Making stained glass used to be a painstaking process. The artisans of the 11th century laboriously melted sand and wood ash into liquid and added powdered metals of different colors before the mixture hardened into glass to create the various colors needed to complete the stained glass pattern.
Modern Day Stained Glass
Floor-to-ceiling pieces of art have been admired by church goers since before medieval times but modern day stained glass artists have brought the enjoyment of this artistic endeavor much closer to the masses. Although it’s still a process that requires meticulous attention to detail it isn’t quite as daunting for would-be stained glass artists.
“I think anyone can do stained glass…you just have to want it bad enough,” says Florida Keys stained glass artist Roska from her home on Little Torch Key.
Skills Required for a Stained Glass Artist
“The greatest skill you need to do stained glass is to have determination,” she says. “Patience is definitely required. When you’re cutting a piece of glass and it breaks the wrong way.... ohhhh baby that's where patience comes in.”
Roska started doing stained glass in 1998 when she saw an ad in the paper for a beginner class. Even though the class was in its second week, she was quickly able to catch up. She still has the first piece she made hanging on her porch.
“I enjoy doing stained glass because I get to actually make something beautiful with all those vibrant colors. There is the greatest sense of accomplishment when the piece is finally done,” Roska says.
Getting Started
To get started there are a few stained glass supplies required:
- grinder
- glass cutter
- solder (metallic alloy)
- soldering iron
- foil
- stained glass patterns
- brushes
- flux (a cleaning agent)
- bevelled pliers
According to Roska, there are stained glass pattern books available at all stained glass stores with a multitude of different themes. She suggests that beginners find what interests them and choose from there. She also recommends starting on small projects and learning to master the techniques before tackling the larger ones.
Learning Stained Glass
If local classes are not available there are plenty of online stained glass classes on offer. On the opposite coast, stain glass artist Pam Funk of Paradise California offers online classes and Brandon Blinkenburg of Michigan State University offers a very detailed step-by-step guide complete with pictures.
Other resources include stained glass making books for beginners:
- Basic Stained Glass Making by Dan Alfuth
- Stained Glass for the Beginner by Eric Ebeling
- Stained Glass Step-by-Step by Patricia Ann Daley
Anne O'Connell - Anne O’Connell has been a public relations professional since 1990 and has been working as a freelance writer and trainer since ...
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