This image, supplied by the client, has generated the following questions:
- General points to consider: How is this panel mounted? Is it a window to the outdoors?
- What is the view through the window? Does the view need to be screened? Is privacy a concern? These questions influence how transparent the image should be.
- What is the primary view? At what distance do you first see the image? What is the secondary view? Is the view from the reverse side also important?
- If the window is in an exterior wall the amount of direct sun should influence the color selection. Is the window North facing or South facing?
- If the window is in an interior room how is it lit? Is the window to be installed in a light box with artificial light? If so what kind?
REGARDING THE DESIGN (above):
A. What are the four lines at the compass points?
B. Blue & amber watercolor brush stroke can be achieved with fired on glass enamel (see rendering series below)
C. Shaded blue green glass - my preference would be to select this from shaded glass rather than paint on color. I can achieve a similar color range but it won't be exact. Is variation acceptable? (see leaded mermaid example below)
D. Some degree of opacity behind flesh is usually preferable since seeing background objects through this area can be distracting. It's only safe to leave the glass completely transparent when you have a view of unbroken sky as in a clerestory window. Can you provide a better rendering of this face? Can I redraw it (see below my suggestion below.) Are the closed eyes important?
E. What is the rest of the background? In glass we have a thousand shades of white to play with. Clear glass? Clear but textured glass? Frosted glass? Translucent white glass (some view)? Opal white glass (no view)?
F. Exterior border: Typically this would be a 1/2" wide strip of lead and will need to be mounted in a frame - or covered with a wooden trim molding if installed in front of an existing wooden sash window.
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| Lead Cartoon |
Here is a quick tracing of your design to indicate lead lines. The width of the perimeter lead is 1/2" and the interior strips are 1/4". The lines at the compass points have been extended to the perimeter as the design cannot "float" on the background but must be "cut" into it. The "tic" marks at the compass points can be made of beveled glass.
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| Transparent Rendering |
I placed an image of a tree beyond the window to suggest the rendering of the panel if it is fabricated solely out of transparent glass. This approach works best if the goal is to preserve the view through the panel. The bevels are indicated here as well.
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| Translucent Areas |
This is a subtle change. Here the glass behind the "watercolory" blue brush stroke is lightly frosted to give it more of a "ground". The face of the figure is more opaque as well.
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| Opacity |
In this version I have pumped up the opacity so nearly all of the view of the tree in the distance has been obscured. Once you give me more to go on we can fine tune the opacity of the panel as needed.
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| Further development |
Playing around a little I would want to redo the face. I would suggest a transparent glass with a slight distorting texture for the background. This technique of acid frosting which I've added is described below.
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| Leaded Glass Panel |
This is the closest panel I have in my portfolio that approximates the colors of glass I would consider for the hair. This panel was also leaded with 1/4" leads. All of the color comes from the glass selection. The panel has been painted with black glass paint and kiln-fired.
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| Acid Paste Sample |
This is a sample showing acid paste applied to a clear glass with a slight distorting texture. It was used in the panel below along with the other labeled techniques. This should give you a good vocabulary to work with.
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| Various techniques to vary the transparency of clear glass. |
