Modern Day Stained Glass

This artist does some great modern work: artiste_yasemi on Flikr

What does your front door say about you? Does it reflect your personality, your style, your creativity? Do your guests and friends welcome you? There are many ways to add a valuable attraction from the front fence to the front of your home, and one way is to improve it by using glass windows and side lights.

Modern stained glass and beveled glass windows are very popular and have existed for many, many years. They were specially brought to life during the Victorian era. The latches are located on the frame of a door or window and usually have the shape of a long rectangle, fan or semicircle. This type of windows definitely adds attractiveness and decorative character to the front of a house. We all like to personalize the houses we live in, and we want to create spaces that are beautiful to see. The stained glass windows have shown that. These windows can be found in various styles, from Victorian to modern and in a wide range of colors.

The glass windows on the flanks of an entrance door can be truly trans-formative. They add beauty and class to the house, as well as the warmth of the color. I was fortunate to enjoy the beautiful sidelights of my parents’ house as they grew up, and there is no doubt that they slightly increased the value of their main entrance. Many people have commented on it over the years. Unlike the transparent glass side lights, the colored and beveled glasses offer privacy and allow the passage of natural light.

Modern stained glass usage is a valuable asset for any home and it is especially fun to show them where people can appreciate them. If you decorate your main entrance with charming skylights and side lights, passers-by will surely turn their heads and notice the beauty of your home. You can easily find a style, pattern and color scheme that matches your home and you will enjoy viewing it. It is important to build the main entrance that you feel proud of, whether you live in a big city, in a rural city or in the countryside.

Maybe you like nature. Create a scene and create the natural environment from small pieces of glass that are cut into shapes. They can also be more literal. Make still lifes with smaller pieces of glass. Once you have created the pattern, cut and weld the glass to complete the piece. When youstart trying to cut the small pieces, it can be very time consuming and you need to be on point and focused. Taking something like lipodrene elite can give you the edge to not mess up and make quality pieces! It is important to keep in mind that you should try to work with tempered glass when making cuts. Use the pliers to separate the pieces.

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Stained Glass Tools And Equipment


Below are some essential stained glass tool and equipment;

1. Glass Cutter

Cutting glass is not difficult, but you do need a good glass cutter. There are various glass cutters to choose from. My personal favorite glass cutter is the pistol cutter. It is important to choose a cutter that works well for you, as this is a stained glass tool you will use constantly.<br><br>There are basically two types of cutters, one with steel wheels and those with tungsten carbide wheels. Cutters with steel wheels tend to be less expensive but, usually don’t last very long. The steel wheel becomes dull after repetitive use and must be replaced. Steel wheels are good for general purpose or softer glass. The size of the wheel and angle of the bevel on the wheel will determine how hard of a glass it can score.

Tungsten carbide wheels are more expensive than steel wheels. There durability tends to out weigh the cost difference. Many are self-lubricating which can save time.

2. Glass Grinders

Grinders are used to smooth out cuts and insure exact fitting, as well as to lessen the chance of cutting yourself. The alternative to a grinder is a diamond file.

3. Soldering Iron

There are a wide variety of different manufactures, types and sizes of soldering irons. Most soldering irons range from 60 to 150 watts with tip sizes ranging from 1/8 inch to 3/8 inch. When choosing your iron check out how long it takes to heat up, how long it holds the correct temperature, does it have a temperature controller and are the tips removable. Probably, the most important thing to consider when doing stained glass soldering, is to choose an iron that feels comfortable in your hand. If the iron is not comfortable, then this will more than likely show up in your solder lines.

4. Soldering Iron Stand

After choosing your soldering iron, you will need to purchase a soldering stand. The stand can be simple or elaborate. When choosing a grinder consider the size of the work surface, the power of the grinder and the accessories included such as bits, face shield and foot switch.

5. Temperature Controller

If your iron does not include a built-in temperature controller, then you will definitely need a separate controller. Using a temperature controller will maintain a constant temperature for your soldering iron.

6. Breaking Pliers and Grozer Pliers

These two hand tools are used for breaking glass. Breaking pliers are used after you score a line and want to break the glass. Grozer pliers are used for breaking away small areas of simple or elaborate. The simple ones hold your iron and sponge, whereas, the more expensive ones will have a built-in temperature controller, iron stand, sponge, power cord, a solder roll holder, flux bottle well, brush and a catch-all tray. Needless to say, the more elaborate ones will cost more.

Once you ahve all the tools, head on over and start to learn how to make stained glass.

The History Of Stained Glass


Worldwide the stained glass history rose with its early beginnings in one country at a time. The development of stained glass has been a struggling endeavor to evolve into what it is today. It has been a constant learning process for each and every country and each individual artist. Much like the ever changing stained glass itself, the process, the skills and the beauty of the finished pieces change as our appreciation continues to grow.

The creation of stained glass was not even a concept in its early beginnings, but developed slowly over time until it finally became perfected as a work of art. The history begun to unfold as glass became invented and it went through a series of discoveries before it became an every day reality such as glass window panes or bottles. Once the ability to make glass was overcome the next natural step was to intensify the beauty of glass with what we term as “stain glass”. The evolution of using minerals (metallic oxides and salts) to stain the glass created a new vivid world of color, images and designs forming a new vision of artwork and highly decorative windows. The early history began as building blocks taking us to the creative art forms you see today.

The first obvious appearance showed up in churches in the 10th century, with biblical scenes in German and French churches. Many people were uneducated and these scenes were often used as a teaching method. Much of today’s beautiful stained glass windows can be attributed to the transformation of churches into cathedrals during the Gothic age in Europe. Buildings were becoming taller with larger openings in thinner walls. Rather than using clear glass, artists began incorporating stained windows into the buildings design.

By the 18th century scientists, historians and amateur artists rediscovered the beauty of pieces and the stained glass history was back on track! English immigrants by the name of the Bolton Brothers were one of the first artists to establish stained glass studios in America. It wasn’t long there after, that two famous American painters would begin to change the history once again.

It was in the eighteenth century when Lafarge and atiffany started the glass experiments with hope to achieve some great visual effects, without painting glass as their predecessors had done. Today you know them from history as Louis Comfort Tiffany and John LaFarge. What had been a struggling time for the evolution of stained glass for centuries would now become the reality of stained glass today! These two gentlemen were competing rivals, creating and reproducing ornate stained windows used in both churches and private residences. By 1879 LaFarge had designed, developed and copyrighted opalescent glass. Both Tiffany and LaFarge were experimenting with highly colored glass, elaborate cuts, glass layering and plating techniques. They both succeeded in creating stained pieces rich in texture, depth and color. John LaFarge continued to develop his work for churches and private homes and he remains a very important part of the history that we know today.