STAINED GLASS
The term "stained glass" today generally refers to glass that has
been coloured by adding metallic salts during its manufacture. For example,
using the metal copper would produce green or blue glass. The molten glass
is then annealed slowly in a furnace to produce sheets of coloured glass.
If fine details such as shadows or outlines are required, the artist paints
them on the cold glass with special paint made from metal oxides. The piece
is then fired in a kiln. This process is, in itself, an art. The oxides permanently
fuse with the glass to produce the painting. This is where name
"stained glass" comes from.
Chemical patinas may be added to the came and solder to even-out colour
variations or to emphasize details.
Stained glass is an art and a craft that requires the artistic skill to
create the design and the engineering skills necessary to assemble the piece
so that it is capable of supporting its own weight and (for a window) surviving
the elements.
These coloured glasses are available in many different textures—smooth,
wavy, rippled, hammered, pebbled,
or very rough.
Stained glass windows involve the art of cutting coloured glass into different
shapes. They are shaped by grinding
and then fitted into channeled lead strips, which are also called came.
Or the copper-foil method is used, in which each individual piece is wrapped
around its edge with a copper adhesive tape. Once assembled, the pieces are
then soldered
together and installed in a frame to create a window.
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