Painting

Painted glass was traditionally used to portray realism, giving greater detail to stained glass works. It is most often seen in church windows, particularly for biblical scenes.

To obtain a matt finish (called 'stippling'), the pigment is first applied evenly over the whole surface of the glass, with brushes made of stiff badger hairs. After drying, some of the pigment is removed by brushing or scraping the areas where the light is to be allowed through. Hand painted fine lines are also used to create highlights in the unpainted area.

The techniques used in the application of pigments and enamel to glass have not changed since the time they were invented, however the use of modern electric kilns and computers has added greater reliability the firing process. A computer-controlled kiln ensures that the process of raising and lowering the temperature is accurate, which is important to ensure that the painted surface becomes part of the glass.

Other glass techniques: [copper-foiling] [etching] [kiln-forming] [lamp forming glass]