Stained Glass: The Altered Book
Project Scope:
The purpose of this project was to “co-author” an existing book by altering its appearance and give it new purpose, meaning, or shape.
Original book: "Stained Glass" by Sonia Halliday and Laura Lushington (published in 1976).
The book features the history behind the art of stained glass, along with an overview of some of the most notable pieces and a brief description of how stained glass is made and processed.
Concept:
A page in the book defined stained glass as a “framework of glass.” That idea inspired the concept of turning the book into an actual frame of glass. Additionally, the unofficial father of stained glass was Abbott Suger from St. Denis Cathedral in Paris. The rose window pattern of St. Denis. inspired the tracery in my final design.
Stained glass is the only form of art that relies entirely on natural light for its effect. All other art is viewed and enjoyed by reflected light.
Design:
I used alcohol ink and fire to achieve the stained glass look. I created the tracery in Illustrator and then used a vinyl cutter. Hardware is mounted on the backside so the book can be hung in a window.
