It all starts on paper and is then refined with a digital concept. After drawing a life-size draft, I transfer it by hand onto stronger paper, cutting out the shapes to trace them onto glass.

After tracing the pattern, I can start cutting my glass. I use a glass cutter to carefully score the glass, then pliers (or my hands) to snap the pieces in half. It is very important to wear safety glasses during this step!

For safety reasons, I use a machine called a glass grinder to level the edges of the glass. This also allows me to reshape the pieces so that my "puzzle" fits perfectly.

For more complex shapes, I use a circular saw with a diamond bit.

The pigment is applied in thin layers and dried on the glass. Unlike the usual way painting is done, this process is more about removing paint than adding it. So instead of adding shadows, it is more about adding highlights. The glass is fired in a kiln at 1150°f.

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After cleaning off the flux residue from the soldering process, I add a polish to the lead lines which removes any additional darkness. 24 hours later, I can buff off the polish and apply a patina. The piece is then polished again to ensure the patina is protected.

After a good cleaning, the glass is ready to be covered with aluminum foil. The edge of each piece is wrapped with adhesive tape with a copper edge. The tape is firmly crimped onto the surface.

The sheet edges are then fluxed and laid out on the original template for accuracy. A soldering iron melts the lead wire onto the copper edges, joining them into a single, clean lead line.

Zinc edge frames are commonly made for larger pieces to add stability to the panels so they don't bend over time.