The more we make mosaics, the more we find the methods and tricks which work best for us. These mosaic tips are some of mine. None of them are rocket science but somehow they often get forgotten in mosaic technique books and short courses.
In no particular order, let us begin.
Mosaic Tips: No. 1
Lay the fiddly bits which fit into awkward spaces at the same time as the neighbouring tesserae. That means that if necessary you can gently ease the neighbouring tesserae aside while the glue is still wet.
In the simple plant design above, it would have been much harder to lay the white background tesserae in the gaps between the leaves and the stalk if the dark plant tesserae hadn’t still been pliable.
Mosaic Tips: No. 2
Backgrounds tend to look best if they are not one uniform colour. The use of slightly different hues in the background is called ‘peppering’. This technique serves to liven up the background design which is obviously a crucial part of the whole.
My tip is to mark on the substrate in pencil where your accent pieces will be laid. That way, you won’t forget to add them during the laying process. Here is an example of a finished piece with the peppering effect showing mixed tesserae in the background.
Mosaic Tips: No. 3
Check your spacing as you work.
However much you think about this during the planning stage, it is still important to keep it in mind as you work. The dark tessera at the front of the photo above marks the border of the piece. The design above it (not shown) is complete and a layer of tesserae has been laid around it (see photo in Tip No 2).
It’s important that the spacing between the border and the inner design is reasonably even so that you don’t end up with one thick line of tesserae and one thin one. In this photo you can see that there is space for two evenly sized tesserae between the border and the bird’s outline. Nip the tesserae to the correct size if need be.
Mosaic Tips: No. 4
It might sound a bit like Blue Peter but… When designing a larger mosaic and working on the layout and spacing, it helps to make cardboard cut outs of the key elements in the design. This allows you to move them around easily and see how they work in different positions. I would dearly love to get myself a computer design program but until I do, it’s card board cut outs for me!
Mosaic Tips: No 5
Take breaks and use an elastic resistance band.
Mosaic making involves hours of work often spent sitting down hunched in the same position. This can put an enormous strain on the back and upper body. So perhaps the most important of the mosaic tips is to make sure you take frequent breaks. Do some quick stretches to avoid doing yourself any long term damage. I find one of these elastic resistance bands does just the trick.
When I started making mosaics I got carried away by the thrill of it all and just couldn’t stop. Eventually, after many wakeful nights with shooting pains in my arm, I ended up in the physiotherapist’s clinic. Now I’m much more careful and stop what I’m doing every now and again and do a few stretches with my resistance band.