Stained Glass · Laser Generator Studio
Stained Glass Pattern Generator for Lasers
Turn a photo into a stained-glass suncatcher or window panel: simplified colours, lead lines along every edge, numbered press-fit pieces in each colour, or the leading engraved on clear acrylic to paint.
- Exports
- SVG, PDF, DXF
- Works with
- LightBurn, xTool Creative Space (CO₂ for clear acrylic)
- Materials
- Coloured and clear cast acrylic, glass paint
What it makes
The Stained Glass studio simplifies a photo into flat areas of colour, draws lead lines along every edge, and turns the result into a laser-cut suncatcher, window panel or lamp panel. Each colour becomes its own file of numbered pieces that press into a frame, like a paint-by-numbers kit cut from acrylic.
Styles
| Style | How it’s built |
|---|---|
| Suncatcher | A small panel with a hanging hole for a window |
| Window panel | A larger framed panel |
| Lamp panel | Panels for a lantern or lamp shade |
| Paint-on glass | Lead lines engraved on clear acrylic, cells filled with glass paint |
From photo to pattern
- Upload a photo with clear shapes and big areas of colour.
- Pick the style.
- Colours and pieces. Fewer colours and a bigger smallest piece give a bolder design that is easier to cut and assemble.
- Lead lines and frame. Set the lead line width, the frame width and a hanging hole.
- Cut and assemble. Cut the frame, then each colour’s pieces, and press each numbered piece into place using the pattern sheet.
Press-fit depends on kerf. Set the kerf so pieces press snugly into the frame. Acrylic has no give, so measure your kerf in acrylic rather than reusing a wood value.
Materials
Translucent coloured cast acrylic gives the glowing stained-glass look when light passes through; an opaque black or dark frame stands in for the lead. Cast acrylic cuts with clean, polished edges on a CO₂ laser. Clear and translucent acrylic can’t be cut with a blue diode laser. More in the acrylic guide.
The paint-on style needs only clear acrylic and a set of glass paints: the laser engraves the lead lines and you paint the cells. It takes a fraction of the cutting and assembly time.
Designs that work
Flowers, birds, butterflies, sunsets, pets with simple markings and logos with bold colours. If your source is a logo or line drawing rather than a photo, you may get cleaner shapes by tracing it first with image to SVG.
Questions
What photos work best?
Clear, simple photos with big areas of colour: flowers, birds, butterflies, sunsets. Busy scenes with lots of small detail make too many tiny pieces.
How do the pieces stay in?
Each colour is a set of numbered pieces that press-fit into the frame. Set your kerf so the fit is snug; measure it with the kerf test first.
What is the paint-on style?
The lead lines are engraved on clear acrylic, and you fill the cells with glass paint. It gives a real stained-glass look with far less cutting and assembly.
Can a diode laser do this?
Coloured opaque acrylic can work on some diodes, but clear and translucent acrylic needs a CO₂ laser: blue diode light passes straight through it.
How do I make the design easier to build?
Use fewer colours and a bigger smallest-piece size. The design gets bolder and the pieces get easier to cut and fit.
xTool, LightBurn are trademarks of their respective owners. Laser Generator Studio is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.