A mosaic is basically a decoration, or picture, made by pushing together small pieces of tile, colored glass, shaped stone, etc. You can even do mosaics out of pictures, as long as you create a bigger more elaborate picture in the process. Mosaics are the perfect addition to any wall, or tile floor.

To start, first think about where you want to place your mosaic. Usually, people like to do mosaics on their walls, or near a garden maybe, basically anywhere you can display artistically shaped pieces of tile, or broken mirror that you think will look nice. Second, imagine the end product for your mosaic. Say for instance you want one near your garden, made of reflective glass, or mirror, and you want it to be shaped like the sun. This is where you begin to have fun! Next, you will want to break down your material into the shapes that will fit into your end product. If you are doing a mosaic in the shape of the sun, you will want to try to form a circle for the middle portion of your mosaic, and try to have some jagged linear type pieces to place around the edges, to represent the sun’s rays. Last, but not least, adhere your pieces to the base. You can use different adhesives to secure your pieces to the base. Part of learning about mosaics is learning which adhesive to use. Your project may simply require a basic white glue, or it may require a cement based adhesive, tile mastic or a silicon based glue. When you start to study mosaic art, most how to guides and books will tell you the type of adhesive to use. Finally, many mosiac pieces are finished with grout. Grout, fills in the gaps and ties the pieces together. Grout can be any color, and the contrast or lack of contrast between the grout and the pieces can greatly change the look of your mosaic.

Making a mosaic is a labor of love. There is nothing more satisfying than that first glimpse of what all those little pieces of tile, stone, glass, or ceramic look like, when you finally take that soft cloth to wipe away the excess grout to reveal your mosaic work of art.