Which Step Is Part Of The Process Of Making A Stained Glass Window

The History, Purpose, and Techniques of Stained Glass Windows

by Natalie Bloniarz


Artist:	Natalie Bloniarz
Championship:	Mountain Dusk

1 The History, Purpose, and Techniques of Stained Glass Windows
two Abstract
3 Introduction
iv Section 1: Background
- 4.1 A Brief History
- 4.2 Purpose
- iv.iii Techniques
five Section ii: Deliverable
- 5.i Creating my own Stained Glass Window
  - 5.1.ane The Design
  - 5.1.2 The Process
  - 5.1.3 The Issue
6 Determination
seven References
viii External Links

Abstract

The aim of this project was to develop an agreement of the history and purpose of stained glass windows and to report the techniques needed to create a window, and so apply those techniques to create my own stained glass window. Using my prior humanities and arts experience in digital art from AR1101 Digital Imaging and Computing, I created the design for my stained glass window and then proceed to go Deko Studio to create the window. Creating the window for this project was a fun learning opportunity and taught me a lot about what information technology truly takes to blueprint and create a successful stained drinking glass window.

Introduction

This project covers a brief history of stained glass to provide some historical context for the art form, and then explores the techniques that tin be used to create a window. The specific technique used to create the window for the deliverable portion of this milestone was leading. This is similar to the classes AR 162X and AR 262X Glass I and II respectively at WPI, which focus on glass bravado and techniques such as cut and grinding glass. The master difference between the class I took at Deko Studio and the classes offered at WPI is that WPI focuses more on the cosmos of the glass and objects directly as a consequence of drinking glass blowing rather than creating something from pieces of glass like stained glass. The window for the deliverable section of this project was created as part of a beginners workshop exploring the techniques needed to pattern stained glass, cutting and grinding glass, and soldering the panel together.. This project was unlike anything I accept e'er done and was a bully chance to feel a new fine art course.

Section 1: Background

A Brief History

Stained glass is believed to originate from the Center East as a way to bring light into buildings simply allow the building to exist completely closed. At that place is evidence of mastery of creating stained glass in Rome and Arab republic of egypt, and it is believed that those empires helped to spread the art grade. The earliest glass windows were a huge transition from how flesh had been using glass beforehand, mainly as weapon blades fabricated of the volcanic glass obsidian and uncomplicated housewares such as bowls and vases.^[1] Moving forward to the medieval catamenia, stained glass as it is known today began to take shape, progressing forward from simple glass shapes in holes in walls to full architectural elements. Medieval churches began to commission windows with religious figures and the royalty of the period would request for windows begetting their coat of arms. The figures and forms in these windows were simplistic and lacking perspective.^[2] The windows of this time were expensive and at a constant risk of having their light source blocked by a new edifice, rendering the art useless.^[iii] Glass in the centuries prior was as valuable as precious stones, for example red colored glass was the equivalent of an actual ruby, and tin help explain why the churches and castles of medieval Europe were the only buildings commissioning stained glass for a long menstruation. The Augsburg Cathedral is believed to have the oldest existing stained drinking glass windows, but the construction of the windows shows groovy cognition of advanced techniques. The windows in the cathedral suggest that other prior windows had existed, because of the avant-garde techniques, and suggests the idea that the creator of the window had knowledge from all across Europe, only these are the earliest existing windows still continuing today.^[4] New colors for the drinking glass in stained drinking glass windows were introduced over the centuries as new metals were discovered, allowing for experimentation into lighter colors, painting, and the development of new styles.

Gothic manner stained glass windows, especially in France, popularized the heavy apply of reds and blues in window designs.^[five] The Gothic colour choices of rich reds and blues can be easily observed in rose windows, which are the larger circular windows found in Gothic cathedrals. The Gothic way of stained drinking glass windows reigned supreme in cathedrals in the thirteenth century.^{[half dozen]} Painting on glass became the next popular fashion for stained drinking glass windows, and it was rose to popularity in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries equally a way to achieve greater detail in the windows, especially in the faces and hair of figures. This stylistic shift was a drastic alter from the previous Gothic windows with their heavy utilize of vivid colors. Painting too allowed the windows to be made of larger pieces of glass as the lead was no longer needed to create every distinct line in the prototype. Buildings were starting to exist designed around the grandiose windows that would provide the majority of the lite inside. A style known as grisaille rose to popularity to farther heighten the light in the churches in add-on to the churches existence constructed with lighter stone. This style focused on a monochrome pallet on the background or entire window, with details painted on using silver.^[7] In the sixteenth century stained glass windows began to be used to decorate community buildings, homes, and businesses such as inns and the windows were mainly secular. The apply of leading also was further reduced in favor of painting on silverish stained drinking glass driven by the want for particular, merely with more than color than the grisaille style. Donors to the art likewise began to be immortalized in the windows they paid for past beingness added into the design.^[8] The grisaille fashion of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries served as a stark dissimilarity to the renaissance style windows of that same fourth dimension period. The renaissance brought the return of more vivid colors that had be scarce in the earlier centuries, and it also brought the use of perspective to the fine art form calculation dimension to the figures. Both forms had a significant amount of detail painted onto the drinking glass, but but renaissance style windows matched the resurgence of colors in the other art forms of the time.^[ix]

After the end of the renaissance, specially in the nineteenth century, there was a revival of historic styles and techniques that focused more than on the quality of the drinking glass than the painting. The Gothic style made a resurgence in popularity because of its focus on the glass and historical techniques. Many renovations of older buildings had damaged the stained glass windows, and allowed for new windows remade in the older styles to be placed into the buildings. Geometric based designs and landscapes with vibrant colors became popular in America and England during this time of revival. The twentieth century brought almost new styles and applications to stained glass. The Aesthetic styles of patterned, semiabstract, and non-figural work became pop especially in the The states. Stained glass also began to take on new forms, such as lampshades and other dwelling products; this is known equally the Arts and Crafts movement, bringing fine arts into the home of the heart-class. Art Nouveau was Europe's response to the Aesthetic mode in America and the increase of American drinking glass production, putting even more than drinking glass in middle-course homes and in buildings. Fine art Deco in the early twentieth century fabricated its way into stained glass using vibrant colors, geometry, and simple designs. The motion had international popularity and appeared in many building across the earth, peculiarly in Spain. Today the apply of stained glass is as varied as it has ever been, even being used in sculptural elements similar Lightpainting by Stephen Knapp on the forepart of the Gordon Library at WPI.^[x]

This window exemplifies the simplistic forms of the fourth dimension, with all three of the figures lacking facial detail and the heavy employ of leading.
A display of the coat of arms of the Dukes of Burgundy more feature of early stained glass windows.
A strong example of Gothic stained glass, with its heavy use of reds and blues.
An example of the painted style of stained glass, the centerpiece is all painted.
An example of a grisaille panel that uses significantly lighter colors.
This console has donors praying to patron saints in the bottom 2 scenes.
A 16th century grisaille panel with significantly less leading, and a non secular subject.
A Tiffany fashion lampshade in the Art Nouveau fashion ^[11]

Purpose

The purpose of stained glass windows is closely tied to its history, and has evolved over time. In the beginning, it was simply a style of letting daylight into buildings through small windows and keep the walls completely closed.^[12] Stained glass is a potent example of how something can transition from just a functional item into an art class. As the windows became larger with larger individual pieces of glass, and college quality was existence produced in the medieval catamenia, religious figures realized they could use the windows to educate the illiterate masses about the bible. Light was too symbolic to religious figures, in that it represented good and God'due south protection in the Sometime Testament. Religious education in the medieval ages was very of import because the church building was the highest dominance in society, and to reach salvation one must follow the word of God.^[13] Onward from the medieval ages, the use of stained glass had a dual purpose: to create religious images and to highlight the wealth of those who owned the building or were the patron of the art.^[14] In more contempo times, some older homes, governmental buildings, and businesses accept stained glass every bit a design chemical element, and based on the texture and opacity of the glass, equally a way to increase privacy without decreasing light likewise.^[15] In full general, the primary purpose of stained glass has stayed rather simple throughout history: to allow low-cal into buildings while keeping the edifice completely enclosed.

Techniques

The procedure of creating a stained glass window boils downwards to seven simple steps, simply information technology tin can be altered based on the technique used and desired advent of the window. The first part of the procedure is to develop a blueprint for the window, sketch out the basic shapes and colors of the window. The next step forward is to create a template, called the drawing, from the basic design and solidify the finalized pattern. This step creates a guide for every piece of drinking glass that needs to be cut, and how the cut pieces are then later assembled and attached to become a cohesive piece. The cartoon is also of import because if leading is beingness used it creates definitive lead lines and solder points.^[sixteen]

A set of typical stained drinking glass tools including
Tools Pictured (from left to right):	Diamond tipped scorer, breaking pliers, palette knife, applicator brush, badger brush, and a needle

The third step is to gather all of the needed tools and materials, and to prep the piece of work space. Tools needed for most projects include:

A lath to employ as a cutting surface
A ventilation system to reduce the fumes
A scoring tool to break the drinking glass along desired lines
A grozing tool to cut (intermission) the jagged edges of the glass
Lead strips or scraps
A lead pocketknife
An oyster pocketknife to manipulate the lead
A soldering iron to attach the pieces of lead
A calorie-free box to cheque the pattern of gaps
A glass grinder for achieving different textures and fine curves
A scrubbing brush for the application and removal of cement
Whatever other tool deemed necessary or useful, every bit each artist can choose to use less or more tools than those listed.^[17]

A major part the entire process is the fourth step, which is choosing the proper glass for the desired advent. A good basis for choosing drinking glass is to option from a slab or pieces that are flat and not as well thick. Thickness is very important every bit it determines the majority of the weight of the window, and if information technology is too thick, the window could collapse and shatter under its own weight. A few typical glass choices are:

An example of crowned drinking glass^[18]
An example of Norman slab glass
An example of antique glass
Clarification:	These are three different types of glass, the most common of the three is antique glass.

Crowned drinking glass, which is created by taking a bubble from a glass blowing rod and flattening it into a console. This glass is not typically used in modern windows. This type of drinking glass appears typically in two forms: roundels and bullions. Both forms of the glass have a circular pattern due to the manufacturing process, but bullions are whatever piece cut from that drinking glass and a roundel is a circular bullion. Historically this blazon of drinking glass is clear, but that does not mean that it cannot exist found colored as well.^[xix]
A Norman slab, which is created past blowing glass into a rectangular form and it is known to have an irregular texture and thickness making it difficult to work with. The uneven thickness of the glass also give it a slight foggy appearance, and the bumpy texture of the drinking glass is visible^[20]
A crossed/pressed slab, which is created by rolling molten glass onto a table with a rolling pivot. The pivot and table take indentations to create texture merely the glass is oftentimes hard to work with because of the differing thicknesses.
Antiquarian glass is the standard glass used for stained glass windows. It is created by creating a glass bubble, piercing both sides making a cylinder, and and so cutting the cylinder and letting it unfurl and cool flat. the glass can exist made with a variety of colors and textures. A singular colour is accomplished by mixing in metallic compounds into the glass creating pot glass, while multiple color can be achieved by mixing potted glass or using the flash method. The flash method uses a bubble of glass with a large amount of a calorie-free base colour, then dipping that bubble into a darker color creating a multilayered slab.
- If the mixed color was achieved by mixing multiple potted glasses, information technology is chosen streaky or reamy glass based on the colors mixed and the ease of cutting. Reamy glass specifically has a wavy design in the colors, with bands of strong tonal dissimilarity. Streaky drinking glass has a greater portion of light colored sections with streaks of contrasting colors of varying thickness^[21].
Curious glass is glass that is an oddity or mistake of production and is often discarded past manufactures; this means that the glass can be any color or thickness.
Commercially produced glass is another pick in that it is readily available and easy to produce. Information technology is oft light in color and has a polish texture.^[22]

An diagram of the copper and foil technique.This illustration shows how the copper is used as a base for the solder^[23]
An instance of the appliqué technique^[24]
An example of the leading technique^[25]
Note:	The nearly commonly seen technique is the leading technique because of its wide utilise throughout history.

The next step is to cutting and shape the drinking glass. Cutting drinking glass tin can be difficult for beginners because each cut must go to the edge of the glass making intricate cuts challenging. To cut the glass it first must be scored along the desired line. Once scored, the glass is then carefully cleaved forth the scored line using the pliers to firmly grip the glass.^[26] And then the cutting pieces can be shaped and organized before moving onto assembly of the console, which is the sixth pace of the process. The window console can be assembled in a few different methods the master methods are: copper and foil, appliqué, fusing, and leading. Copper and foil was popularized by Louis Condolement Tiffany, and is best known for the the use of copper and foil on a lampshade. The technique involves taking each piece of glass in the design and wrapping the edges in copper foil which is then soldered along the length of the seams. This method is similar to another called tinning which uses the same copper foil wrapping but lining the seam with flux, allowing blobs of solder to flow throughout the seam to create the bond. Soldering 2 pieces can be done in two main ways the first of which is seam. seam is similar to tinning and copper and foil in that the solder is run betwixt the two joints, creating a flat joint. The other option is bead, which builds upon a seam with more flux and so the solder is run above the joint until a raised line is formed to the desired height. Appliqué steps away from solder and it involved gluing the pieces to a clear slab. This changes the grouting of the glass from negative to positive, assuasive more light to laissez passer through. Fusing drinking glass involves overlapping each edge of every piece and then firing the pattern in a kiln. The cease result is a solid panel with no leading or gaps between the drinking glass. The one main problem with this method is if the glass used in the console is not homogeneous, it can lead to not bad and uneven melting.^[27] Leading is the most usually seen method in stained glass. This method used lead came to secure the glass in place, often in a grove in the atomic number 82, and and so the atomic number 82 is soldered to hold the pieces together. Cement is then used to secure the panel and fill any remaining gaps in the atomic number 82 adding stability and waterproofing to the joints.^[28] The final stride is to finish the window whether that exist polishing the atomic number 82, packing for transport, installation, painting, or all of the above.^[29] Painting can add item to a stained drinking glass design that tin easily be accomplished by the coloration of the glass or the assembly. If a panel is painted it will need to be fired in a kiln to set the paint.^[30]

Department ii: Deliverable

Creating my own Stained Glass Window

The Design

For the pattern of my window, I took inspiration from nature and a window design I had seen while browsing on pinterest. I decided on a mountain sunset scene for the beautiful array of colors that I could employ and considering I loved that design so much. I then chose an paradigm off google and used that as a template for my design so I could see how it would look cleaved into pieces. This original design was contingent on how complex I could brand my console at the workshop. The chief use I would have for this panel is equally a decorative piece in my abode, and perhaps someday information technology could actually function as a window.

The Procedure

The process of creating my ain stained glass window began at nine:30 a.m. at Deko Studio in London. The first portion of the workshop involved learning how to properly handle and cutting drinking glass. I practiced scoring along a mark line and breaking glass for about an hour. The scoring tool works like a pen and carves a line into the glass, which tin then be used to intermission the glass. There are three main methods I used for breaking the glass in my panel: scoring and using specialized pliers, scoring and tapping along the line, and scoring and using a different pair of specialized pliers. The two pairs of pliers were grozier pliers, for breaking small pieces, and the other was a pair of glass breaking pliers for larger breaks and uncomplicated curves. Moving onto the actual panel cosmos, I was given a piece of newspaper to blueprint my window with a pattern restraint of a maximum of eight pieces. For my blueprint, I took my platonic design above and dramatically simplified the lines and colors. The final pattern ended upwards looking like a basic mountain sunset.

The master historical influence on my design was the modern do-it-yourself movement, because I preferred the freedom to create whatever possible design rather than staying within a limited historical style. After creating my cartoon it became time to chose and cut the colored glass. The type of glass we used was standard antique glass, and was mainly the leftover pieces from commissioned fine art works. I picked pieces with a shine texture for the dusk sky considering I didn't want my sky to exist too complicated, and the glass I chose had beautiful striations that helped me to achieve my desired sunset effect. For the hills and trees I chose to use iv different shades of green to add depth to the slice and in an endeavor to keep the prototype more than realistic. I also chose to experiment with texture on ii of the 4 pieces, further creating definition between each of the light-green pieces. Lastly, for the sun I picked a textured xanthous piece because I similar the more mellow refraction event it had in the light.

After I had accurately cut each of my pieces, I began to cutting and shape the lead. This was the most difficult part of the procedure because it required an incredible amount of precision. The beginning step was creating a corner of the frame, from which all other pieces would line upwardly with. This was the almost challenging part because nailing the wood guide to the table would often crusade the drawing to shift and to have to brainstorm the process all over again. Subsequently that had passed I began the tedious task of cutting and shaping thin pieces of lead to the curves of my glass pieces. This was the only moment where I regretted my design option because the lead would not hold the curved shapes very well. Once all of the pb was in place it was time for me to solder all of the joints, and using my prior experience I finished soldering rather rapidly. Once I was finished soldering, the but step left was to polish my window.

The Result

Conclusion

Afterwards looking into the history, purpose, and techniques of stained glass windows I applied my noesis to create my ain window. Creating a stained glass window is a dull procedure of endlessly cutting glass and lead, hoping that in the end the pieces will fit together. It would be interesting to run into how the art form will proceed to evolve over time and what the purpose of it will be.

References

↑ ARMITAGE, East. (1959). Stained Drinking glass: history, applied science and practice, etc (1st ed., pp. 19-21). Pl. 117. Leonard Hill: London.
↑ ARMITAGE, E. (1959). Stained Glass: history, technology and practice, etc (1st ed., pp. 22-28). Pl. 117. Leonard Loma: London.
↑ Chieffo Raguin, V. (2003). The history of stained glass (1st ed., pp. 32). London: Thames and Hudson.
↑ ARMITAGE, E. (1959). Stained Drinking glass: history, applied science and practice, etc (1st ed., pp. 19-21). Pl. 117. Leonard Hill: London.
↑ ARMITAGE, E. (1959). Stained Glass: history, engineering and practice, etc (1st ed., pp. 34-40). Pl. 117. Leonard Hill: London.
↑ Chieffo Raguin, Five. (2003). The history of stained glass (1st ed., pp. 88-111). London: Thames and Hudson.
↑ Chieffo Raguin, V. (2003). The history of stained glass (1st ed., pp. 32). London: Thames and Hudson.
↑ ARMITAGE, E. (1959). Stained Glass: history, technology and practice, etc (1st ed., pp. 34-40). Pl. 117. Leonard Colina: London.
↑ Chieffo Raguin, V. (2003). The history of stained glass (1st ed., pp. 112-141). London: Thames and Hudson.
↑ Chieffo Raguin, V. (2003). The history of stained drinking glass (1st ed., pp. 32). London: Thames and Hudson.
↑ Shanahan, M. (2001). Stained glass (1st ed., pp. 47). Lewes: Order of Primary Craftsman Publications.
↑ ARMITAGE, E. (1959). Stained Glass: history, technology and practice, etc (1st ed., pp. xix-21). Pl. 117. Leonard Hill: London.
↑ Chieffo Raguin, V. (2003). The history of stained drinking glass (1st ed., pp. x). London: Thames and Hudson.
↑ ARMITAGE, E. (1959). Stained Glass: history, engineering science and do, etc (1st ed., pp. 22-28). Pl. 117. Leonard Colina: London.
↑ Chieffo Raguin, Five. (2003). The history of stained glass (1st ed., pp. 228). London: Thames and Hudson.
↑ Reyntiens, P. (1967). The technique of stained glass (1st ed., pp. forty-45). London: Batsford.
↑ Shanahan, M. (2001). Stained drinking glass (1st ed., pp. 8-13). Lewes: Guild of Master Craftsman Publications.
↑ Böhringer, F. (2006). Angelika Kauffmann-Museum in Schwarzenberg im Bregenzerwald. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AKMuseum5.JPG
↑ Sourcebook 2015. (2015) (pp. 109). Retrieved from http://world wide web.sgaaonline.com/SB2015-pdf/Sourcebook-2015OE.pdf
↑ Sourcebook 2015. (2015) (pp. 1-two). Retrieved from http://www.sgaaonline.com/SB2015-pdf/Sourcebook-2015OE.pdf
↑ Sourcebook 2015. (2015) (pp. 109). Retrieved from http://world wide web.sgaaonline.com/SB2015-pdf/Sourcebook-2015OE.pdf
↑ Reyntiens, P. (1967). The technique of stained glass (1st ed., pp. 27-32). London: Batsford.
↑ O'Brien, 5. (1986). Techniques of stained glass (1st ed., pp. 63). New York: Prentice Hall Printing.
↑ Shanahan, M. (2001). Stained glass (1st ed., pp. 48). Lewes: Club of Master Craftsman Publications.
↑ O'Brien, V. (1986). Techniques of stained glass (1st ed., pp. 57). New York: Prentice Hall Press.
↑ Shanahan, M. (2001). Stained drinking glass (1st ed., pp. 14-15). Lewes: Guild of Master Craftsman Publications.
↑ Shanahan, M. (2001). Stained glass (1st ed., pp. 49). Lewes: Guild of Master Craftsman Publications.
↑ Shanahan, Thousand. (2001). Stained glass (1st ed., pp. 57-61). Lewes: Lodge of Principal Craftsman Publications.
↑ O'Brien, 5. (1986). Techniques of stained glass (1st ed., pp. 88-92). New York: Prentice Hall Press.
↑ Reyntiens, P. (1967). The technique of stained drinking glass (1st ed., pp. 73). London: Batsford.

External Links

Hither is the website for the studio where I made my window: Deko Studio.