A Stained Glass Window?

[ReiRei]

So my high school is currently building the set for our second musical, Beauty & the Beast. Part of the set includes a tower -ish structure with two large doors which houses the library. So the doors get opened and you see all the books but in the middle of the wall betwixt the books is an oval shaped window.

Well, in this window our TD, Carpenter, Producer, and Director have demanded a stained glass window with a rose design on it. The other day, our TD approached me and asked if I would do it, also assigning another technician to the project.

Our budget is pretty low and most of it we've already spent on lumber for building the Beauty & the Beast set since we didn't strike Little Shop of Horrors. If anyone has suggestions on how to make a stained glass window, or make something look like one, they would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[gafftapegreenia]

I know of two ways.

Both require that you have a piece of lexan or other clear plastic sheeting the size of your window.

The first method uses stained glass paints from a craft store. You outline your individual "panes" with black E-tape, or black imitation "leading" (also from the craft store), and then paint between them with stained glass paint. Dries to a look that is very convincing.

The other way is to just use gel, cut in the colors and shapes you need, and then taped down with black E-tape. My mom did this method years ago for some huge stained glass crosses for church.

[soundlight]

If simply a set piece, used Greenia's technique, works very well.

We did this with 4 squares built in to a set piece, and actually shined light through them with awesome effects.

[gafftaper]

You can do this with Muslin too. Instead of painting it, you starch it with hot starch to size the drop. Then to color the design you use dyes. The combination will leave you with a drop that you can see light through. For the leaded parts and the frame you use paint. The paint will be opaque but the dyed part translucent.

Also do some window cling research. There are getting to be more giant window clings available in fake stained glass. My local Home depot caries a couple of options.

[Kelite]

Originally Posted by gafftapegreenia

The other way is to just use gel, cut in the colors and shapes you need, and then taped down with black E-tape. My mom did this method years ago for some huge stained glass crosses for church.

This is a great method, and falls well within the budget you've mentioned, ReiRei. If you are looking for bits of off-color gel to use, I may be able to assist you from scraps in our demo room.

[bobgaggle]

can you post a picture of what it looks like when you git 'er done? anyone else have a picture of this effect? It looks like a good thing to know how to do.

[ReiRei]

Right before strike & load out. See, I fixed the foam! Woo!

During the show.

Okiedokie. So just that window took me about ten hours to finish, not including the time that I put in looking through our scrap box of gels. First my dear partner drew out the design, put it onto a transparency sheet and we put the plexiglass against the wall and traced it on. However, I had to go over it with a black marker because she used a pink one that I couldn't see through the gel... whoopee.

First I used some spray mount adhesive and put the gel down, cutting around the lines. I think that worked out pretty well but there are a few spots where you can see light shining through cracks in the gels.

After all the gels were glued down... which was a little scary at first because 4 hours into it the light blue gel in the upperhand right corner of the faux window started melting... that was lovely. I almost wanted to kill myself because I thought that I was going to have to pull up the gels...

Anyways, after I glued down all the gels, I used an adhesive foam tape over the lines lines we drew onto the plexiglass. Now in the first picture you can see how the foam tape was screaming at me and not staying where I told it to and I didn't notice until right before our opening show so I took a ladder into the library and sprayed some spray-on adhesive to that sucker and was like BAM! WHAT NOW?! Needless to say that it stayed after that...

I am a little sad though, my drama teacher sold our set to Bend High School so I'm just going to have to go up to Bend on the closing night of their show and be like, "I really want my window back... in fact... if you don't give it to me... I'm holding your theatre hostage... or I'll simply leave a chupacabra in here..."

[gafftapegreenia]

Wow, that really turned out nice. However, I think your epic retelling of the story was most entertaining.

[derekleffew]

Great window, great set! I only wish that followspot had a bit of R132 or R140 in it.

I hope you took pictures during the design/construction, as this is perfect for a portfolio.

[Grog12]

People up north don't believe in chupacabra...you're in Oregon...you'll leave a Sasquatch.

Excellent job on the window.