Stained Glass Fire Painting Course
Most of us have looked at stained glass panels at some point in our lives but haven’t necessarily taken on board the amount of painting which has embellished the work. Done well glass painting is a joy to look at and to peer into, conveying subtleties of colour and tone which is simply not possible to have just using a textured glass.
There are many types of glass paint and most manufacturers will claim that theirs are the best but there are always differences in the transparency and colour, the density and opacity. Firing too can make a big difference to glass paints, some will fire at a higher temperature than others, some will form small bubbles, while others draw together in blobs. The best paints are those that mix easily with gum and water, flow on the brush and give a good colour when transparent against the light. How to tell what’s good and what’s not? The answer?.. test fire, test fire, test fire!
Every artist will make up his or her own mind about the brushes etc he or she will need. The following is a short list from which they will choose: stiff haired brushes, riggers, Chinese brushes, oil colour and badger brushes.
As a medium for decoration, glass painting can have an incredibly dramatic impact. Contemporary artists have re-discovered this ancient stained glass medium and their work can be seen in many of the churches, cathedrals, abbeys and public buildings throughout the country. Rod Friends’ work is a perfect example of the art of painting on glass and if you get a chance, it is certainly worth seeking out.
