The Cheap Alternative
Contents:
1. What is Gallery Glass?
2. Equipment needed/ recommended.
3. Basic Instructions.
4. Some craft ideas.
1. What is Gallery Glass?
Gallery Glass is a simple way to create the look of stained glass without either the cost or the trouble. From my experience, it's hard to tell the difference between a well-made gallery glass piece and one made of stained glass without actually touching it. Many purists out there would say there's a big difference. I'd have to agree. It's the difference of five dollars to two hundred dollars. Okay, so if you are decorating a gothic cathedral, I'd suggest using real stained glass. But if you want to make an inexpensive gift that looks real nice, or if you want to decorate a window without too much fuss, Gallery Glass is a good thing to try.
2. Equipment Needed
Gallery Glass is basically stained glass in a bottle, so the first thing you have to get is the paint. Gallery Glass is made by Plaid, and is available in most craft stores. There are two types of this paint that you need. First off is the liquid leading. This simulates the solder in a real stained glass project, and acts as a border to separate the colors. It comes in two sizes: 2 ounces and 8 ounces. I'd suggest getting the 2 ounce bottle to start with, until you decide if you like it or not. It will do more than you'd expect from a small bottle, plus is easier to handle. The second type of paint you'll want is the different colors. There is a pretty good variety of colors to choose from, and you can mix the colors to create others as well. If you don't have any specific project in mind, I'd suggest getting something in the primary colors (red, yellow, blue), and some white to lighten things up. There also is a color called crystal clear. It comes out white, but as it dries, it becomes transparent. It's a good thing to have on hand as well, and comes in the two ounce and 8 ounce bottles as well.
Once you have the paints, you will also need some surface to work on. There are a variety of choices here, depending on what you're going to create. A good way to start is by buying some leading blanks, also made by Plaid. These come in a package of three, and are essentially just a notebook-sized piece of plastic to work on. They are nice to work on, and are inexpensive as well (I bought a package for four dollars). All this equipment might cost up to 20 dollars, depending on how many colors you get, but this much should last for quite a while.
There are a few other things that you might need, but these should be available around the house. These include a nutpick or toothpicks to aid in blending the colors, an exacto knife, a few napkins, paper and a writing utensil for creating the patterns, and somewhere to work without being disturbed (optional). Besides this, you should be ready to begin!
3. Basic Instructions
The first thing you'll need is a pattern to follow. This is available in a variety of ways. First, you can buy pre-made patterns in the craft stores, or make your own. I'd suggest something very simple the first time around. I started by making a circle divided into four parts. Of course, I had no instructions whatsoever, but it's still a good idea to start easy. Gallery Glass patterns, just like stained glass patterns, consist of some shape divided into smaller parts in which go different colors. Here's a simple example of a pattern I created. The hexagon is the actual pattern, and all the bluish areas inside the hexagon represent the clear areas. The white in the picture is actually white in the suncatcher, not clear. I made this drawing large, in case you want to copy it and use it as a pattern. It's about the size of the one I did. The butterfly itself isn't that complicated, because I was just using it as a study of the colors I had at the time. But it's a good design nonetheless, at least when starting out.
Craft Ideas
So, you've got the knack of making stupid little circles and want something a little more challenging? Well, go ahead. No one's stopping you.
Oh, did you want some ideas? All right. In most craft stores, they sell cut pieces of glass in a variety of sizes. These are fun to work with, because you can work directly on the surface and forget about ever taking it off. Usually, these pieces of glass have a small hole that you can use to attach a suction cup. Viola! Your own personalized suncatcher.
Something else? Okay. First, take your leading blank and put a lined piece of notebook paper behind it. Next, start making lines of liquid leading, using the notebook lines as a guide. After these have dried, find an old glass canning jar. Take the strips of dried liquid leading and make some cool design on the jar, cutting the leading as needed, until the jar is divided into little sections. Fill these sections in with different colors, and wait for it to dry. Note- Either use a very thin layer of paint here, or do one side of the jar at a time. Otherwise, the paint will run. Once it's dry, you have a jar that looks like it's made from stained glass. Congratulations. Now, don't you feel good about yourself?
As far as I know, there aren't any web pages out there which are about gallery glass. So my suggestion would go buy a book on the basics, 'cause it would be a lot better than trying to learn from me!