When doing my research on questions Google users have regarding stained glass, one question keeps popping up: Is stained glass hard?
Although this is somewhat of a subjective topic, I figured I would give it my best answer. The short version of this answer is: It is easy to do, but more difficult to do well. Like anything else in life it takes patience and practice to master. I’ll expand on that, as well as some other aspects to the craft that you may or may not have already considered.
I’m going to try my best to steer from any assumptions I might have of how stained glass may be more or less difficult for others depending on certain factors, and just speak (or type) from my own personal experience.
So here we go…
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It Takes Practice
The first time I shared any of my stained glass works via my social media I had been at it for about two months already. I had so many of my friends and family messaging me telling me I was a “natural.” I had to explain to them “No, no, no. You didn’t see my first few pieces!”
Truth is, in those two months I was practicing stained glass every single day. I would work my typical work hours, take a break to hang out and eat, and then it was straight to the garage where I would sit at my work bench for 3, 4, sometimes 5 hours until it was dark outside and time to get ready for bed.
And even at this point, two months in with A LOT of practice, I was mediocre at best.
Remember, this is me sharing my own personal experience and it’s very likely that your experience will be different. You may pick up on it faster or slower. Everyone is different.
However, it does take practice. Just like most things in life, stained glass is no different.
The worst thing you can do is go into thinking you’ll pick it up quickly, because the truth is that you may or may not. Don’t ever get discouraged <3
So what part of it is most difficult to land? This answer will be different depending on who you ask, but for me it was soldering. Creating that clean, perfectly beaded solder line. Even now it feels like the solder has a mind of its own some days.
It’s Not Cheap
When I started in stained glass I was lucky enough to have a full time, decent-paying job and very low living costs. This afforded me the ability to purchase everything I needed quickly so I could get to work practicing.
Now, if I would have found stained glass twelve months later after being laid off from said job, it would have been really difficult for me to accumulate the supplies I needed. Which is actually why I offer all my information for free via this blog, and rely on affiliate sales instead of “online courses.” I understand that creatives interested in learning this craft are already going to be out a good amount of change just for the supplies alone.
Even after your initial costs of getting started in stained glass, the spending never ends. You’re always going to need more glass, solder, and other supplies. None of which are cheap.
One piece of advice I would give for this is to make it a habit of checking your local FB market sales, Craigslist, and estate sales. I’ve only gotten lucky with this once, but I got a TON of stuff for just one Benjamin!
It Can Require a Lot of Space
I use the word CAN here because it really just depends on what you plan to do with it. If you’re just looking to pick up a new hobby and make smaller pieces here and there, you won’t need too much space.
However, If you have plans to create large pieces, create multiple pieces at any given time, or just have a good selection of glass and other supplies on hand, you’ll need some space.
As I mentioned above, when I first started I was working out of a garage. I had a cabinet in the garage that was full of nothing but all my stained glass supplies, and my grinder and ring saw stayed out on my work bench at all times. I was using about 25% of the total garage space.
Two years into it, and there’s no way that allotted amount of space would work for me now.
My situation is a little different now because my husband and I currently live in an RV, so I don’t have the option to use a room or that garage anymore even if I wanted to. Instead, I ended up getting a 10’ x 12’ shed and converting it into a studio. That’s 120 sq ft and I’m using every square inch of it.
I wish I would have gotten a larger shed.
It’s Messy
I know there are crafters that create stained glass inside their home. Plenty of them. However, I personally make a huge mess any time I’m working. Whether it’s glass bits getting everywhere, water from my grinder and saw getting splashed everywhere, little pieces of copper tape and lead came all over the place.
Going from a garage to a studio has sort of afforded me the ability to work in such a messy manner though, I suppose. I can see how if I HAD to be more tidy, I could probably make it work.
If the space you have available is inside your home vs some place like a studio or garage, there are products that can protect your space and give you storage. But of course, there’s products for everything nowadays. I mention some of these here.
In Conclusion
Stained glass isn’t the easiest, cheapest, most efficient, or cleanest craft, but it is very rewarding. If you even THINK you might really enjoy it, please do yourself the biggest favor and at least try.
If you have a local glass studio, they may offer space and even the ability to use their tools. If this isn’t an option, start with what you can get, and work on what you can. If it’s going to grab you, it will, and once that happens it won’t matter how “difficult” it is at all.
Not to mention, this blog and I are here for any and all questions along the way.
<3<3<3
