be – a glass surface, some decorative reusable stencils, they are adhesive-backed and are soft and flexible, specifically designed for use on curved and flat smooth surfaces. An assortment of brushes and markers specially designed to work with glass paints. These soft hair brushes are designed to allow more paint to be applied for smoother coverage. The markers make it simple to outline and add fine lines. Glass stain paints, transparent stain made for use on glass and plastic to create a stained glass effect. These glossy stains are ideal for filling preformed sun catchers or making your own custom designs.
There are multi surface gloss enamel paints; these are glossy, acrylic paints which have a smooth, thick consistency. These durable paints are generally available in opaque, frost, and transparent finishes. Other essentials required would be a bottle of surgical spirit and cotton buds to clean the glass, a utility knife, and painters tape. There are online tutorials that will help guide you in the right direction.