Stained glass portrait

Whilst we are waiting to complete the reproduction Victorian fanlight, we can start another project. My favourite works are the stained glass portraits; incredibly difficult, but very rewarding. Unlike normal windows, portraits produce a familiar  image, which to the client is a loved one or possibly a cherished pet and needs to be of such a good likeness that it is instantly recognisable. Our particular style  is quite unique in that we construct the image from intricately shaped pieces of coloured glass, using shades and patterns within the glass to add form and highlight the features. These are then bonded mosaic style to a sheet of thin float glass and are finally grouted. This particular technique is called Appliqué. 

There are very few coloured glasses which replicate with any accuracy the tones of skin, so we tend to use whispy creams and browns and accept a little poetic license with the realism. But as you can see in the first photograph, the overall effect can be quite remarkable. 

 

The portrait we are doing is of the father of our client who sadly passed away a while ago. It is a favourite photograph so needs very sympathetic handling. However as you can see in the second picture, although being a lovely portrait, it is actually quite short on detail. The main features on which we focus when looking at a face, the eyes, mouth and nose, are all in fairly deep shadow, there is also not much change of tone across the face, so this will be quite difficult to reproduce. As you can see in the third photo, we have drawn in all the glass cut lines, following features and areas of different colour or texture, trying to highlite them in such a manner as to enhance the form and add depth to the image. When we are happy with that, we then have to go over all the lines and shapes to make sure that they are all achievable in glass; no mean feat. So there you are, one cartoon for a stained glass portrait ready to go. I hope you like it.