Special Event Design

Stained Glass

Todd Reed brings us this liturgical stage design incorporating home-made stained glass windows.

Todd started out with pink insulation foam from Home Depot and drew a pattern resembling an abstract stained glass window.

He created 5 windows (2 – 8′, 2-12′, 1 – 16′) and used an exacto blade to cut out each shape. After cutting out all 525 pieces he used gloss black paint to paint in all the frames and the front of the window. After letting them all dry, he hot glued crushed white voille fabric onto the back of the foam. then I took watered down paint, and painted in each of the panels from the back. When lit from the back with LED it looked like stained glass. The set cost $200 to make.

Crinkled to Smooth Most Popular - April 2011

26 responses to “Stained Glass”

  1. Patti says:

    This looks awesome! Thanks so much for the detailed pics that really helped me understand how you did this project. I want to do some kind of stained glass look for our Christmas backdrop and this might be it.

  2. Graham says:

    Hey thanks tons for these photos. We went with something similar for our recent Christmas theme. Used tissue paper and just glued it to the back of the foam board. Worked really well!

  3. Kathy says:

    Thanks for posting in such detail! Can you tell me how you connected the 2 panels together on the larger windows? Also, what kind of stand did you construct to support them?

    ~Kathy

    • Graham says:

      Kathy – not sure how Todd connected his panels, but we used a thin piece of flat metal across the gap between the two panels and attached it with small bolts through each foam board. For the floor-standing panels, we used 2 x 4″ wood to build wooden L-shaped stands behind each panel. A couple screws kept the panel attached to the stand. Hope that helps.

    • Todd says:

      Kathy, I am so sorry that I am just now seeing this…I was not notified of it…BUT, I simply took 1x2s and hot glued them down the sides of the foam. This created a rigid stand for me to use them as free stands instead of having to attach them to something. If you email me, I will send you pictures of the back of them with the stands!

      • Bryan says:

        Getting ready to build these this week! What a great idea!! I would love to see the pics of the back of them with the stands that you mentioned to Kathy. Can you send me a couple pics? Thanks so much for this great idea! It’s gonna really add to our upcoming service!

      • Rebecca says:

        I would love photos of the back e-mailed to me!

      • Josh says:

        Todd, our church is looking at doing this. I know this post is three years old, but I will take a chance and ask to see if you remember what thickness you used for your foam. I didn’t know if it was 1′ thick foam or 1.5′ thick foam. Also, I was wondering if you still had pictures of the back of the windows as to what the stands looked like to get them to stand up. Thanks so much, and that is an awesome idea you came up up!

      • elizabeth wilson says:

        can I get your a pic of the backs?

  4. Dee says:

    These are awesome, how did you get them to stand up?

  5. Shay says:

    love the windows–before we make them… Any chance you’re close to Clearwater, FL and would loan these to our church for the Lenten season?

  6. Rose says:

    Can you please email me how you made them stand up? Great design thanks for the idea!

  7. Debbie says:

    Love this!! Would love to see the back of the finished product, please email me. Thank you!

  8. suzanne says:

    These are amazing and I will be making these for Advent and want to get a start on them now. Could you please email me how you stabilized the panels and a picture of the back side if you still have them. Thanks!

  9. Tricia says:

    Could you send me how the back of this art piece looks too……please!!

  10. Kylene says:

    Were interested in building these for our production. Are you able to email pictures of they stood up? Also, what’s the longevity of these?

  11. Lisa says:

    HI. We love this idea and the pieces created.Is the original person that submitted still active on this site? And/Or did someone else already make a similar set? We were wondering if we could borrow the set (we will cover shipping costs). I am with a nonprofit in NY and would only need this set for one night in June.
    Thank you.

  12. Sandy Gardner says:

    Thank you so much for taking the time to share and post this. I too would love a photo of how to make it stand up.

  13. Catherine M Elrod says:

    How did you make them stay stand up and what does the back side look like. We are looking at doing this for our colorguard show. Need to get them made by next weekend Jan 28, 2017… Can you email me what you used for a base etc….

  14. This is wonderful! Any chance this “Stained Glass” set if available for rental? My church is located in Washington, DC.

  15. Rachel says:

    Could I get a picture of the backs?

  16. Melissa Ruvalcaba says:

    Hi, would you still happen to have the pictures of the back showing the stands?
    Please email them to me. Thanks so much!!

  17. Joshua Nichols says:

    We are going to start building these this week for the backdrop for our Lenton/Easter services. Can you tell me what kind of frame you constructed to get them to stand up and did you use a template for the actual “glass” design? Any guidance would be most helpful.

  18. Tracie James says:

    Hello. I am needing information on how they connect and stand on stage. My email is tvcloggers@yahoo.com

  19. Meghan Howell says:

    Love these! Can you email me the pics of the backs?? I would love to do this! Thank you!

  20. Kim says:

    I love this and would so appreciate photos of back as well as any detail such as thickness of foam you would be willing to share via email. We are interested in making these for our church advent season. Thanks kindly

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