Faux Stained Glass With Resin

If you don't have access to stained glass making resources, you don't have to resign yourself to spending big money on a custom commission. Read on to learn how to make imitation stained glass using a laser-cut or homemade frame and resin. I've included two svg cut templates for you to use.

You will need:

• Epoxy Resin (I used Alumilite Amazing Clear Cast)
• Silicone mat and mixing cups
• Alcohol inks
• Painter's tape
• Paperweights
• Laser-cut or homemade frame made from wood or acrylic
• Inkscape software (optional)

A laser cutter is helpful but not necessary to create your frame. You'll need a frame between 1/8" and 1/4" deep that lays flat. If you construct your own with square dowels or purchase a pre-cut shape, you can skip the rest of this step.

I cut two trial frames: one out of 1/8" maple plywood and one out of 1/8" black acrylic. The wood ended up warping too much to contain resin, so the acrylic was a better bet. Once you've selected your material, read on to learn how to design your file, or download one of my svg designs below: the sunshine pattern photographed here, or a honeycomb pattern. Both files are ready for vector laser cutting.

To create your own svg file for cutting, draw and upload (or virtually draw) your frame design in black and white in Inkscape. I used 1/8" line thickness and was happy with the tradeoff between cosmetic thinness and sturdiness. Select your drawing and open Path > Trace Bitmap. Use the default settings and click OK. Drag your image to the side and you will see there are now two images -- one with a transparent background and your original image. Delete your original image.

Finally, open the Fill and Stroke menu. Set Fill to no paint, Stroke to 255 Red, 0 Green, 0 Blue, 255 A (opaque). Set Stroke Style to .001" and save your file as an svg. Your design may become so faint it is almost invisible; this is expected. Your frame is now ready for vector cutting on the laser.

Once your frame has been created, center it on top of a silicone or polypropylene mat on a level workstation. Tape down the edges of the frame with painter's tape to prevent leakages. If your material is at all warped, I recommend also putting paperweights (or candles, or dumbbells...) on the edges of your frame to help hold it flat against the mat.

Gather protective gloves, resin mixing cups and sticks, alcohol inks, and paper towels at your workstation.

Check your resin packaging for any temperature restrictions; temperature affects curing time, and a range of 70-80F (21.1-26.6C) is typically recommended, so be mindful of your workspace temperature.

Put on your protective gloves. In your mixing cup, prepare your resin according to package instructions. I like to keep my resin bottles in a warm water bath for about 10 minutes before mixing time to help eliminate bubbles.

If your stained glass design uses multiple colors, mix each color batch separately. Drop the alcohol ink as close to the resin surface as possible to prevent bubbles. To maximize work time, I prefer to mix and pour each color individually before moving on to mix the next color. Stir slowly until no resin streaks remain, about 3-5 minutes.

Carefully pour your resin into each negative space in your frame until it is just level with the frame height. If you overpour, use a dropper, squeeze bottle, or popsicle stick to remove the excess resin. If you suspect your frame may leak between sections, I recommend pouring your lightest color and waiting for it to cure before moving on. By working light to dark, you can minimize the appearance of any leakages.

Excessive small bubbles on the resin surface can be zapped with a misting of rubbing alcohol about ten minutes after resin has been poured.

After all your colors have been poured, wait until the cure time on your package instructions has passed.

Remove your painter's tape and carefully peel your artwork off the work mat. Any leakages that have seeped out of the frame can be sanded down until resin is flush with the frame edge.

If you're using black acrylic, you may want to use paint or permanent marker to hide any leakages on the side of the frame.

Display your faux stained glass in a window with pride! Note that some resins will yellow over time from UV exposure. If this is a concern for your design, seek out a resin that specifically will not yellow.

If you're looking to get a more realistic stained glass imitation, consider using silver paint or Pebeo Silver Outliner to trace over the lines of the frame.