Bioplastic Vitrail: a Stickable Laser-Cut Toy & Stained Glass Alternative

I wanted to create a bioplastic formulation that offers a non-plastic alternative for children’s toys and a creative, reusable substitute for stained glass. This material is flexible, slightly sticky but clean to the touch, and clings to smooth surfaces without leaving residue.

Children can explore colors by overlapping pieces, sticking them to windows or fridges, and observing how light interacts with them. Adults can transform any image into a soft, translucent art piece, without needing to buy plastic or different glasses for each texture. It’s a low-cost, home-friendly method that invites creativity, experimentation, and sustainable making.

Ingredients (Bioplastic Mixture)

1. 28 g gelatin
2. 20 ml glycerin
3. 20 ml white vinegar (for anti-mold effect)
4. 180 ml distilled water
5. 6–7 drops yellow food coloring
6. 5–6 drops blue food coloring
7. Mixing & Preparation Tools Heat-safe mixing bowl or beaker
8. Thermometer (digital preferred)
9. Tulle or fine cloth for straining
10. Petri dishes (or any flat, oven-safe dish)
11. Oven (can be set to 50–60°C)

(Starch and Agar agar can be used for another biomaterial project. But for this project's specific formula, we won't use it.)

Handling & Safety Tweezers

1. Gloves
2. Alcohol spray for surface cleaning

Cutting & Modeling Tools MDF sheets (for underlay during laser cutting)

1. Fusion360 (or any 3D modeling software)
2. Rhino (for preparing DXF for laser)
3. Adobe Illustrator (for color mapping – optional)
4. Laser cutter

Assembly & Framing Plexiglass (for framing)

1. Pattex or suitable adhesive

Make sure you cleaned all your utensils; hygiene is important for preventing molds.

(With these measurements I made 145mm x 95mm art piece at the end, with nearly half of them unsued.)

1. Add 28 g of gelatin to 180 ml of water and let it bloom for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in 20 ml of glycerin and 20 ml of white vinegar.
3. Put a bowl of water onto stove, and place the mixture cup into that water.
4. Gently heat the mixture to exactly 60°C using a stovetop (not boiling), monitoring constantly with a thermometer.
5. Once fully dissolved and fluid, divide into three equal portions:
6. One stays transparent (white)
7. One receives 6–7 drops of yellow dye
8. One receives 5-6 drops of blue dye
9. Pour each portion through tulle into petri dishes while still warm.
10. Ensure the depth of each poured layer is around 2 mm.
11. Let them sit for a few minutes before transferring them to the oven.
12. Bake at 60°C for 3 hours with the oven door slightly open for moisture to escape. (change the locations of trays if needed.)

Ideal result: Flexible, glossy, clingy to glass, not sticky to touch.

To peel it easier, first grab the edges with tweezers to creates small gaps, then pull it.

1. Image-to-Vitrail Conversion Prompt

Participants can simplify their image and use it s reference for Manual Tracing using this prompt:

"Transform this image into a stained glass (vitrail) artwork. Keep the original subject and canvas format exactly as it is. Divide the image into clear stained glass segments with dark outlines, like traditional vitrail art. Simplify the colors to a maximum of 4 to 5 distinct tones, using harmonious but clearly separated color areas. Do not add any elements or remove any. Preserve the core composition and shapes, just stylize them into stained glass form. But there shouldn't be gradients and more than one color in one vitrail piece. And also should be more simplified. Keep the original subject and 4:3 format exactly as it is. The total vitrail piece number shouldn't be this much. Do not add any elements or remove any. Preserve the core composition and shapes; just stylize them into stained glass form. High realistic style"

2. Manual Tracing in 3D or 2D

1. Import the image into Fusion360 or Illustrator.
2. Use the spline tool (or pen tool in Illustrator) to manually trace each colored segment.
3. Ensure each section is a closed shape.
4. The mouse should reveal that each zone is individually traceable.

3. Splitting for Mold-Sized Pieces

1. As petri dishes are small, extrude traced regions into separate parts.
2. Export the entire drawing as a .DXF file.
3. Open in Rhino.

4. Rhino Preparation for Laser Cutting

1. Use the "Make2D" command if there are construction lines.
2. Disable the "hidden lines" checkbox.
3. Final .dxf file should contain laser-ready outlines only.

5. Color Coding for Assembly (Optional)

1. Import the same design into Illustrator.
2. Select all traced segments and go to Object > Live Paint > Make.
3. Color each region with your desired bioplastic tone (yellow, blue, white).
4. This color map serves as a placement guide.

1. Cutting Simulation

1. Before laser cutting real bioplastics, test layout with MDF.
2. Cut the pieces and try placing them over real bioplastic discs.
3. Match their dimensions to what's left of the real materials (e.g., a petri dish may start at 10 cm diameter, but after trimming, you might only use 7 cm). Simulate this digitally.

2. Laser Cutting Tips

1. Place MDF or wood under the bioplastic to avoid surface distortion.
2. Use low power, multiple passes.
3. Use the same circular MDF test ring from earlier as a placement reference.
4. Align the strongest parts of the bioplastic within that circle.

3. Cleaning & Assembly

1. After cutting, clean edges with alcohol and use tweezers to avoid fingerprints.
2. Place pieces over the printed Illustrator color reference.
3. Sandwich them between two laser-cut plexiglass frames.
4. Bond using Pattex or similar clear adhesive.

Enjoy it! And don't forget to try it with other photos/artworks too.