Ask any average person about stained glass and the reaction will most probably be something along the lines of, 'Oh sure, yeah - it's pretty. I like it.' But there's much more to stained glass than aesthetics. This ancient art form has a rich history throughout the time of mankind and by having it installed in your home, you're literally bringing that history into your daily existence.
Stained Glass Has Historical Roots
Historically, ancient Romans are credited as being among the first to make and use colored glass in architecture. However, stained glass windows really made their mark in Gothic churches - which is rather significant in itself.
This is because Pre-Gothic churches preferred and actually restricted artwork to the surfaces of walls, mosaic floors, or painting canvases. But growing to lavish decoration, the churches began to run out of 'space' and thus started to decorate their windows with stained glass.
Stained Glass Has Spiritual Roots, Too
Spiritually, the stained glass in church offered its patrons a richly colored experience to accompany its richly spiritual sermons. It isn't uncommon to experience the calming effect that sunlight has on us by simply shining through stained glass.
Heavily based on Christian themes, the most popular designs depicted scenes from the Bible and just a few centuries later, birthed from the hands of well-known artisans like Albrecht D'rer, Ghiberti, and Donatello.
Today however, stained glass themes revolve around nature as florals or just as interesting geometric patterns - and you can find stained glasswork by Henri Matisse in Vence, France and Marc Chagall in Jerusalem. And of course we're all familiar with the gorgeous work of Louis Comfort Tiffany.
Stained Glass Mystery Solved
One can't help but to wonder how stained glass is made - whether it's part of the windows for beautiful French doors or it's the shade for a small lamp. Stained glass is as intriguing in beauty as it is in its formation.
In the past, stained glass began as wood! A stained glass artist would draw a design on a piece of wood that was the same size of a particular window. Next, the artist would color that glass by adding mineral salts (or oxides) as it was being made. If a colored proved too dark (like red), the artist would 'flash' it - that is, fuse a very thin layer of it onto a much thicker layer of clear glass. In fact, the flashing technique was commonly employed to make double-pained Windows for even more interesting visual effects.
The artist then cut the glass according to the pattern drawn on the wood.
Placed in a temporary setting, the colored glass was lightly painted over with dark tones to not only give the design a three dimensional look, but also to tone down some brightly colored areas. To highlight a specific area, the artist might scrape off a little bit of the dark pigment. The end result is nothing short of a beautiful assortment of pleasing complimentary colors.
Stained glass can be located in a variety of markets. It takes an expert eye to get a good deal and ensure that the desired glass is of good quality. If you prefer making an online deal, you can find stained glass kits on the Internet. At present, dozens of online suppliers offer stained glass kits at reasonable prices.
The Pros and Cons of Dealing With a Local Store Instead of Making an Online Purchase
If you inspect the stained glass before purchasing, it minimizes the chances of defect. You can also take the advice of the local store dealer regarding the purpose of the glass and its intended use. Accordingly, the dealer will suggest a particular variety of stained glass to you. Making an online purchase can end in trouble because you don't know the kind of quality you're being given.
The advice of a local dealer is preferable, more often than not, since he deals regularly in the business. The drawback is that the local dealer sells at a retail price instead of the wholesale rate you'll often find online. Purchasing a similar quality and quantity of glass from a discount store is a better option. Also, the variety in respect to the design and color of glass may be limited with the local dealer, although he can always place special orders.
It is not at all advisable to rely on the catalogues the store dealer displays. The product you receive may not be what the catalog shows. It makes sense to ask the dealer whether a pre-inspection of the product will be allowed. Online purchasers should buy a small quantity as a sample to be sure of the quality. Don't forget to take into account the shipping costs when making an online deal. Many people only compare the price charged by the online dealer and ignore the shipping charges.
Stained Glass - A Specialized Art Form
The external environment and background need to be considered when you are creating a new piece or restoring an existing one. The style should be relevant to the overall surrounding so that it can be depicted as artwork. It can be given to loved ones as a special gift. You can even sell stained glass at craft shows if you wish to get in the business of making stained glass.
Both Paulglover & J.r. Ferrara are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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