Stained Glass Windows Tutorial

Everything from sanding and priming to varnishing!
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Skya

Stained Glass Windows Tutorial

Post by Skya »

Dont know if this counts as painting or basing or what, so feel free to move to wherever is appropriate. This is the tutorial article I did up for the windows on A Memory of Glory

To start off with I went and made a wire frame using thin brass wire and and some .014 Soft Flex Wire that way back in the day I used to use for beading. We also called it Tiger Tail wire, though for the life of me I cant remember why. basically I did this by laying out the wires on my slip grip mat and gluing them together with super glue. I started with the outside of the framework and worked my way into the more detailed areas, so that the finer lines would have more support while drying, and also because the soft flex wire has a lot of spring to it so needs to be held in place till the superglue sets. I will mention that I've found it's better to create the window in whatever frame you want to put it in, as opposed to making it and then putting it in. I had to do a fair amount of shoving to get my frame into the right place with my first window.

Once the frame is in place, primered and then given a coat of whatever the darkest color you want to use in your shadows is, it's time to start working on the glass.. After experimenting with a number of different mediums I finally settled on Golden Self Leveling Clear Gel. It's got a kind of milky look to it while wet, but it dries entirely clear and nice and smooth, doesnt hold a lot of texture the way the Woodland Scenics water effects does. What I'd do is lay out an amount about the size of a dime on my slip grip (I love these things by the way, everything cleans up off them even superglue), I'd mix in just a little bit of ink , or paint, and I'd leave it looking kinda swirled, this gives a bit more depth to the look of the glass, as real glass is rarely one flat color and has some texture and bubble to it, especially the tiffany stuff. How much ink you add will vary the intensity of the color of the glass and how opaque any paint you add is will vary how much light will pass through it. Once I've got my medium mixed to how I want it, I then take a toothpick, dissecting needle or something else with a good point and glob it up on the tip of it. I then take that tip and circle the edges of the area I'm adding the glass to, then I use a kind of pulling motion to connect it all together, kinda like soap bubbles as a kid. While that's setting you'll want to have the window straight up and down, and occasionally turn it upside down so that gravity doesnt pool the medium at the bottom of your panes.

That's pretty much it, once they're dry you can always add more ink to brighten up the colors if you want. just remember that any ink added afterwards will only be on the surface so it will pool in any slight crevasses that might have been created. Hopefully this was helpful, let me know if you've got any questions.

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Demi_morgana
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RE: Stained Glass Windows Tutorial

Post by Demi_morgana »

very useful! thank You for sharing! :D
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Nameless
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RE: Stained Glass Windows Tutorial

Post by Nameless »

thanks!
wonder what glue I should look for here, in Poland...
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MiSiU
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Post by MiSiU »

Great tuto. I was thinking about a similiar project, but using Micro Crystal Clear. I know that modelers are using it for making small windows, so I have to try at some point.
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przemosz.
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Post by przemosz. »

Very nice Tuto!Waiting for more:)
Skrit
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Post by Skrit »

Great, got anymore tuts lying around?! :curtain:
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Post by Nameless »

I got one. Temporary title: how to screw your mini.
You sure you want it? ^^
Last edited by Nameless on 1 Feb 2008, o 11:34, edited 1 time in total.
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Skya

Post by Skya »

Given my general distaste of writing anything that isnt just a random stream of conciousness, I'd say, no probably not, however if you want specifics about anything I've done, feel free to ask specific questions and I'll probably manage to babble something useful out in reply..
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Post by Skrit »

Okay guys, let's all make a wishlist! :mrgreen:
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Post by endrem »

Thanks a lot for sharing, nice and detailed description :)
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