Stained Glass Skill Progression
The more you work with stained glass the better your work will be.
Glass cutting in the beginning will not be as close to the true size. After having to grind the glass down to fit or nipping off the excess to fit, you will realize cutting as close to pattern as possible will save you time down the line.
Grinding is closely related to how close your cuts are- as mentioned above. The better the cuts the less grinding.
Wrapping your pieces with copper foil, it is importnat to sure to center the foil on the edge of the glass. Having equal foil on both faces (front and back) is necessary for soldering and not having excess foil showing.
Soldering takes practice- your first side will be different than the back side- due to the added time and practice of soldering that first project. You can always go back over the front to make it uniform, like the veins on an old lady’s hand!
Framing also takes practice and good measurements. Check twice before cutting the zinc framing.
Remember this is your first project. It will get easier and better the more you do. This is a life long learning process. With each new technique you add to your knowledge base, you are growing as an artist.
