Welcome to my blog, featuring various pieces from my collection of Oz books, artwork and memorabilia!

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Polychrome Window

I've wanted to do a stained glass piece based on this illustration by John R. Neill, from 1909's The Road to Oz, for a long time. The image shows Polychrome, the rainbow's daughter, returning to her rainbow - her father scoops her up as her sisters welcome her back. The illustration is quite elaborate, and makes this an interesting challenge to translate into glass.


The first step is drawing the pattern which will be used for cutting the glass and assembling the window. This involves breaking the image down into individual pieces that are capable of being cut from glass. Facial details will be painted and fired - this window will include a lot of painting!

The Rainbow's head has had its first firing - shading and color are built up through multiple layers and firings.

Here's the finished cartoon - together with a piece of glass that certainly looks like a rainbow to me!

4 comments:

Sam said...

That is Definitely the BEST I have seen, or will ever, of Polychrome being reunited with the Rainbow Father/family (book is good, but so messy and thick! Terrible printing of finer details!).

But the one feature that ALWAYS got my eye the most in that illustration is the Rainbow Sister at Polly's left elbow (the one that's more off the rainbow, below the arch, looking up) - he was always my favourite.

Look forward to seeing how the final result turns out! Good luck!

Sheri said...

Amazing! This has long been one of my very favorite illustrations!

Bill Campbell said...

The image of the illustration that I'm working with was taken from an auction catalog - it's definitely one of the best printings I've run across.

Ang said...

Hi. I'm a huge Oz fan & i absolutely love your stained glass work. Just wanted to share a tattoo that I've just started & let you know that seeing your art was very inspirational in the design of this.

[IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/f9fsb9.jpg[/IMG]

Going for coloring in a few weeks, but I thought this would be good a place as any to share the linework. Oz & poppies :)