How to Make Mosaics . . . by Anna Meenaghan
Mosaics take us back to Roman times but today these seem to have made a comeback are pretty fashionable. This is quite an interesting form of art many people use it in their homes for a variety of things.
So what tools do we need Mosaic tiles grout pencil or chalk brown paper goggles face mask a squeegee nippers or hammer hardie plus of course something to decorate. You will also need a water soluble or PVA glue according to which method you adopt.
What other items can be used The answer to that is plenty really You can paint your own tiling with porcelain paint or as an example how about trying anything form following list. Marbles shells glass nuggets or even beads mosaic tiles pebbles off the beach mirrored glass or even old crocks if you smash them up
The tiles themselves come complete with a brown paper backing. So how do you get this off Quite simply really Soak them in warm water continue by giving the tiles a rinsing just let them dry. With the indirect method you can use the tiles straight form paper.
Get your brown paper use a water soluble adhesive to glue your pieces into place upside down. This way you will end up with a really smooth surface.
Use a tile cement on your item it needs to be a quick drying one though then you can position your tiling on to the cement which is wet. Just leave the brown paper where it for now. Later on douse the paper with your wet sponge to remove this once it has dried out.
Basically more or less the same applies to grouting your kitchen or bathroom. Ensure that all the little cracks are well filled in using your squeegee. You can clean up the grouting the same way with a wet sponge. Let it dry before you attempt to polish up finish the surface.
What about your designs Geometric patterns are quite a good choice for starters With time practise you can get more ambitious try circles curves even. Often you will find that you actually need to shape tiles for the pattern you have chosen so you may need the direct method with two ways to doing this using the direct method.
An old fashioned way first but do not attempt this until you have had a practice run. Hardie held over the tile. Use your hammer tap the hardie which then cuts away at the tile in fact moves it into whatever shape you are aiming for.
Or you could use nippers which is by far the easiest method. This lets you cut tiles in to quarters halves by nibbling away as it were to give you curves or whatever you may need. Practice with some spare tiles first until you are satisfied with the result. It doesn't really matter if you have some weird shapes you should be able to incorporate them into your design.
From the safety angle I would recommend that you wear the face mask goggles. Use a hoover or dustpan a brush to clear up any fragments of glass crockery etc. It is quite a good idea to prepare your tiles in a clear polythene bag as this will keep any fragments dust contained.
The creator of this article artist Anna Meenaghan creates all types of canvas art with abstract paintings being by far her most favourite genre of art. For more guides about art you are welcome to visit her internet art community where artists art lovers now have a modern interactive meeting place. How to Make Mosaics . . .
