A stained glass window is a stained glass window with different colors.
A stained glass window is a stained glass window that displays different colors . The term comes from the French word vitrail.
It should be remembered that the concept of stained glass can refer to the structure that, with glass, allows the closure of a window , a door or other opening.
Also known as polychrome stained glass , stained glass is made from pieces of glass of different shades. Generally these glasses are colored with enamels and then assembled together using rods.
History of stained glass
The origin of stained glass is very ancient: in the times of the Roman Empire , they were already used in religious buildings. Starting in the 13th century , with the peak of Gothic architecture, the use of stained glass became widespread for the representation of historical scenes or scenes belonging to the field of religion .
Over the years, the characteristics of the stained glass windows changed. There are stained glass windows that enclose the images in ogives or temples, for example, surrounded by geometric mosaics. Even in the 20th century , renowned artists such as Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall continued to create designs for stained glass, making the technique regain its validity.
It is possible to make stained glass at home.
Some examples
Cologne Cathedral , in Germany , is one of the buildings currently displaying well-known stained glass windows. This temple , which is part of the World Heritage of Humanity , began to be built in 1248 .
In Spain , the Cathedral of León is also noted for its stained glass windows. In fact, its collection is one of the most important in the world in terms of medieval stained glass.
Homemade stained glass, step by step
Although in our homes we cannot create stained glass windows of the dimensions and complexity of the most famous worldwide, no one prevents us from creating beautiful designs using practically the same materials . It should be noted that this is a somewhat risky process, which is why it is not recommended to do it near small children or pets.
The first step is choosing the design . If we have never made a stained glass window before, then it is advisable to look for a simple one, so that we can complete it and learn the rudiments of the technique before moving on to a more complex one. One of the points to keep in mind is to avoid motifs with pointed edges, which is why rounded figures are recommended.
Within this initial stage we must also think about the number of pieces necessary to form the design. For beginners, it is best to find a balance between an attractive but simple stained glass window, with as few pieces as possible . Once chosen, we must capture it on a sheet of paper, either drawing it by hand or printing it, making sure that the contours are thick and well defined.
The time has come to buy the most appropriate type of glass for our project . One of the most recommended for beginners is laminate, which is offered in its classes: opalescent and cathedral . Some of the aspects to take into account are the degree of transparency , the texture and, of course, the price.
Regarding tools, we will need: a glass cutter, pliers, a copper sheet, a soldering iron, emery board and a pen or marker.
Finally, the work itself begins. One by one, we must place the glass sheets on the design, to copy the shapes of the pieces using the pen or marker. With the glass cutter, we proceed to mark the outline of each piece, and then we use the pliers to separate them. We must grind the sharp edges to leave them smooth and soft.
Once we have all the pieces cut and polished, we must cover their edges with copper sheets, since these will be the ones we will solder to obtain the final design. As a last optional step, it is possible to frame the stained glass, something very useful for presenting certain motifs that are difficult to hold.