How to Use the Stained Glass Pattern Tool
A short guide to every step in the free Stained Glass Preview tool, from loading a pattern to exporting it.
1. Load a pattern
Choose Sample to try the tool right away, or upload your own SVG, PNG, or JPG by dragging it onto the page or selecting the upload area. In an SVG, every closed shape becomes one glass piece. If a pattern contains areas you do not want as glass, select them and choose Delete piece. You can bring them back with Restore deleted. See SVG, PNG and JPG patterns for how each format is read.
2. Select and color pieces
The toolbar has four tools. Each has a keyboard shortcut.
- Select (V): click a piece. Hold Shift and click to select several.
- Paint (B): choose a color and glass type, then click pieces to paint them. Entering Paint mode clears the current selection.
- Eyedropper (I): click a piece to copy its color, glass type, and texture.
- Move (M): drag the whole design, or drag a corner to resize it.
Pick a color from the palette, the color picker, or by typing a HEX value. Piece numbers (N) shows a number on every piece.
3. Choose glass type and texture
The preview includes ten glass types: opaque, cathedral, opalescent, streaky, wispy, hammered, rippled, seedy, waterglass, and artique. Intensity controls how strong the texture is, and Scale controls how large it is. Reshuffle texture gives a selected piece a different pattern. Apply to all copies the current brush to every piece. The textures are a visual preview, so check a sample of the real glass before you buy.
4. Set the lead lines
Choose black patina, copper patina, no patina, or brass, then adjust the thickness and darkness. Studio light adds a soft lighting effect to the glass.
5. Check the cut list
The cut list groups pieces by color and glass type. It shows how many pieces each group has, their piece numbers, and the estimated area. It also shows the area plus 15% for waste. Areas are estimates before lead width. Click a row to select those pieces on the pattern.
6. Export or print
Export a PNG to share your color choices, or an SVG for a cutting machine (see SVG export for cutting machines). To print templates, read how to print and cut pattern pieces.
Keyboard shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Select, Paint, Eyedropper, Move | V B I M |
| Piece numbers | N |
| Undo, redo | Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+Y (⌘ on Mac) |
| Select all, clear selection | Ctrl+A, Esc |
| Delete selected pieces | Delete |