http://www.forrestrace.com/gems-mosaic/
Glass Mosaic Tile Art: Tessera Thickness is Important
Making wonderful glass mosaic tile art is easy! Let me show you how.
Tessera material comes in varying thicknesses. Stained glass is about 1/8-inch thick, vitreous glass tiles are 3/16-inch thick, smalti can be as much as 1/4-inch thick, and marble gems are about 1/2-inch thick. The 1/16-inch difference between vitreous glass tiles and stained glass doesn’t sound like much, but in the context of mosaics, it’s significant.
Early in my mosaic life, I made the mistake of indiscriminately mixing vitreous glass tesserae with stained glass tesserae. I thought I’d creatively combine the two types to give my work texture, depth, and a sense of perspective. I spent two months carefully cutting and gluing each tessera piece. Finally, I finished. It looked wonderful. Time to grout. I mixed a batch, slopped a big pile in the middle, and spread it with my float. Good grief, what a nightmare. The float wouldn’t squeeze grout into all the joints because the thicker vitreous tesserae stuck up too high. No matter what direction I spread, the vitreous tesserae prevented me from squeezing grout into all the spaces. Additionally, grout built up too high in the joints between the vitreous and stained glass tesserae. Sweat beaded on my forehead dripping all over my mosaic as thoughts flew in my head, “Oh, no, what have I done? All that work and now it’s ruined!” I scrambled using the float, paper towels, and old rags to fill the joints and wipe away excess grout before it set. Success at last (whew!). Finally, I had uniformly filled all the joints and wiped away the excess. The final product looked okay, but it didn’t turn out as well as I had hoped. Also, I destroyed my favorite grout float, which added to my disappointment. The float’s rubber bottom ripped to shreds from running it over the sharp points and edges of tesserae that stuck up higher than others. Good grief.
If you’re a mosaic novice, I suggest using tesserae of similar thickness for your first few projects. However, that doesn’t mean you absolutely cannot incorporate varying thicknesses into your work. Texture can create beautiful effects. For example, you may want to design your mosaic wall hanging with vitreous glass for the border and stained glass for everything else. In this case, ensure the grout joints between the thicker vitreous glass and the thinner stained glass are a bit wider than normal so the grout can properly slope downward without covering the stained glass. Although grouting spaces between the vitreous and stained glass tesserae requires extra care, it can, indeed, look great.
When selecting tessera types, be aware that varying thicknesses require extra care and work when grouting. Also, it’s important to plan your project well to know if varying thicknesses are appropriate. For example, suppose your mosaic trivet or tabletop requires a flat surface. As a novice, it’s easier to get a flat surface using tesserae of the same thickness.
Remember, making mosaic art is easy. You can do it. Yes, you can!
About the Author
Bill Enslen has created beautiful mosaic art for 30 years. His new eBook, Mosaic Pieces: Essentials for Beginner and Professional Mosaic Artists, gives you step-by-step details for creating your own mosaic masterpieces. Visit his website and read the free sample chapters at Glass Mosaic Tile Art. Let him show you just how easy it is. With Bill’s help, you can do it. Yes, you can!
Mosaic Skulls by Dean Summers Art 2009
|
|
Orange Sunkist & Red 5/8 x 5/8 Orange Gem Solid Glossy & Iridescent Glass Tile – 15681 Sheet size: 12″ x 12″ Tile Size: 1/2″ x 1/2″ Tiles per sheet: 361 Tile thickness: 1/8″ Gro – These glass tiles add color and subtle texture.These tiles are limitless in range.For residential and commercial installations these tiles are the perfect complement to your design vision. Let creativity be your guide.They will add color luxury and… |
|
|
Sunkist 3/4 x 3/4 Orange Gem Blends Glossy Glass Tile – 17944 Sheet size: 12 7/8″ x 12 7/8″. Tile Size: 3/4″ x 3/4″ Tiles per sheet: 225 Tile thickness: 1/8″ Grout Joints: 1/8″ Sheet Mount: Mesh Backed – From the simple elegance of black and white to complex southwestern color palettes Gem Blends gives you the freedom to express your personality. Although these are one of our most affordable glass tiles quality is never sacrificed. Whether you want to captur… |
|
|
Violet Mother Of Pearl Mosaic 3/4 x 3/4 Black Gem Solid Glossy & Iridescent Glass Tile – 14459 Sheet size: 12 3/4″ x 12 3/4″ Tile Size: 3/4″ x 3/4″ Tiles per sheet: 225 Tile thickness: 1/8″ Grout Joints: 1/8″ Sheet Mount: Mesh Backed – These glass tiles add warmth with rich amber and golden hues.These tiles are limitless in range.For residential and commercial installations these tiles are the perfect complement to your design vision. Let creativity be your guide.They will add color luxury … |
|
|
WalkNTalkOnline – Blackberry 9800 Torch & 9810 Torch 2, Pink & Silver & Black Hearts Mosaic Handmade Crystal Gemstone Rhinestone Bling Diamante Protective Case $8.05 These premium handmade diamante Cases are specially made for the mobile phone specified in this listing, each bling case is made from high quality gemstones to ensure the diamante case is fully potentially shown. The case has been specially cut for all ports, headphone jacks and any other cut-outs. This helps to keep the case on and on the move, while looking fashionable as ever! This screen prote… |
|
|
WalkNTalkOnline – Blackberry 9800 Torch & 9810 Torch 2, Pink & Silver & Black Hearts Mosaic Handmade Crystal Gemstone Rhinestone Bling Diamante Protective Case + FREE SCREEN PROTECTOR/FILM/FOIL (3 LAYER TECHNOLOGY) & MICROFIBRE CLOTH $9.05 These premium handmade diamante Cases are specially made for the mobile phone specified in this listing, each bling case is made from high quality gemstones to ensure the diamante case is fully potentially shown. The case has been specially cut for all ports, headphone jacks and any other cut-outs. This helps to keep the case on and on the move, while looking fashionable as ever! This screen prote… |
|
|
Pink Mosaic – Motorola Droid X, X2/Motoroi X Gemstone Protector [MB810, MB870; Verizon Wireless/lusacell] Pretty and pink, our blinged-out gemstone protectors are the perfect accessory to complete your look! Girls love our Pink Cascade case for its brilliant colors, dazzling features, and sturdy construction…. |
|
|
Orb Factory Sticky Mosaics: Jewelry Box $10.35 Encrust it with Gems. Adorn it with Glitter tiles. Sparkle it with holographic foil. Your beautiful Jewelry Box will be the perfect place to keep your most valued possessions! Assembled jewelry box dimensions are approximatly 8” x 6” x 4.25”. Contents: 1000+ sticky foil and gem pieces 1 mosaic jewelry box Recommended Ages: 5 years & up… |
|
|
Stick N’ Style Blinglets $16.99 Creating your own jewelry has never been easier. The Orb Factory’s line of decorate-by-numbers Stick ‘n Style craft kits are guaranteed to be a blingtastic hit with crafters everywhere. Stick ‘n Style Blinglets are great for designing your own jewelry ensemble or decorating with friends at your next sleepover. The set includes 12 assorted ready to decorate Blinglets, plus more than 700 sparkling j… |
|
|
Kid’s Step Stone Kit $11.79 What a great way to make an impression. This Kids’ Step Stone Kit includes everything you need to make a wonderful stepping stone: StoneCraft mix (containing Portland Cement and silica sand), rainbow rocks, glass gems and glitter, and a craft stick for writing. Kids will love making pictures of gardens and rainbows, or immortalize their very own handprint–just like the stars. A winner of the 19… |
|
|
Idaho Bountiful and Golden Gem snap beans resistant to mosaic and curly top (Bulletin / University of Idaho, College of Agriculture) … |