One of the most striking features of churches and cathedrals are the stunning windows. Images and scenes depicted in stained glass can inspire awe in the viewer.
As an art form, stained glass has been around since the third century AD when Constantine began allowing Christians to worship openly and more churches were being built.
Most church windows are built using a style of stained glass known as leaded glass. That means there is a thin rope of lead between each pane of colored glass that holds the pieces in place.
Lead is the style of choice for larger pieces such as the windows in churches. Not only does the lead hold the pieces of glass together, it also provides stability and strength.
One of the most well-known stained glass artists in modern history is Louis Tiffany. He created lamps with floral motifs in which each petal and leaf was a different piece of glass. Tiffany used the copper foil method in which each individual piece of glass was wrapped in a thin piece of copper foil and then a bead of solder joins them together to form the image.
Working with stained glass does not require much equipment. A person can find a complete starter kit for around $200 and have everything, including several sheets of colored glass, to make a first time project.
The biggest expense for stained glass artists is the glass itself. Glass sheets come in hundreds of colors and textures with varying levels of opacity. The typical size for a sheet of glass is eight inches by 10 inches, but they can be much larger. There are several online sites where glass can be purchased and prices vary from site to site.
Working with stained glass does not require a studio. The main considerations when working with this art form is good lighting and space to store the glass when it is not being used.
No other artistic ability is needed to create something a person can be proud of. When it comes to learning about stained glass, the hardest part is finding a teacher. The University of Wyoming currently does not offer any classes in stained glass.
The newest form of stained glass is warm glass. Pieces are created in a kiln similar to that used for firing clay. Warm glass offers a variety of creative choices from jewelry to vases.
Working with warm glass requires a lot of patience and down time as the glass goes through a process of melting and fusing together, but the results can be breathtaking.
