A full-size working drawing called a cartoon is made
It shows the lead lines around each piece of glass
It also shows the colours of the glass and details that the glass painters will copy
Each piece of glass is carefully selected for its colour and texture
The glass is then cut to size following the cut-line drawing which shows the precise shape of each piece of glass
It matches the cartoon exactly
The paint is a powdered mixture of metallic oxides and ground glass
Different tools and brushes are used to create a variety of effects
The outlines of the design are marked on the glass
The glass is shaded with a wide brush
This is called matting
The paint is dabbed with a special brushto create texture and highlights
This is called stippling
To create detail, the paint is picked out with a needle
To harden and fix the paint, the glass is heated in a kiln
Sometimes a silver compound is painted on the back of the glass
This is called silver stain
When heated in a kiln it penetrates the surface of the glass producing a transparent colour from yellow to orange
The term stained glass comes from this process
The individual glass pieces are assembled on the cut-line drawing
Lead strips are used to join the pieces of glass
The lead is cut to size and joined on both sides of the panelusing a soldering iron
The individual pieces of glass now form one panel
The panel is cemented on both sides to make it waterproof
The glazing cement is scrubbed into the gaps between the glass and the lead
To help the cement harden a chalk mixture called whiting is spread over the panel
Later, the excess cement and whiting are cleaned off
The panel is left for a few days to harden
The panel is now finished and ready to be installed
With thanks to Goddard & Gibbs Studios, Stratford, London, where this video was made
