Take Your Photos & Turn Them Into Stained Glass Images for Your Designs

This process is fun. Making stained glass images from photos is a great way to brainstorm ideas. It becomes your impression of the picture.

Below are some tips on how to turn your pics into workable designs for your stained glass projects.

We'll also be adding some great images so you can see how this process will look once converted. We'll also be getting into some great tools/programs that you can utilize to make your conversions easier (we are currently researching this part).

Here we go...

Take one of the pictures you want to convert into a stained glass image.

Note the "lines" in your image. Sometimes the "lines" are based on the different colors of the photo. You need to break down the picture into sections- so you will end up with small pieces of glass.

You don't want too small of pieces. This would be very difficult to break or wrap with foil.

What you're looking for is to end up with pieces that will show the image in the photo with enough detail that it is clear but not so much that the end piece is too weak or cluttered.

Important Tip: A lot of the image can be brought to life with the colors of the glass and texture.

Steps to begin:

1. Scan the photo or place on a copy machine to enlarge the image, or make it the size you want to produce. Keep in mind, the larger you make the image, the photo may became blurred or pixelated. You can always staighten your lines for your stained glass pattern.

2. Take a piece of tracing paper and put it over the scanned photo.

3. Trace out the lines you want in the photo with a pencil or marker. These will be your solder lines. This process will develop a pattern for the stained glass. Note: the shadows may offer you another line for your pattern, but sometimes shadows could be eliminated from your image.

4. Once you have your pattern traced so you have your photo into pattern pieces, transfer the pattern onto construction paper to make or cut your pieces of glass.

5. Pick out the glass piece colors and proceed with breaking and assembling the stained glass image as described in our how to make stained glass section of the website.

That does it. Now it is quite simple, yet takes some practice. It may also benefit you to utilize software so your end stained glass images are as perfect as you imagine in your mind.

Here are some options or suggestions to get you off to a fast start:

If you do something like a fish you can use glass oval or raised circular pieces for the eyes.

Bring your own personality into this impressionistic piece of stained glass. Being creative is all part of being a glass artist. Have fun with it!!

You can also make or adjust your patterns on a computer. We are reviewing and working through software programs that will enable this to be done easily.

You can also scan your photos and convert into patterns. This program can help you to resize your pattern, crop or trim, isolate the background, separate pieces that are touching, and more. You can also retouch or airbrush sections of the image that may be imcomplete. If you are a computer person this option can be very beneficial, but not necessary for you.

Our goal is to make sure you get through the challenges of making stained glass and see the real potential and excitement this cool art form has to offer.