Brief History of Mosaic Art

History of Mosaics dates back to thousands of years ago when artisans began using small pieces of stone, shells, and glass to make decorative panels that would cover various architectural surfaces. The first emergence of mosaics was recorded in Mesopotamia in the third millennia BC as pattern designs on walls and floors. However, mosaics of the ancient era gained their peak development in Greece and, afterwards, in Rome. Artists started producing detailed artworks with small tesserae depicting myths, daily scenes and geometric motifs used in private and public buildings of that period. Famous mosaic examples are found in such cities as Pompeii and Ravenna. The next period that saw a significant advancement in mosaics was the Byzantine era when they were widely applied in church architecture as decoration elements. Mosaics of the epoch were marked by golden backgrounds and stylized images. An example of Byzantine mosaics is provided by works made in Hagia Sophia. After that, mosaics lost their significance for Western Europe and flourished in Eastern cultures including Islamic Art. Nevertheless, the interest in the art returned in the nineteenth-twentieth centuries along with the rise of decorative arts movement.

What do I need to make a mosaic project?

Mosaics are the least supply intensive of the glass arts that we offer and provide supplies for. Theoretically, all you need is glass, glue, and something to glue to. You do not need to, but it is recommended for the longevity of your piece to use grout. Theoretically, you could narrow the variety of mosaics down to two, glass on glass mosaics and glass on something else mosaics. 

Equipment

• Glass Cutter
• When picking a glass cutter, you should pick the cutter that is the most comfortable to use for you. While there are differences between the differing models, your comfort is the most important for a solid cut

• • Running Pliers
    • Running pliers are designed in such a way that pressure is applied evenly to both sides of your score line. Many are designed with a sight on the top side of the pliers to line up with your score line. Please remember to orient them properly, with the concave side on top of the glass; the side that was scored

  

• Mosaic Nippers and Tile Cutters
  • These are hand tools meant specifically for cutting and shaping smaller pieces of glass than a regular glass cutter can handle

Supplies

Glass on Glass Mosaics

• This is a form of mosaics that will still allow for light to passthrough, making it perfect for suncatchers or other window hangers. It is most common to utilize cathedral or transparent glass for these projects, as using opaque glass will not let the sunshine through
• When creating a glass on glass mosaic, it will take a little longer for the glue to dry than if your substrate was not glass, as it allows for easier access of air to dry the adhesive. Should you grout your piece before the glue is dried, then the glue will never 100% dry, and it will be visible through your piece

Other types of Mosaic

• Generally speaking, if your project is not on another piece of glass, you are free and clear to use whatever type of glass you so choose. Keeping in mind that transparent glass may show your adhesive depending on the type of glue that you have used
• You can use wood, metal, styrofoam, the world is yours when it comes to choosing a substrate for your mosaic

Frequently asked questions

Can I leave my mosaic outside? Will anything happen to it?

You absolutely can! Grout is extremely similar to cement, so it will wear away, only after a long time, though! 

Is there colored grout?

While we only carry some staple colors of grout, while, black, silver, and terra cotta, a trick for you is to mix in acrylic paint, and your grout will remain that color overtime

Do I need to grout my mosaic?

You do not have to at all! Theoretically you could cut and shape your pieces so tight that you wouldn't be able to grout it even if you wanted to.

How long will it take for my glue to dry?

That depends on your glue and your substrate. Most surfaces will match the recommended cure time on your glue bottle, however surfaces that are smooth like glass may need an extra 24-72 hours to totally ensure a dry

Does my substrate have to be flat?

NO! You could mosaic a garden gnome if you so chose!

Can I use precut glass shapes in my mosaic?

Certainly! Many people will do their house numbers.

Do I need to use glass in my mosaic?

Absolutely not! You can use anything you want in your mosaic, as long as you can glue and grout it!