EZGlassPattern guide

How do I make a stained glass pattern from a picture?

A step-by-step guide to turning a photo into a pattern you can actually cut, by hand or with a tool.

Updated

Answer in 30 seconds

Pick a clear photo, simplify it into a small number of large shapes, connect every line to another line or the edge, then check each piece can be cut at the finished size and print the pattern at 100%.

  • Simplify hard: glass shows shapes and colour, not detail.
  • Every line goes somewhere: lines must run edge to edge so each piece can be cut out.
  • Check at real size: slivers and tight curves depend on the finished size.

Photo-to-pattern checklist

  • One clear subject — plain background, good light.
  • Finished size decided — width and height in inches or centimetres.
  • Piece count chosen — fewer for small panels and beginners.
  • No impossible pieces — no inside corners, pieces inside pieces or slivers.
  • Numbered and colour-keyed — so you can cut and lay out in order.
  • Printed at 100% — checked with a scale square.

Key takeaways

  • Start from the size — the finished size decides how much detail you can keep.
  • Think in pieces, not outlines — each piece is one cut of glass in one colour.
  • Break lines are your friend — an extra line often turns an impossible piece into two easy ones.
  • Use a tool for the tedious bits — EZGlassPattern simplifies the photo and checks every piece, in your browser.

Check a pattern, or make one from a photo.

Doing it by hand

Print the photo at the finished size, or enlarge it on a copier. Lay tracing paper over it and draw the main outlines first: the subject's silhouette, then the biggest areas of colour. Ignore small detail. Then connect every line so it ends on another line or on the border; a line that stops in the middle of a piece can't be cut.

Look for the problem shapes: sharp inside corners, deep bays, pieces completely surrounded by another, long thin strips. Fix each with an extra line or by merging pieces. Our list of cuts that are impossible in glass explains each one.

Doing it with EZGlassPattern

Drop the photo into the photo to pattern tool, enter the finished size and your method, and pick a piece count (20 to 150, or a Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced preset). You'll get a pattern where neighbouring pieces share one line, with any problem piece flagged and a one-click fix. Nothing is uploaded; it all runs in your browser.

Pets, people and places

Pets and houses are the most forgiving subjects. Faces are the hardest: keep the eyes, nose and outline and let colour do the rest. See the pages on pet portraits and memorial pieces.

Step by step

  1. 1

    Choose the photo

    Pick a clear photo with one subject, good light and a plain background.

  2. 2

    Decide the finished size

    Set the width and height of the panel in inches or centimetres, and choose copper foil or lead came.

  3. 3

    Simplify into pieces

    Reduce the photo to a small number of large shapes, one colour each. Fewer pieces for smaller panels.

  4. 4

    Connect every line

    Make sure each line ends on another line or the border so every piece can be cut out.

  5. 5

    Check for impossible cuts

    Fix sharp inside corners, deep inside curves, enclosed pieces, slivers, crowded junctions and open lines.

  6. 6

    Number and colour the pieces

    Give each piece a number and a glass colour so you can cut and lay out in order.

  7. 7

    Print at actual size

    Print at 100% with no scaling and check the scale square with a ruler.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make a stained glass pattern from any picture?

Most pictures can be used, but simple ones work best: a single subject with clear shapes and a plain background.

How many pieces should my pattern have?

It depends on the size and your experience. A small first panel might have 15 to 40 pieces; a large detailed panel can have well over 100.

What's the most common mistake?

Keeping too much detail. Small pieces and tight curves look fine on paper but are slow or impossible to cut and grind.

Do I need special software?

No. Tracing paper and a pencil work. Software helps with simplifying the photo, checking cuttability and printing at full size.

Is EZGlassPattern free to try?

Yes. The photo-to-pattern preview, cut check and difficulty score are free with no account.

The check is free. Pay once when you print.

No account and no card for the cut check. A Project Pass is $5 one-time for 30 days of printable pattern packets, with no subscription. Lifetime covers everything, forever.

See pricing

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