Glass painting classes

Overview of Glass Painting Courses and Workshops

The art of glass painting goes back to practices used to create medieval stained glass. The process involves using a number of specific techniques to create a finished work of art. Glass painting courses and workshops are often offered through museums, municipal parks and recreation departments, and private arts organizations.

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Essential Information

Glass painting workshops are intended for students with no previous glass-painting experience, though advanced courses may be taken by more experienced artists. Some glass painting courses also ask students to bring a glasswork of their own.

List of Workshop Options

Below are some glass painting workshops offered through a variety of organizations.

Glass Painting Workshop

Glass painting workshops usually begin using monotone paints, after which other colors and practices are worked in as part of further development of tone. The subject matter for the majority of these workshops involves the concepts of vitreous painting, matte and blending techniques, trace and silver staining of glass. Some workshops treat silver stain as its own course, in which students discuss the uses of this technique, see it demonstrated and practice it themselves.

Traditional Glass Painting Workshop

Glass painting workshops exist for students who are interested in the more traditional aspects of the art form. While they are still offered for beginners, these classes are generally more expensive, as they teach high-level techniques for detail rendering, letter inscription and 3-dimensional simulation. They also focus on glass painting with pigments that must be fired in a kiln, as opposed to acrylic or epoxy-based paints that can either be applied directly to glass without further heating or simply fired at home in a typical household oven. Students in these courses learn to mix the paints, as well as apply them.

Medieval Glass Painting Workshop

This course focuses exclusively on the styles, techniques and practices of medieval artists. Like the traditional glass painting course, medieval glass painting involves working with traditional techniques using kiln-fired paints that students create and apply themselves. However, this course includes a significantly more advanced historical aspect. A large part of the curriculum involves the study of medieval glass painting, and it may include visiting museums where medieval works of painted glass are on display. Additionally, students explore the traditional style of this art form and the history behind its inception.