How To Mosaic Blog

Index of Posts

Our How to Mosaic posts are indexed alphabetically by the first letter in the title, which isn’t too helpful, and so use the Search blank at the top of the right column to find relevant posts by keyword.

“Crazy Good Art”
mosaic-zebra-jilla-simmons
Sometimes I feel like a thoughtless child when I catch myself using expressions that show a lack of sensitivity for …
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A Guide to Our American-Made Stained Glass
Glass Mosaic Rainbow by Natalija Moss
Our Stained Glass is proudly made in the U.S.A. by Youghiogheny Glass located in western Pennsylvania. In addition to making …
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Abstract Geometric Mosaic Table Tops
West-Indies Flag Abstract Mosaic Pattern
Inspiring mosaic table tops with abstract geometric patterns were recently created by artist Risa Puno as part of her public …
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Abstract Mosaics As “Quilt” Elements
Abstract Mosaic-Covered River Stones by Barbara Stutts
Artist Barbara Stutts recently emailed me some photos of her abstract mosaic stepping stones and mosaic-covered river stones, and they …
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Adhesives for Mosaic Mannequins and Fiberglass Sculptures
We never have to worry about evaluating new adhesives in our work because we use conventional mosaic backers like plywood …
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Advanced Tips For Selecting A Grout Color
The primary reason for grouting tiled surfaces is to prevent water from penetrating behind the tile and weakening the adhesive …
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Agonizing Over Mosaic Icons
Mosaic Face of Christ by Sue Hague after 15th century egg tempura painting
Artist Sue Hague’s mosaic icons are reproductions of medieval, byzantine, and early Christian icons, and some are mosaic interpretations of …
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Alternative Mosaic Mailbox Designs
Mosaic Mailbox by artist Linda Robertson
Putting a mosaic on a metal mailbox is problematic because either the metal is painted and you risk the mosaic …
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Alternatives to Marble Mosaic
Pelicans mosaic by artists Carl and Sandra Bryant.
Many people are drawn to the idea of making mosaics from marble and stone, mostly because that was the material …
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Amazing Commission
Butterfly Mosaic Sculpture with artist Jill Gatwood
I have survived the stress of managing the supply business during the pandemic/supply crisis so far only by allowing myself …
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Architectural Mosaic Safety Issues
An architectural mosaic can cut someone if sharp edges are left exposed or crush someone if it’s not mounted securely …
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Art Therapy Projects
Porch Mosaics series by art therapist Ellis Eisener, photo collage
Art Therapist Ellis Eisner sent me some photos of her client’s mosaics and her own work, and I wanted to …
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Art Using Improvised Methods
In my previous post, I wrote about the improvised double-reverse method one of our customers Tobin was using to lay …
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Artist Studios at the MAS Warehouse
Natalija Moss's temporary stained glass mosaic studio
The Mosaic Art Supply warehouse is filled with artist studios in appropriated spaces: the loading dock, the office, the reception …
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Artistic Style in Mosaic
Mosaic Art Series by Ivana Sorrells
Artist Ivana Sorrells works at Mosaic Art Supply, and she made a couple of small mosaic plaques using our vitreous …
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Assessing Glass Mosaic Tile Health and Safety Concerns
Recently a customer emailed me asking if there was an ASTM-D4236 certification for one of our glass mosaic tile lines …
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Backers for Outdoor Garden Mosaics
Lethe River of Forgetting
Outdoor mosaics must be made on concrete or stone or masonry, but that doesn’t mean you have to pour a …
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Bas-Relief Plaques and Mosaic Stones
Bas-relief Mosaic Sign
Artist Sandra Arkin’s bas-relief mosaic sign “Art Can’t Hurt You” makes me laugh. Anyone who has ever made a glass …
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Beginner Mosaic Artwork
Mosaic Fish by Debbie Watson
Mosaic is a great medium for beginners because it is accessible for people who don’t have much confidence in their …
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Best Grout Gap For Mosaic Artwork
Mosaic Watering Can, ungrouted, composite view
The best grout gap for mosaic artwork depends on whether or not the mosaic will be outdoors or in a …
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Black and White Photorealistic Mosaic Art
Black and White Telescope Mosaic
Stylized or Photorealistic? Mosaic is usually used to make stylized images, meaning images that are simplified in certain ways, and …
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Black Grout vs White Grout
Day-of-the-Dead Mosaic Grouted
Black grouts bring out the intensity of tile colors while white grouts overwhelm them. Natalie Knox’s Day of the Dead …
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Blue and White China Print Porcelain Tiles
Porcelain Tiles Blue and White China Print
We just added three different types of glazed porcelain tile for use as accents in mixed media mosaic art projects, …
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Blue Crab Mosaic Relic
blue-crab-mosaic-sealed-finished copy (1)
My dear old friend Jay Brown had been requesting a mosaic of a blue crab for years, and this past …
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Broken Ceramic Tile Mosaics
People often email me asking where to get 4-inch glazed ceramic tile in a range of colors to break up …
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Broken Millefiori Mosaic Coaster
Broken Millefiori Bouquet Mosaic Coaster Before Grouting.
I made a mosaic bouquet coaster using our Broken Millefiori and Morjo 12mm Recycled Glass Tile. I used clear contact …
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California Mosaic Bench
California Mosaic Bench
Keira Miller recently made a mosaic bench in the shape of the state of California with a class of 4th, …
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Can I Use Silicone Caulk as a Mosaic Adhesive?
First I want to clarify that I am not talking about the invisible pore sealers that are used to seal …
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Cartoon Patterns and Mosaic Pet Portraits
Mosaic Pet Portrait Cali
The pattern for a mosaic is sometimes referred to as a cartoon because it is just an outline with no …
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Case Study: Non-Sanded Grout for Mosaics with Incidental Gap
moses-on-sinai-grouted-mosaic-detail
For better glass mosaic images, tiny incidental gaps are the way to go. Just forget about grouting and fit the …
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Centering Mosaic Table Top Designs
Mosaic Table Top Steph Potter Blue Mandala
Artist Stephanie Potter’s mosaic table top designs are mandalas that catch and hold the eye with contrast, symmetry, and visual …
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Ceramic Tiles with Mottled Glazes
Mottled Glazed Ceramic Tiles selection A
We have an exciting new type of tile that fills a void in our product offering and not just because …
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Chakra Tree of Life Mosaic, A Study in Design
tree-of-life-chakra-mosaic
Artist Betty Ackerman recently used our fire-polished millefiori (the Mud-Turtle Mosaic brand) and stained glass to make a circular mosaic …
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Changing Grout Color With Paint
Mosaic Coffee Table Pre-Grouting
The following method is only recommended for dry indoor mosaics. Artist Megan Adams recently used it to save a mosaic …
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Choosing Grout Color Using Tile Test Swatches
Mosaic Redwoods by Tracy Kaplan Grouted.
Tracy Kaplan recently emailed us a picture of her FIRST mosaic, and it is nice solid work, impressive even, especially …
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Choosing Mosaic Colors Based On Contrast
Mosaic Color Study Version 2
Recently artist Jill Miller emailed me wanting some advice about choosing colors for a mosaic table top she was making, …
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Civil Rights Mural Created At MAS Warehouse
civil-rights-mural-in-progress
Mosaic Art Supply tries to hire only professional artists from a working-class background, which means people who pursued their art …
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Class with Mosaic Master Frederic Lecut
Artist Frederic Lecut has agreed to teach a class in which student will create a naturalistic mosaic portrait of their …
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Cleaning Grout from Pits in Vitreous Glass Tile
Mosaic table by Julie Landberg showing grout "stain" in superficial pitting of vitreous glass mosaic tile.
Vitreous glass tile has a lot fewer surface pits than it did a few decades ago, but it still has …
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Clear Coatings For Mosaics?
Texture and three-dimensional elements make two-dimensional art much more interesting. Having thicker pieces and pieces that stick out make people …
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Cleaved-Tile As Smalti Alternative
Cleaved Glass-Tile Mosaics
If you like the cut-face look of smalti but don’t like the price, remember that you can cut recycled glass …
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Color Constraints and Background Colors
Quinn's Coop Rooster Mosaic pre-grout by artist Linda Lawton.
Many artists like to choose background colors after the central figures have been tiled. It is best to tile from …
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Community Project Mosaic Mural
Mosaic Mural Detail Sunflower
Artist Marilyn Keating makes wonderful whimsical mosaic sculptures, and she recently completed a mixed-media mosaic mural as part of her …
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Competitor Product Warning
reflective foil comes off
A competitor is selling crafts-grade tiles that are clear glass with a thin coat of color that scratches off. They …
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Composition and Correcting the Model
Mosaic Art One-Moment In Time by Candy Hahn
Artist Candy Hahn emailed me a picture of her recent mosaic and the photograph she used as a model. It …
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Consistent Grout Gaps
Sun Moon Mosaic by artist Lynn Sposito
In my recent blog article about black and white grout, I wrote the following tip for minimizing the width of …
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Coronavirus Helmets
coronavirus-helmet-found-object-art-front-20200411_175224
My son and I took a short break from planting our native and heirloom vegetable garden and digging a second …
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Correcting Skew with Photoshop
Tutorial Correcting Foreshortened Photo, banner
Recent blog articles have required that I use Adobe’s Photoshop software to correct the foreshortening and skewed angles in the …
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Creating Motion Using Curved Andamento
Mosaic Swirled Andamento Full v2
Artists can create a sense of motion in their mosaics by using concentric curved rows of tile, especially in the …
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Creating Visual Interest In Mosaics
Red Horse Mosaic
Contrast is a good way to create visual interest in your mosaic, and when contrast comes in the form of …
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Curves Not Lines for Better Mosaics
New Orleans Mosaic Table Top by Marianne LiMandri view 2
Artist Marianne Limandri’s mosaics are good examples of how to create more interesting designs by thinking in terms of curves …
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Cutting Glass Mosaic Tile: A Practical Guide
Mosaic Design Aids with keystone-cut arch
Designs are said to be elegant when they “don’t try to push things uphill” but instead go with the natural …
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Cutting Pan For Mosaic Tile
Cutting glass tile with a mosaic glass cutter is a relatively quiet and gentle process because not much force is required …
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David Bowie, Springsteen, Strummer, Waits Mosaic Portraits
David Bowie Mosaic Portrait
Fredrik Tigerstrom (“T29ART” on Instagram) has made some impressive mosaic portraits of rock icons David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Strummer, …
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Design Priorities
Blue Venice Mosaic by Terry Broderick, iridescent view.
I’ve explained about the importance of artwork being balanced and harmonious with itself. I’ve also written about how mixed-media mosaic …
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Doraemon Japanese Manga Mosaic Installation Video
Mosaic Doraemon in progress
Rolando Jose made a mosaic of his favorite cartoon character Doraemon using broken pieces of glazed ceramic tile obtained locally …
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Drainage Concerns for Garden Mosaics
s-chrisite-garden-walkway-v2
Artist Sandra Christie of Married Metals emailed me some questions about an outdoor mosaic she wanted to make for her …
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Entranceway Mosaic: How to Use Grids, Mesh, Tape, and Thinset
mosaic-on-mesh-ready-to-install
Natalija recently created an entranceway mosaic as one of the final projects in the renovation of her new home. She …
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Epoxy Grout vs. Archival Quality Materials
Epoxy grout is preferred for pools because it is more resistant to pool chemicals and staining, but it shouldn’t be …
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Everything I Told You About Mosaic Art Is Wrong
Sunset Mosaic Landscape by Apryl Howard.
Artist Apryl Howard sent me some pictures of her recent Arizona Sunset Mosaic, and it is the exception to several …
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Excellence in Mosaic Art
mosaic-icon-christ-in-progress-3
In my post, “Agonizing over Mosaic Icons,” I discussed artist Sue Hague’s mosaic reproductions of Greek Christian icons, and the …
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Failures In Craft Marketing
Here is an anecdotal case study of how craft kits get it wrong and actually detract from the art experience: …
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Figurative Mosaic Artwork As An Element of Interior Design
Mosaic Interior Design
Figurative mosaic art (mosaic pictures) can be used as an element of interior design in the same way that paintings …
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Figurative Mosaic Composition Integrated With Shower Tiling
Detail Fish Shower Mosaic by artist Jen Vollmer
Artist Jen Vollmer recently completed a shower mosaic which features fish and flowing water executed in the same colors as …
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Floor Inset Mosaic Medallions
st-clair-assisi-church-dove-mosaic-medallion-detail
Artist Catherine Augustus recently installed some mosaic medallion insets in the floor of St Clare of Assisi Catholic Church on …
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Four Elements Garden Mosaic
four-seasons-garden-path-mosaic
“Amateur” artist Tobin recently completed his Four Elements garden mosaic, and it is amazing for several reasons, the least of …
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Framing and Hanging Exterior Mosaic Plaques
mosaic-street-number-sign-frame-mounting
Artist Brad Srebnik’s mosaic street number plaque is worth taking a look at for several reasons. It has a harmonious …
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Frida Kahlo Mosaic
Frida Kahlo mosaic portrait by Denise Herzog detail 1
Artist Denise Cook’s mosaic portrait of Frida Kahlo is a great teaching example. It illustrates several important tips for making …
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Gaudi Mosaic Bench Freeze Damage
Mosaic Bench after Antoni Gaudi
A few years ago, Karen J created a mosaic bench in her backyard using mining debris (large stones), cement, and …
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Geometric Architectural Perspectives
Artist Heather Hancock mixed media glass architectural abstract art, vertical
Recently I wrote about The Stylistic Range of Mosaic Art and mentioned that I am still being surprised by the …
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Glass Beads for Mosaic Art
Murano Millefiori Glass Beads
We now sell glass beads for use in mosaic artwork. We have several types including murano, lampwork, millefiori, etc., but …
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Glass or Ceramic Tile for Mosaic Patio Table?
Mosaic Patio Table with bench seats by Naomi Haas.
Ceramic tile can be used for outdoor mosaic patio tables provided you live someplace warm year round, but otherwise glass …
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Glass-On-Glass Mosaic Grout Color
Glass-on-Glass Tree Mosaic finished with grout.
Artist Laura Adams emailed me for advice on selecting a grout color for her glass-on-glass mosaic, and it is a …
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Glass-on-Glass Mosaic Table
koi-mosaic-table-backlit
Artist Melanie Squires recently completed a stained-glass mosaic table, and I wanted to show it off for several reasons, and …
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Grid Mosaic Teaching Tool
Gridded Mosaic Coasters Composite
My 13-year-old son made some mosaics on our 4-inch bamboo coasters with me. His designs are also figurative and iconic, …
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Grout Color and Variegated Mosaic Backgrounds
Kat Hammer Mosaic Sunflowers light vs dark grout
I have examples throughout this blog illustrating why darker grouts work much better for mosaic artwork than light colored grouts …
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Grout Color for Stone Backsplash
Stone Mosaic Backsplash before grouting cropped
Randy Evans emailed me a photo of his stone mosaic backsplash and asked for advice in choosing a grout color …
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Grout Study: Mixed-Media Mosaic
mosaic-sign-indigo-house-finished3
Artist Lorie Beercheck emailed me an in-progress photo of the mixed-media mosaic sign plaque she was making as a housewarming …
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Grouting Case Study (Plus Mosaic Art Worth Seeing)
Mosaic Guatemalan Women Grouted
Artist Sherri Grasmuck created a mosaic facade of Guatemalan women on her house in Philadelphia that is the perfect case …
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Halloween Mosaic Coaster Kit
Halloween Mosaic Coasters
Ivana and Natalija have made some Halloween-themed mosaic coasters, and Natalija even put together a Halloween Mosaic Coaster Kit. The …
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How Much Grout Do I Need?
This is not a straightforward question because most of the grout does not end up in the gaps between the …
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How To Add Texture To Mosaic Art
"In the Garden" Mosaic
Mosaic artwork can include rough textural elements that would be impractical in architectural tiling such as a shower wall, which …
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How to Build Up Areas and Fill Holes in Mosaic Backers
simple gauge made from straight-edged board
For dry indoor mosaics, areas can be built up to support thinner tile next to thicker tile by mixing sand …
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How To Build Up Low Areas With Thinset Mortar
Low areas on a surface can be built up with thinset mortar mixed with an additional aggregate of very coarse …
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How To Change A Mosaic Before Grouting (Or Afterward)
Already Grouted? If you have already grouted your mosaic, you can still use these instructions, but you will first need …
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How To Choose A Mosaic Background Color
The background in a work of mosaic art serves two purposes: contrast the colors of the figures in the foreground …
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How To Choose Mosaic Background Colors and Patterns
Anime Girl Mosaic Art by Natalija Moss
Background colors for mosaics should be chosen based on how well they contrast with the colors used in figures. For …
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How To Color Grout
This article is about coloring grout for mosaic art before the grout is applied. This article isn’t about staining grout …
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How To Copy A Mosaic
An Easy First Project? Many aspiring mosaics artists decide to copy an existing mosaic for their first project instead of …
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How To Cut Cement Board
Two Types Of Cement Board There are two types of cement board: The first type contains wood fibers or wood …
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How to Cut Diagonal Triangles from Vitreous Glass Tile
Cutting Vitreous Glass Mosaic Tile diagonally to make triangles.
Many people report having trouble cutting vitreous glass mosaic tile reliably because of the embossed patterns on the back sides, which …
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How To Cut Marble Small
Recently a customer emailed me asking how to cut a piece of marble mosaic tile into very small pieces. He …
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How To Dispose of Acrylic Paint Rinse Water
Why You Shouldn’t Pour It Down Drains Acrylics are a great alternative to traditional oil paint because they are water …
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How To Dispose of Leftover Grout and Thinset
Grout and thinset mortar are types of concrete and should never be rinsed down drains. That includes the muddy water …
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How To Efficiently Make Mosaic Christmas Ornaments
Mosaic Christmas Ornaments by Phyllis Kempter
Artist Phyllis Kempter emailed me some photos of the ornaments she made using our kits for 3-inch spherical mosaic Christmas ornaments …
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How To Enlarge A Mosaic Pattern Or Drawing Using Only A Ruler
It is easy to enlarge a mosaic pattern or drawing even if you have no confidence in your ability to …
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How To Estimate Mosaic Colors Using Photoshop Elements
Irregular Shapes It’s easy to estimate the total area of a rectangular or circular mosaic using our tile estimator, but …
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How To Fix Grout Mistakes
In my previous post, I wrote about how to remove and replace glass mosaic tile to make changes to a …
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How to Hang Mosaic Art with French Cleat Wall Mounts
"Element" mosaic art
Small mosaic plaques can be mounted on a wall with a the same type of hangers and wires used for …
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How To Keep Your Hands Clean When Using Thinset Mortar
Thinset Mortar is concrete with polymers added for enhanced strength and adhesive properties and is the recommended material for all …
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How To Lay Out A Home Art Studio
You have to build the factory before you can make the product, and that includes when you work sitting on …
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How To Make A Home Mosaic Art Studio
Avoid Studio Obsession Setting up and organizing your studio or corner workspace can become an end unto itself and just …
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How to Make a Stepping Stone with Scrap Glass
stained glass shards in buckets
If you work with stained glass over time you can end up with buckets full of scrap. When the pieces …
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How To Make Custom Shapes For Mosaic Backers
Rectangular backers are fine for most mosaic designs, but sometimes you want to make an irregularly-shaped mosaic or a mosaic …
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How To Make Mosaic Patterns Without Drawing
Mosaic Coaster Heart
You can and should spend more time “drawing” with tile than drawing with a pencil when most of the details …
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How To Make Reclaimed Wooden Frames And Mount Indoor Mosaics
Frames That Match The Art If the mosaic is a mixed-media mosaic with rounded and irregular sculptural elements, a frame …
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How To Mix Up Concrete, Mortar and Grout Without Creating Dust
Concretes, mortars and grouts have the potential to create significant amounts of dangerous dust when the water is first added …
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How To Mosaic a Patio Table
Replace Glass Top With Concrete Board Glass-top metal patio tables can be used to make a mosaic table by replacing …
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How To Mosaic Bar Countertops
This article is about how to incorporate mosaic art into the design of your tiled bar top and is less …
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How To Mount A Mosaic Tile Nipper For Easier Cutting
It is easy to mount a mosaic nipper to a scrap piece of plywood and extend the handle with a …
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How To Photograph Mosaic Art and Paintings
Photographing Mosaic Art -- Blue Mirror
Not too long ago, I included a request in our email newsletter for customers to send us pictures of their …
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How To Price Mosaic Art
Mosaic Art Untitled Valri Castleman
Pricing art is difficult because it is subjective, and pricing mosaic artwork is even more problematic due to the extra labor …
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How To Pry Up Tiles To Modify A Mosaic
Prying Tile From Finished Mosaic
I have often used a small screwdriver to pry up tiles when I wanted to change some detail in a …
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How To Remove Grout
The grout removal tool we sell is typically used to remove grout from between glazed ceramic bathroom tile, but it …
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How To Select A Jigsaw For Making Mosaic Backers
Tools Are Cheaper Than Craft Supplies I have often made the claim that a person could buy a sheet of …
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How To Store And Reuse Dust Masks
Mixing up grout and thinset require that mosaic artists wear dust masks on an occasional basis. I wear an N95 …
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How To Transfer Mosaic Patterns Quickly By Tracing
Mosaic Pattern Missing Lines
This article explains how to use a charcoal pencil (or graphite pencil) to color the back side of a paper …
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How To Use China Plates For Mosaic Tile
Recently someone emailed me about how to estimate how many plates would be needed for a medium-sized mosaic of several …
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How To Use Found Objects In Mosaic Art
Making and grouting a mosaic from ordinary flat tile is relatively straight forward. However, adding three-dimensional objects such as porcelain …
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How To Use Iridescent Tile For Lights and Reflections
Pittsburgh Cityscape Mosaic sans frame
If we gave an award for best use of iridescent tile to create a sense of lighting in a scene, …
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Imitation Gold Glass for Altarpieces and Icons
Crucifix Installed in Niche in Altarpiece by artist Nicholas Vasko
Religious icons make heavy use of gold leaf glass to represent halos and divine light but also to adorn the …
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Imperfection as Grout Gap
blue-crab-mosaic-detail-gap
The Blue Crab mosaic I recently completed is a good example of how to create a grout gap by making …
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Importance and Limitations of Small Mosaics
Cleaved-Glass Mosaics by Joe Moorman, composite 10/14/2021
Making a series of smaller works instead of one large work is the best way to improve your art. The …
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Improved Smalti
smalti hand-cut mosaic glass
The new Mud Turtle Mosaic brand of smalti was selected based on how well the material cuts, and it is …
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Improvised Double-Reverse Mosaic Method Using Contact Paper And Clear Packing Tape
One of our customers Tobin is making an 80 square foot garden courtyard mosaic, the theme being the four elements …
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Impulse Art Projects: A Case Study In Sculptured Concrete
Tadpole Place One-Third Poured
It’s EXTREMELY important to allow yourself to do creative projects on impulse without overthinking it. The reason is simple: research …
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Increase Visual Interest by Using Variegated Colors
Artist Marie Powell's "Sun Compass" mosaic table top
You can increase visual interest in your mosaic by using variegated colors (multiple colors in patches or streaks) instead of …
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Increasing the Working Time of Mosaic Adhesives
weldbond-mosaic-adhesive-accessories
Although it is easier to create a mosaic using a temporary surface which allows you to make edits before gluing …
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Inspiration Versus Reproduction
Mosaic Subway Sign Brad Srebnik with original NYC inspiration
I once had an employee-artist who became angry with me for encouraging people who didn’t think they could draw to …
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Inspiring Mosaic Portraits Using A Grid Pattern
Marlene Dietrich Mosaic
David Armstrong has created some inspiring mosaic portraits, and he did it using whole tiles arranged in a grid instead …
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Interpreting Artwork In A Different Medium
Cypress Bayou quilt by Jackie Iglehart
Interpreting a work of art in a different medium is a matter of capturing the essence of the original without …
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Keeping Art Fresh
You Can’t Force Freshness To make it as a professional artist, you have to keep your art fresh and always …
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Kitchen Backsplash Mosaics Using Original Designs
Kitchen Backsplash Mosaic Detail
If you search Google Images for “kitchen backsplash mosaics,” you can see some good work, but you will also see …
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Knight Park Mosaic Sculpture
Artist Natalija Moss with Mosaic in Progress
Artists Angela Bortone and Natalija Moss have discovered a new way to do huge amounts of extreme physical labor in …
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Large Mixed-Media Mosaic Mural
Tuolumne County School Mosaic Mural collage with detail and artist Dianne Stearns
Artist Dianne Stearns and her students have created an impressive mixed-media mosaic mural on the exterior of their school in …
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Local Kitty Defends Family from Deadly String Attack
brave-kitty-poses-with-deadly-string
Most of my blog articles are about how to cut and mount mosaic tile and how to improve your mosaic …
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Long-Term Art-Studio Experiments and the Pace of Mosaic Composition
Don’t Rush The Design Process It is easier for me to explain what I mean about pace and long term …
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Making Detailed Mosaic Images Using Whole Uncut Tile
Tree Mosaic Art Robert Friedlander
To make detailed mosaic images using whole uncut tile, you need to use a tiny brand, such as the 8mm …
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Making Foam-Core Mosaic Backers For Outdoor Projects
Second Layer of Mesh
Artist Jill Gatwood uses the following method to make water-resistant foam-core mosaic backers for exterior mosaics, such as the Pet …
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Making Mixed-Media Mosaics By A Process of Elimination
Glass mosaic with stone background
Artist Susan Watson created a stained glass and stone mosaic for her studio exterior wall and chose the background color and …
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Making Mosaic Letters from Beads
Making Mosaic Letters from Glass Beads, step 4 detail
Glass Seed Beads in the 3.7mm size can be strung on short pieces of wire to make letters, numerals, and …
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Making Pictures With Colored Mirror Tile
Lighthouse Mosaic By Natalija Moss
Natalija improvised this picture of a lighthouse using the Colored Mirror Tiles to show that they can be used to …
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Making Tiles from Stained Glass
Smalti versus American-made Stained Glass
We haven’t been able to keep our Smalti stocked very well over the past year because it has quadrupled in …
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Marble Mosaic Restoration
Mosaic interpretation of a detail from Botticelli's Venus restored
Angela Bortone and Natalija Moss recently restored a marble mosaic interpretation of a detail from Botticelli’s Venus, the well-known Renaissance …
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Marble Mosaic Restoration Project
mosaic-restoration-project-finished
At the end of 2019 Mosaic Art Supply was e-mailed by a local homeowner about repairing a stone mosaic that …
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Mario Gamer Mosaic Art
Mario Gamer Mosaic Art
Artist Jason Oakley made this great pixellated mosaic of Mario and some of the other characters in the Mario games …
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Masterpiece Miniature Mosaic Series
glass-mosaic-art-miniatures-alphabet-small
In centuries past, crafts people worked in guilds, with a guild for each craft: shoemakers, gold smiths, etc. To join …
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Matching Grout to a Room’s Color Scheme?
matching grout colors
Choosing a grout color is more of a situation where you want to avoid making a mistake that causes the …
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Materials and Methods for Outdoor Mosaic Tables
Common Ground Public Art Mosaic Tables
Artist Risa Puno recently completed her interactive mosaic sculpture Common Ground for Rufus King Park in Jamaica Queens, NYC, and …
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Micro-Mosaic Jewelry
micromosaic-adam-before-grout-close
Adam and his sister Teneisha of Toni Craft made a video of their micro-mosaic jewelry project using deep-bezel jewelry findings …
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Micromosaic
Micromosaic is merely mosaic which is made from small to extremely small pieces of tile. Note that there isn’t a …
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Mirror Mosaic Warning
Mosaic Mirror Oxidation Detail
Silver-backed mirror must be glued down using a special mirror adhesive; otherwise the reflective silver will oxidize and turn black …
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Mixed-Media Mosaic as Bas-Relief Sculpture
Mixed-Media Mosaic Plaque by Mollie Seymour
Artist Mollie Seymour’s mosaic plaque is a depiction of a small pueblo of cliff dwellings in a rugged canyon with …
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Mixed-Media Mosaic Bar
Recently artist Wendy Schroeder emailed us some photographs of her mixed-media mosaic bar top, and it is worth taking a look …
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Mixed-Media Mosaic with Ceramic Relief Sculpture
IMG-509-768x759 mosaic wall relief by Aly Winningham
Artist Aly Winningham of Terra Firma Studios has some great mixed-media mosaic artwork. These wall-relief mosaics are a balanced mix …
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Mosaic Art Exhibition
Bright Shiny Things mosaic by KATH KORNELSEN RUTHERFORD
Janet Crawford has owned and operated Fog Forest Gallery in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada since 1984. The gallery’s current exhibit …
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Mosaic Art Opening
Dorothy Stucki Mosaic Art Opening 4/16/2023
Artist Dorothy Stucki is having an opening reception for a show of her recent work, which includes some mosaics. The …
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Protected: Mosaic Art Supply Organizational Chart
Supreme Ruler and Overlord Rigby Wells
This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: …
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Mosaic Artist Frederic Lecut’s Opus Pixellatum Technique
The Afghan Girl's Eyes Mosaic by artist Frederic Lecut.
Artist Frederic Lecut’s Opus Pixellatum Technique is a tool for rapidly creating original photorealistic mosaics and incorporating improvised elements. Artist …
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Mosaic Artist Michael Kruzich’s Must-See Work
La Primavera Mosaic Michael Kruzich.
Mosaic Artist Michael Kruzich has a body of work worth taking a look at, especially if you have any doubts about …
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Mosaic Backgrounds & Variegation
Kokopelli Mosaic comparison showing improved figure.
In my previous post, I wrote about Peggy Pugh’s excellent use of color variegation and the potential for this technique …
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Mosaic Backsplash for Stove with Hood
Mosaic Backsplash with Kitchen Interior
Peggy Pugh’s mosaic backsplash makes me wish the vent hood for the range didn’t have to be installed! The backsplash …
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Mosaic Backsplash Instructions
There is ample information online about how to go get sheets of tile from a building material store and mount them …
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Mosaic Baptismal Font
Mosaic Baptismal Font
Artist Sondra Jonson recently completed a mosaic baptismal font for St. James Catholic Church using our gold glass mosaic and …
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Mosaic Bird Bath
mosaic-birdbath-close
Artist Lyn Richards sent me some pictures of the mosaic bird bath she made this past summer, and it is …
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Mosaic Birdhouses
Today someone emailed me about using 1/4-inch concrete backer board to make mosaic birdhouses more weather-resistant and durable. I think …
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Mosaic Bowls and Platters
peony-mosaic-bowl-susan-klug-kahan
Mosaics cannot be a “food safe” surface as defined by the Food and Drug Administration because grout is porous and …
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Mosaic Christmas Ornaments by Morgan Halford
Mosaic-Ornament-group-pink
Artist Morgan Halford recently emailed us some pictures of some mosaic Christmas-tree ornaments she made with the spherical bases we …
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Mosaic Christmas Tree Ornaments
Please email us pictures of your Christmas tree ornaments made from our mosaic ornament bases. I would really like to receive a …
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Mosaic Coasters
Our shipment of hardwood bases for making mosaic coaster recently arrived, and I just now added them to our website …
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Mosaic Concrete Lawn Sculptures
There are two options for bases for making a mosaic sculpture for your lawn: Buy an unfinished concrete sculpture from …
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Mosaic Door First Full Revision
Mosaic Door by Joe Moorman, first-full-revision
My Mosaic Door Project was something I had never done before: combining a work of art that was being made …
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Mosaic Door Progress
Cleaved-Glass-Tile Mosaic Coasters
This is an update on my Mosaic Door project built from a “series of smalls”, which is the most effective …
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Mosaic Flower Pot Planters
Mosaic Flower Pot in California courtyard.
Artist Morgan Halford’s mosaic flower pot planters are colorful geometric abstracts executed with a spooky level of precision. I like …
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Mosaic Furniture Pique Assiette Alternative
Mosaic Chair by Janie Wright, back detail
Mosaic furniture can be made from glass mosaic tile more easily and more affordably than it can be made from …
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Mosaic Gazing Spheres
Mosaic gazing spheres are popular outdoor mosaic projects, and they offer a few simple advantages over mosaic-covered concrete lawn ornaments: …
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Mosaic Grout Rules
sunset-mosaic-backsplash-grouted-v2
Artist Caroline Bommer’s recent Sunset Mosaic is a great example of an exception to the rules of mosaic art that …
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Mosaic Guitar
mosaic-guitar-finished
Artist MC Holt-Evans of Nashville recently made a mosaic sculpture very much in keeping with spirit of The Music City, …
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Mosaic Hallucinations
blog-stinktoe-tisperwhisp copy
The month of January is tax prep and inventory season for our glass mosaic tile business, and it’s been a …
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Mosaic Holiday Ornament Kit
I have designed a base kit that people can use to make a mosaic holiday ornament, and I plan to …
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Mosaic Icon: Moses on Sinai
primitive-mosaic-icon-moses-on-sinai
Here is the first of a series of small mosaic icons I am making on thin concrete outdoor mosaic backers …
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Mosaic Interpretation of Picasso Painting
Picasso Mosaic Interpretation
Brian Kyle’s mosaic interpretation of Picasso’s painting “Man With Ice Cream Cone” is a refreshing departure from the cute themes …
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Mosaic Jewels, Gold, and Silver
Mosaic Gold 24 kt with Faceted Glass Jewels
The following picture of 24kt Gold Leaf Mosaic Glass Tiles mixed with Faceted Glass Jewels is the best evidence I …
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Mosaic Lawn Sculptures
Dog Mosaic Lawn Sculpture by artist Marilyn Keating
Artist Marilyn Keating has some mosaic lawn sculptures of animals that are very much worth seeing, especially if you are …
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Mosaic Lawn Sculptures by Bernie Taylor
concrete-sculpture-mosaic-before-after
Recently artist Bernie Taylor emailed me some pictures of his mosaic lawn sculptures including some concrete bird baths and benches, …
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Mosaic Lazy Susan Teaching Example
Mosaic Lazy Susan By Kim Wilkowich.
Artist Kim Wilkowich emailed me a picture of the mosaic lazy susan she recently completed, and I think any artist …
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Mosaic Letters and Numerals
Mosaic Street Number Plaque
You can make mosaic street numbers and signs using a grid, but mosaics made from irregular shapes of non-gridded tesserae …
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Mosaic Memorial Cross for Maddie
Maddie's Garden Memorial Cross
Georgia Art Teacher Connie Wells has been working with her students on a memorial cross project: Highland Christian Academy in …
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Mosaic Mural by Stages
bunny-mosaic-mural-third-panel-detail
Artist Kim Kahrilas’ bunny mosaic mural uses pet portraits and children’s book illustrations for inspiration and demonstrates how you can …
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Mosaic Mural on Tile Backer Board
mosaic-mural-complete
Artists Patricia Cream and Leah Mitchell recently completed an outdoor mosaic mural mounted on foam-core tile backer board, and they …
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Mosaic Mural Surface Preparation
Garden Retaining Wall
The best way to mount an outdoor mosaic mural is to use thinset mortar and mount it directly to a …
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Mosaic Patterns as Rough Maps
Mosaic Art Workstation
Most details in a mosaic are improvised and are not specified in the pattern. If so, then what is the …
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Mosaic Peacock: A Cautionary Tale
Mosaic Peacock by artist Lonnie Parsons
My recent blog article about small mosaics has a section at the end that explains how to take catalog-ready photos …
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Mosaic Picture Frame
Mosaic Picture Frame Iso View
Angela made a mosaic picture frame using our irregular glazed ceramic tile and left the sides of the frame uncovered. She …
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Mosaic Pizza Oven
Mosaic Pizza Oven
Mosaic Fireplace and Oven Surrounds: The Basics A couple of years ago, I wrote a page explaining how glass, ceramic, …
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Mosaic Planter Grouted in Sections
mosaic-covered-planter-finished-3
Artist Donna Stern recently completed a round mosaic planter, which she grouted in sections. I wanted to share that work …
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Mosaic Restoration Video
Marble Mosaic Restoration video
Natalija made a video of her work with artist Angela Bortone in the restoration of a marble mosaic. The mosaic …
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Mosaic Saints, Angels, and Icons
Mosaic St. Michael the Archangel
Historically, mosaic icons were made with traditional materials like smalti, marble, and gold leaf glass. Those traditional mosaic materials might …
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Mosaic Sinks
Someone recently asked me about how they could make a Moroccan-styled Glass Mosaic Sink, and that got me thinking about …
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Mosaic Stepping Stone Instructions
Mosaic stepping stones are great first projects, but they don’t have to be cheap and cheesy or dangerous. Keep in …
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Mosaic Stepping Stone Path
Mosaic Stepping Stone Hopscotch Walkway.
This is an ode to the mosaic stepping stone. There is much to praise: Each stone can be its own …
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Mosaic Street Number
Mosaic Street Number
Natalija decided to test some materials and methods by putting our street number on the loading dock of the warehouse …
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Mosaic Surfboards
mosaic-surfboards-composite-k-jenssen
Hermosa Beach artist Katy Jenssen makes mosaic surfboards, and for her, it is a logical choice of sculpture base. Katy’s …
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Mosaic Tables and Interior Design
Mosaic Coffee Table integrated with interior design.
Artist RJ Spurr recently completed two mosaic tables for his home, and I wanted to share them because the level …
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Mosaic Tile Colors for Flesh and Skin Tones
I frequently get emails asking me what is the best color mosaic tile we sell for rendering skin tones. I …
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Mosaic Transfer Instructions
Yesterday I wrote up some recommendations and instructions for Outdoor School Mosaics that focused on a project where each child …
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Mosaic Virtuosity: Stained Glass Paintings
stained-glass-mosaic-plaques by Lisa Sunshine
Artist Lisa Sunshine’s stained-glass mosaics are tiny 4-inch iconic images intended for use in an illustrated alphabet series. I’m not …
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Mosaic vs Mixed-Media Artwork
Mosaic with original Tanjiro from the Japanese manga series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba by Koyoharu Gotouge.
The Four Seasons mosaic by Marc Chagall in Chicago was originally installed outdoors in the 1970s but has since had …
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Mosaics and Artistic Collaboration
Glass-on-Glass Mosaic Sunflowers by artist Cindy Christensen
Artist Cindy Christensen emailed us some pictures of several mosaic projects that she collaborated on with her woodworking husband, and …
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Mosaics in a Painterly Style
Fishing Hat mosaic by Yolanda Bergman
Paints can be blended to any shade or hue, but the mosaic medium requires that an artist render an image …
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Mosaics on Steel Mailbox Using Silicone Adhesive
Mosaic Mailbox Jill Gatwood
Artist Jill Gatwood has emailed me her procedure for using GE Silicone II to mount mosaic tile to steel mailboxes, …
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Mounting A Mosaic On Clear Adhesive Film
mosaic-contact-paper
Clear contact paper can be used to temporarily mount a design of mosaic tile, but it really isn’t sticky enough …
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Multiple Modes of Andamento
Celestial Transom Mosaic, detail
First-time mosaic artist John Schroeder’s Celestial Transom Mosaic is something of a tour-de-force in combining different styles of andamento into …
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Must-See Mosaic Sculpture By Cherie Bosela
Love Is In The Air Mosaic Chair Detail
Artist Cherie Bosela has some mixed-media mosaic sculpture that you really should see, especially if you are considering making some …
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Natalija the Mosaic Russian Doll
face detail, Rebirth matryoshka mosaic sculpture by artist Peter Vogelaar
Most artists are aware of how much personality a work of art can assume during the process of creation, especially …
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New Recycled Glass Mosaic Tile Assortments
Color family assortments of 12mm recycled glass mosaic tile are now available. The 12mm Elementile brand of tile is some …
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Nonstandard Method for Removing Mortar in Gaps
mortar-removal-mesh-disk-worn-out
Natalija reminded me that she used her cordless drill with a mesh disc to remove the hardened mortar, and that …
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Online Source of New and Used Mannequins
People ask me about mosaic mannequins from time to time, and usually it is which adhesive to use for attaching …
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Opus Pixellatum Mosaic Class Photos and Videos
Class Photo With Mosaics
Frederic Lecut’s “Opus Pixellatum” Mosaic Class was a lot of fun, and I think the mosaics were very successful, especially …
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Out of Site, Out of Mind
Mosaic Tile Studio Display Jars group photo with 8mm Morjo glass
I have always transferred my glass tile from the plastic factory bags used for shipment and into glass jars or …
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Outdoor Mosaic Signs
In the last section of one of my previous posts, Custom Shapes For Mosaic Backers, I showed some pictures and …
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Outdoor School Mosaics
Recently I received an email from an art teacher whose school mosaic project was an outdoor mosaic where each child …
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Owl Mosaics and The Importance of Andamento
Eastern Screech Owl Mosaic by artist Linda Lawton
Linda Lawton emailed me some pics of her recent owl mosaics, and one of them had an issue that made …
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Pan’s Head Mosaic: A Classical Interpretation
Pan's Head mosaic in progress
Artist Frederic Lecut’s “Pan’s Head” mosaic has a style that matches its theme, and it is a great example of …
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Passion Projects
San Damiano Crucifix Mosaic by artist Kevin Pawlowski.
I have written in the past about “passion projects,” which is a term I use to describe first-time projects in …
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Patio Mosaic Alternatives
Lisa Jones Patio Mosaic
Patios are excellent locations for mosaics, but the patio floor itself is not as good a surface for a mosaic as a …
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Pattern to Mosaic: Design Evolution
Mosaic Sailing Ship with pattern covered in clear contact paper (sticky side up)
I thought I would share this particular studio photo because it shows the evolution of an improvised mosaic design, in …
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Peacock Redux
Mosaic Peacock by artist Lonnie Parsons, detail
My recent blog post about Lonnie Parson’s Peacock mosaic was a cautionary tale about what can happen when you fail …
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Penny Mosaic Warning
We regularly see questionable information online concerning how to mosaic and how to do other art and craft projects. Mostly …
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Pet Memorial Mosaics
Pet Memorial Mosaic Sugar
Recently April Costigan sent us some pictures of pet memorial mosaics made on stepping stones and some portraits of pets …
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Pet Memorial Name Plaques
jingo-pet-name-mosaic
For people wanting to make a portrait of their furry friend, I wrote an article on pet memorial mosaics using …
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Photorealistic Mosaic Landscape
Yosemite Mosaic landscape by Jim Price.
Yosemite Mosaic Landscape Limitations of the Grid and Tile as Pixels Jim Price’s Yosemite Mosaic is an excellent example of …
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Porch and Entranceway Mosaics
Entranceway Floor Mosaic by Ana Bonnin
Ana Bonnin emailed us some pictures of her recent entranceway mosaic, and I wanted to share these with our readers. Ana’s …
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Practical Advice for Outdoor Mosaic Art
Thinset Mortar The first thing you need to know about outdoor and wet mosaic (pool, fountain, shower) is that thinset …
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Procrastination Before Grouting Is A Virtue
The Pace of Art Taking time to reflect on what you are doing can be the difference between producing a …
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Public Art and Commissioned Mosaics
mosaic-science-mural-detail
Artist Steven “Stevo” Sadvary has a broad mosaic portfolio of pet portraits, cityscapes, signage, educational murals and other public art, …
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Re-Imagining Classic Geometric Mosaic Designs
Rebecca Stoops Bathroom Floor Mosaic
One of the things I always notice in cities like New York or San Francisco are the older buildings that …
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Real 24kt Gold Mosaic Glass For Art
Real 24 kt Gold Mosaic Glass
We now sell 24kt gold mosaic glass, and it really is gold and not the brass alloy imitation products that …
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Removing Glass Tile To Change A Mosaic
Mosaic Art In Progress
This method for altering a mosaic can be used before grouting, or grout can first be removed by scraping it …
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Rendering Light with Verisimilitude in Mosaic
kittmer-karen-hibiscus-portrait-1_1_orig
Artist Karen Kittmer’s mosaics are beautiful works of art. They are also worthy of study for several different reasons if …
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Repeating Motifs and Abstract Mosaics
Mosaic Hummingbird
Repeating simple designs or motifs is an effective way to make iconic compositions that catch the eye, and you can …
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Replacement Springs For Mosaic Glass Cutters
We recently received a shipment of mosaic glass cutters and the factory included some replacement springs in the crate. Fits All …
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River and Prairie Mosaics
Prairie Diptych Mosaic, 4 ft x 2 ft
Artist Janet Flom used some of our vitreous tile in some pubic space mosaics in 2016-17 that are photorealistic and …
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Sanded vs Non-sanded Grout
Sanded grout is recommended for grout gaps larger than 1/8 inch, but we recommend it for all grout gaps larger …
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Santa Fe Rail Trail Mosaic
Santa Fe Rail Trail Mosaic sprocket mandalas
Artist Julie Deery is working on a mosaic mural for the wall of the Santa Fe Rail Trail. The location …
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Secret to an Exceptional First Mosaic
I’ve already written about Brad Srebnik’s first mosaic and how impressive it is. It’s also amazing how well Brad documented …
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Shipping Resumed
mosaic-moses-and-the-burning-bush
We have resumed operations and are now shipping packages normally. Please be decent to people in these hard times. APOLOGY …
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Shrinking Grout: Fixing Holes In Groutlines
Shrinking Grout Detail
Grout does not shrink, but it is prone to forming voids and bubbles if it is not rubbed thoroughly into …
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Skin Tones and Mosaic Portraits
Sunshine Mosaic Portrait by artist Suzanne Coverett Earls.
Finding the “Right” Color There is tremendous power in getting the colors right. No matter how loosely executed, an impressionistic …
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Small Glass Mosaic Instructions
These instructions explain how to set up and make a small mosaic from glass mosaic tile. I use our new …
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Small Mosaics Update
Mosaic Coasters by Joe Moorman, progress photo 2022-05
I have been making some small mosaics on our bamboo mosaic coaster backers, and I wanted to share a photo …
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Sports Logo Mosaic
Mosaic Minnesota Vikings Logo by artist Curt Gassmann
A stylized logo or pattern is different from a picture of an object. In a picture, the goal is to …
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Stained Glass as Mosaic Tile: A Question of Styles
Grey Owl mosaic
In my article Stained Glass Mosaic Art, I explained how stained glass can be cut up into small pieces and …
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Stained Glass Mosaic Art
The Major mosaic art
Artist and MAS employee Natalija Moss has recently completed a series of mosaics made from stained glass, and they are …
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Staining Grout With Acrylic Paint
Staining Grout with Acrylic Paint
Mosaicists sometimes mix in artist acrylic paint to create custom colors from white grout, but you can also use acrylic …
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Stalking Van Gogh in Mosaic
Red Light District Amsterdam mosaic by Terry Broderick
Artist Terry Broderick’s latest mosaic is titled “Red Light District / Amsterdam,” and it is an interesting follow up to …
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Strong Color Contrast in Heazlewood Mosaics
Madre de Guadalupe Contemporary Mosaic
Artist Megan Heazlewood makes strong use of contrasting colors in her iconic mosaics, and I think her work is inspiring for …
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Student Mosaics & Black Grout
mosaics-jill-gatwood-students copy
The mosaics in this article are mostly student work and use a wider grout gap than I recommend. The most-helpful …
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Subtle Color Variegation
Butterfly Mosaic Sculpture by Jill Gatwood, work in progress detail #2 cropped
I wanted to share more photos of Jill Gatwood’s Mosaic Butterfly commission because it is a good example of subtle …
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Subtle Mosaic Mandalas
Hope Mosaic Mandala by artist Debbi Murzyn
New Mexico artist Debbi Murzyn emailed me some pictures of her mosaic mandalas that she made using Native American symbols …
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Terracotta Flower Pots Mosaic Warning
Terracotta flower pots are highly susceptible to freeze damage because the material is extremely porous. Moisture seeps into the tiny pores, freezes …
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Texture and a Sense of Space: the Mosaics of Terry Nicholls
Low Tide Harbour Mille mosaic by Canadian artist Terry Nicholls
For those of readers who were asking for inspiring examples of no-grout mosaics, I give you the mosaics of Canadian …
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The Amazing Stylistic Range of Figurative Mosaic Art
Nat-and-Thelma Jackson-stained-glass-mosaic
Artist Jennifer Kuhn has an impressive body of work that demonstrates the stylistic range of figurative mosaic artwork. Normally when …
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The Importance of Context in Figurative Mosaic Art
mosaic-eyes-lisa-sunshine-600
Artist Lisa Sunshine emailed us asking about improving one of her recent mosaics, and Natalija and I both agreed that …
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The Importance of Contrast: Mosaic Sign Case Study
Mosaic Sign by Ann Mitchell
Contrast is critical for creating images that catch the eye and text that is readable. A mosaic sign recently completed …
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The Importance of Durability in Mosaic Art
In my previous post, I wrote about improvisation being a critical skill for visual artists working in multiple mediums. I …
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The Importance Of Repurposed Downcycling In Art Studios
In my previous article about how to cut cement board for use as a mosaic backer, I explained how I …
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The Importance of Small Experiments in Art
In my previous post about how to use found objects in mosaic art, I made the claim that small experiments …
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The Importance Of Small Uniform Grout Gaps In Mosaic Art
A common mistake made in first mosaics is a variation in the width in gaps between the tiles which results …
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The Power Of Black in Mosaic Design
I have written many times about black grout and why I recommend it for making tile colors look more intense, …
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The Stylistic Range of Mosaic Art
Mosaic Mural Backsplash Epic by artist Yulia Hanansen
At Mosaic Art Supply, we have always tried to promote contemporary mosaic as a fine art and help people of …
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Thinset On Plywood Mosaic Backer?
Thinset mortar can be used on a plywood mosaic backer provided the plywood has been sealed with a white PVA …
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Tough Outdoor Mosaic Backer
steel-lath-aquarium-gravel-finished-backer
The thinnest, toughest, most water-resistant backer I have been able to make is steel lath plastered with a “concrete” made …
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Two Mosaic Safety Tips
Stainless-Steel Ruler and Mist Bottle for working with glass mosaic tile
A stainless-steel ruler and a spray-bottle filled with water are all you need to avoid the most common injury and …
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Underestimating Grout Gaps
Mosaic Dove of Peace by Harry Belkowitz, detail 1
Artist Harry Belkowitz’s millefiori mosaic Dove of Peace is a mixed-media piece of artwork with a black painted background surrounding …
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Use of Natural Stone in Landscape Mosaics
Big Falls Stained Glass Mosaic Landscape
I recently saw some stained-glass mosaics by artist Debra D’Souza, and they reaffirmed my belief in the mosaic business and …
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Using Ceramic Figurines In Mosaic Art
Unicorn Mosaic Laurie Gilson Detail
Why break up ceramic figurines to use the pieces in mosaic artwork when you can use the whole figurine? Artist Laurie …
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Using Class Mosaics For Public Art Project
Cleaved-Glass Mosaics, warm light photo
I recommend that schools wanting to make a mosaic mural for their school consider “crazy quilt” displays that are assembled …
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Using Contact Paper to Transfer A Mosaic Design
Mosaic Versus Pattern
Choice of Pattern This method for transferring a mosaic design with contact paper works whether you are improvising on a quickly sketched …
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Using Floor Tiles as Backers for Outdoor Mosaic Plaques
outdoor-mosaic-plaques-series
Concrete stepping stones should be used as the bases for outdoor mosaics that will be walked on, and the stepping …
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Using Found Objects in Figurative Mosaics
Mosaic Lady of Grand Lake II lower dyptych by Janet Sacks
Found objects can be used as mosaic tesserae based on their color and texture and shape, as another form of …
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Vacuum Attachment For Removing Dust From Small Parts
Sparduster small parts vacuum attachment
The new SPARDUSTER™ Small Parts Dust Remover looks like a simple vacuum attachment, but it is actually nothing less than …
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Value Contrast and Variegation in Small Mosaic Artwork
mosaic-icon-Christ-9x12-detail-2
I have written quite a bit about using color variegation to increase visual interest and the importance of value contrast …
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Value Contrast in Abstract Mosaic Artwork
stained glass abstract mosaic natalija
Natalija has made some abstract stained glass mosaics over the years, and I noticed something about one of them last …
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Value Contrast in Mosaic
Mosaic Door Insets with and without value contrast
There’s a reason art instructors recommend working in monochrome or black and white before working in color. The reason is …
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Van Gogh Self-Portrait Mosaic
van-gogh-mosaic-detail
Recently Doug Harris of Elementile sent me some photos of a mosaic rendering of Vincent Van Gogh’s 1889 self-portrait, and …
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Variegated and Mottled Colors for Better Mosaics
Mosaic Detail Bee over Flowers, Left
I forgot to write about some of the teaching points from Peggy Pugh’s mosaic backsplash. Variegated and mottled colors create …
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Video of Mosaic Rose Design Process
natalija-rose-design-mosaic-inset
Natalija has filmed a video of her laying out a rose mosaic inset for her new home, and it’s a …
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Warning: Marine Plywood Not For Mosaic
Mosaic Street-Number Sign by artist Monika Walter damaged
Marine plywood cannot be used as a mosaic backer for outdoor and wet mosaic. Yes, marine plywood can withstand the …
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Weldbond Mosaic Tile Adhesive Outdoors?
weldbond-adh-420ml-600-copy
Weldbond is a PVA (poly vinyl acetate) adhesive that is the best all-around adhesive for dry indoor mosaic projects and …
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Well-Executed First-Time Mosaic
Madre de Guadelupe Mosaic by first-time-mosaicist Irene Clifford detail
One of the most well-executed mosaics I have ever seen in terms fine details wrought in slivers of glass came …
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When To Use Sanded Grout
Mosaic Coaster with Scratched Tile by artist Stefi Morrison, detail shot
This article is about why we recommend “the opposite” of what the tile industry recommends for grouting glass mosaics and …
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White Grout Mosaics
Mosaic Backsplash La Cocina by artist Jill Gatwood
Artist Jill Gatwood sent me some photos of mosaics made by her and her students as examples where white grout …
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White Grout: The Floral Print Aesthetic
Mosaic Alcove by Masha Leder, detail
Artist Masha Leder’s mixed pique-assiette architectural mosaics using white grout are so good I wanted to name this blog article …
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White Tile in Mosaic Artwork
mosaic-street-number-sign-composite copy
Artist Brad Srebnik’s latest mosaic street number sign is a good example for a discussion about white tile in mosaic …
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Why Did My Tiles Come Loose From Thinset?
Missing Tiles Detail View Mosaic Art
Recently, artist Jackye Mills emailed me about a problem she was having with her first mosaic project, and it really caused me …
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Wood Frames For Mosaics
Composite of mosaics in frames by Tanya Boyd
Artist Tanya Boyd emailed me some photos of her mosaics, and all of them were in wooden frames of different …
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Your New Best Friend Mr. Pinchapotamus
Mr Pinchapotamus Tile Holding Tool with adjustable depth setting
Mr. Pinchapotamus is your new best friend. He holds small glass tile while you cut them with a Mosaic Glass …
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Comments

8 responses to “Index of Posts”

  1. Joanne Avatar
    Joanne

    I would like to insert some of my mosaic pieces into store bought sheets of mosiac mounted on mesh, for my backsplash. Any words of advice?

    Reply
    1. Joe Moorman Avatar
      Joe Moorman

      Hi Joanne,
      People do inserts all the time. The most common issue is a difference in thickness. This can be overcome by building up the insert area with a layer of thinset mortar. Thinset shrinks or thins slighly as it hardens, and so you would need to build up the area a few days before mounting the insert.
      I hope this helps,
      Joe

      Reply
  2. Katie Walton Avatar
    Katie Walton

    Joe,
    I just discovered your blog. You have the very best mosaic blog I have ever read, and have just answered the many questions I have had over the years about my mosaic work and troubleshooting. I really appreciate your practical intelligence and you are singing my song in many of your posts. Are you the owner of mosaic art supply? Thank you for distilling and organizing your information for us.
    As a mosaic artist, I wish I had an engineering degree for all the material questions I have, but now, I have you!

    Reply
  3. Damon Smith Avatar
    Damon Smith

    How do you grout stain glass that has been glued to glass without having the grout ‘flow’ under the stain glass?

    Reply
  4. Connie Adams Avatar
    Connie Adams

    I really enjoy your website. I discovered your blog after exploring your website and read a few. I can’t wait to read the rest though it’s going to take me a while. There is so much information on mosaics!

    Reply
  5. donna chambers Avatar
    donna chambers

    Your site is a such a great support to people like me!

    Reply
  6. Kathie Avatar
    Kathie

    Fabulous Blog!!! Thank you!

    Reply
  7. Sandy Compton Avatar
    Sandy Compton

    I play with small mosaic pieces. The information you share has been a great source of help to me. I love this blog!

    Reply

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