Make a Stained Glass Light Fixture

Creating your own stained glass light fixture is very creative and fun do-it-yourself project. It is not a very complicated process and you can create your own stained glass fixture in a few easy steps.

Choose Your Pattern

Before creating your stained glass light fixture, you will need to pick out a pattern to work with. A simple picture that you like will work, or you can even create your own pattern by sketching it out on a piece of paper.  Some craft stores also sell stained glass designs. If you decide to create your own design, it is helpful to also color it in according to the color scheme you want to use.  You will need to know this before purchasing the glass paint. Regardless of which route you take, make sure you have measured your light fixture so you know how big your design needs to be. 

Pick Out Your Paint

Take your pattern with you when you pick out your paint colors. Having the pattern on hand will make sure that you choose the colors that you want, rather than guessing. Make sure you get glass paint and not wall paint, as there is a difference.

Paint Your Fixture

Using scotch tape, take your pattern and tape it to the inside of your light fixture with the pattern showing through. Paint your light fixture, using the pattern for guidance. Paint outwards as you fill in each color and don’t worry too much about the edges of each block: you will be adding the lead strips later to give it a more polished looked.  When you are finished painting the fixture, allow it to dry completely.

Add Lead Strips

Lead strips don’t actually have any lead in them, but they do have the appearance of the lead seams that you see in expensive stained glass pieces.  Once the paint has dried, you can add the lead strip by peeling the backs off of them and then applying them where your paint colors change. Also add them to the edges of the fixture to create a frame.