{"id":2026,"date":"2017-07-21T11:57:19","date_gmt":"2017-07-21T11:57:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-ncc-zeliart\/?post_type=chapter&p=2026"},"modified":"2018-08-22T02:24:22","modified_gmt":"2018-08-22T02:24:22","slug":"how-stained-glass-is-made","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-ncc-zeliart\/chapter\/how-stained-glass-is-made\/","title":{"raw":"How Stained Glass is Made","rendered":"How Stained Glass is Made"},"content":{"raw":"
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The Six Basic Steps in the Production of Stained Glass<\/h3>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Creating the cartoon<\/h4>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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1. Cartoon<\/strong>\r\nAn artist would initially make a sketch of the overall composition\u00a0of a window. Then full-sized drawings for the whole window or\u00a0for different sections (panels) of the window were made. These\u00a0full-sized drawings are called cartoons. Generally, the shapes of\u00a0the individual glass pieces, the details to be painted, and the\u00a0colors of the glass were indicated on the cartoon. In the early\u00a0Middle Ages these were drawn on whitewashed boards.<\/div>\r\n
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2. Cutting<\/strong><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Cutting the glass into rough shapes with the dividing iron<\/h4>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Different colors of glass were chosen for separate parts of the\u00a0design, and the outline of each piece was then painted on the\u00a0surface with white lime wash. Pieces were cut into rough shapes\u00a0using a dividing iron, the heated tip of which was applied to the\u00a0surface of the glass, causing it to break.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Using a grozing iron to create exact shapes<\/h4>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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The pieces were further\u00a0reduced to the desired size with a grozing iron\u2014an iron bar\u00a0with a slot at each end that was used to chip away at the edges\u00a0of the glass until the exact shape was created.<\/div>\r\n
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3. Painting<\/strong>\r\nAfter the glass pieces were cut and shaped, they were painted\u00a0with a pigment formed by mixing iron oxide and ground copper\u00a0with powdered glass.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Painting the glass with vitreous paint<\/h4>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Wine, urine, or vinegar was added to help\u00a0apply the pigment to the glass. This vitreous paint ranged from\u00a0brown to gray to black. Once painted, the separate pieces of\u00a0glass were placed in a wood-fired oven called a kiln. The heat\u00a0of the kiln causes the vitreous paint to fuse permanently to the\u00a0surface of the glass.<\/div>\r\n
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What is\u00a0vitreous\u00a0paint?\u00a0\u200bGlass painters used a special paint made of glass particles suspended in a liquid binder\u2014vitreous means \"consisting of glass\"\u2014to paint the side of glass that would face the interior of the building. During firing, the glass particles in the paint melted and merged with the glass surface to create a range of brown and black tones.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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The image\u00a0below illustrates the main steps in\u00a0painting more detailed sections of a window, such as\u00a0the face of a figure. These examples copy the face of\u00a0Jared from the Ancestors of Christ windows and were\u00a0made by the Stained Glass Studio at Canterbury\u00a0Cathedral for this display.<\/div>\r\n
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Step A:<\/u>\u00a0For detailed pieces such as faces, guidelines are\u00a0painted on the back then broad layers of thin\u00a0vitreous paint are added to the front with a\u00a0wide brush.<\/div>\r\n
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Step B:<\/u>\u00a0The guidelines on the back are rubbed away and\u00a0thicker paint is added over the thin washes on\u00a0the front with a liner brush to create detail.<\/div>\r\n
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Step C:<\/u>\u00a0Thin washes are painted on the back to reinforce\u00a0shading and give the illusion of greater depth.\u00a0Once finished, the piece is placed in a kiln in\u00a0order for the paint to fuse to the glass.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Jared (detail), from the Ancestors of Christ Windows, Canterbury Cathedral, 1178\u201380. \u00a9 Robert Greshoff Photography<\/h4>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Narrow strips of lead being used to\u00a0join the pieces of glass<\/h4>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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4. Lead<\/strong>\r\nPieces of glass are held together with narrow strips of lead to\u00a0form a panel. These strips are referred to as \u201clead came.\u201d Lead\u00a0is used because it is flexible and provides the adaptability\u00a0needed for fitting around the various shapes of the glass pieces.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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5. Glazing<\/strong>\r\n\u201cGlazing\u201d is the term for assembling a panel of stained glass\u00a0that can then be set into a window. After separate pieces of\u00a0glass are painted and fired, they are placed in position on the\u00a0cartoon and joined together with lead came to form a panel.\u00a0In the Middle Ages, a combination knife and hammer was\u00a0used for this process. The knife edge was used to cut the\u00a0pieces of came and the hammer end was used to secure nails\u00a0to the work board to hold the edges in place during assembly.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Lead came being joined with solder<\/h4>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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The sections of came are then joined together with solder, an\u00a0alloy of lead and tin that melts easily at a low temperature\u00a0and sets quickly.<\/div>\r\n
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Applying the semi-liquid cement with a brush<\/h4>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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6. Cementing<\/strong>\r\nThe panel is then cemented to help secure the glass within\u00a0the leads and to waterproof the window. A semi-liquid cement\u00a0is applied with a brush and then is covered with a layer of chalk\u00a0or sawdust to absorb excess liquid. The medieval recipe for this\u00a0cement is not known, though the main ingredients were probably crushed chalk and linseed oil. The panel is then scrubbed\u00a0down with a dry brush until the cement only remains under\u00a0the lead.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Scrubbing the panel with a dry brush<\/h4>\r\n

All\u00a0images courtesy Dean and Chapter of Canterbury<\/h4>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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The Six Basic Steps in the Production of Stained Glass<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Creating the cartoon<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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1. Cartoon<\/strong>
\nAn artist would initially make a sketch of the overall composition\u00a0of a window. Then full-sized drawings for the whole window or\u00a0for different sections (panels) of the window were made. These\u00a0full-sized drawings are called cartoons. Generally, the shapes of\u00a0the individual glass pieces, the details to be painted, and the\u00a0colors of the glass were indicated on the cartoon. In the early\u00a0Middle Ages these were drawn on whitewashed boards.<\/div>\n
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2. Cutting<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Cutting the glass into rough shapes with the dividing iron<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Different colors of glass were chosen for separate parts of the\u00a0design, and the outline of each piece was then painted on the\u00a0surface with white lime wash. Pieces were cut into rough shapes\u00a0using a dividing iron, the heated tip of which was applied to the\u00a0surface of the glass, causing it to break.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Using a grozing iron to create exact shapes<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The pieces were further\u00a0reduced to the desired size with a grozing iron\u2014an iron bar\u00a0with a slot at each end that was used to chip away at the edges\u00a0of the glass until the exact shape was created.<\/div>\n
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3. Painting<\/strong>
\nAfter the glass pieces were cut and shaped, they were painted\u00a0with a pigment formed by mixing iron oxide and ground copper\u00a0with powdered glass.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Painting the glass with vitreous paint<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Wine, urine, or vinegar was added to help\u00a0apply the pigment to the glass. This vitreous paint ranged from\u00a0brown to gray to black. Once painted, the separate pieces of\u00a0glass were placed in a wood-fired oven called a kiln. The heat\u00a0of the kiln causes the vitreous paint to fuse permanently to the\u00a0surface of the glass.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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What is\u00a0vitreous\u00a0paint?\u00a0\u200bGlass painters used a special paint made of glass particles suspended in a liquid binder\u2014vitreous means “consisting of glass”\u2014to paint the side of glass that would face the interior of the building. During firing, the glass particles in the paint melted and merged with the glass surface to create a range of brown and black tones.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
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The image\u00a0below illustrates the main steps in\u00a0painting more detailed sections of a window, such as\u00a0the face of a figure. These examples copy the face of\u00a0Jared from the Ancestors of Christ windows and were\u00a0made by the Stained Glass Studio at Canterbury\u00a0Cathedral for this display.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\n
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Step A:<\/u>\u00a0For detailed pieces such as faces, guidelines are\u00a0painted on the back then broad layers of thin\u00a0vitreous paint are added to the front with a\u00a0wide brush.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Step B:<\/u>\u00a0The guidelines on the back are rubbed away and\u00a0thicker paint is added over the thin washes on\u00a0the front with a liner brush to create detail.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Step C:<\/u>\u00a0Thin washes are painted on the back to reinforce\u00a0shading and give the illusion of greater depth.\u00a0Once finished, the piece is placed in a kiln in\u00a0order for the paint to fuse to the glass.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Jared (detail), from the Ancestors of Christ Windows, Canterbury Cathedral, 1178\u201380. \u00a9 Robert Greshoff Photography<\/h4>\n

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Narrow strips of lead being used to\u00a0join the pieces of glass<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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4. Lead<\/strong>
\nPieces of glass are held together with narrow strips of lead to\u00a0form a panel. These strips are referred to as \u201clead came.\u201d Lead\u00a0is used because it is flexible and provides the adaptability\u00a0needed for fitting around the various shapes of the glass pieces.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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5. Glazing<\/strong>
\n\u201cGlazing\u201d is the term for assembling a panel of stained glass\u00a0that can then be set into a window. After separate pieces of\u00a0glass are painted and fired, they are placed in position on the\u00a0cartoon and joined together with lead came to form a panel.\u00a0In the Middle Ages, a combination knife and hammer was\u00a0used for this process. The knife edge was used to cut the\u00a0pieces of came and the hammer end was used to secure nails\u00a0to the work board to hold the edges in place during assembly.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Lead came being joined with solder<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The sections of came are then joined together with solder, an\u00a0alloy of lead and tin that melts easily at a low temperature\u00a0and sets quickly.<\/div>\n
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Applying the semi-liquid cement with a brush<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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6. Cementing<\/strong>
\nThe panel is then cemented to help secure the glass within\u00a0the leads and to waterproof the window. A semi-liquid cement\u00a0is applied with a brush and then is covered with a layer of chalk\u00a0or sawdust to absorb excess liquid. The medieval recipe for this\u00a0cement is not known, though the main ingredients were probably crushed chalk and linseed oil. The panel is then scrubbed\u00a0down with a dry brush until the cement only remains under\u00a0the lead.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Scrubbing the panel with a dry brush<\/h4>\n

All\u00a0images courtesy Dean and Chapter of Canterbury<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div>