Our mosaic courses are run by Colette and again follow a series of weekend workshops running 10am to 5pm each day. On this course Colette will be showing you how to mosaic in the direct method. You can choose your own design or theme when then can be drawn directly on to a selection of varied sizes of marine plywood or M.D.F.

Tiles are then chosen from a huge array of colours, then cut and shaped and adhered onto surface. Whether you want to make a mirror, table, wall mural, or mosaic on to a pot or lamp, the results are always so rewarding. For advanced mosaicists, the courses in indirect mothod and using smalti are available also.

Tools & Materials

Tesserae
These are the basic building blocks that form the mosaic. At the start of any mosaic project it is advisable to have planned and prepared sufficient tesserae to complete it. Listed below are the most common types, but to these may be added a host of other objects and materials, including semi-precious stones, shells, buttons, faux gems and pearls.

Smalti
These rectangular chunks of opaque glass - generally 10 x 15 x 7mm (3/8 x 1/2in x 1/4in) are hand-made in Italy, available in an enourmous range of colours, and offer an irregular, highly light-reflective surface. Sold be the half kilo, they are of a standard price regardless of their colour, although gold and silver (plain or ‘ripple’) are more expensive, having finely beaten precious metal sandwiched between a thick layer of coloured glass and a thinner veneer of plain glass. These may be used with either side uppermost, depending upon the effect desired; their standard size is 20 x 20 x 4mm (3/4 x 3/4 x 3/16in).

Vitreous Glass
These lozengers of opaque glass - 20 x 20 x 4mm (3/4 x 3/4 x 3/16in) are smooth on the front and slightly corrugated on the back to provide key. Their range of colours is not quite as wide as that of smalti, but they are strong, less expensive (though the price of different colours varies), highly weather resistant and very easy to cut with nippers. These tesserae may be bought loose in a mixed bag, in single colours, or stuck face down on pape, making them ideal for the indirect method of mosaic.

Marble
Although somehwhat difficult to cut, marble offers a fantastic natural range of colours and patterns. It may either be polished or left matt, in which case it should be sealed.

Stones And Pebbles
Hard stones are preferable, e.g. flints, quartz, granite and limestone. Stones and pebbles should be deeply embedded in a cement base.

Ceramic Tesserae
These range from plain white household tiles, which may be painted and fired, to small earthenware tiles and broken crockery. Whilst the variety is endless, and the material generally easy to cut, ceramic can be vulnerable to frost.

Millefiore is also a popular mosaic material, click here to read more about Millefiore.

Materials For Sale
We can supply mixed bags of vitreous glass, cinca ceramic, gold & silver leaf, cut smalti, coloured smalti, cut glass, cut stained glass in

• 1/4kg bags
• 1/2kg bags
• 3/4kg bags
• 1kg bags

Mosaic nippers are supplied and sold seperately.

Terrerae Cutting Tools
In addition to the primary tools below, most mosaicists will find it useful to have pliers, a glass cutter and a hammer.

• Nippers: (mosaic cutters or tile nippers). These are ideal for fashioning vitreous glass and ceramic into fairly precise shapes. The spring-loaded variety is less arduous for long-term use.
• Hammer and hardie: A traditional tool, comprising an anvil and a hammer, used primarily for cutting marble and smalti. Ideally, both parts should be tungsten-tipped for strength, and the hammer should be in proportion with the size of the hardie.

Supports And Bases
Most surfaces are receptive to mosaic if prepared correctly. Metal should be scored or coated to give it key and wood should be sealed. Medium density fibreboard (MDF) or plyboard of approximately 12.5mm (1/2in) thickness are popular as a support because of strength and durability.

Glues And Adhesives
The glues and adhesives used should be suitable both for the tesserae and base. PVA (polyvinyl acetate) adhesive is excellent for sticking glass and ceramics to wood; interior cement-based tile adhesive for ceramics to wood and synthetics; water resistant cement tile adhesive for ceramics to metal or concrete for exterior siting; silicone sealant for ceramics to glass; epoxy resin for glass to metal; marble mastic for marble to most surfaces; and gum arabic and wallpaper paste for the temporary bonding of tesserare to paper.

Cement And Grout
Cement may be used as a medium for affixing tesserae to a base or may constitute the base itself. It is made of one of various types of crushed stone which, when combined with water and sand, form a substantial, cheap and strong support. It may be applied to walls, set as slabs, and is suitable for siting outdoors so long as it is allowed to dry out slowly in frost-free conditions (cement additives, such as waterproofer and frost protective, can increase its resiliance).