Stained glass portrait

Continuing with the stained glass portrait, today I bonded all the green background pieces to the base glass. It can be really tricky with the big pieces, so I temporarily fix them face down to a piece of wood, this allows me to hold it firmly whilst applying bonding agent, which is very viscose and sticky. The wood also allows me to accurately place them onto the pattern without smearing any glass, which saves hours of cleaning up. 

Whilst the bond cures, I crack on cutting more glass. First the piece I am preparing is cut with a pair of scissors from one of the pattern copies, this is then placed onto the glass where the colour and texture best meet the needs, and very carefully drawn around. 

Then using a glass cutter I make as many cuts as is necessary to get as close as possible to the final shape. 

Then a bit of nifty work with the grozing pliers is followed by some very careful finishing on one of the grinding machines and hey presto; a perfect glass copy of the original paper shape. 

It doesn't look like any part of a face, not until it takes it's correct place on the pattern. Then slowly, but surely a picture begins to emerge. Again please forgive my photography, it really doesn't do it justice.