Mosaics are a great way outlet for your creativity, as the technique is fairly simple and you can start with easy designs and still get some effective results. You can choose any subject you like, a landscape, still life or even pet portraits. Most craft stores will sell the basic equipment needed to start you off, however, as you get used to the process you can introduce your own materials such as shells or small stones.
There are two main ways of applying mosaic pieces, the direct method or the indirect method. The direct method refers to the fact that you place pre-glued pieces in position onto the base, after all the pieces have been placed the gaps between the pieces are fill with grout.
The indirect method mean that the pieces are placed in position without being glued, a piece of paper coated with water-soluble paste is carefully laid onto the face of the mosaic without disturbing the pieces. When dry the whole lot is turned over to reveal the back of the mosaic. A wooden board coated with glue is place onto the back of the mosaic and allow to dry. When the glue has dried the paper can be moistened again and removed. The mosaic is then ready for grouting. The benefit of this method is that it allows you to move the pieces of mosaic around before it is finely glued.
As you get more experienced with the technique, the more complicated a design you can tackle, they make great ways to decorate a bathroom or kitchen and could even be an interesting way of making dog portraits! You never know, if you get a taste for you may even be able to make a business of it, selling at craft shows or taking private commissions on-line, the sky’s the limit!