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Agonizing Over Mosaic Icons
Artist Sue Hague’s mosaic icons are reproductions of medieval, byzantine, and early Christian icons, and some are mosaic interpretations of icons that were originally paintings. The mosaics Sue produced from these paintings were made with authentic andamento and look as if ancient mosaics were copied tile by tile. Sue describes herself as a beginner still…
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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 used on art object or plaques that might be around for decades or centuries as heirlooms. Epoxy is a resin of long carbon compounds. Long carbon molecules are prone to breaking overtime because they contain…
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Bas-Relief Plaques and Mosaic Stones
Artist Sandra Arkin’s bas-relief mosaic sign “Art Can’t Hurt You” makes me laugh. Anyone who has ever made a glass mosaic with tiny details has anointed their work multiple times with blood. Am I right, or am I right? Sandra says doesn’t draw or make representations of physical objects in her heart usually, but she…
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Grout Color and Variegated Mosaic Backgrounds
I have examples throughout this blog illustrating why darker grouts work much better for mosaic artwork than light colored grouts do. I also have examples of using complex color fields of related hues and explanations why they provide more visual interest than monochromatic color fields. I repeat these two points so often because they are…
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Best Grout Gap For Mosaic Artwork
The best grout gap for mosaic artwork depends on whether or not the mosaic will be outdoors or in a potentially wet location such as a backsplash. When Do You Need A Grout Gap? If the mosaic might get wet or exposed to humid air, you can’t have the tiles touch each other. You need…
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Your New Best Friend Mr. Pinchapotamus
Mr. Pinchapotamus is your new best friend. He holds small glass tile while you cut them with a Mosaic Glass Cutter so that your fingertips aren’t near the blades. He can also hold the tile more firmly in place than your fingertips, and so Mr. Pinchapotamus also improves the precision of your cuts.
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Abstract Mosaics As “Quilt” Elements
Artist Barbara Stutts recently emailed me some photos of her abstract mosaic stepping stones and mosaic-covered river stones, and they resonated with me for several reasons. Barbara says she is relatively new to mosaic, but her abstract mosaics are worth sharing because they are well executed and serve as good teaching examples. In this case,…
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Importance and Limitations of Small Mosaics
Making a series of smaller works instead of one large work is the best way to improve your art. The reason is obvious: instead of investing all your time in executing the larger image, which might already be flawed or compromised long before it is completed, you get several opportunities to get it right. In…
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Halloween Mosaic Coaster Kit
Ivana and Natalija have made some Halloween-themed mosaic coasters, and Natalija even put together a Halloween Mosaic Coaster Kit. The kit comes with the tile and materials needed, but it doesn’t come with a pattern. As always, we encourage people to make their own designs, but we do have instructions for copying images to make…
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Out of Site, Out of Mind
I have always transferred my glass tile from the plastic factory bags used for shipment and into glass jars or plastic tubs. I do that for several reasons: Rigid containers like recycled jars and plastic yogurt containers make it easier to rinse out the glass dust and slivers formed by cutting. Torn plastic bags drip…
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Mosaic vs Mixed-Media Artwork
The Four Seasons mosaic by Marc Chagall in Chicago was originally installed outdoors in the 1970s but has since had a glass canopy installed over the top to protect it from the elements. Part of the reason for the canopy is Chicago’s harsh freezing weather, which is hard on all mosaics, but another reason for…
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Using Class Mosaics For Public Art Project
I recommend that schools wanting to make a mosaic mural for their school consider “crazy quilt” displays that are assembled from individual mosaic projects all on the same size backer, say anywhere from 6×6 inches or 12×12 inches. This allows each student a real art experience (making their own design) instead of just being a…