Category: Improving Your Art
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Getting Mosaic Artwork Right
Many artists are plagued with self-doubt, including some of the great ones, but there are several ways to overcome these fears and make better art: The first of these are quick, small studies and sketches which can be made before a particular detail in the main work is executed. In mosaic, a “sketch” can be…
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Thoughtful Backgrounds Improve Mosaic Artwork
Artist Bonnie Eisner emailed me a photo of her Hansa (Hand of Fatima) mosaic in progress because we were out of the color she wanted to use for the whole background. My solution to the shortage was to take the problem as an opportunity to enhance the design by using andamento, color variation, and pattern…
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Weldbond Mosaic Tile Adhesive Outdoors?
Weldbond is a PVA (poly vinyl acetate) adhesive that is the best all-around adhesive for dry indoor mosaic projects and craft projects. It is water based, nontoxic, fume free, archival, easy to clean up, and water resistant when fully cured. Note that Weldbond is water resistant and not waterproof. There is a significant amount of…
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The Importance of Context in Figurative Mosaic Art
Artist Lisa Sunshine emailed us asking about improving one of her recent mosaics, and Natalija and I both agreed that the problems Lisa perceived in her work largely disappeared when the mosaic was viewed at the appropriate distance. The situation reminded me of a line from the award-winning 1995 movie Clueless, which is the story…
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Framing and Hanging Exterior Mosaic Plaques
Artist Brad Srebnik’s mosaic street number plaque is worth taking a look at for several reasons. It has a harmonious color scheme with good warm-cool contrast, it’s tightly executed, and the numerals have crisp outlines and subtle curves in a distinct font style. If you are thinking about a project with mosaic numerals or letters…
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White Tile in Mosaic Artwork
Artist Brad Srebnik‘s latest mosaic street number sign is a good example for a discussion about white tile in mosaic artwork. I also think the color scheme is excellent, and I wanted to say a few things about that. The green and blue and red are all intense but not bright. The color scheme is…
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Mosaic Surfboards
Hermosa Beach artist Katy Jenssen makes mosaic surfboards, and for her, it is a logical choice of sculpture base. Katy’s family history and ethos are grounded in the local community, a premier beach town and surf destination, part of an area where a lot of Americana was born. Katy’s compositions fit the shape of the…
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Value Contrast in Abstract Mosaic Artwork
Natalija has made some abstract stained glass mosaics over the years, and I noticed something about one of them last week: It’s as a great example of value contrast and its power for creating a sense of depth and increasing visual interest. I’ve written previously about the importance of value contrast in figurative mosaic artwork…
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Mosaic Planter Grouted in Sections
Artist Donna Stern recently completed a round mosaic planter, which she grouted in sections. I wanted to share that work for several reasons, and not merely because it is solid work with an emphasis on primary colors with a good balance of warm and cool colors. There are several discussion points:
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Value Contrast and Variegation in Small Mosaic Artwork
I have written quite a bit about using color variegation to increase visual interest and the importance of value contrast in mosaic artwork. These two concepts are related, at least in a crude way: they both involve using multiple colors instead of one color, and they both make the artwork more interesting visually. Value Contrast…
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Student Mosaics & Black Grout
The mosaics in this article are mostly student work and use a wider grout gap than I recommend. The most-helpful tip about grout color is to use smaller grout gaps: The smaller the grout gap, the less impact grout has on the image and its colors. The process of grouting is also easier with a…
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Excellence in Mosaic Art
In my post, “Agonizing over Mosaic Icons,” I discussed artist Sue Hague’s mosaic reproductions of Greek Christian icons, and the troubles she was experiencing due to the grout gap. My advice to Sue was to eliminate the grout gap in her future work because these icons weren’t architectural surfaces exposed to the elements. The grout…