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You may have seen stained glass in the ornate windows of the church or the chandeliers in the cozy dining room. Stained glass is an ancient art form, its history can be traced back thousands of years, the earliest glass processing innovation. Today, contemporary artists and craftsmen have broken the boundaries of stained glass.

So, what is stained glass and how is it formed? Colored glass is a colored glass made by adding metal salt to transparent molten glass, and then generating color through chemical reaction. The colored glass can then be cut and recombined to create patterns and images. The reassembly process is usually done by welding the metal edges together. Cames are metal sheets—usually lead or other softer metals—that wrap around the edge of the glass and can be welded to other sheets. Chaff can also be used similarly. Colored glass assembled in this way is called a glassware. This is the method seen in the windows of medieval churches, such as the rose window of Notre Dame de Paris. (You can visit the website of the American Stained Glass Association to learn more about other less common stained glass varieties.)

Using some start-up supplies, you can also make exquisite glass products in your home or public studio space. If you are not familiar with stained glass and the tools involved, it is recommended that you search for stained glass making courses in your area. Before you invest in your own soldering iron and other tools, the course will teach you trading skills. Since the stained glass process requires the use of potentially dangerous materials to cut and weld metals, please use your best judgment. Always wear protective glasses and gloves, and keep tools away from children.

Photo: Stock photo from LUNOPARK/Shutterstock

If you plan to make stained glass "from scratch" (so to speak), you need to start with a plan. Like an architect, first outline your plan in detail with life-size parts. A simple technique is to cut out your paper designs and depict them directly on the glass. If you are looking for a ready-to-use beginner project idea, you can also check out this book.

The glass plates are available in many sizes and beautiful colors. Be sure to follow the instructions for the size and thickness of the pattern. To cut glass into pieces, you will need glass cutters and cutting oil. Oil keeps the wheels of glass cutters in good condition-some cutters have a built-in oil tank to fill with oil. Many craftsmen say that if you want to spend a little more money, you will get the best score on glass with a Toyo cutting machine. More tools are needed to cut the glass properly. Both Grozzier pliers and running pliers are used to create clean breaks.

Does all this sound a bit expensive and scary? If so, there are two options to reduce the cost of entry. First, you can buy a starter kit, which combines many of these necessary tools together for easy purchase. However, you still need a glass grinder to smooth their edges before you start to assemble new glass pieces. By far, the easiest way to get started is to buy a pre-cut glass kit. In various designs, these parts are ready for you to assemble.

You can purchase a beautifully designed pre-cut kit, which will save you many steps in your stained glass journey. For example, this turtle is cute and it comes with all the glass you will use-but you need extra supplies to assemble it. The list includes copper foil, solder and welding gun. Tying lead with lead wire is more advanced, so beginners should stick to the foil method. Aluminum foil is wrapped around the edge of each piece of glass-be sure to choose aluminum foil that is the opposite color of what you want to see. Try this black backed copper foil or this silver backed copper foil to get the style you want. Aluminum foil also has different sizes, so please refer to your pattern. This process can be daunting, so check out these instructions in Everything Stained Glass to make sure you are properly frustrated.

Once each piece is lined with foil along the edges, the pieces can be welded together using a soldering iron. Hakko FX601 is highly recommended by stained glass artisans because it reaches the ideal temperature for stained glass work. Solder is a soft metal alloy containing lead, usually sold in the form of a coil. The iron melts the alloy and then glues the foil edges of the glass together. Before soldering, stick the last piece on a heat-resistant surface, and then clean the glass block with a brush. Then, you need to apply flux (liquid or balm solution) on the copper. The flux allows molten metal to flow through the joint. You will then use solder to cover all seams and hold your parts together. For more detailed steps of welding, please refer to this article and this video by Glass Crafters. Do your research, be prepared, and be careful of hot hands and liquid metal. This may seem daunting, but you can master it.

Your final result will be a beautiful stained glass panel. If you wish, you can shape a lead or zinc U-shape around the outer edge to reduce the polished appearance of sharp edges. As you become more advanced, you will find endless possibilities of stained glass art waiting for you. On Etsy, experienced craftsmen make stained glass patterns for sale. With experience, you can try beautiful whales or cute black lab puppies.

Soldering can be daunting. There are several cheaper and more interesting alternatives to replace metal foil glass products. For young people, try these classic Makit and Bakit kits. You may remember them from your childhood; they still have various interesting shapes. Your child will like to pour colored crystals into the frame and bake it (with the help of an adult). The result is a cute (unbreakable) sun catcher that they can proudly display on their windows. For oven-less processes, the "stained glass" kit with paint or translucent stickers is the perfect low-maintenance process that can produce amazing results.

Painting glass for the stained glass effect is not just for kids. Adults can try the same acrylic paints and paint pens that their children use. Be sure to check the label, because many non-toxic paints are still not food safe for kitchenware.

A boring window can be turned into a colorful kaleidoscope, a dim mirror can be surrounded by flowers, and a glass vase can add interest. The magic of stained glass is that no matter how you create it, it can light up the room.

Photo: Stock Photo from CHAMILLE WHITE/Shutterstock

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