What is Stained Glass? “Stained glass” refers to glass that has been colored by metallic oxides during the manufacturing process. Different additives produce different hues, allowing artisans to strategically produce glass of specific colors. For example, adding copper oxides to molten glass will culminate in green and blue tones.
Stained glass possesses an aura of mystery and romance. It is the interplay between light and color that sparks the imagination. It is one of the most unchanged crafts, still taking, as it did centuries ago, time and patience, and an appreciation for color and line design.
GOTHIC CATHEDRALS By the Middle Ages, stained glass windows could be found in countless Catholic churches across Europe. Until the 12th century, however, these windows were relatively simple, small in scale, and outlined by thick iron frames. This is because Romanesque architecture—a style characterized by thick walls and rounded forms—dominated architectural tastes.
AMERICAN ARTS AND CRAFTSIn the 19th century, American artisans transformed the ancient art of stained glass into a modern art form. This approach is particularly evident in the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, the pioneer of the Prairie School movement, a style of architecture and interior design that emphasizes craftsmanship and a connection to nature.
At the same time that Wright was producing his windows, another American glassmaker successfully reinterpreted the ancient art form. In 1885, Louis Comfort Tiffany established the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company, a New York City-based studio that produced spectacular stained glass lamps.
What do stained glass windows represent in a synagogue/church?
In many places of worship across a vast range of religions, stained glass is used as a colorful medium of expression; of storytelling and of memory. It is this diversity of stained glass that has made itself so attractive to people from all walks of life.
In Israel/ Jewish faith, stained glass artists PURPOSEFULLY create "mistakes" or broken segments in the glasswork to symbolize nothing is perfect in life.
Essential Question: 1. What familial story/journey/ adventure can you depict on your stained glass?
Steps: 1. Sketch 3 preliminary ideas 2. Choose style in which you will create the "glass" 3. Sketch on final with pencil + ruler? first 4. Use black sharpie (for iron outlines) 5. Color accordingly with colored pencil * apply varied pressure to dictate color + shade
Must Haves: 1. Geometric believability 2. Clean lines + shading