Today we are making an easy faux stained glass craft for kids. These look lovely in a window and ours is still in our window ONE YEAR LATER!
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In college I took a stained glass class and the process is not easy and is definitely off limits to young children, sharp glass edges you say? But as I was perusing my fave go-to art book The Best of Making Things I stumbled across this simple, easy suggestion for a stained glass craft for kids (or as my husband said, “Is this a craft for the kids or for you?”)
This project can be pulled together in no time; the only material you may not have on hand is India Ink. You can substitute black Sharpie for the India ink, just make sure to use the thick chisel tip markers so you get bold lines that mimic the lead strips in stained glass.
Faux Stained Glass Craft
Materials
- Paper
- India Ink OR thick Sharpie*
- Paintbrushes
- Crayons
- Cooking Oil
- Paper Towels
- If using Sharpie you won’t need paintbrushes
Instructions
- Step One Starting with a blank sheet of paper, paint a design using India Ink. You can either try to make it look like a stained glass pattern or as my son decided to do, draw whatever suits your fancy.
- Step Two When the ink is dry, color the drawing with crayons or oil pastels. I tried both and always prefer the vibrancy of oil pastels.
- Step Three Turn your paper over and brush the entire back surface with an oil soaked paper towel. You’re done!
Using a trick I learned from The Artful Parent, hang your paper in the window using oil as your adhesive. The oil sticks to the window and the paper, no tape necessary. And since your paper is already soaked with oil, this works perfectly.
My son is obsessed with all things Minecraft, so his versions of this project all contain Minecraft characters. His kindergarten teacher this year suggested that one way to get him interested in homework or projects is to tailor assignments to his interests. For this one I told him, “We’re making Minecraft stained glass!” He loved the idea. Whatever works, right?
Anyone else have a Minecraft obsessed 6 year old out there? I think my next round up will be for “Mine-Crafts”!
More:
If you enjoyed this post check out a few more stained glass crafts with pretty results:
- Stained Glass Panels from The Artful Parent
- Window Art Project from What Do We Do All Day?
- Geometric Window Art by Creative Jewish Mom
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All three of my sons (ages 6, 10, and 16) are obsessed with Minecraft! It amazes me that it is so fascinating to such a range of ages. I know adults who play it, as well. I don’t play it myself, but I like that it is creative,and some of the things they have “built” in the game are truly magnificent. I see it as something like digital Legos.
I’m going to do this project with my kids today! Does the weight of the paper matter? Thanks!
Hi Jen, I’d stick with lightweight papers as opposed to cardstock. Post a pic on our FB when you’re done!
Great project! How easily does the paper come off the window when you are ready to take them down? What is the method for removal?
THANKS!
Peels right off! You may need to clean your window after to remove any oil but that’s it!