Traditional Stained Glass

History:

Stained and painted glass has been produced for more than a thousand years, dating back to the very early Medieval period. Originally limited to churches and cathedrals, it has, over the centuries, found a place in almost all architectural and domestic settings.

Artistic Expression:

The glass produced in Medieval times, with Medieval technology, is spellbindingly beautiful, and continually serves as a reminder that, ultimately, it is the skill and the vision of the artist that determines the quality and outcome of the work. Nevertheless, with the advantage of modern equipment and understanding of the stained glass process, the artistic possibilities and settings for the medium have become almost limitless.

The Process:

Essentially there are two aspects to the process. First is the development of artwork around a given theme. This involves the production of a number of scaled down watercolour sketches and, ultimately, the production of full-sized cartoon showing all the detail to be seen in the finished work as well as the position of the leadlines. Second comes fabrication of the panel. This involves the selection of glass and cutting it into the exact shapes outlined in the cartoon. The coloured pieces of glass are then worked in such a way as to produce details such as faces, shading and tonal effects.

The techniques involve painting various metal oxides onto the glass and firing it in a kiln at about 650 degrees Celsius. The special effects of stained glass are obtained by applying the paint in thin layers which are worked with various tools including brushes, sticks and pens. Each piece is separately fired, sometimes several times. Other techniques include application of silver nitrate which, when fired, turns some glass to colours ranging from pale yellow to dark orange-brown. Unlike the metal oxides, this process leaves the glass clear and transparent and is known as silver staining – that is "stained glass". Glass can also be etched, sandblasted, fused, slumped, engraved and enamelled, in order to produce a wide variety of artistic effects.

Completion:

When work on the glass is completed, it is put together with strips of lead. The joins in the leadwork are then soldered together and cemented to provide waterproofing and stability.

Longevity:

A well-made panel will remain in place for over a hundred years before the lead needs replacing. The painted and stained glass will remain the way the artist created them for many hundreds of years.

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To see traditional stained glass panels done by our members click here

Red Dragon
Warren Collins