Larger mosaics on mesh
Part II of a 2-part post on making mosaics on mesh
Let me cast your minds back to when I wrote a step-by-step tutorial post on how to make a mosaic on mesh.
Back then I was full of the joys of mesh. Two years later I am still bursting with enthusiasm about the method. I love its versatility, and lightness and the way it solves the problem of making mosaics for faraway destinations, hard to reach places or awkward surfaces. It has all the advantages of the reverse paper method without the disadvantages of working in reverse.
The original blog post laid out the method for making a small mosaic and now it’s time to think about larger mosaics on mesh.
It’s clear that people are interested in the method but that the first post doesn’t go far enough. Consequently, this post about larger mosaics on mesh is for all those mosaic makers out there who are ready to take off and tackle bigger, more ambitious projects.
What do I mean by larger mosaics?
Let me start by defining what I mean by larger mosaics on mesh.
When the time comes to install your mosaic, you want easy to handle pieces that are not too unwieldy. The process of fixing a mosaic on mesh into position is similar to the process involved in tiling a bathroom. As a rough guide, I aim for pieces which are not much larger than the size of a lap top screen. However, they might be longer and thinner.
There are plenty of exceptions to this and it really depends on the space that the mosaic will fill and access to it. The fish mosaic above was made for a bathroom wall with no awkward corners or other impediments to installation. Therefore, it could be made in larger, longer pieces easily held and put into position by one person.
Eight easy steps to making larger mosaics on mesh
The first thing to think about when you make larger mosaics on mesh is where you are going to make the breaks in your design. This depends on the size of the mosaic. You can either make it in one piece and cut it later for transportation and installation like the black and white birds mosaic below. Alternatively, you can make the mosaic in pieces and join them together on site. Once the mosaic is installed the break lines will be invisible as they will be an intrinsic part of the grouted interstices.
Dividing up the mosaic
As far as possible divide up the mosaic in accordance with its design and with the flow of the andamento. The resulting mosaic panels will inevitably be different sizes and odd shapes but regular-sized pieces are not what you are aiming for. With this Unswept Floor mosaic, the left to right cut was easy because the tesserae mostly run horizontally. To divide the mosaic up further I also needed to cut it from top to bottom so I kept to the outer line of the fish and the glasses so that the breaks follow the same lines as the andamento.
Kitchen splash back mosaic
This mosaic is a splash back with a fish theme for a kitchen in Washington, DC. It includes an octopus based on the 3,500 year old Minoan vase (below) in the Athens Archeological Museum. The mosaic measures 3.8 metres by .5 metres and was made in 25 pieces. This tutorial assumes that the mosaic you are making is larger than your working area and therefore needs to be cut into pieces before you begin work.
Step One
First design your mosaic and make a template to the correct size. Then decide where the breaks will be and mark them onto your template. Make sure they are clearly visible as you will need them as guidelines once you’ve laid the cling film and mesh over the design (see Making a Mosaic on Mesh, Part I: https://helenmilesmosaics.org/mosaic-tutorials/making-a-mosaic-on-mesh/).
Step Two
Cut the template into workable sizes. You will probably be able to work on at least two panels at once.
Step Three
When you move onto the next panel, it’s helpful to lay the completed one alongside it in order to check that you maintain the flow of the andamento. I mark the direction of the flow on the new template and check it as I work.
Step Four
When you’re finished the mosaic it’s time to cut it into smaller pieces according to your needs.
Step Five
Dont forget to peel off the underlay of cling film when you remove the panels from their backing board.
Step Six
You are then ready to lay out the completed mosaic and check how it looks.
In some instances, the break lines don’t merge into the flow of the andamento and remain visible. Another great advantage of the mesh method is that individual tesserae can be easily removed and put back in place so I ‘sewed’ adjoining panels together (see below) so that the joins wouldn’t draw the eye.
Step Seven
If your mosaic has lots of panels be sure to number them and make a plan of the order the mosaic will be laid when it is reassembled on site.
Step Eight
Your mosaic is now ready to stack and transport to its new home.
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In case you missed the links above, here’s how you get to Part I of this post:
And here is a post about how to install mosaics on mesh:
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