Stained glass painting is glass that is painted with special glass paint and then fired in a kiln, causing the paint to fuse permanently with the glass surface. The technique of painting and firing the glass is called stained glass painting.
Features
Stained glass painting uses paints based on metal oxides as well as grisaille (a dark iron-and-copper oxide paint). After application, the glass is placed in a kiln and fired at around 600 °C.
- The paint melts onto the glass and becomes an inseparable part of the surface
- Metal oxides provide colour, while grisaille creates lines, shadows and detail
- Resistant to weathering, sunlight and ageing
- Can be built up in multiple layers and firings
The difference from plain leaded glass: in leaded glass, coloured pieces of glass are joined together with lead cames. In stained glass painting, details such as faces, folds and lettering are painted directly onto the glass and fired. In practice, the two techniques are often combined.
Application
Stained glass painting is mainly used where durability and detail matter.
- Church and monastery windows
- Monuments and historic buildings
- Restoration of existing painted windows
- Decorative panels and memorial windows
Related terms
- Leaded glass
- Glaze
- Engobe
- Glass
- Glazing
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