Steps to making a Mosaic

1. Design your project.
2. Break or cut tile pieces or buy ready made mosaics pieces (stone, clay, glass, shells, etc.).
3. Use mastic (the adhesive) and butter each piece one at a time and place on project. Try to keep the spaces between the tiles small (1/8”).
4. Let dry for 24 hours after you’ve put on last piece.
5. Mix grout.
6. Apply grout and clean with tile sponge.
7. Let dry and admire your greatness!

Why do Mosaics?

One great reason is this: If you’re O.C.D., it can keep you busy for hours! I have no doubt that the idea of making a mosaic was born of a true O.C.D.’er! I mean come on—what normal person would spend so much time designing and placing tiny bitty pieces of what ever on what ever and then cement it all together.

It can be extremely detailed and precise or very random, but however its done, it’s definitely a fun project that even kids can do. Of course artists like me (wait…that’s OCD Artist – is there any other kind?), can spend months on a major mosaic project.

So get off your lazy butt, put the remote down, and get your creativity flowing!

The OCE Method!

Basically you’ll NOT want to buy pieces of stuff, you’ll want to mix your own clay from scratch, make your own tiles from that clay, make your own glazes from scratch, glaze your tiles, fire them in the kiln, then finally break and cut your pieces, start your  mosaic (but only after you’ve spent hours drawing your design), make sure every piece is exactly where you want it, then you can grout and wipe and….

That is the first OCD way to mosaic. The second is to get a base, find what ever you think will look cool to mosaic with and just go for it! You don’t know what you’ll get, but it will be awesome!

Needed items:

1. Base for your project. Cement, glass, wood, etc. You can mosaic just about anything! Be creative….mosaic an old glass or cement table!
2. Tile pieces. Buy tile and break it with a hammer (covered with a cloth of course) or buy tile bits or glass or stone or rocks or marbles or bottle caps…really the list is endless.
3. Tile Nippers and cutters. If you want exact or straight cuts.
4. Mastic. Purchase at a hardware store in the tile section. It’s premixed so you can use it with no mixing.
5. Grout. Buy this dry and mix with water. See my tile guide for more info.
6. Spatula. To butter your tile pieces.
7. Grout float. To spread your grout. If you piece is small, you can use a spatula or even your gloved hand.
8. Grout/Tile Sponge. Found in the tile section of your hard ware store.