Pigments For Stained Glass

by Rade Peters
(Belgrade, Serbia)

THE QUESTION IS WHAT KIND OF PIGMENTS I.E. PAINTS ARE USED FOR COLORING STAINED GLASS? ALSO WOULD APRECIATE INFO IN REGARD WHERE TO PURCHASE PIGMENTS PREFERABLY FROM A COUNTRY CLOSE TO SERBIA. OF COURSE E MAIL ADDRESS WILL HELP.

THANK YOU

Answer

I will give you two different answers here since I'm not sure if you're referring to the actual colored glass used in stained glass work, or traditional glass painting that is used to add features such as faces, hands, feet, folds in clothing.

For the glass used in stained glass work, various oxides are added with the other ingredients before it goes in the furnace. It is not colored afterwards. Each manufacturer has their own "recipe" for colors. The basic oxides used are: Copper oxide, under different conditions, produces ruby, blue, or green colors in glass. Cobalt is usually used to produce most shades of blues. Shades of green can also be obtained from the addition of chromium and iron oxide. Yellow glass is sometimes colored with uranium, cadmium sulfide, titanium, or fine selenium yellows as well as vermilions. Red glass is made by adding gold.

For traditional glass painting, the paints are made from finely ground glass and oxides, then mixed with various ingredients such as gum arabic, water, vinegar, etc, then applied with a brush and finally fired in a kiln. There is much more to it then my brief explaination, but that's enough to give you the general idea of how it's done. Glass paints are manufactured and sold through any large stained glass business that sells tools and supplies.

For an idea of the types of brushes and supplies needed for traditional glass painting look Here

I do not know where you would get the supplies in Serbia. I would think that Germany would be the best place to look for supplies.