Urban Landscape in Stained Glass Mosaic with Darcel Deneau
Everybody's gonna move their feet. Everybody's gonna leave their seat!
Enroll in Course
Do you look at certain styles of mosaic art and wonder if I can do that? Are you curious about how to turn a photo reference into a work of art while learning new skills and techniques, such as perspective, proportions, and color? If you answered YES, then this course is tailor-made for you!
Darcel Deneau has brought her latest course, “Urban Landscape in Stained Glass Mosaic,” exclusively to Mosaic Arts Online. Darcel has transitioned from a trained painter to a professional mosaic artist known for her urban landscapes.
As a native of Detroit, Michigan, Darcel draws her inspiration from the bustling streets of her hometown, expertly blending a variety of stained glass colors in a painterly fashion to breathe life into every mosaic.
Darcel loves to create scenes from the streets of her city as she makes each mosaic come to life. Utilizing her unique glass cutting method you will watch her work in real time as she uses small shards of stained, iridized, and dichroic glass to create a sense of light and reflections.
Creating Darcel’s urban landscape style is highly attainable through her step-by-step approach, as she shares her entire process while crafting a mosaic from start to finish, allowing you to use any image of your choice, including those provided within the course.
In this course, you will learn the following:
- How to choose the best image, including angles and perspective
- How to scale the image in proportion to the substrate
- How to define the horizon line and vanishing points
- How to draw the image using the grid method
- How to choose your stained glass palette
- How to use a variety of colors to create depth and dimension
- How to cut the glass in a nonconventional way
- How to define forms and planes throughout the image
- How to dry grout the mosaic
- How to add finishing touches and hang the completed mosaic
Once you have completed this course you will have the confidence and skills to create your own urban landscapes in mosaic art.
Included in this course is a PDF of the suggested tools, materials, and resources. Darcel has provided three images to use for your mosaic art project.
Your Instructor
Adversity illuminated the importance of art for Darcel Deneau and without hesitation she redirected her life’s journey in pursuit of painting. In 2002, she earned a BFA from the College for Creative Studies. A native Detroiter, Deneau has been intrigued with painting images of the city for several years. In the last few years Darcel has transitioned her Detroit Landscapes into a new painting medium by painting with tiny bits of glass to create mosaic landscapes.
The switch to mosaics has proved to be a positive move earning her a prestigeous Kresge Arts in Detroit Fellowship Award this year and last year a Best in Show Award at the Anton Arts Center in Mount Clemens, Michigan in their Michigan Fine Art Competition juried by Detroit Institute of Arts Curator, Salvador Salort-Pons.
Deneau works daily in her studio and is actively involved in the Detroit art community. She has served as chairman of the board for the Detroit Artists Market, (DAM), and since has been elected as a member of the honorary board. Additionally, she is a member of the alumni council for the College for Creative Studies, (CCS). Since graduating nineteen years ago she has produced an impressive body of work, exhibited in numerous juried and curated exhibitions, including 13 solo exhibitions.
Deneau has earned a notable reputation for her Detroit landscapes and has been pursued for many commissions, including the 28th Detroit International Jazz Festival poster artwork, a large-scale Detroit landscape for the Hudson-Weber Foundation and a 29’ x 7’ mural for Garage Restaurant and Fuel Bar, in Northville, Michigan.
Deneau’s work has been widely collected by private collectors as well as corporate venues. Most recently, TCF purchased and installed a large mosaic for their permanent collection, which reflects a broad cross-section of art and artists from, and around, Detroit.
Course Curriculum
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StartIntro and Personal Interview with Darcel and Tami (5:50)
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StartPDF for download. Suggested tools, materials, and resources.
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StartDarcel Deneau's 7 provided images to create your urban landscape
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StartCourse overview (0:30)
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StartMaterials tour (3:38)
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StartChoosing the image (2:36)
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StartFinding the composition in the image (1:51)
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StartBasic lesson on perspective and proportion for horizontal orientation (2:46)
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StartBasic lesson on perspective and proportion for vertical orientation (2:07)
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StartMeasuring out image in proportion (1:45)
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StartUsing the grid method to create perspective (4:59)
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StartHorizon line and vanishing point (4:39)
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StartPDF for download. How to find a vanishing point with description and image.
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StartDrawing the image onto the substrate (3:47)
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StartDarcel's tips for drawing vehicles in perspective (9:50)
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StartHow to add a few extra elements to the drawing (1:32)
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StartGet your glass out! Let's make some brake lights! (13:11)
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StartChoosing glass colors to match the image (3:07)
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StartWatch Darcel work in real time shaping the glass (7:26)
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StartHow to choose the best values for the foreground and background (15:54)
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StartIntentionally choose different shades of color for more depth (10:47)
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StartHow to shape the glass to create a rounded back window (11:53)
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StartFinding imperfect pieces that help tell the story (4:38)
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StartHow to add dichroic glass to exaggerate the light. (13:31)
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StartHow to define a curve (4:05)
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StartRemember: Hold the line when keeping it in perspective (1:48)
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StartUsing the vanishing point to lead the eye in the right direction (5:16)
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StartEvaluating glass colors for the bus (7:56)
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StartShaping the glass while transitioning to a curve (7:40)
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StartHow to add highlights for more pop (3:39)
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StartCompleting the front window of the bus (6:45)
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StartEvaluating glass choices to finish the bus (7:51)
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StartContinue to study and review your work (8:41)
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StartHow to create the street with water reflection (1:26)
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StartHow to extend the vanishing point (5:06)
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StartHow to create the stop light poles (4:05)
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StartIntroducing the sky and choosing the glass color for the buildings (3:18)
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StartDarcel reviews the perspective of the buildings (1:33)
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StartHow to soften the edges with a sanding sponge (3:44)
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StartPreparing to grout (1:31)
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StartDarcel's technique of dry grouting (10:51)
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StartCleaning the grout off the glass (7:53)
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StartFinal details and painting the edges (8:08)
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StartWrap Up and Thank You!! (0:40)