The Summer E-Learn CPT: The Digital Stained Glass Project + Tutorial

Overview:

For the Digital Stained Glass Project, you will draw inspiration from two rich artistic traditions: the Impressionists, who beautifully explored the subject of still life to capture fleeting moments of light and texture, and the intricate stained glass art of the early Christian era, known for its bold outlines and luminous colour segments. In this project, you will create your own digital stained glass composition in Photopea, featuring a still-life arrangement of 4 to 6 personal objects that hold sentimental or special meaning for you. This is your opportunity to thoughtfully combine meaningful content with the techniques you’ve developed throughout the course. You will apply bitmap effects to manipulate your vector-based illustrations creatively, integrating everything you’ve learned—layering, colour theory, the Pen Tool, gradients, and texture effects—to produce a striking final piece. This project serves as a culminating summary of your skill set, allowing you to demonstrate your ability to merge traditional artistic concepts with modern digital tools in a unique and personally meaningful way.

Learning Goals:

• Understand the principles of stained glass art and its historical significance.
• Develop skills in vector illustration using Photopea.
• Better understanding of Colour Theory.

Make Photopea Efficient (Please Watch)

Task # 1 – The Still Life Tutorial

Download reference image here: Yellow Vessel

Project Steps:

1. Research and Inspiration:
   • Study examples of stained glass art, focusing on its visual characteristics such as bold outlines, vibrant colours, and the use of light.
   • Reflect on the objects and places that hold sentimental value for you, considering what makes them meaningful.
     
2. Brainstorm and Plan:
   • Take a picture of your still life composition, arranging the meaningful objects and places in an aesthetically pleasing way.
   • Plan the overall design, considering how the elements will be divided by “leading” (the dark outlines typical of stained glass).
     
3. Set Up Your Workspace:
   • Open Photopea and create a new document with the appropriate dimensions for your stained glass design (see image below).
   • Create a letter document (dimensions below).
     
4. Create Vector Outlines:
   • Use the vector tools in Photopea to create the outlines of your still-life composition.
   • Ensure the lines are bold and consistent, mimicking the leading in stained glass art.
     
5. Import and Set Up in Photopea:
   • Open Photopea and import your vector outlines.
   • Set up layers for colouring and texturing your composition.
     
6. Apply Colour and Texture:
   • Use the fill tools in Photopea to apply vibrant colours to each section of your design, simulating the look of stained glass.
   • Experiment with gradients, transparency, and layer effects to create the illusion of light passing through coloured glass.
   • Add textures and highlights to enhance the realistic appearance of stained glass.
     

Project Dimensions:

Effects Settings

Evaluation Criteria:

• Application of Stained Glass Principles: Using bold outlines, vibrant colours, and light effects to mimic stained glass art.
• Technical Proficiency: Skillful use of Photopea for precise vector outlines and realistic colouring and texturing.
• Creativity and Originality: Unique and personal representation of meaningful objects and places.
• Overall Aesthetic Appeal: Cohesive and visually compelling final design.

Sample Gallery

iRAP Gallery