Glass and colour have a long tradition in Turkish art. In the workshop you try for yourself how a motif on glass comes about.
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Paint your own artwork on glass, with guidance and no experience needed: a creative break from sightseeing.
Glass and light in Istanbul
Istanbul has both Byzantine and Ottoman traditions of glass, light and decorative art. Glass was used for vessels, lighting, architecture and ornaments. In Byzantine times the Hagia Sophia was filled with lamplight, and in Ottoman times glass lamps (kandil) hung in the mosques.
Light played an important role in Islamic and Ottoman architecture. The great mosques are also shaped by their windows, as in the Süleymaniye Mosque. That does not mean today's workshop continues a historical technique: it takes up this aesthetic, but it is a contemporary creative offer.
Beykoz: Ottoman glass
A well-known example of Ottoman glass art is the glass from Beykoz on the Bosphorus. According to the Istanbul Directorate of Culture and Tourism, Sultan Selim III sent Mehmet Dede to Italy in 1807 to broaden his knowledge of glass art; afterwards he founded a glass workshop in Beykoz. "Çeşmibülbül" ("nightingale's eye") is explicitly named there as a technique and form of Beykoz glass art. Today the Beykoz Glass and Crystal Museum shows this tradition. A direct line from the palace to a glass painting workshop would still be invented.
What the offer includes
According to the offer description, you paint your own artwork on glass under guidance; materials are provided. The provider states about three hours; snacks and tea or coffee are included according to the offer, the group is small. No prior knowledge needed. Please check meeting point and languages before booking.
If you would like to paint your own motif on glass, you can find current dates here.
While painting
In Turkish-Ottoman decoration, ornaments, floral forms and geometric patterns appear often. Repetition and symmetry are a core principle of this art. When painting on glass, light also plays a part: colour on glass looks quite different against the light than on paper. That is exactly what makes painted glass in Istanbul more interesting than just any craft course.
A creative break
After days of tickets, queues and walking, such a workshop is a calm change. You sit, you concentrate, and at the end you hold something in your hands.
What guests highlight
Reviews often mention the patient guidance, suitability for beginners and the relaxed mood, in our own summary.
Who is it for?
For beginners, couples, friends and anyone who likes being creative. Fragile in your luggage: ask the provider how the piece can be transported.
In short
- About 3 hours according to the provider
More creative experiences in Istanbul
Equally colourful: the mosaic lamp workshop. More craft: the leather workshop.
All experiences, tickets and tours are collected on our activities page.
– Amra
