Vidrieras Barrio S.L.

DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK

The main tasks carried out in the workshop Vidrieras Barrio S.L. follow the criteria of seeking new opportunities for expression through knowledge and research in the field of traditional techniques, and the restoration and conservation of historic stained glass windows.

In the different processes they use traditional stained glass techniques in a completely manual and artisanal way. It is an activity which has suffered very few technical alterations throughout its history, and probably one of the ones which has best been able to maintain the traditional processes of manufacture in all its different specialized areas: painting, cutting and leading up. 

Given the technical particularities that are required for the manufacture of stained glass windows following the traditional techniques, it is not rare to find tools manufactured by the artisans themselves such as: punches made of wood or bone, birds’ feathers, brushes, tingles, lead-cutting elements, brujidores (used for polishing the edges and the angles of the stained glass windows), etc.

The manufacture of a piece begins with the creative process which is carried out by the stained glass painter who elaborates the project and the necessary notes and sketches, using a wide range of techniques from watercolours to acrylic and oil based painting. They sometimes make collages or use mixed techniques. 

After that, a real-size scale drawing is carried out on a coarse grit paper, using charcoal. It generally contains a more or less advanced detailed description of the painting and the place where the leaded strips will be placed, the colouring of the glass, and the specifications regarding its possible textures and colour gradients. It will also serve to adjust the gauges and outline the pieces of glass. 

The cutting of the glass is carried out manually, reproducing with precision the outlines which defined the drawing on the glass. Special attention is set on the small adjustments between one piece and the next. 

The process of cutting the glass starts with the tracing of the glass pieces with chalk or something similar on the glass sheet, to then make a cleft with the glasscutter or the rotary cutter on the aforementioned outline. Right after that, with the small taps the glassmaker gives the glass with small bronze hammers and the pressure of his own hands, the cutting of the glass comes to an end. After that, it is necessary to eliminate the imperfections which could remain in the edges of the glass – leading to small cracks and spalling – with the brujidor (iron strip with clefts of different widths in its ends, with which the glassmaker manages to get as close as possible to the traced gauges, eliminating small portions of material). He also makes use of pliers especially designed for that purpose. Experimented glasscutters are capable of reproducing extremely complicated shapes on glass with the aid of just a few tools. 

Once all the pieces are cut, they go on to the painter’s table, who will manually apply the layers of painting. Once the first lines of painting are traced on a table, all the pieces which shape the final glass piece are placed together in the master’s easel, letting melted beeswax fill the unions between one piece and another. It is then when the entire composition will be able to be observed backlit and the painter will apply the grisaille (a compound made of glass powder, metal oxides and flux) to enable the modelling process of the glass (combination of those first strokes and the glazing effect of the grisaille which creates the volumetric effect of the piece). Once this process is concluded, the silver stain is added. The main tools the glassmaker master uses are: birds’ feathers, wooden or bone punches, tejón (pure badger), and different sorts of brushes for different uses. 

The firing of the painted pieces is carried out in an oven or in an infrared muffle furnace, especially designed for the firing of artistic glass pieces. Currently, these ovens have within them a series of measuring and programming systems which substantially improve the results. 

The lead profile is obtained by means of a special sort of lathe. It is a wire-drawing machine which enables users to obtain profiles of different widths. The leading up process is carried out once all the pieces are on the so-called cartón. The glassmaker starts in an orderly manner to join one piece of glass with another, with the aid of very sharp blades which enable him to cut the exceeding lead without deforming it. Once all the pieces are joined together, then the next process is the tinning of the unions of the different profiles. For this purpose the glassmaker uses tin rods, a soldering iron and welding fluid. The main tools the glassmaker master uses are: lead-cutting implements, pliers, tingles, aplastaplomos (lead-crushers) and soldering iron pencils. 

The process in the workshop comes to an end with the waterproofing and the finishing coat. 

Given the delicate way in which the glass panels must be handled, the installation of the final works are always the responsibility of the specialized personnel of the workshop.