Making Mosaics

Mosaic artists use two methods in making mosaics. These methods are the same in terms of preparation and end results but they differ in tile application.

Every mosaic project starts with the selection of a pattern. You can draw the design if you’re good at it or you can have it photocopied or traced. Place the design over the base. If this is your first time to do mosaic work, you can use images from coloring books; not only are the books inexpensive but the images are simple as well. There are also online resources that provide mosaic patterns for would-be artists.

The image should be appropriate to the size of the platform. Re-scaling is not that easy although you can also do some re-scaling if you think that the platform is too large for the image.

After choosing the design for your mosaic, it is now time to choose the right tesserae. The size and color of the tesserae depends on the design. There is a wide range of tesserae choices in the market so be careful in choosing the ones you will use. There are also online guides to help you in choosing the perfect tesserae for your project. Mosaic kits are also available and it usually comes with different designs including the needed materials. The size and color of the tesserae will have a large impact on the design. Mixing colors is very important.

You can use the direct method for your project. In this method, the tiles will be glued directly to the base or the surface using adhesive. You need to wait until the adhesive dries; it may take a day or so before it completely dries. When it’s already dry, you can now apply grout.