With stained glass, you will want to start with your design on paper. Make sure there is some definition to your design and that the differently colored areas are outlined in a darker color. You may tape your design to the bottom of your glass so that it will remain in place during painting. Begin painting the dark outlines of your design with a tracer or rigger (long brush with a slender point). You will want your trace paint to be dark enough to block out light and provide contrast with your lighter colors. You must apply the outlines in long, smooth, continuous strokes. Do not try to “go over” your lines once they have dried (which does not take long!).

You will need several items handy to do stained glass painting. Obviously you will need paint and paintbrushes, if you cannot afford the specialized stained glass type you may be able to improvise with regular artist’s paintbrushes. You will also need access to a kiln to set your work. Many professional studios will allow you to use their kiln for an hourly rate. Next, you will need a palette for mixing your paint. A piece of sandblasted glass is the most suitable choice for mixing you stained glass paints. A palette knife is a helpful tool in mixing the paint. The paints are made from a mixture of powdered oxides, gum arabic and water.

If you do you will cause the paint to bubble and separate (fry) when the glass is fired in the kiln. You should not touch the line at all once it has been painted, although you may correct some mistakes and overages by gently scraping the paint off with a toothpick AFTER it has dried completely. Next, your stained glass trace paint is fired in the kiln at approximately 1150? F.

Stained glass paint is a high-fired permanent paint which actually has glass (called the vehicle) in it. Stained glass paint also contains lead and has coloring agents like sand, alumina, clay, red or white lead oxide, boric acid, potassium and sodium. The lead in the stained glass paint refracts light. The matt (paint) can be applied, taken out in the tracing, fired, and then applied again, depending on the lighting, detail, and textures you want to achieve in your stained glass painting.

A few good brushes, spatulas, a small easel with a thick-plated glass surface, a light box and an inexpensive small, electric kiln would be a good start on supplies needed to do stained glass painting. In order to save money, you could build your own easel and light box and purchase a used kiln from ads in stained glass magazines or online. You can also make your own unique sticks and bridges which are wooden supports for your hand and arm for helping with paint stroke technique.

Stained glass workshop safety tips

When carrying sheets of stained glass, wear gloves that help you have a good grip on the glass. The gloves should protect your hands from cuts from the razor sharp edges of the stained glass. Grip the glass on each side. Carrying it with one hand on top and one on bottom creates a hazard that the glass could snap in two. If you grip from each side and the sheet of stained glass breaks, you have a better chance of letting the glass slip away from you without being cut.

When scoring and breaking stained glass at your workbench, wear protective eyewear and gloves. Be careful not to use your hand to swipe glass shards out of your way. Keep a bench brush and dust pan handy so that you can frequently brush off your workbench. This will reduce accidents and also keep a smooth surface to work on. The tiniest glass shard under a piece of stained glass that you are scoring can cause the piece you are working on to have an unwanted break.

Sometimes new stained glass crafters don’t have a workshop and think they can begin by working at their kitchen table or counter. That is a definite risk of exposing you and your family to lead poisoning, chemical contamination, and hazards from the shards of stained glass. It would be better to set up a space in your garage or an unused room. Some stained glass shops will allow you to rent bench time.

Don’t take safety precautions for granted. So what ever you do, do it with care, do it safe and you will enjoy the rewards.

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