Wallach - Making Mosaics with Found Objects

The Tiled Path I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldnt say any other waythings I had no words for. Georgia OKeeffe T he day that I threw caution to the wind and just started gluing stuff to other stuff, questions arose that I was unable to answer. Now, more than twenty years later, through trial and error, I have found my creative comfort zone, where I can create with reckless abandon. Nothing is safe from me and my glue.

There are many mosaic tile artists that I admire, and Ive had the honor of taking classes from a few of them. Without exception, every class Ive taken has taught me something that either saves me a great deal of time or provides just the creative permission I need to learn a new technique and nurture my creative self.

My attraction to china, tile, found objects, and castoffs has brought a lot of joy (and a little clutter) into my life. At times, it can become overwhelming. There is so much cool stuff to glue, so many ways to glue it, and so little time. A piece of chipped china can be reincarnated a thousand ways. But thats the beauty of the craft: old things become new again, and discarded objects hold renewed value.

Laurel Skye is one of the great mosaic tile artists I have taken classes with.

This is a whimsical and random journey with infinite possibilities. Anyone, and I mean anyone, can create a masterpiece of found objects that will ignite the creative spirit. Whether its a funky random declaration or a fine arts finished piece, its all good!

This book was written as a basic guide to the world of mosaic tile and found objects. Ive included many of the tips, tricks, and techniques that Ive learned along the way. I hope this book will help to answer many of the questions that you may have regarding this art form, and blow a little breeze of creative inspiration your way, too. The projects in this book were designed with beginners in mind. They involve just enough cutting to give you a gentle push, providing the momentum you need to begin your own journey down the tiled path.

Like any respectable pilgrimage or expedition, when you begin this journey you must take an oath. You have to acknowledge that youre creative, or at least promise never to say that youre not creative (even if you claim to have only bought this book for the pictures).

Everyone is blessed with creativity, even if you havent discovered it yet. Mosaic tile and found object art is the best way to prove your nay-saying self wrong. Fear of artistic exposure can be intimidating. Just performing the process and putting it out there for all to see takes courage. But since there isnt one right way to do this, what have you got to lose?

The basic mosaic tile process I use

1. Find the base.
2. Choose a color palette and theme.
3. Gather materialstile, china, jewelry, buttons, game pieces, stained glass, other glass, marbles, gems, and stonesthat fit into your chosen palette.

   Mosaic Basics

   1. Dont like what youve glued? Remove it.
   2. Grout color wrong? Live with it.

   

4. Prepare the surface properly, to get the pieces to stick securelyits worth the extra effort!
5. Start moving the pieces around until you reach a design that youre happy with.
6. Cut materials to fit into the design youve decided on. If pieces dont lie flat, cut them smaller.
7. When youre happy with your design, start gluing your project with the appropriate adhesive. If its a larger project with many sides, glue the shards in sections, allowing drying time before moving on to the next area.

   

   

8. Let the glued surface dry a minimum of 24 hours.
9. Grab your grout, water and/or additive, and disposable gloves.
10. Grout.
11. Clean the grout from the piece.

    

    You can paint grout with acrylic paints if you wantafter its dry, of course. Painting grout can be very messy and tedious, but it is doable.

12. Let the grout dry.
13. Polish with a soft lint-free cloth.
14. Enjoy.
15. Admire.
16. Smile.

Pique Assiette

The term pique assiette was originally applied to the art of making mosaics with the pieces of broken plates. It is now often used for any kind of mosaic making.

Materials Y ou dont have to go very far to find cool materials and quirky found objects you can use in mosaics: old keys, jewelry, knick-knacks, medals, buttons, small toys, game pieces, old china, ceramic tile, and stained glass, just to name a few.

Tesseraen. pl. (tes-uh-ree) A standard mosaic tile term that describes all of the bits and pieces that are applied, with an adhesive, to a base or surface.

Vitreous glass tile is a very popular glass tile that comes in thousands of colors. The tiles have a flat top face and ridged back. Vitreous glass tiles are durable, stain resistant, and a good choice for projects that will brave the elements.