|
Stained Glass Mosaic Ideas - The Vibrant Colors of Stained Glass Without The High Cost - By: Pete Gorman Ever wanted to have a go at stained glass work, but been put off by the cost and the difficulty of learning how to do it? Understandable, considering the huge selection of equipment you would need: glass cutter, soldering iron, flux, lead 'came', as well as the cost of the stained glass itself. Luckily, there is a compromise solution and that is to have a go with a stained glass mosaic.  The basic technique is to first sketch out your design and place the sketch under the clear glass you are affixing the glass mosaic pieces to. You can then easily follow the lines and shapes as you stick each piece of stained glass down using the weldbond. Do not worry if the weldbond appears white, it will soon dry clear. Leave a gap of a few millimeters between each piece, this is where the grout will go later. Once you are happy with your design, confirm all the pieces are fixed to the glass well. Try to avoid getting an excess of glue in the gaps between the mosaic pieces as this can prevent the grout from adhering. After 24 hours the glue will be set and you can apply the grout. Choose a dark grout black or brown as this makes the stained glass stand out much better than light colored grout. You can also buy premixed coloured grout for bathrooms which is really easy to use. Applying the grout is the fun but messy part, you simply scoop some up using a spreader or spatula and press it onto you Mosaic, gently pushing it into all the gaps. You continue till the whole work is covered and then gently wipe of the excess with a damp cloth. As the grout dries you should wipe the mosaic periodically untill most of the grout is removed from the glass surfave, however you do not want to remove too much from between the mosaic pieces. You will learn as you go how best to remove the grout, just remember do not let it dry totally on the top surface of the stained glass or else it will be hard to remove. A little ghosting is OK and can be removed once the work is fully dry using a soft damp cloth. Once dry you should frame your work, you can reuse the original picture frame for this. Framing the mosaic will make the work look more complete and professional. Now the secret to displaying a stained glass on glass mosaic is to have light shining through it so hang the piece up in a window and it should be a real talking point as the glorious vibrant colors shine through. A great way to use and create art projects in stained glass, is to try stained glass mosaic. It is much easier to learn than traditional stained glass methods, cheaper, quicker and can give you equally stunning results. Pete J Gorman is an artist working in Stainedglass Mosaics as well as other mediums |