This is a good example of how a simple creative idea can turn into a product and some cash.

1. Plastered Stained Glass Project

2. Plastered T-shirts Stained Glass Project from Idea to Product This is a great example of how a simple idea however random can turn into a product and even some good cash. The inspiration was my daughter who told me she had seen stained glass windows in Canada for the first time and loved them so I started thinking of how I could create something for her.

3. After some thought of images of Jesus and other icons I started thinking about Chinese icons.

4. Naturally the first iconic people that came to mind were Chinese leaders and one revolutionary hero past and present. Here is Mao Ze Dong

5. Deng Xiao Ping

6. Zhou En Lai

7. Lei Feng

8. And Jiang Ze Min (who was going to prove to be a problem)

9. Now I’m not a designer by trade so I contacted 2 very talent designers in Beijing, the other 3 I did with my in house designers who are local Beijingers

10. Mao arrived first with stunning results.

11. Then Deng Xiao Ping

12. Zhou En Lai

13. Lei Feng

14. And Finally the only living leader Jiang Ze Min

15. Once I had these images I then googled Stained Glass China and found a tone of links, I clicked on the first one and called the contact number. I met with the boss the next day as he was on business in Beijing, handed over the files and then started receiving pictures which I requested of the window being hand made down in Jiang Su province

16. Here are the first pictures I received These pics got me really excited

17. Then 2 weeks later Mao arrived at the Beijing bus station hand carried by a bus driver for me.

18. Deng Xiao Ping who is now the window in the back of my store in Beijing

19. Zhou En Lai

20. Lei Feng

21. When it came to Jiang Ze Min I got a call from the stained glass maker who told me it would be too politically sensitive to produce a living leader as a stained glass window so I’m afraid Jiang is on the shelf right now

22. As my brand specialises in T-shirts we made Mao into a T-shirt that became an instant success.

23. We also made a set of lovely coasters that sold really well.

24. The stain glass windows also made it into some Chinese media including the People’s Daily one of the biggest papers in China which was great for the brand.

25. I displayed the window at an art fair in Beijing. I sold 8 of the windows in total 2 at the fair and and the rest after the media reported on them. You can see other artwork that I have Plastered onto T-shirts on my website www.plasteredtshirts.com