How to Pick Glass for a Stained Glass Pattern

A pure aesthetic joy in stained glass is the process of bringing your pattern to life by matching the pattern to specific pieces of glass. Each choice makes your project different from every other project, reflecting your taste and artistic vision.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Determine the function of your project. A window hiding an ugly view should have predominantly opaque pieces, while a sculpture may reveal or distort what is on the other side. Some glass works well in smaller compositions, some in larger.

2. Coordinate your color scheme. Projects for children often stay with primary or secondary colors. Some may call for shades of one color, perhaps with an accent chosen from across the color wheel. Remember the context of your project, using a color scheme that fits with the space where your project will be seen.

3. Contrast your pieces in intensity to call attention to specific elements in your project. Few projects call for all dark or all light stained glass. Incorporate bullet glass or odd pieces that add interest to your project.

4. Use pieces that coordinate into an artistic whole. Glass varies in age, intensity, smoothness and thickness as well as in color. Too great of a variance creates tension within the project, making it look unfinished or amateurish.

Tips & Warnings

• Find ideas in the works of other artists. The Stained Glass Association of America Sourcebook (see Additional Resources) has dozens of examples from master glass craftsmen from around the country.

Resources

• The Stained Glass Association of America

[georgelarson]

on 12/19/2008 When building a stained glass piece for others I will always go to their home to get a coordinating piece to bring with me to select glass. Good information.