Techniques
Stained Glass - shapes of clear and coloured glass are cut to a pattern known as a 'cartoon', the surface of the glass is decorated or manipulated and the pieces of glass are then leaded together with lead came (or calme). The lead lines contribute to the overall design.
Leaded Lights - glass cut to a pattern is simply leaded together.
Copper foiling - this technique is associated with Tiffany. Copper tape is adhered to the edges of the cut glass shapes which are then soldered together. This method is particularly useful for small intricate shapes and can be successfully integrated within a leaded panel as well as being used in its own right.
Glass Painting - vitreous paints are applied to the surface of the glass in bold 'tracing' lines and 'matting' which is used to control the passage of light through the glass. The paint is fired so that it fuses with the surface of the glass permanently.
'Grisaille' - the term applies to a style originating in the medieval period known as 'painting in black and white', though it was often combined with other colours or silver stain sparingly used. Grisaille was favoured by the Cistercian Order whose designs avoided the use of colours or figures.
Silver Stain - a mixture of yellow ochre and silver compounds are applied to the exterior of the glass and when fired at a low temperature it chemically bonds to the glass producing yellow, amber or orange colours. This technique has been used since the 14th Century.
Acid Etching & Sandblasting - the layer of coloured glass flashed onto the surface of the base glass is removed partially or entirely through the physical action of blasting fine particles of sand, flint or iron in a high pressured jet of air, or through the corrosive chemical action of hydrofluoric acid on the glass surface. These processes are also used to create a texture or matt finish to the glass.
Plating - more than one piece of glass, laid one behind the other and leaded together.
Verre eglomise - glass is painted on the back, when seen from the front the effect produces a depth to the painted work.
Glass
Flat - glass made in a thin sheet.
Antique - made using traditional methods i.e. mouth-blown by blowing air through a pipe into a gather of molten glass.
Flashed - a layer of coloured glass is flashed onto the surface of the base glass which may be clear or coloured. Antique method - the gather of base glass is dipped into a second colour, the result can be wonderfully uneven.
Pot metal - glass that is one colour throughout, the gather is taken from the pot in which the coloured glass is formed by adding metal oxides to the molten glass. The medieval pale green tint was created by adding beech ash to molten glass.
Float - the industrial method of making flat glass whereby a ribbon of molten glass floats across molten tin.
Pebbles - irregular rounded pieces of coloured glass, gem like, used to give texture to windows and panels.
Rolled - hot glass is passed between rollers which can also imprint a pattern.
Slab - antique glass blown into a square bottle and cut into flat pieces.
Streaky & Reamy - additional colours of flashed glass decorate the surface in spots or ribbons created either through antique or industrial methods.
Seedy - Bubbles of air are introduced to the glass as it is blown and are trapped in the glass. As the glass is blown these bubbles can become elongated and look like seeds.
Roundel - a small circular panel of stained glass.
Quarries - small diamonds, squares or rectangles of clear or lightly tinted glass.
Please note: this example is not my own design, it is a composition of two medieval designs (oak and rose) which I copied for practice at a glass painting workshop.