Lead gives a heavier line, more for geometric designs and a more traditional look. Recently, stained-glass overlays have become a popular option. Overlays use a single sheet of glass with colored Mylar overlays and leading on both sides to simulate the look of traditional stained glass. The Scilianos, who also offer traditional decorative glasswork, made the skylights and several other decorative glass pieces in the lily motif for the Sikkas home. Having a custom piece made will usually take several weeks.
Overlays run about half that.
Beveling and other decorative processes will add to the cost. The wide range of possibilities means a good artist has to consider the client s tastes and the unique requirements of the space when designing a glass piece. If you have French doors looking over the ocean, we don t need to reproduce the waves, Marr notes. So we might use light, several shades of blue, some beveling to create a sense of water. And we do a lot of blue herons here in Santa Cruz.