Stained glass windows look beautiful, rich and unusual. But for some reason, many are accustomed to associate them with some religious buildings or luxurious palaces. In fact, today a stained-glass window can be in an ordinary apartment. There are several technologies for their manufacture. They differ only in price, quality and operating conditions of the finished product, but not in any way with its decorative characteristics.
In addition, today you can create a stained-glass window with your own hands at home. To do this, in specialized stores you can find enough consumables. The main thing is to master the technique of working with them, with which we will try to understand the article.
What are stained glass windows
People are used to thinking that it is not realistic to create stained-glass windows with their own hands. Of course, the huge canvases that are found in the best cathedrals in the world are unlikely to be collected in your pantry, but any homemaker can completely fill the window opening in an apartment with such a miracle.
Stained-glass windows are divided into several types:
- by Tiffany technology;
- film;
- bulk;
- painted.
The first is the most difficult technique, since it involves a lot of processes and delicate work with real glass. The simplest are painted, but on condition that you at least know how to hold a brush in your hands.
Stencil - the basis of any stained glass window
To create a stained glass window with your own hands, a stencil is simply necessary. This is its basis and organizing part. Stencils are made on thick paper and in full size. This allows you to plot the future stained-glass window in accordance with the plan and along precisely planned lines. Drawing a picture on glass is much more difficult.
The stencil is placed under the glass with the markup pointing up so that it can be used to circle or cut the components of a future work of art. That is why it must be a life-size product.
Once such schemes were made manually, which significantly hindered the creation of a stained-glass window, and it required certain drawing skills from the master. Now it’s enough to use a graphical computer program, which will not only turn any image into a circuit, but also convert it into vector graphics, which allows you to stretch the image to any size without losing quality.
Tiffany Technology
This is perhaps the most difficult way to create such a decor. For work, they use: thin colored glass (3-4 mm), a copper tape, a soldering iron and solder, a solution for patination. The difficulty lies in learning how to properly cut glass plates along curved lines. Masters recommend holding a glass cutter once on the intended line. It should emit a characteristic crunch. After that, from one edge to another it is necessary to tap this notch so that a crack passes precisely along it. And at the final stage, with a simple lever movement, a piece of glass breaks off. Subject to the correct execution of the entire process, the glass breaks off exactly along the line that was outlined by the glass cutter. If this skill is mastered, you can easily create lace Tiffany stained glass with your own hands.
All stages of work look like this:
- A stencil with glass colors marked on it must be placed on the light table.
- We take the decorative plate of the desired color and cut out the element from it according to the stencil. At this moment, it is important to accurately draw the line with a glass cutter so that the glass bursts and breaks off exactly where it was planned. Otherwise, the stained-glass window will not be assembled.
- We cut the required number of pieces and collect a complete picture on the stencil. We check again so that all the parts fit snugly together.
- We continue to manufacture stained glass with our own hands so that we wrap each piece of glass with copper tape. It is very important to place the workpiece on it strictly in the center, so that then from the protruding edges to make sides.
- It's time to re-assemble the drawing and turn on the soldering iron. While it is warming up, all the seams must be carefully treated with a solder flux so that the solder can hold them securely.
- Using tin with a soldering iron, we fasten all the parts together with dots. Only after this can we begin to create voluminous tin lines.
- Do not forget about the back of the stained glass window. But here the solder layer can be laid much thinner.
- The last step is patination. This effect is created using a solution of copper sulfate, which, interacting with tin, denigrates it, creating a protective and decorative layer of patina.
Here's how to make a stained glass window with your own hands. At first glance, everything may seem rather complicated, but do not forget that practice is needed in everything. Start with small pictures with few small details. Over time, you will learn to make more complex technical works.
False Stained Glass
Tiffany technology is considered genuine for creating glass paintings. But the craftsmen have developed several new techniques for decorating window openings. Film stained-glass windows are most similar to the previous technique. Do-it-yourself is even easier to create.
Here, instead of fragile thin glass, a translucent and transparent self-adhesive film is used. But working with it is similar to working with real glass.
A stencil is placed on the luminous table and pressed with its working glass. It is him and you need to paste over with pieces of color film.
On the stencil with a sharp clerical knife, cut the necessary pieces-blanks. Then, when the whole drawing is worked out, they are glued to previously cleaned and degreased glass.
If all work is done correctly, there should be no gaps between the pieces of film. But even if they remained, the main thing is to be small, because this is not the end of the work.
The arsenal of film stained glass masters has special metallized adhesive tapes that perfectly imitate real solder. Pieces of this tape must be glued so that they are as close as possible to soldering. Perform this procedure on both sides of the glass.
It is much easier to make such stained-glass windows on glass with your own hands, but here there are some nuances. The main thing is not to leave bubbles between the film and glass. This will completely kill the decorative value of the product. The second - the film is sold in relatively large pieces, and a beautiful stained glass window requires a considerable number of colors. Therefore, such a product can be expensive. But if you need to create something more than 15 by 20 cm pictures, then it makes sense to start working with films and glass.
Liquid patterns
There is another option - do-it-yourself jellied stained glass. What is this technique? It is a bit like film in that the work is done on a solid sheet of glass blank. Only patterns are not created by films, but by liquid components.
We carefully clean the glass, remove grease and dust. We put a sketch of the finished product under it. First you need to take the outline paint and draw all the lines that are on the stencil. This circuit will create a kind of side for liquid components. The very elements of bulk stained-glass windows can be purchased in a specialized store or on the Internet on sites for needlework.
Let's figure out how to make stained-glass windows with your own hands. When the contours are completely dry, proceed directly to the fill. It must be carried out carefully so that the polymers do not splash out of place. They need to be poured a little so that they cover the glass with a thin layer. To distribute the paint evenly, you can use a brush or a sharp stick.
When all the cells are full, you need to leave the stained glass window for 24 hours, so that it completely dries out. At this time, it is important to protect it from dust, moisture and other mechanical impurities.
Now you can do stained glass on glass with your own hands in different techniques. But that is not all of them.
Stained glass on dishes and small household items
It happens that one really wants a stained glass chandelier or a cup, and it will take more than one year to master such difficult moments in the Tiffany technique. What to do in this case? To make a stained-glass window with your own hands at home using paints. Themed stores sell special stained glass paints. They are persistent, transparent and quite bright. Separately, there are special contours that help simulate the welds of pieces of glass.
Working in this technique is not difficult. Again, we need a stencil and a few hours of free time. The paper blank must be pressed firmly on the inside of the dishes on which the painting will be made. For these purposes, you can use tape.
Then, with contour paint, draw all the lines. We try to do everything as carefully as possible so that later we do not have to correct the work. When the circuit dries, we take a brush and stained glass paints and recall childhood, when it was necessary to paint a picture on empty blanks. We give the paint to dry, and we get the original stained glass interior and household items.
These are all the basic techniques for how to create stained-glass windows with your own hands. Of course, we do not write off the finished store self-adhesive labels with patterns. But it is more rational to use them not as a finished product, but as a material for an affordable analogue of film stained glass. The main thing is not to limit yourself to fantasy, if you really want to create a stained-glass window with your own hands at home.
Pros and cons of each type of stained glass
The most expensive and at the same time richly looking will be Tiffany's stained glass windows. This stained glass framed by dark metal simply sparkles and lets out sunbeams or bizarre shadows both in daylight and in artificial lighting. To create such a masterpiece of a large area is not so simple, therefore it is often used as a small element in the interior or exterior. In addition, the glass in this stained glass window is quite thin, which does not add to it a special strength. But he is quite resistant to all atmospheric changes.
Film stained glass is best used indoors. The polymers from which the films are made do not really like changes in temperature and humidity. And direct sunlight is destructive for them. Therefore, if you decide to put them in the window opening, then try to do it indoors and not in the southern room.
If you figured out how to make a stained-glass window with your own hands at home, and successfully coped with this task, then the film elements will perfectly complement the windows in the doors, interior partitions, furniture facades and wardrobes. Even in the nursery, in the kitchen and in the bathroom, you can find use for them.
Bulk stained-glass windows are also quite versatile. They can occupy large areas, and just a corner on the mirror or in the window opening. After the polymers have hardened, the bulk stained-glass windows are not afraid of almost any effects, except atmospheric, from which they can crack and crumble.
But just stained glass paints are more moody. They like to decorate dishes, but after that they should be used to a minimum, because from frequent washing the paint begins to crack and peel off. But among the advantages of this technique, it is worth highlighting that it certainly does not limit the master in decorating uneven surfaces, such as a lamp shade. After all, Tiffany's stained-glass windows for this require the highest level of skill, the film must be skillfully cut so that it does not have wrinkles and bubbles, and the bulk stained-glass window will completely drain.
Mirror as a background for a film
A rather interesting version of the decor of the room is stained-glass windows on the mirror. Consider how to create them correctly in order to get exclusively pleasure, and not disappointment in your abilities.
To create a stained-glass window on a mirror with your own hands, you need to choose a suitable stencil. Now we will talk about such a product in which the entire plane of the mirror is closed. Therefore, the picture should not be small.
If we use stained glass films as a decorative material, then we will also need the same dimensions as a mirror, a sheet of glass. He will help to cut decorative materials for further work.
Now that all the pieces have been cut out, we continue to figure out how to make a stained-glass window with our own hands on the mirror, because the drawing on it is much more difficult to transfer. Assemble all the details on a sheet of glass on a stencil and transfer them to the mirror, but do not stick yet to make sure your actions are correct and try on everything again.
When everything is adapted to the intended drawing, you can begin to perform work, as in the manufacture of ordinary film stained glass, with the only difference being that we do not glue the back of the product with decorative tape.
Bulk Mirror Stained Glass
The same decor element can also be created using bulk technology. But here it will be a little more difficult to transfer the drawing. But with this we will help you figure it out.
To leave a picture on a mirror surface, you must first take into account that it will be mirrored using the technology that we describe below. Therefore, immediately mirror it before starting work.
So, for work, we need a permanent marker, a stencil, a ballpoint pen and a thick film like a stationery file. Using a permanent marker, transfer the drawing to it. Then we turn over our improvised "carbon copy" with inscriptions to the glass, firmly fix and circle all the contours again, but with a ballpoint pen or any other sharp, but relatively soft object.
Then you can begin to create mirrored stained-glass windows with your own hands according to the technology described earlier.
Slight decorative accents
So we figured out how to make stained glass on glass with our own hands. And it does not have to be huge canvases that cover the entire plane of panoramic windows. Stained glass accents can be made small. For example, decorate one corner of the kitchen window with flowers to match the overall interior design. This will not only not make the whole design heavier, but will also make it more refined.
Stained glass frames and corners on mirrors look great, whether it is a living room, bedroom or bathroom. To complement them with any thematic drawings on glass is to add a little zest to the overall interior.
Quite often, film stained-glass windows are used on the facades of sliding wardrobes. These are huge, as a rule, mirrored sliding doors, which depict whole pictures, depending on the style of the whole room in which they are located.
Workshop equipment
Now you have figured out how to make a stained-glass window with your own hands at home. But to work on an ongoing basis, it is necessary to equip a convenient workshop. First you need a light table. It can be created from an ordinary glass tabletop covered with a matte film and highlighted from below.
Since you have to work with glass, it is important to provide it with the correct storage conditions. And since it is mainly upright, you need to prepare the correct and convenient holders for it.
You also need different shelves for storing materials, consumables, tools and stencils. The better organized the workshop space, the faster and more efficient the work will be.
If you plan to work with bulk stained-glass windows, it is very important to provide them with ideal conditions when they will dry. Therefore, it makes sense to think about some kind of protective caps or an airtight cabinet where dust will not leak out.
Well and most importantly - you should never neglect safety rules. Since working with glass carries a risk of injury, it must be cut in protective gloves. Work with all reagents should also take place with gloves on, and when using a soldering iron, you must remember the fire safety rules.
Stained glass as a form of earnings
If you once did stained glass with your own hands, and you liked this work, you can turn this activity into a great business. To do this, it is enough to invest in the necessary materials and make a full-fledged workshop. After that, you can begin the "hunt for the client."
Just find someone in your city who is creating custom-made furniture and installing windows. Contact them and offer your stained glass window services. Of course, these people will sell your product to the end consumer as intermediaries, having made their own wrap on this. But at this stage, the main thing is to start making money on your favorite hobby.
Then you can independently give several advertisements to the local press, on the Internet, to bulletin boards in the most crowded places.This will also bring you a buyer, because stained-glass windows today are becoming a fairly popular element of decor not only in luxurious mansions, but also in ordinary apartments. The main thing is to offer people an affordable product.
Ideas for motives
How to choose a picture that will decorate your home. Check out the photo of stained glass in this article, you can create many of these examples with your own hands with ease.
Inspire the creation of stained glass can any floral motifs, ornaments. With animals and people, the situation is more complicated, because you need to correctly highlight the lines of emphasis, so that in the end it turns out exactly what was originally planned and did not have to sign under a stained glass window that it depicts a bear, not a squirrel.
But the simplest option for creating stencils at the initial stage of creativity, in addition to using ready-made ones, is geometric patterns. You can even draw them yourself without using a printer. And such patterns are not always simple, as it seems at first glance. Many of them can be as imaginative and voluminous as possible by using the right shades in the composition.
By the way, the harmony of colors and shades is an important moment. Any stained glass window is a picture on glass, which should carry some kind of artistic purpose. If at first you can’t choose the right colors, use the decryption on ready-made schemes, which are available in abundance on the Internet for sale.
Winter stained glass
Few of you thought about it, but many have definitely done the primitive stained-glass window on the window with their own hands. Remember the New Year holidays. If you are not familiar with this option, then we’ll tell you how to decorate the window with scissors, paper, a dishwashing sponge and white toothpaste.
Cut out any snowflakes from thick office paper. There is no limit to fantasy. The main thing is to remember, the lighter the snowflake, the more beautiful the pattern will turn out. We need such pieces of several pieces of different sizes. We take some water, wet the glass with them and glue the snowflake. When it sticks, we apply a little toothpaste to the sponge and fill it with light driving movements with it with the entire space inside this stencil and around the perimeter.
So we repeat until the maximum decorative effect is achieved. Such a “stained-glass window” is removed easily with an ordinary damp cloth, as during the usual washing of windows. There is also an option to replace toothpaste with artificial snow in cans. See for yourself what is more accessible and better for you.
There is another option to paint the windows with gouache. This method is also quite often used, especially in children's educational institutions. There are generally no restrictions on the flight of fancy, since any festive motifs can be depicted on glass.
To wash off such creativity is a little more difficult than the previous version, since gouache stains both glass and the rag with which it is washed more densely. Therefore, it is better to remove the painting using a large volume of water.
Total
Making stained-glass windows at home is not so difficult as it seems at first glance. To do this, you need to prepare a suitable stencil and the necessary materials. It’s not always advisable to engage in such a craft, since consumables are quite expensive. Yes, and everyone who has decided to try himself in this matter should have elementary skills to work with them.
On the other hand, it’s much cheaper to make a large stained glass window or several small ones by yourself than to order them in specialized workshops, where they will take money not only for materials, but also for work done. If you need a large number of such decorative elements, then you can safely go to the nearest store for materials.