Materials Needed:
- Seamless muslin (framed if possible
- Rosco FlexBond
- Supersaturated Roscopaint
- Black Tough Prime
Stained glass windows and objects are required in many productions. Scenic artists have often solved the problem of creating this effect by gluing Roscolux gel on clear Plexiglass. Others thin down Supersaturated Roscopaint with water and simply paint the effect on seamless muslin.
The technique described here offers a faster, easier solution. It also makes the resulting stained glass effect look more realistic, if it should be viewed close up. FlexBond has a very slight sheen associated with it, so mixing it with Supersaturated Roscopaint provides a surface that is more luminous, as stained glass is. Because the base material is seamless muslin, the scenic piece is much lighter and easier to move around than sheets of Plexiglass.
How To Do It?
- Stretch and size muslin.
- Cartoon glass pattern onto muslin using soft vine charcoal.
- Tint FlexBond with small amount of Supersaturated Roscopaint. For deep color use about 4 parts glue to 1 part Supersaturated (test for proper ratio). Do not thin with water.
- To paint stained glass, apply tinted FlexBond to desired area being careful to achieve complete coverage. Variety in "paint" thickness will provide visual interest to finished product.
- To achieve "draped" look put FlexBond mixture into squirt bottle and apply. Tilt frame to allow thick areas to sag slightly and then allow to dry flat.
- Using a thin brush apply black Tough Prime between panes to simulate leading. To assure opacity in the leading it may be desirable to apply a coat of Velour Black Rosco paint to the reverse side.
- Backlight your stained glass with a strong source. Change the look using a variety of color and light levels.
This is a finished piece of a simulated stained glass window. The leading is Rosco Black Tough Prime and Rosca Velour Black. This opacity is necessary because strong light sources usually illuminate the stained glass.