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Course intent

You will design and build a beautiful, stained-glass piece for the home or simply to hang. As an improver you will develop new knowledge and techniques such as leading, painting on glass or building in 3D.

What will I learn?

You will learn:

Design Techniques: Develop different designs and how to create a more complex ‘cartoon’ to work from. A leaded project bigger than 20 glass pieces is likely to take longer than one term to complete.

Material Knowledge: Discover different types of glass and the properties of solder, copper, and lead and how to use safely. Explore glass painting, using grisaille and enamels. Use silver stains to change the colour of glass when fired.

Craftsmanship: learn the skills needed to assemble the panel or 3-dimensional glass piece and how to polish and present your work.

Production Process: How to hand cut glass, with accuracy using a cartoon. The skills need to assemble the panel using leads or copper and how to accurately solder and cement your glass piece.

Workshop Practice: Understand the importance of a safe working environment and H&S requirements for working in the glass studio.

Who is this course for? Is there anything I need to know before joining?

Stage 2 - Suitable for learners who have completed stage 1 and would like to gain more experience and refine their skills within their chosen subject area. The focus will be on developing more control and proficiency in practice and learning and completing more complex projects.

What do I need to bring to the first class? Will there be any extra costs?

You need to bring:

• A notepad, pencil, pen and rubber
• Waterproof fine or very fine marker pens (ideally a Sharpie in a metallic colour and a very fine black)
• Graph or squared paper to the size of your project (on sale in the classroom if needed)
• A piece of greenhouse glass, new or reclaimed (not toughened nor safety glass), size about 1 sq. ft., the shape is irrelevant. This is to learn and practice cutting on. (on sale in the studio if needed)
• Safety or over spectacles goggles (on sale in the studio if needed)
• Wear old clothes/apron and sensible, closed toe shoes (absolutely no open toe sandals)

Glass is not included but can be purchased from the studio. Expect to pay from £25 to £30 for glass depending on project size and choice of glass colours. These prices are subject to change depending on current market prices.

All other specialist tools and materials are provided and are for classroom use only.

If you choose to work on a technique that requires a specialist face mask, you will be provided with one Face Fit Protection (FFP3) mask and you are expected to take this home and bring it back for all subsequent classes. Should you forget your mask, a replacement will have to be purchased.

Access to the Stained Glass studio is via the Harvey Road entrance

What can I do when I finish the course?

You can continue at Stage 2 for 3 terms. After that you can progress to Stage 3 then Stage 4. With glass, you can take this course as far as you wish to go, from a simpler project to a larger more complex one. Our Glass Fusing courses provide you with the opportunity to produce fused glass pieces that can be included in the making of a stained-glass panel or object.

Additional Information

We welcome learners with additional needs and disabilities. When you enrol, please let us know if you would like to discuss your extra support needs with a member of the Supported Learning Team who will then contact you as soon as possible. If you are enrolling within 10 days of the course start date, we may not be able to contact you before your first class.

We value and support equality, diversity and inclusion by promoting fairness and respect at all times.

How to enrol

Our courses are for adult learners aged 19 or over. If you are under 19, please call 0300 200 1044.

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