Duration

10am - 4:30pm (6.5 hours) over 4 consecutive days
26 hours total

Starting Friday 20th, Saturday 21st, Sunday 22nd & Monday 23rd

Requirements

Must be 14+ years old.
Ages 14 - 15 must be accompanied by an adult

Check out our other dates and glass workshops at amokuraglass.com

About - Painting and Fusing in Stained Glass with Jan Simpson

Curious about stained glass? Join us for a four day stained glass workshop with visiting UK glass artist Jan Simpson and discover the art of painting and fusing in stained glass. Perfect for beginners, this immersive course guides you through both traditional leadlight methods and modern fused glass techniques. You will learn foundational techniques for working with stained glass including glass cutting, soldering, cementing and polishing.

What you’ll do

Over four days, you’ll design and create your own stained glass panel, combining traditional leadlight techniques with contemporary fused glass colour.
Participants will:
Learn how to develop a simple original stained glass design within classic leadlight parameters.
Experiment with 3 different markmaking techniques using Bullseye glass powders as a base medium to create coloured fused glass sheet.
Using these handmade panels you will then paint an overlay design using traditional glass enamels for line, shading, and decorative detail. You can use either your own designs or select from tracings supplied by your tutor.
Learn kiln firing processes for both fused and painted glass.
Pull all these elements together to create a traditional stained glass panel - learning how to cut and select complementary glass colours, lead, solder, cement, and complete a finished piece ready to take home.

Day 1 - Design and Fused Glass Foundations
Morning: Introduction and discussion of design, creation, and construction methods, with examples of the key elements students will be working with throughout the course. Guided by Jan, students will begin designing a small stained glass panel that incorporates their own custom fused glass pieces.
Afternoon: Based on their design choices, students will create a single 12 × 12 cm handmade glass sheet - or cut it into smaller pieces using a combination of wet and dry powder printing techniques. These will form the painted,
coloured backgrounds that will be included within their panel. Work will be fired overnight in the kiln.
Note: This portion of the workshop will run in conjunction with Sue Tinkler’s four-day class, allowing both groups
to share firing space and exchange insights into alternative glass colouring methods.

Day 2 - Glass Painting and Surface Design
Morning: Demonstration and introduction to glass painting techniques, including mixing paint, brush selection, line work, matting, and shading to create depth and texture. Students will practise on scrap glass before moving on to their final piece.
Afternoon: Using the techniques explored in the morning, students will paint their fused glass panels, developing line, tone, and surface texture. Pieces will be fired overnight.

Day 3 - Cutting and Composition
Morning: Introduction to cutting techniques using 3 mm greenhouse glass. Students will learn how to use various
tools to achieve precise straight and curved cuts and will develop an understanding of how to approach cutting for stained glass.
Afternoon: Using their completed cartoons, students will select complementary coloured glass to surround their central painted and fused inserts. By the end of the day, each participant will have a complete set of glass pieces cut and ready for assembly.

Day 4 - Leading, Soldering, and Finishing
Morning: Students will be introduced to leading techniques, tools, and materials, and will begin assembling their
panels. Instruction will include how to use the grinder and how to integrate both curved and straight lines effectively.
Afternoon: Students will complete the leading of their panels and move on to soldering and cementing processes.
The finished panel will be taken home for final polishing once the cement has dried. A demonstration of the
polishing process will be given at the end of the day, and each student will receive a detailed handout for
future reference.

About the Artist

Jan Simpson is a UK-based glass artist with over 30 years of experience, specializing in bespoke stained and fused glass. Originally from New Zealand, she blends traditional, heritage craftsmanship with contemporary techniques to explore light, color, and form. Jan works to commission and teaches from her Bognor Regis studio.

Objective

Students will learn shop safety, be introduced to the shop, tools, materials and techniques used in stained glass. Students will have the opportunity to apply those skills to create their very own using the techniques taught in the class. All glass creations are the student's to keep at the end of the class.

Prerequisites

No previous experience in glass or stained glass required, class is open to all interested parties. Ages 14+

Materials & Supplies

All required materials and tools to complete the projects will be provided by the studio and included in the course fees. Students are asked to wear cotton or natural material clothing, long pants, and close toed shoes. Please bring a water bottle, and snacks/lunch to keep energy levels up!