Mosaic Artists

Today, there are lots of mosaics artists around the world. Even little kids can be mosaic artists if they want to. Age is not a determining factor for being an artist. Some of the world’s most popular mosaic artists today are Boris Anrep, Emma Biggs, Francis Scott Bradford, Trevor Caley, Martin Cheek, Zoe Coles, gery Drostle, and Nuala Flynn. Get to know them better.

Boris Anrep was a good mosaic artist. His works can be found in the Blessed Sacrament chapel. He made the mosaics back in the 1950s to 1960s. Most of his works are religion based.

Last March 2004, the mosaics of Emma Biggs were unveiled. The smalti and marble pavement mosaics can be found at Wharf Walk; which runs the length of Jubilee Palace. The mosaics theme was derived from the dockland history. The mosaics include – Billingsgate fishwives, 19th century furniture using shells, the captain of the ship given a hat as a bribe, 1858 rope, textiles trading, tortoise shell open market, vaults under the London docks, dockers, and the Canary Wharf.

Francis Scott Bradford died in 1961 yet his mosaics survived through these years. If you want to see his works, visit the American Cemetery and Memorial. This place is about three miles away, west of Cambridge. It is a graveyard for the 3,812 American crew members based in British Isles. You can find the mosaics of Bradford at the chapel of the cemetery – the east wall and the high ceiling. When you look up to the ceiling, you will see aircraft squadrons and mourning angels. The planes were headed to the last judgment and resurrection. Over the chapel’s altar, you can see Archangel.

Last 1999, Trevor Caley created a mosaic of Saint Patrick.

Among the classical mosaics themes is the ‘unswept floor’. You can find this kind of mosaic in Vatican. Martin Cheek also created a mosaic using such theme and it can be found in Canterbury Butchery Lane at the Roman Museum. The mosaic includes a discarded core of an apple, fish skeleton, a mouse, and mussel shells. This mosaic was created in the year 2000 as seen near the mussel shells in Roman numerals (MM).

You can find the work of Zoe Coles which was finished in 1999. You can find the mosaic in a shelter in Cawsand. Passengers can stay in the shelter as they wait for the ferry. The mosaic shows different scenes such as local life, wildlife like herring, tern, marine creatures (fishes, octopus, crabs, and shellfish), and gulls.

Gary Drostle helped the South Norwood community in creating a 9-panel mosaic. Together with Rob Turner, they finished the project in 1997. You can find this mosaic near Portland Road on the wall of a railway bridge. The theme is about the history of the original settlers, the means of transportation by various kinds of people, literary, cultural, industrial, and agricultural heritage.

Nuala Flynn created the Green Man. You can find this mosaic at Leytonstone High Road and it was installed in the year 2000. It is situated on John Drinkwater Close’s end wall.

These mosaic artists have created valuable masterpieces. Who knows… their works will be cherished by the next generations the same way that the people of today value the ancient mosaics. Check them out now. There are online sites that features photos of the mosaics.

Affordable Mosaics

Many people are now getting considering mosaics but not all of them can manage to buy costly flooring. Well, here is a remedy to your problems. Get a shading publication. You might have fun at this but some easy styles actually come from shading guides.


Why use the images in the book? The images usually contain enough details. Too many details can complicate your work. The image will serve as your map. Texture and shading will soon be added after you’ve glued the tiles. Details which are much smaller that the tile you’re using doesn’t make sense; avoid sketching minute details because the basics are enough.

By looking through coloring books, you can choose among many themes such as historical events, human figures, famous architecture, creatures, etc; the more specific the images, the better. Besides, coloring books are far cheaper than mosaic patterns sold in stores. If you want, you can even make changes with the image or you can combine several images into one mosaic project.

Color should be accented outside the lines and it doesn’t really matter if you make a mistake. You see, in any work of art, little mistakes can create some sort of ‘visual noise’ which makes the whole work more interesting.

Since the image is flat, you need to give it some depth. How will you do this? It’s really simple. Get tiles of the same color but with different shades. Two different colored tiles are enough if you want to minimize the cost of the project.

For those who plan to put their works at a public space or for commission, ask for permission first especially if the image is copyrighted.

Transferring patterns is also easy. As mentioned earlier, you can combine different images from coloring books. You can combine and enlarge these patterns inexpensively.

Ensuring your safety is also vital when you’re doing a mosaic work. For instance, in cutting mosaic tiles and other materials, you need to wear  goggles. The same thing should be observed when mixing the grout. Some of the materials are sharp so while you’re working, keep the children away because they might hurt themselves if they play with the sharp mosaic materials. When applying grout, wear a hand glove to prevent skin irritation. The dust from the grout should not be inhaled when mixing, a mask would help preven this from happening. So you see, even when you’re doing a simple mosaic art, you should always ensure your safety.

Some mosaic projects are suited for the outdoors while others should be placed in the indoors. If you’re not that experienced in mosaic, consult an expert. When you go to the hardware store, ask them about the mosaic tiles. They know a great deal about outdoor mosaics and indoor mosaics. If you’re still not convinced, you can always conduct a simple research online.

Ask your local hardware if they have good quality yet affordable mosaic tiles for your chosen project. Their staff will be more than willing to assist you with your needs. Again, two colors are enough to make your work interesting and don’t forget to get at least two shades for the same color. Adding depth to your mosaics can change its overall appearance.

Mosaics can also be inexpensive. Almost every household has a coloring book but if you don’t have any, purchase one now. Choose an interesting design for your mosaic work so that you can put your heart and mind to it. Work on the project slowly but surely.

Garden Mosaics

Mosaics are not only used to decorate walls, ceiling, and floors. At present, garden mosaics is also becoming quite popular.

If you have time, why don’t you try creating your very own unique mosaic birdbaths, stepping stones, benches, and many others. Mosaic kits are widely available in almost all hardware stores so that you will not have a hard time in finishing your artworks.

For the stepping stones, there are lots of designs to choose from. The stones are available in different shapes including hexagon, square, and round. If you shop around, you can find ready-made mosaic stepping stones but if you want create your own mosaic, you can purchase the kits that come with a glass design, background, mortar, and glue. Some of the most common designs for the stepping stones are flamingo, sunflowers, bouquet, bluebonnets, frog, rabbit, butterfly, fairy, and birdhouse.

Birdfeeders are mostly found in gardens. You can make your birdfeeder more attractive by creating a mosaic. You can use fused glass and terracotta for the mosaic but you can also use other tesserae of your choice. For the birdbaths, you can create the mosaic on the bath itself. There are lots of designs that you can choose from like spring flowers, butterflies, angels, bluebonnets, and sunflower. If this is your first time, try to use a simple design. After you’ve finished with your mosaic, the birds will surely be attracted at the colorful mosaic of the bath.

If you have a concrete bench in your garden, you can also use it to create a mosaic art. It’s easy. First, you need to clean the bench surface. After that, you will now decide a theme, a pattern, or an image to sketch on it. Make it simple like a garden house, a bunch of flowers, or any other pattern. Go to your local hardware store and purchase the needed materials to create the mosaic. Choose the colors carefully and the tesserae that you will be using. Since you will be creating the mosaic for the outdoor, get a suitable adhesive to attach the tiles and get a colored grout.

Check if the tiles fit into the details of the drawing or image. You can use a tile nipper to cut the tiles into smaller pieces. Always observe safety by using gloves and goggles. Place the tiles on the design and attach the tiles one after the other. It would be best to divide the bench into sections. Apply the adhesive by section, and then attach the tiles.

Leave the tiles to dry for a day or two. Mix the grout and spread it on the spaces between the tiles. Clean the surface with a damp cloth or sponge to get rid of excess grout. Leave the mosaic to cure for a couple of days. Soon you will have a mosaic bench.

Aside from the bench, you can also create mosaics on terracotta pots. You can create the mosaic on one part of the pot or you can do it all over the pot. Mosaic pots are also available for sale but you can save a lot of money by creating your own mosaic pots. The procedure is just the same as the bench mosaic.

You can bring mosaics to the outdoors. If you have a garden, turn it into a garden mosaic. Just be creative and bring out the artist in you.

Byzantine Mosaic Technique

At present, there are two known techniques used by mosaic artists – the direct and indirect method. But did you know that there is also the so called Byzantine technique? This technique was used centuries ago by mosaic artists.

Even if the Byzantine Empire no longer exists, you can still make use of the technique to create any mosaic project. Here’s how you can do it:

First, you need to think of a mosaic design, pattern, or image that you want to create. After that, get a wood which is about three centimeters bigger than the mosaic’s size. Now, you need to cut four battens and you need to screw them in place at the wood’s edges. Fill it with black clay and wet it with water.

On a PVC paper, sketch the mosaic pattern/design/image and put the paper on the wet clay. From the paper’s top left border or edge, cut it into tiny pieces. Place the glasses, stones, marbles, and other tesserae to lay out the mosaic. Get a strong cloth and place it over the mosaic after you’ve applied wall paper glue or paste. Leave the mosaic for about two days.

After two days, remove the screws and the battens as well. Turn the mosaic cautiously. Cut the clay into small squares and clean the sides.

Now, you need to make a metallic or wooden frame and put a chicken wire in it. Mix equal amounts of fine sand and cement then add water to create a somewhat dry consistency. Pour the mixture into the frame.

Hold the mosaic in your hands and slowly lower it to the cement mixture. Tap the sides to get rid of air bubbles. After ten to twenty minutes, wet the cloth a little and remove it. The surface of the mosaic will be revealed. Using a sponge or a cloth, wipe the excess cement. Leave it for the next one and half hours and wet it again. After that, leave the mosaic for a couple of days (3-4 days) but try to water it every now and then. Use a lint-free clean cloth to polish the mosaic.

Once you’re finished with the project, you will have mosaic craft that appears to be from the Byzantine era. As you may have noticed, using the Byzantine technique is time consuming because you need to leave the mosaic for a couple of hours and even days to dry. You need to be patient and careful so that you will not commit any mistakes. Still, if you’re a beginner, don’t be afraid to commit mistakes because you can learn from them. The next time you create mosaic project, you will know what to do.

The direct method that artists use today is much better because the steps are easy. It only gets complicated when the indirect method is used. For simple and small mosaic designs, the direct method is highly recommended but when you’re already dealing with large scale mosaics, the indirect method is the best choice.

The Byzantine method is a bit complicated but with a bit of practice, you can get it too. Now you can add your masterpiece to your collections. Take your time and don’t rush your work. Get all the needed materials first; that way, when you start working, you won’t be running to and from the hardware store.

What are Mosaics?

Mosaics are creative images from the assemblage of stones, glass, and other small pieces of materials. It is also considered as a decorative art technique and an important facet of interior design. Mosaic arts can be of spiritual and cultural significance. Have you seen mosaics in the cathedrals? These are great examples of mosaics with spiritual significance. Pictures and patterns are created by using pottery fragments (also called tesserae/tessellae) and small tiles or colored/clear glass.

The pattern or picture created varies depending on the design of the artist. Most mosaic artists make use of china, shells, mirror, pebbles, ceramics, and glass. Each piece is called tessera while the spaces in between where grout is placed are called interstices. The flow or movement of the tesserae is called andamento. These are some of the terms that you should be familiar with if you’re working with mosaics. There are various ways of cutting the pieces used in mosaic and this is called ‘opus’ which means ‘work’. The following are the various cuts and positioning of the materials:

• The tesserae are laid out in regular brick-like straight lines (opus tessellatum)

• Horizontal and vertical lines in a regular grid (opus regulatum)

• Flowing/wriggling lines on the surface (opus vermiculatum)

• Vermiculatum with background and image (opus musivum)

• Crazy-paving appearance because of the irregular shapes being used (opus palladianum)

There are three methods being used in mosaics. The first one is the direct method. As the word suggests, the pieces are directly placed or glued to the surface. This method is best used in vases and other transportable objects. The mosaic is visible enough to allow adjustments. There is a disadvantage in using this method because you need to work on the actual surface immediately. Sometimes, the surface becomes uneven. This method is not suitable for large projects.

The other method is the indirect and this is often used for large projects. The tiles are first placed on backing papers with the use of adhesive and later on, it is transferred to the craft projects, floors, or walls. This gives the artist to rework certain areas. The result is an even and smoother surface. Some examples of mosaics using the indirect method are tabletops, benches, and murals.

Another method is the double indirect. In this method, the complete work can be see even during the process of its creation, hence the term double indirect. The tessarae pieces are placed over a certain medium, faced up. The medium is turned over and removed; then the indirect procedure is followed. This method is fussy and at times, the work is damaged.

Tessellation is the mathematics of mosaics. Each of the tessarae is placed mathematically to ensure the preciseness and beauty of the work. Today, digital imaging is also being used, thanks to the advanced technology. For example, an image is chosen for a floor and the image is broken down into pixels that appear like ceramic tiles like that of the pool of University of Toronto. Different themes can be created using digital imaging.

Mosaics have gone a long way ever since it was first introduced in the art scene. Many people today are quite interested in this work of art and it’s also easy to learn. If you want to learn mosaic, you simply need to enroll in a class for a certain fee.