Glass Painting

Glass painting is a permanent and traditional method of adding beauty to a stained glass window. It is used to control light, to add delicate details, and occasionally to create an entire scene with many colors on a piece of clear glass. (See images 6 and 7)

The paints used in my studio are powdered metal oxides that I mix with water, oil, vinegar or turpentine. The choice of liquid is determined by how I want the paints to flow onto the glass. The outlining ("tracing"), shading ("matting") and additional coloring (either "silver staining" or "enameling") each require separate firings in the kiln to make them permanently adhere to the surface of the glass.

Visit the Painted Glass page for more examples.

Image 1: Glass is cut to the pattern

Image 2: The outlines of petals and leaves are painted on the colored glass.

Image 3: Fired into the glass at 1200 degrees F, the paint acquires a gloss.

Image 4: At the base of the petals, "silver stain" has been added to intensify the color of the original yellow glass.

Image 5: The painted glass pieces are assembled in stained glass panel. (see: Notre Dame High School for complete image)

Image 6: Bamboo Tryptich Using brush strokes in the manner of traditional Japanese and Chinese painters, I painted a bamboo grove on clear glass. After kiln-firing the paint, the back of the glass was sandblasted then dual-glazed to tempered plate glass. The result is an artwork that gives privacy and meets safety requirements for glass in a bath/shower area.

Image 7: Heraldry: Coat of Arms A commission to paint the Coat of Arms for the City of Amsterdam shows the intricate detail that can be created on a small piece of glass.