Mosaic: Heliconia

As I write this post I feel a little anxious. Anxious because I have allowed myself to say I will run a Mosaic workshop. There are so many talented people out there, and to be honest with you, I feel like I am in no position to run a workshop. That said though, I have learned a few tips and tricks in order to slap a few broken tiles together to make something others willingly call "ART." They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Well, I have had people admire my work and have asked me to make them some, so I guess I could say I have some artistic ability. My thanks goes to the ladies who attended. It was lovley to chat freely while, "slapping down a few tiles."

I have written down the steps that I follow. I provide no guarantee for your piece of work, but what I have written has worked for me in the past. I started my first piece nearly eight years ago. It is still on the wall and looks brand new (touch wood).

First of all, you need to acknowledge what you want to create, where it is going to be housed and what design elements you which it to contain. to date, I have placed mosaic designs on pots and blue board panels. I believe that you need to take your time to ensure you have everything you need. I would encourage you to research before you begin. This should ensure that you have the right adhesive agent for the materials you will wish to use and the correct grout for the elements the piece will be exposed to.

Setting up the board and the border.

• Once I have identified my design or have found a picture. I sourced it I draw it up. For this project I am going to produce a large mosaic of a picture of a flowering heliconia. It is 2.4m x 1.2m. It shall be hung portrait style on our pool fence.
• I have purchased blue board to stick my mosaic tiles to. I like using blue board as I know it is waterproof (it is used as the backing in bathrooms and showers/wet areas). It is ideal for outside as it will not rot. I have cut it to size before, but I simply try not to do this unless I have a specific sized piece to do. I usually adapt my design to fir the board.
• I draw/trace my design on to an overhead projector transparency. I lean the board up against the house and, using the overhead projector, draw my design onto the board. If I can be bothered I will use different coloured marking pens to assist in making it easier to see different parts of the design.

Make sure you have got enough space to work. It is best you set up where you have access to all sides of the board. Our family room have become my studio. In the centre of the room I set up to carpenter horses. On top of these I place two lengths to timber to ensure the blue board does not sag once it has been placed on top of the horses.

Starting to place tiles

• If I am making a panel, like I am this time, I like to give the piece a frame. I find black is a lovely way to make the work stand out. I simply use my hands, one tile and a texta pen and run a line around the entire edge of the board.
• I usually start my piece by sticking the tiled border in place. This ensures that there is a nice blend between design and border, you can mosaic up to the border without having to guess where it fits.
• Take care to ensure your edge is straight and that no part of the border tiles hang over the board. If they do hang over, there is a chance that they may fall off during transit as they can be pulled off when resting or knocked on the ground etc.
• I find it a lot easier to do the border and then leave it to dry. On the few occasions I have decided to work through with a wet border, I have knocked the edge and have had to recorrect the alignment of the tiles. I know leave it well alone.

Now that the board and border has been set up, it is time to commence work.

• I tend to start towards the middle of the board and work my way around. I select one colour and place as much of this colour down as I can. In this case I had already smashed up a heap of yellow tiles. I have gloss and matt tiles of two different shades of yellow.
• In order to smash a tile without the glaze cracking I place the tile face down on a thick newspaper. A towel is also as effective. I simply drop the hammer with some force onto the tile. The minute I hit the tile I retract it back into the air. I describe it to the kids like a snake bite. Quick, fast, and then get out of there. If you force the hammer too far into the tile you crush it. I simply ensure all pieces are face down and continue this procedure until I have the size I required. Make sure you wear safety glasses as the fragments tend to scatter and fly. I smash my tile inside an A3 photocopy paper box lid. This tends to collect most of the tiles and debris.
• Sweep up after you have smashed any tiles as the shards are sharp and can induce a decent wound.
• Select the part of your design you wish to commence working with. Like a jigsaw, place your pieces to form nice line around the edge of your work. Stick these into place with tile adhesive.
• I mix my tile adhesive in to old takeaway containers with a plastic knife. Mix it until it form the texture of peanut butter. On the back of each tile place enough adhesive to stick it into place. Press it down slightly, clean up the excess and continue. Follow this procedure until all tiles have been placed down.
• Make sure you press the tile down as you cement them in to place. Do not push them too hard or else you will squeeze all of the cement out from underneath the tile. Tidy up the edges and do not let the cement fill the gap between the tiles completely. Some excess is good as it means you do not have to use as much grout later on. I keep a most rag handy and use this to wipe my fingers after each time I use them to clean up any excess cement.
• Once you have completed one part of the design, gradually work your way around your design. There are two ways to complete a mosaic. You can either work top to bottom or side to side, or you can complete certain parts of the design. I prefer to select a part of the design to work on and then complete one colour at a time within that part.

• When you have completed your design it is time to grout. I always buy grout to suit the location of my piece. If I am placing it outside I ask for non staining pool grout. Grouting can be messy and without thought can be hazardous to your fingers. Some people will use a tiler’s plastic scraper to push the grout into place. I prefer to use the palm of my hand and my fingers. I usually end u with a few minor cuts, but this way I can guarantee not to dislodge any tiles in the process of grouting. I am not recommending this to you, but in true form, you will find your own way to make this process work for you. Strictly follow the instructions on the grout packet as this will ensure it is not too runny or too thick.
• Once I have made up my grout I push it around your board filling all gaps. I tend to start at one end of the board and work my way down. I use a soft damp cloth to wipe away the excess as I go. I then to use many rags as I go as they become very dirty. If your cloth is too dirty you will find it drags through the grout and does no make for a smooth finish.
• Sometime I wipe down the board three or four times before it starts to look clean.
• Once I am happy that the board is relatively clean I let it rest until the grout has dried completely. During this time I may touch up certain areas, particularly if I find excess cement on a tile etc. If you are certain the grout has dried it is time to polish the piece with a soft cloth.

I shall post pictures of the grouting procedure when I get to it.