Translating Glass To Digital Art

Stained glass is a medium like no other. Ever-changing ambient light and viewing angles continually reveal new details, bringing still images to life. Traditional artists’ techniques have remained unchanged for centuries, underscoring one simple truth - there are no shortcuts. However, fueled by my passion to make stained glass art attainable at any budget, I’ve spent countless hours developing a process that blends ancient techniques with digital technology.

Every new piece starts the same way. Ideas spark design concepts, concepts become hand sketches, and sketches evolve into a glass layout. But, instead of physically selecting and cutting dozens of pieces, I turn to a vast, high-resolution library of stained glass photographs I’ve personally curated. These images capture the fine details and varied tones that are necessary for giving an image lifelike qualities.

Progressing from hand sketch to digital layout, I select targeted areas of the glass images the same way I’d isolate them for hand cutting. After each piece is digitally fit into the layout, I apply a range of visible details that further replicate what would be found on a physical example. Variations in solder lines, leading, and a range of other subtleties all combine to create a truly lifelike representation of stained glass.

Further enhancing the realism, I’ve partnered with manufacturers that can produce the designs on high quality vinyl sheets. Unlike typical static clings, these thick sheets feature raised textures and an impressive presentation of every detail. The result is a product that offers such realism and depth of color that they’re frequently mistaken for the real thing.