Art in Picture Books: Stained Glass

When we read out loud with children, we not only are teaching them to love language. We are exposing them to various artwork through illustrations.

The picture book is an art form unique beyond all others. It entertains, it feeds the imagination, and it is a fun and nonthreatening way to introduce various artistic medias, styles, and techniques.

Just look at Eric Carle's signature tissue paper collages or Faith Ringgold's rich, painted story quilts. The illustrator tells a story through the images he or she creates. Introduce your students to that story and see where it takes them.

Some artists hone a particular style, while others experiment. Robert Sabuda is known for his masterful pop-up books. Yet Sabuda also offers up a wide range of picture books, each with its own distinctive look. A Sabuda collection displays vivid batiks, watercolors, marbleized mosaics, and Egyptian papyrus.

Arthur and the Sword features stained glass illustrations. It is this stained glass technique that serves as a launching pad for these lessons. Remember that the process, not the finished product, is the focuswith your students.

Stained Glass Technique

The exact time stained glass came into existence is difficult to pinpoint. Elaborate stained glass windows were seen in churches built as long ago as the 10th century. The art of creating colored glass existed long before this.

However, methods for creating stained glass have changed very little over the centuries. A pattern is traced onto the glass. Glass is scored and cut.The artist grinds the pieces to fit, foils each piece and reassembles, soldering the units together. Other techniques for glass painting involve liquid lead. For Arthur and the Sword, Robert used liquid lead to outline sections and then filled each with glass dye to create the radiant images.

Stained Glass Illustrations

A variety of illustrators have used stained glass illustrations in their work. Because of its strong link to churches, stained glass illustrations often appear in books with religious themes. Fiona French is known for her luminous stained glass illustrations and accompanying biblical text in Easter and Bethlehem.

Provide students copies of work by Sabuda and French as well as non-fiction books showing famous stained glass. A favorite is Stained Glass: Jewels of Light by Joe Porcelli. You library will have a variety of books on stained glass. The text may be too difficult for your students, but it is the photographs we are after.

Stained Glass Effects:

After the students have examined a variety of stained glass and have an idea of the patterns and techniques used, it is time to create our own stained glass. The methods below vary in difficulty.

Glue and Corn Syrup

• Glue
• Corn syrup
• Food coloring
• Heavy paper
• Pencil

Have the students sketch a design onto their paper. They can create their own or look for patterns in coloring books or online.

Add food coloring to glue. Choose a dark color, like blue. Mix this in the bottle because students will need to be able to squeeze out the glue.

Squeeze the glue onto the paper, tracing the outline and covering the pencil marks. Let this dry overnight.

Mix corn syrup with food coloring to create a shiny, sticky paint. Fill in the outlines with the chosen color. Allow this to dry This will dry shiny, giving a reflective glass-like look. (It will set enough to display, as long as the room is not too hot. However, it takes up two two weeks to become completely "non-sticky" to touch.)

Artwork by 3rd grade students

Waxed Paper Stained Glass

• waxed paper
• iron
• tissue paper or crayon shavings
• construction paper

Place the tissue or crayon shavings inside two pieces of wax paper. Press with hot iron until the pieces melt together. You now have a stained glass backdrop for a variety of projects. Cut into a simple shape and display. Or cut a design in black construction paper and place the stained glass wax behind.

               

Artwork by Carter Joy, Age 5

Folded Paper Stained Glass

• paper
• crayons

This super easy idea can be done any time, any where. Children can create as simple or as complex a design as they choose.

Take a piece of paper and fold. Fold over and over to create a design. Unfold the paper and use a black crayon to trace the fold marks. Color the remaining sections in the chosen colors. For variety try differently types of paper and use gel pens or watercolors or florescent markers instead of crayons.

For other stained glass effects, try these:

Stained Glass Designs (Kinder Art) - Black construction paper and chalk.
Stained Glass Paper Screen (Kinder Art) - Uses tissue paper and black construction paper
Stained Glass Window (Kids Domain) - Craft foam creations
Stained Glass Holiday Decorations (Kids Domain) - Uses permanent markers, saran wrap, and tinfoil.