Category: Inspiration
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Fundamentals of Mosaic Composition
I recently completed a mosaic titled Woodpecker Forest, which shows a pileated woodpecker on the side of a pine tree in a forest carpeted with capensis flowers. I think this composition is a good teaching example because it demonstrates several fundamentals of visual art. There is strong value contrast (light-dark) contrast in both the figure…
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Pileated Woodpecker Mosaic
My Pileated Woodpecker mosaic was made by improvising over a pattern. I created the pattern from a photo collage that I made in Photoshop.
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Stained Glass Improvised Mosaic
I made a mosaic of a pileated woodpecker by improvising over a pattern. Below is a video of the process of laying up the mosaic on a temporary surface of sticky contact paper.
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Classic Tattoo Design Mosaics
Artist Sheldon Stehman‘s tattoo-inspired work demonstrates the vitality of the mosaic medium and how surprisingly well it accommodates contemporary pop-culture designs and themes. Sheldon uses classic tattoo designs as models for his mosaic interpretations. I think that was an inspired decision.
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Grout Line as Design and Figurative Element
Natalija Moss’s latest Honda Insight mosaic is a great example of stained-glass mosaic where the grout line is used as a figurative element and as an element visual framing. Natalija is a self-taught artist and mosaicist just like me, and she also rebuilds Honda Insights by restoring interiors and rebuilding the battery system with newer…
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Monumental Mosaic Sculpture
Artist Valerie Theberge recently installed an outdoor mosaic sculpture in Washington, DC, and like much of her work, the sculpture is monumental in scale. I recommend taking a look at Valerie’s website or Instagram, especially if you are planning a large mosaic mural or sculpture.
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Mosaic Mural Made By the Blind
Shane Jung is the Physical Plant Manager at the South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (SDSBVI), and he recently worked on a fascinating project: a mosaic mural made by blind people. The artist who made this mosaic are the students, teachers, and maintenance staff at SDSBVI.
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Bumblebee Flower Garden Mosaic
Artist Natalija Moss recently completed a mosaic of a bumblebee flying over a flower garden using a pattern drawn by artist Lucas Rocheleau on a scrap piece of wood back when he worked at the warehouse. The mosaic is made from our American-made stained glass. The most impressive part of the mosaic is the realistic…
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Grouting Dorothy’s Spider Web Mosaic
Artist Dorothy Stucki made a fast-motion video of the process of grouting her mosaic Goddess in the House of Night, from dumping on the wet grout to buffing and hazing. The grouting video is on Dorothy’s Instagram. Dorothy’s mosaic is a spider web complete with spider and ensnared moths and insects.
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Mounting and Grouting Moses Mosaic
I have mounted my mosaic Moses Dreaming on Sinai on an irregularly-shaped backer and grouted the mosaic. I have made videos of the mounting and grouting processes.
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Mosaic as Thoughtful Art Experience
Ros Edmonds of Art Docents teaches art interpretation and technique to children ages kindergarten through eighth grade, which is the most important age range for teaching art and science and “planting seeds” that change lives. Ros emailed me some photos of her Mosaic Coaster Project with fifth graders, and I am happy to announce that…
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Case Study: Mildred Mosaic Portrait
Artist Mary Spadaro’s mosaic portrait Mildred is a reproduction of a mosaic she saw on Pinterest. I am reluctant to show the model image because I think the photo may be somewhat muted and blurred to enhance its verisimilitude: