Mosaic Stained Glass Portrait

Materials:

enlarged photograph (color or black and white)
mat board
masking tape
clear adhesive shelf liner (Contact paper)
several colors and shades of opaque stained glass
plastic containers
glasscutter
square nose pliers
glass nippers
tweezers
diamond wheel glass grinder
safety glasses
latex gloves
black felt tip pen
ultra sticky clear adhesive film
piece of tile backer board (cement board)
craft knife
epoxy adhesive
notched trowel
roll of paper towels
instant glue
pre-mixed grout
rubber float
sponge
picture frame
books (for weight)

1. Enlarge and print a photograph of the subject’s face (figure A).

2. Tape the photograph face up onto a piece of mat board.

3. Cut a piece of clear adhesive film slightly larger than the photo.

4. Tape the adhesive film, sticky side up over the photo using masking tape. The paper backing covering the adhesive film will be facing up (figure B).

5. Cut through the paper backing of the adhesive film with a craft knife. Then peel away portions of the paper backing to expose parts of the photo, starting with the face (figure C). If the entire photo is exposed, it tends to pick up dust from the room and reduces the stickiness of the adhesive.

• Score assorted colors of glass into strips with a glasscutter and break them with square nose pliers.
• Cut pieces of stained glass strips into a variety of sizes with glass nippers (figure D). Store the pieces in plastic containers divided by colors.
• Place the mosaic pieces onto the adhesive over the photo. Use the photo as a guide to create the portrait.
• For some sections of the face such as the eyes, the glass pieces will need to be ground on a glass grinder to achieve the right shape or smoothness to create the detail in the mosaic (figures E and F).