Stained glass products look pretty much like those made of painted glass/acrylic sheet. So what's the big deal about it?
Well, to plainly set forth how things are done for the benefit of those who don't know, here is the basic difference between stained glass art and glass painting.
Stained glass art means pieces of stained glass --glass coloured during its manufacture -- put together with strips of lead into the form of a window or lamp or suncatcher.
Glass painting means a picture painted on glass with coloured paints.
Stained glass, as an art and craft, requires the artistic skill to conceive an appropriate and workable design, and the engineering skill to assemble the pieces.
A piece of stained glass artwork begins as a pattern on paper/surface on which the lamp is going to be made as a reference.
Many aspects of the processing and composition of materials used in the art of stained glass need to be taken into consideration in order to create a beautiful piece of artwork.
The following link gives a nice overview on how a beautiful lampshade is made from stained glass:
Well, to plainly set forth how things are done for the benefit of those who don't know, here is the basic difference between stained glass art and glass painting.
Stained glass art means pieces of stained glass --glass coloured during its manufacture -- put together with strips of lead into the form of a window or lamp or suncatcher.
Glass painting means a picture painted on glass with coloured paints.
Stained glass, as an art and craft, requires the artistic skill to conceive an appropriate and workable design, and the engineering skill to assemble the pieces.
A piece of stained glass artwork begins as a pattern on paper/surface on which the lamp is going to be made as a reference.
Pieces of glass for suncatcher have been cut.
The pieces of the pattern are then constructed by scoring and breaking sheet glass. Once the pattern is cut out of various colors and textures of glass, the glass piece edges are ground to create a rough surface. Copper foil with adhesive backing is then wrapped around each piece of glass.
Panel lamp in a jig, copper foil is put..now waiting to be soldered.
Dome shaped lamp making in progress. Soldering tacks while making each piece.
The pieces are then fluxed and soldered together using a soldering iron and solder.
Dome shaped lamp has been soldered from the outside. Now to solder from the inside
Finishing touches include adding patinas, wires for hanging, lamp bases, or picture frame backings.
The following link gives the basic steps on how to make a stained-glass suncatcher:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Stained-Glass
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Stained-Glass
The following link gives a nice overview on how a beautiful lampshade is made from stained glass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrEIHEp1g5E