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.

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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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 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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We never have to worry about evaluating new adhesives in our work because we use conventional mosaic backers like plywood …
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The primary reason for grouting tiled surfaces is to prevent water from penetrating behind the tile and weakening the adhesive …
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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 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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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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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 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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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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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-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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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 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
Keira Miller recently made a mosaic bench in the shape of the state of California with a class of 4th, …
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First I want to clarify that I am not talking about the invisible pore sealers that are used to seal …
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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-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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Artist Frederic Lecut has agreed to teach a class in which student will create a naturalistic mosaic portrait of their …
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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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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 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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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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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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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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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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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-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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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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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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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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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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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 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 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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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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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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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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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 is preferred for pools because it is more resistant to pool chemicals and staining, but it shouldn’t be …
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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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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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Here is an anecdotal case study of how craft kits get it wrong and actually detract from the art experience: …
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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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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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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-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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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 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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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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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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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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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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 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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This is not a straightforward question because most of the grout does not end up in the gaps between the …
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"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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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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Low areas on a surface can be built up with thinset mortar mixed with an additional aggregate of very coarse …
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Already Grouted? If you have already grouted your mosaic, you can still use these instructions, but you will first need …
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The background in a work of mosaic art serves two purposes: contrast the colors of the figures in the foreground …
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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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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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An Easy First Project? Many aspiring mosaics artists decide to copy an existing mosaic for their first project instead of …
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Two Types Of Cement Board There are two types of cement board: The first type contains wood fibers or wood …
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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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Recently a customer emailed me asking how to cut a piece of marble mosaic tile into very small pieces. He …
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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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Grout and thinset mortar are types of concrete and should never be rinsed down drains. That includes the muddy water …
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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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It is easy to enlarge a mosaic pattern or drawing even if you have no confidence in your ability to …
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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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In my previous post, I wrote about how to remove and replace glass mosaic tile to make changes to a …
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"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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Thinset Mortar is concrete with polymers added for enhanced strength and adhesive properties and is the recommended material for all …
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You have to build the factory before you can make the product, and that includes when you work sitting on …
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Avoid Studio Obsession Setting up and organizing your studio or corner workspace can become an end unto itself and just …
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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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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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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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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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Concretes, mortars and grouts have the potential to create significant amounts of dangerous dust when the water is first added …
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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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This article is about how to incorporate mosaic art into the design of your tiled bar top and is less …
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It is easy to mount a mosaic nipper to a scrap piece of plywood and extend the handle with a …
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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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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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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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The grout removal tool we sell is typically used to remove grout from between glazed ceramic bathroom tile, but it …
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Tools Are Cheaper Than Craft Supplies I have often made the claim that a person could buy a sheet of …
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Mixing up grout and thinset require that mosaic artists wear dust masks on an occasional basis. I wear an N95 …
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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One of our customers Tobin is making an 80 square foot garden courtyard mosaic, the theme being the four elements …
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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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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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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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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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
Artist Jason Oakley made this great pixellated mosaic of Mario and some of the other characters in the Mario games …
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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 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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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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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 is merely mosaic which is made from small to extremely small pieces of tile. Note that there isn’t a …
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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 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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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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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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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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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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Supreme Ruler and Overlord Rigby Wells
This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: …
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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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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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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 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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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
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-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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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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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-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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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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Our shipment of hardwood bases for making mosaic coaster recently arrived, and I just now added them to our website …
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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 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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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 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 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 are popular outdoor mosaic projects, and they offer a few simple advantages over mosaic-covered concrete lawn ornaments: …
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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-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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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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I have designed a base kit that people can use to make a mosaic holiday ornament, and I plan to …
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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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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 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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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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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 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 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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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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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-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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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 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 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 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 Fireplace and Oven Surrounds: The Basics A couple of years ago, I wrote a page explaining how glass, ceramic, …
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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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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 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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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 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 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
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-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 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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I frequently get emails asking me what is the best color mosaic tile we sell for rendering skin tones. I …
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Yesterday I wrote up some recommendations and instructions for Outdoor School Mosaics that focused on a project where each child …
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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 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Color family assortments of 12mm recycled glass mosaic tile are now available. The 12mm Elementile brand of tile is some …
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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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People ask me about mosaic mannequins from time to time, and usually it is which adhesive to use for attaching …
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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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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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In the last section of one of my previous posts, Custom Shapes For Mosaic Backers, I showed some pictures and …
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Recently I received an email from an art teacher whose school mosaic project was an outdoor mosaic where each child …
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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 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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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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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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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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Thinset Mortar The first thing you need to know about outdoor and wet mosaic (pool, fountain, shower) is that thinset …
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The Pace of Art Taking time to reflect on what you are doing can be the difference between producing a …
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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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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 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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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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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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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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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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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 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 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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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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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 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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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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These instructions explain how to set up and make a small mosaic from glass mosaic tile. I use our new …
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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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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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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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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
Mosaicists sometimes mix in artist acrylic paint to create custom colors from white grout, but you can also use acrylic …
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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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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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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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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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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 are highly susceptible to freeze damage because the material is extremely porous. Moisture seeps into the tiny pores, freezes …
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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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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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In my previous post, I wrote about improvisation being a critical skill for visual artists working in multiple mediums. I …
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In my previous article about how to cut cement board for use as a mosaic backer, I explained how I …
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In my previous post about how to use found objects in mosaic art, I made the claim that small experiments …
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A common mistake made in first mosaics is a variation in the width in gaps between the tiles which results …
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I have written many times about black grout and why I recommend it for making tile colors look more intense, …
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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 mortar can be used on a plywood mosaic backer provided the plywood has been sealed with a white PVA …
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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-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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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?

    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

  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!

  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?

  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!

  5. donna chambers Avatar
    donna chambers

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

  6. Kathie Avatar
    Kathie

    Fabulous Blog!!! Thank you!

  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!

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