The Glass Painter's Method by Williams & Byrne
Kiln-fired stained glass painting - fire less, paint better
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Take a few minutes to remind yourself about these four important glass painting techniques
The year is coming to an end.
Your best skills are needed more than ever.
That’s why it’s so important you look back and take account of all the things you’ve learned here these past 12 months.
So this week and next, we’ll select a handful of techniques you must master absolutely. I’ll start right now with …
"Me? I'd rather be seen dead than go out without my oil" said the tycoon's fifth beast
It’s the fourth day of this intensive technique-focused glass painting course for our five long-haul students – four colleagues from different states of the USA, and one from Kuwait. (For the 90-second video intro, please see here.)
Yesterday and today: oil.
The case against oil: it’s smelly, and it’s messy. You need extra palettes and extra brushes. Students need to learn how, once the oil has seeped down and been absorbed by the unfired water-based paint beneath, the paint itself becomes fragile. And another thing: it’s a good idea to adjust the firing schedule so the volatile fumes can burn off and escape.
All in all it’s rather inconvenient. Hmmmm – no wonder it isn’t taught in college or class. Too much nuisance.
So, the case for oil is what, I wonder …
"If I had as many hands as heads, would you let me join you?" said the second of the tycoon's beasts, because even tycoon's beasts like guessing games ...
It’s day #1 of an intensive five-day glass painting course for “long-haul” students who’ve travelled to our studio in Stanton Lacy (see my previous post for your nerve-jangling introduction and an absolutely breath-taking 90-second video).
Our students arrived two days ago to settle in and recover from their jet-lag. And today, refreshed, we went on a whirlwind and empowering tour of undercoating, tracing, strengthening and flooding – the foundations of traditional kiln-fired stained glass painting.
Now … we promised you various tips and updates live from the studio.
Today’s key tip is useful if:
Interested? Then let’s get going … [click to continue…]
OK, so last time it was Brigitte Bardot, Bill Haley, a broken-nosed bodyguard with two missing fingers, Henry Miller and – a pussy cat … and all this in a stained glass studio?
So how do I follow that?
I see that David – my dear fellow director and master glass painter – has left me with one Hell of a cliff-hanger.
Which gives me an idea … [click to continue…]
More essential tips about glass painting with oil
Hello again!
And welcome to Part 3 of this mini-series on oil-based stained glass painting.
Anyone who’s just joining us today, you’ll find Part 1 right here.
And before we get going today, there are a few questions from the audience … [click to continue…]
Another 5 essential tips for painting with oil
Hello again, it’s David here, while Stephen keeps nice and busy (and happy too, I trust) with some fiendishly difficult painting and the exciting new film project we’re working on.
Which leaves me in charge of the blog.
Ah, the power! Now I know how William Caxton felt.
Anyway, I took the executive decision to remind you of / excite you with the delights of painting with oil on top of unfired water-based glass paint.
And if you missed part 1 of my essential tips to oil-based glass painting, head off there right now and come back when you’re ready.
Now a number of you wrote and asked whether oil-based glass painting is only suitable for advanced or professional glass painters.
So let’s deal with that question before getting to grips with today’s essential tips … [click to continue…]
"Listen up for the joy and beauty of painting glass with oil"
Hello! It’s David here.
I’m now spending a few days in charge here while Stephen gets on with some tricky painting plus puts the finishing touches to a DVD we’ve been working on.
Anyway, yesterday I spent a morning painting with oil.
And what a calm and happy time it’s been.
Not that it isn’t when I’m working with water!
It’s just that, with oil, you can pretty much start and stop at your own pace.
And – rather than having a fixed idea of the effect you definitely want to achieve (as is the case with water) – you can push the oil paint here and there, and reflect on what looks best, changing it as you see fit.
So here – and over the coming days! – are some key points about working with oil on top of unfired water-based paint.
If you’re already a “convert”, these tips will come as a handy reminder.
And if you’re new to oil, they’ll show you its amazing potential.
So I’ll start off with 5 tips today, then we’ll continue the series the day-after-tomorrow (Wednesday) and see how we get on.
"Next week it's over to David while I concentrate on painting and filming
Just had a full studio meeting.
And I see my work is well and truly cut out for me next week.
(As if it ever isn’t …)
So I am handing over my personal reins-of-power to David. (Briefly.)
He muttered something about writing you a “ground-breaking 3-part mini-series” on essential tips for stained glass painting with oil.
And the wind is clearly “in his sails” because he immediately dashed off to studio #2 to set to work.
Which means – next Monday, Wednesday and Friday:
You have been told.
So while David writes down for you his thrilling tips, I shall prepare my tracing brushes for next week labours …
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