|
|
STAINED GLASS |
By Learnzat.com Creating stained glass panels is an extremely fun and rewarding hobby which can also become extra income if you so desire. There is much to learn about this art form. It's easy to learn, isn't hard on the hands and doesn't take as long as say, knitting. It's a great hobby for retirees and kids in aftercare programs. In the designing stages, the challenge of coming up with your own unique design can be the most rewarding element to this art form. Most people love glass, and are captivated by its transparency or translucence, and the way it plays with light. Colors float in it as though in free space, and shift with changes in its light source. It can be seen as a frame for art and the daylight is used to bring the image to life. As with most crafts you will need to gather some tools and materials before you begin. You will need glass cutters for scoring and breaking. The higher quality cutter will be more expensive, but can make the difference between success and unintended breakage. In addition you will need a pair of combination breaker-grozer pliers. A glass grinder will also be needed for fine-tuning the glass edges after breaking. Mastering this tool can help your pieces fit together more exact, increasing the quality of its appearance. For your first project choose a beginners pattern with a simple design with somewhat short lines to score. You will need two copies of your pattern, therefore trace the original pattern onto a sheet of standard paper and heavy pattern paper with a sheet of carbon. Number each piece as a way of keeping track of them as you create and build the project. Then use glass pattern shears to cut your pattern out of the heavy paper. The fundamental steps below will give you a basic outline on what to expect: Plan your design. Sketch out your design or use a store bought pattern. Cut out all of the pieces from your pattern. Fix to the glass the pattern pieces to be cut. Using the glass cutter, score and break each piece. Grind off the residual glass. Foil your pieces. Solder all of those pieces together. Clean up your finished work. Display your masterpiece! To improve your skill, look into local classes and workshops. Also talk to stained glass artists in your area, most are more than willing to pass on pointers to a fellow artist. |
| HOME |