Articles
Designing a window
There are several ways to design a window. It depends on your taste, style and preferences.
One way is to use a center design without a border. This works well with a design like the one
on the right. It has to be a design that can be enlarged. If you try to enlarge a bird that is
normally four inches tall and make him forty inches tall, he becomes very "alien".
The another way is to use a center design and then use a border that matches the design. You can
take the design elements from the center design and create a corner motif or border. This way it
matches and looks like it belongs together.
You can also create a border that is made up of totally
different elements. For instance, if you are designing a door or window for a wine cellar, you
could use wine bottles for a border and a grape design for your center.
You can also create a design that fits the window that reflects the theme or style of the
room or the whole house. The square design to the right is a design I created for a pair of front
doors. It could be used for a window design in one piece or in parts.
Designs can be put into many different styles or classifications. Today the shift is towards the
contemporary.
This style, as it pertains to glass etching can be created by using simple line
designs. You can think of etching in most cases as being black and white. The etching is white and
the clear areas become the black.
Creating designs from simple shapes and combining them together
to create designs like Frank Lloyd Wright. His stained glass designs were created from simple
reoccurring shapes. These designs are very popular today. I have on this site, designs from simple
shapes in the architectural designs page.
All of the Architectural designs can be used for windows. The designs can be modified to suit your taste and needs.
* note Sarah's nose was not red in the original painting.
In Memory
Losing someone you love is the hardest thing we endure in life. I heard someone say that you don't want to bring it up to someone that has lost somebody because you don't want to remind them. The thing is, they never forget. It's always there. So don't be afraid to bring it up, it shows you care. I have lost people dear to me. I lost my best friend two weeks before I lost my sister. That makes me want to help people feel better. Nothing someone says really changes how you feel. But, this is my attempt to say something to make you feel better. The relationship doesn't end when someone dies. The relationship becomes very one sided but it goes on. They are gone but you are still there. It changes because it becomes very lonely and tends to consume your thoughts. It gets better with time. I know you don't want to hear about time, I didn't, but time is hope. That's why they say time heals all wounds. Time is hope. I think for me it was because I came to accept it as a change but not a loss. They would always be with me. They would always be in my memory's. If I could help you, that would be it. Accept the change but not the loss. Love lives on.
Then there is the guilt. You wonder why them and not you. You wonder if its your fault. This is not something you can allow your mind to dwell on. Stop. You are here and alive. You must live so they can be remembered. They would want you to go on. I just think if you could ask them they would say live for us both. I think you must live on. You are the only person that will be with you your whole life. Allow the people you love to touch you and live on. Guilt is self inflicted and evil. Please stay away from it. The people who have been in combat and lost friends suffer the most from this. They try to reason something that has no reason and makes no sense. I have never been there so I really have no right to even bring it up but is it possible to choose not to feel guilt? Is it possible that it was meant to be, that you are here for a higher purpose?
If you have not heard heard of Jim Rohn click here. I recommend you read his teachings. This is a quote from Jim Rohns Grandson."When we miss them, there is powerful sorrow. When we remember them, there is joy. And when we contemplate that they are no longer in this dimension, there is mystery and wonder." We are who we are because of the people who have touched our life. If we must choose, let us remember them with joy. This is the way you might think it should be, The grandson remembering his grand father after many years together. When someone passes from this earth early it seems so wrong and is the hardest to deal with. We are not expecting it. I would say that this is when time is the hardest to endure. This is when you must remember the fact that your love lives on forever.
I am a glass etcher so as you may guess when I wanted to remember I created it on glass. I don't know if a plaque would be right for you but I know it makes me feel better to remember with joy. I have made several pieces in my sisters honor. I gave one to my parents and I kept one for myself. I was nervous to give to my mother because like I said at the beginning, I didn't want to bring it up. But I am glad I did. She loved it. It was close to mothers day when I gave it to her and my father quickly called it a mothers day gift. I think Nathanael, said it best "When we remember them, there is joy". I want you to know that it has been 25 years so I have had time to sort it out. This is why my message is remember them with joy, the relationship has changed but you still have the love forever.
I will tell you the story of how this piece was made. I had back painted a piece of glass blue. It is transparent paint, meaning you can see through it. I had a customer that wanted to see different shades of blue so I painted white paint over the blue. This would lighten the blue and make it opaque. It loosened up the blue and put black streaks in the glass so I could not use it. Well I hardly ever throw anything away. So it laid around for awhile and one day I was chipping glass. So I chipped the edges and really liked the shape and color. I was etching some other pieces so I cut a stencil and I etched it too. I thought it would look great to etch the back but it did not work. You could hardly see the lettering. So I back painted it white again and etched the front. I was very happy with it this time. For some reason I became attached to this piece of glass. Maybe it reminds me of my sister, beautiful but not perfect. I keep it on my work table in the shop.
If you look at the large picture you can see the black streaks on the side. The reason is I used a brush to put the white on instead of spraying it. If you wanted a piece of blue glass I would spray the paint on. I have created a web page so you can look at the different kinds of glass that I can etch memorials on. I have plaques, framed mirrors with etched portraits, sun catchers and vases. I have seen the sign makers cutting stencil signs for people to put in the windows of their cars and I thought I could do something really classy. That's what gave me the Idea to create a line of In Memory plaques and gifts. Something a little nicer to keep in your house or to give a friend.
Etched glass has a wide range of applications.
There are numerous ways that sandblasting can be used to create totally different effects with the same design. The one thing that sandblasted glass, and all glass for that matter, was missing is color. Until now!
Introducing premium back-painted glass.
The high-tech materials that we use to produce our product are the latest technology and specially formulated for superior adhesion, outstanding color stability, high resistance to moisture and can be installed over almost any surface. We have a wide range of opaque finishes and can also prepare quotations for you for translucent, metallic and pearl base finishes, adding more dimensions to your project.
The surface preparation and the application of the coating are done in my shop under close supervision. It can also be applied to the many types of textured glass that are available. Some of the pattern glass available is fluted, rain, obscure, aquatex, hammered and of course etched and carved. The translucent colors can be used to produce patterns like stained glass. Some of the other applications for painted glass are custom tiles for the wall, accents in regular tile, kitchen back splashes, glass walls and partitions, bathroom windows, kitchen cabinets and privacy stripes on shower doors.
If you are looking for personalized glass or mirror for your home I can help. I produce custom etched glass with back painting, glue chipping, carving and a full design studio. I build my own frames for many glass and mirror applications. There are also a large assortment of hangers and bracket systems available. If you have a wall or corner that needs a mirror or piece of glass to dress it up, I can design something to fit. Etched glass can be very simple in design or it can be very ornate. It is one of the oldest treatment of glass available.
Most of the "designs and etchings" you see today are actually frit printing or screen printing. These are very inexpensive ways of creating very intricate designs in very large quantities of glass, but what if you want something custom made to fit you personal taste? It is getting harder to find companies that produce custom etched glass. Even the ones that produce custom commercial work will not do residential work. I can produce one of a kind pieces of glass to accent, decorate, or create privacy and protection from people looking in your windows.
Etched glass can also be used to produce the perfect gift for someone who has everything. Some of the places that I have used etched glass are shower doors, front doors, sidelights, transoms, wine cellar doors, table tops, windows, mirrors, gift items and car windows. Any glass or mirror object that you would like to stylize. If you have a small project or a large remodel project, I can help you with the design work, custom glass enclosures, mirror's and custom framing.