Stained Glass

Stories in Glass

Not far from here is St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, a popular landmark in the Covington community. A well known and much beloved feature of many cathedrals is the stained-glass windows, admired by parishioners and visitors alike. Their rich glowing colors highlighted by dark outlines make the images they portray seem other earthly. And for good reason, they are there to tell the stories of faith without written word. Many early religious followers would not have been expected to read the religious texts and yet it was important to pass down the stories of faith and hope to the believers.

It is said that “a picture paints a thousand words” so it isn’t too far fetched to think that an image could tell a whole story. It you could tell a story with an image what would it look like?

Making a Stained-Glass Story

Step 1: Scratch an outline

The black paper in this kit is a specially coated paper covering colorful plastic. By scratching through the dark surface, you can create your own stained-glass image.

Start by thinking about a story. What pictures pop into your mind when you think about that story? Choose one of those images in your mind or find something to look at that might fit your story. Draw a rough outline of that image.

Step 2 Decorate the Space

Find spaces in your outline that might look good with designs like stripes, polka dots, squiggles, etc. Scratch these designs into those spaces. You can even scratch around spaces that you want to remain black.

Step 3: Let in the Light

Choose shapes in your outline that would look best completely filled with bright color. Scratch off all the coating in these spaces to reveal the bright colors. You may want to work against a window so you can see the light as it comes through. You can also leave a little bit of black in between chapes that are next to each other, so they don’t become one larger shape.

Things to Think About

  1. Can you imagine your creation displayed in a cathedral? If not, where might be a good place for your stained glass story to be displayed?

  2. Can you remember a picture from your childhood, maybe from a children’s picture book? Can you recall the story that went along with the picture?