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Glass has been around for centuries, and the earliest sheet glass dates to the 11th century in Germany. A glassblower would blow a hollow sphere out of molten glass and then swing it vertically. Gravity would pull the glass into a cylindrical shape. The ends were cut off and the pod cut open and laid flat while the glass was still hot. In 1688, French glass makers developed a special table where molten glass was rolled out flat and then ground and polished on each side when it cooled.
Identification
In modern times, float glass is made by floating molten glass onto a bath of molten tin. The contact surface of the glass and tin is very flat because the two materials do not mix. The glass cools and leaves the bath of tin, the surface is perfectly flat and can be properly cooled. The tin bath gives the glass even depth and a smooth, flat surface. A certain amount of tin is absorbed by the glass, giving one side of the glass a haze that is only visible using ultra-violet light.
Process
Painting pictures on float glass requires time and patience. The design must be traced on the glass using black paint to outline the picture. Once the paint has dried, excess paint is scraped off to clean up the outline. The glass is fired in an oven; then the picture is shaded with special matte paint. After being fired again, a stain is applied to give the picture its first color. The glass is fired again and then enamel is applied. Different enamel colors can react to one another when unfired, so each color must be applied individually and then the glass must be fired.
Features
The enamel paints used to paint glass are either opaque or transparent. Opaque paint is useful if the desired effect is that no light is able to pass through the glass. Transparent paint is useful if the desired effect is that light can pass through the glass. Transparent paints resemble stained glass, while opaque paints make the glass look painted. Function
A stained glass window.
Painting glass can be an interesting craft project, but it is rarely done because of the time and skill involved and the need to have a kiln in which to fire the glass. Pictures painted on float glass are commonly used for decoration. The glass can be used for window panes, such as stained glass windows commonly found in churches. Painted glass can also be framed and hung on the wall for indoor decoration.
Glass has been around for centuries, and the earliest sheet glass dates to the 11th century in Germany. A glassblower would blow a hollow sphere out of molten glass and then swing it vertically. Gravity would pull the glass into a cylindrical shape. The ends were cut off and the pod cut open and laid flat while the glass was still hot. In 1688, French glass makers developed a special table where molten glass was rolled out flat and then ground and polished on each side when it cooled.
Identification
In modern times, float glass is made by floating molten glass onto a bath of molten tin. The contact surface of the glass and tin is very flat because the two materials do not mix. The glass cools and leaves the bath of tin, the surface is perfectly flat and can be properly cooled. The tin bath gives the glass even depth and a smooth, flat surface. A certain amount of tin is absorbed by the glass, giving one side of the glass a haze that is only visible using ultra-violet light.
Process
Painting pictures on float glass requires time and patience. The design must be traced on the glass using black paint to outline the picture. Once the paint has dried, excess paint is scraped off to clean up the outline. The glass is fired in an oven; then the picture is shaded with special matte paint. After being fired again, a stain is applied to give the picture its first color. The glass is fired again and then enamel is applied. Different enamel colors can react to one another when unfired, so each color must be applied individually and then the glass must be fired.
Features
The enamel paints used to paint glass are either opaque or transparent. Opaque paint is useful if the desired effect is that no light is able to pass through the glass. Transparent paint is useful if the desired effect is that light can pass through the glass. Transparent paints resemble stained glass, while opaque paints make the glass look painted. Function
A stained glass window.
Painting glass can be an interesting craft project, but it is rarely done because of the time and skill involved and the need to have a kiln in which to fire the glass. Pictures painted on float glass are commonly used for decoration. The glass can be used for window panes, such as stained glass windows commonly found in churches. Painted glass can also be framed and hung on the wall for indoor decoration.