hello... i have had this idea for quite some time now. i wanna start making mosaics... but not the kind you'd lay on the floor or in the bathroom - but rather something with a more artistic value. i'm thinking mirrors, lampshades, just wall-ables (things to hang on walls) and later on upgrade to more difficult pieces... like tables and chairs and benches for garden, pots and vases. well... i'm willing to give up my living room for an art studio. also, i need a large table for work and then... of course... the mosaic tiles/tesserae how they are called. what i'd like to know is if there is anyone here doing mosaics and any guidelines are welcome. the most difficult part is finding a supplier... as most of the ones i find are in the US, shipping costs a lot. even if the materials are cheaper than here in europe. i guess i'd like to hear from people with this hobby and already have experience. my questions would come later on... waiting to hear from you! CALIN
Calin there are a few of our members that do decorative mosaic work - Bethie comes to mind immediatly. She has produced some beautiful work. If she doesn't see this post then maybe you could PM her as I'm sure she'll have lots of useful tips for you. :-D Check out some of her work here: http://www.gardenstew.com/about4663.html
thanks eileen... will try to reach her this is a fairly new hobby in romania... well, i don't know anyone doing it... and it's a great way to spend some time...and later on even get rewarded for it. thanks
Definitely check out Bethie's blog! And, from grumpy experience, find out all you can about getting the grout the right thickness- if the mix is too thin it will sag down as it dries and then your fancy side-table-top will just look sloppy (pout)
Cal, I'll be happy to help you. CritterPainter-Yes,the grout thickness IS of the utmost importance. If it sits awhile and doesn't get to the right consistency before you use it throw it out and mix some more. Let's all make a mosaic.
more difficult than i thought hi guys. thanks bethie. also got your PM. well, i guess getting started is hard. was planning to invest like 1000 bucks and have all kinds of tiles in diff. shapes and colors... like a "whole set" but that i see doesn't make a lot of sense. i think it's better to just have a few designs, figure out what i need ... and get started. i will definitely contact u again soon bethie.
mirror ready! hello guys. i know it's been a LOONG time. but. don't have as much time as i;d like for hobbies&stuff! bought the tiles (thecraftkit.com) from the netherlands, 19mm MDF board (a little thick and heavy but the only one i could find around here... it's like MFD is not used in my town)... so you can imagine i screwed 2x2 x2nail d-rings into the 100x80 cm mirror. that's 8 screws. i hope it holds! well... words are redundant! here it is i asked bethie already... waiting for her expert answer to my grout color dilemma... grey (light/medium/dark), brown, black ??? any ideas??? what would u choose??? the whole album with all the steps!!! http://community.webshots.com/album/572285028BjDtbJ THANKS CALIN[/img]
Are you sure this is your first attempt at mosaics Calin? I think your work is fantastic. :-D I know nothing about mosaics ans grouting them so I'll let Bethie tell you which colour is best. Well done!!
Well, how pretty is that!!! You are really on to something Cal. I hope you can find time to keep going with this new hobby of yours. Your mosaic so just lovely.
AQUA REFLECTIONS MOSAIC ( photo / image / picture from ShawnDuBois's Garden ) I love it! And for that being your first stab at mosaics I would say it's pretty spectacular! I have been making mosaics for about 4 years now and am still learning new techniques everyday--mosaics are a lot of fun, even though even a small one may take up to 3 hours to complete. As far as your grouting question--I mostly use PEWTER colored grout, I will attach a picture of one of my colorful mosaics so you can see PEWTER in a mosaic. AS a rule of thumb for mosaics: If you want the individual pieces of glass to stand out boldly--use a DARK GROUT If you want the whole thing to blend together--use a LIGHT colored grout. Hope this helped--love your work!
After looking at more pictures of your mosaic--I am going to have to say you should use BLACK grout--I think it will make this whoel thing POP!!! POST A PICTURE AFTER YOU GET IT GROUTED!
