Fig. 361.—Border Pattern.
Fig. 362.—Cracked Glass.
Always make your corners and borders first, and if you desire a centre-piece, it should be placed in position next, and the space between it and the border filled in afterward. A Gothic window may be imitated by painting the corners black, thus making it arched at the top. Very often good patterns can be found in the many art and fashion papers. One copy may serve for an entire border, if it be pasted at the four corners to one pane of glass, and, when that is outlined, removed and gummed to the next, and so on until the border is finished. Fig. 361 is intended as a border. Fig. 362 is a very simple pattern of cracked glass, which you can readily make without any copy. Place a ruler across the woodwork of the window-pane, first one way, then another, and with its aid paint your straight lines, being careful not to have any two run parallel. A conventional design is always to be preferred. Should any mistakes occur during the progress of the work, remove the paint with a cloth dampened with turpentine and try again. The painting is not difficult, and the only delays are in waiting for the colors to dry.
First decide on your design, then trace it, making the outlines heavy and black; gum the pattern by the four corners to the outside of the window-pane, which it is essential to have perfectly clean and dry; close the window, and with a small brush dipped in black paint follow the outlines of your copy, keeping the lines of equal thickness throughout; when this is finished remove the pattern. In the same manner go over all the outlines you wish to make on the window, then leave the color to harden and dry, which will probably require hours. Begin again by laying on flat washes of paint to match the prevailing colors of the copy, and use the dabber in tinting each color as it is applied, so the surface may be even and uniform. While the decoration is drying it is best to protect it from dust by pinning up a newspaper or a large piece of cloth on the window-frame. When dry, the painting can be touched up if necessary.
After the last color has entirely dried apply a wash of white lac-varnish; when this is dry give the window another coat of lac-varnish and then it will be finished. Should your copies be in black and white, use your own taste in coloring the glass.
Another method of imitating stained glass is
Painting on Lawn,
batiste, or any kind of sheer white muslin. For this you will need the same paints that are used for painting on glass; these are mixed only with turpentine and the color put on as a stain.
Cut a piece of new thin white batiste large enough to cover a window-sash, with a margin left for turning in, and make an outline on it of the exact size of the sash; then select your pattern and place the lawn over it, when the outlines should show through; trace these carefully with gum-arabic dissolved, but made very stiff, and when the entire design has been traced let the gum dry; then go over it with ivory-black unmixed; this latter makes the leading; be careful to keep the lines even and of the same size. When the outlines have dried fill in the spaces with the stains made of paint and turpentine; the gum prevents the colors from spreading. When the paint has dried you may add a few touches where they are needed, and the stained-glass design will be ready to place on the window. Use stiff mucilage or tiny tacks to keep it in place, having first turned in the margin left for the purpose.