Archive for August, 2013

hold your temper : technique exploration

// August 30th, 2013 // 2 Comments » // Techniques

 

A friend who recently became interested in making her own mosaics has asked me how to achieve a specific effect in a mosaic, which I can’t adequately describe except by posting a pic with a similar effect. The main difference is that she wants something resembling gold leaf without actually using gold leaf, which is quite expensive. I am planning a lesson for RiCMG members about making faux gold leaf mosaic tiles.

Smashed coloured glass on clear glass tea light (votive) candle holder.

“Guardian Angel” mosaic tea light candle holder.

The technique I used on this mosaic, was discovered quite by accident when I attempted to cut a coloured glass dessert bowl which shattered into many small pieces, much like tempered glass does. I then randomly glued them onto a clear glass tea light candle holder using clear silicone adhesive. I found this technique was very time consuming, however.

 

 

 

 

possible alternatives may be:

  1. cover the glass with clear adhesive film before smashing it.
  2. pre-glued Indirect Method; gluing the glass to craft paper with water soluble PVA glue and then smashing the glass after the PVA glue has dried, then gluing the glass face down in it’s final position using a waterproof adhesive. When the adhesive has dried, the craft paper is dampened to remove it from the mosaic surface and then the mosaic can be grouted.

Comments or suggestions, anyone?