Archive for March, 2009

mosaic tiles

4 Ways To Create Mosaic Tile Art

  I would definitely suggest that you use the majority of your pieces that are created specifically for mosaic art – when you begin doing your own mosaics. This way you can learn about the actual design and the application, starting from the beginning using different materials that are provided.

But, there will come a time in your mosaic art, when mosaic tiles and glass beads from a manufacturer aren’t exactly what you need to complete your latest masterpiece. So, I’m going to share with you 4 ways that you can create your own ‘custom-made’ mosaic tiles and pieces for your artwork.

– Do you like smashing plates? – Hey, maybe you need a piece of ceramic or porcelain, or you might run into a beautiful pattern on the stoneware or ceramic that is going to put the crowning touch on your mosaic? If you do see something that catches your eye – why not smash it up and create the ‘new’ mosaic tiles that you want. Make sure you wear your safety goggles!

– Colored bottles – Sometimes you can find the color or texture that is going to make your picture complete if you find an old pop bottle or a textured piece of colored glass from a bottle. Once again, you can take out your frustrations and create a new mosaic tile by crushing the glass to create the pieces you need. Eye protection is important!

– Beautiful stones, but big rocks – You might be out for a hike and find a nice piece of rock that has the color, the texture and the character for the mosaic you are working on right now. If you can transport the rock back home, just take your hammer and chisel and you can probably chip off a few new mosaic pieces for the finishing touch on your art.

– Lose your marbles – Sometimes something as simple as a marble can make a great piece. Marbles often have interesting color patterns in them, and if you are careful when cutting them, you can often get the colors to work in your mosaic very well.

New and interesting pieces for your mosaic are probably just lying around your house, or even your yard. Just like your mosaic art, the limit to what material you can use to create a beautiful mosaic is only limited to your imagination and your vision of what each piece can create.

By: Mark Piscopo

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Mark Piscopo is with Wholesalers USA – a retail company which specializes in wholesale priced crafting and mosaic supplies. Wholesalers USA can be reached at www.wholesalersusainc.com

 xx

how to break mosaic tiles


Incredible Art

Articles about art, economics, equality, fashion, feminism, gay rights, gothic culture, history, languages, oil, politics, sexuality, sexism, racism, & religion. The Art History Archive An educational archive of historical and modern … mosaic art by smartlight new site mosaic in gaudi style, made with rounded tiles. olga levitas – landscape, still life oil paintings new site original artist oil paintings featuring landscape, floral, still life images.


Make Mosaic Tile Art Using Broken Plates

Pique Assiette, otherwise known as "broken plate style", is a form of art where broken plates are used to create mosaic art. Any pattern or color can be used to create wonderful works of art, each one of them unique. 

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Glass Mosaic Tiles for Your Swimming Pool

Swimming Pool Tile Design with Glass Mosaic

Incorporating glass mosaic pool tile into modern swimming pool design.

Swimming Pool Tile Design with Glass Mosaic

Incorporating glass mosaics design into your swimming pool can be just the thing to make your pool come to life, it will keep your pool from being ordinary and suffering from the ho hum’s.

Colored cementacious finish coatings are pretty typical today. After some years they start to wear and fade. With solid colored glass tile you will never have to have your pool walls recoated again.This can save quite a bit of money in the long run.

swimming ool mosaic tile art from agapetile.com Glass tile is forever, it will never change its look or loose it’s vibrant color due to the wear of chlorine and sun. Maintenance is a snap as the glass tile is non-pourus and cannot be penetrated by staining from unwanted objects that can wind up in the pool such as leaves.

There are so many colors, sizes and styles available it is sometimes difficult to choose.
Some have a reflective quality. They are manufactured using a mirror backing with a transparent colored glass overlay. While some glass mosaics are opaque and others semitransparent. They all have unique qualities that work for many different looks and effects.

There are even photo luminescent tiles that absorb ambient light during the day and then at night they give off that stored up light. Glass mosaics are fantastic for your waterline as opposed to the everyday tiles offered from most pool companies. Some pool tile suppliers have special software that allows you to design your own blend or design of pool tile mosaics.

One feature that colorful mosaics are great for in modern swimming pool design is the vanishing edge. This is usually one side of the pool that has no coping; instead the top of the swimming pool wall is flat and lower than the surrounding coping. The water flows over the top of the wall and down into a reservoir and is recirculated back into the pool, it looks as though the water just vanishes over the edge.

The beach is a really cool feature; there is no step down into the pool. It is just like walking out of the ocean or a pond. The pool bottom is constructed so that it gradually tapers up to the level of the pool deck
.
This can be wonderful for children and older folks. For wheel chair bound swimmers, the beach can be used as a ramp for the wheel chair as there is no step to contend with.

Sometimes the entire pool is clad with the glass mosaic and the glass color gradates from a blue or green into a gradation of dark to light beige as it meets the pool deck

My favorite pool enhancement is a swim up island bar. You can sit around it sipping your favorite beverage and chat with your friends and family while being submerged in the refreshing cool water.

The colorful mosaics also can help to avoid accidents from people jumping into the pool and hitting a step or swim out that cannot be seen because the step or swim out is the same color as the rest of the pool interior. This can be a spine-jarring hazard if you jump in and don’t see the underwater object lurking below. The answer for this is to have your pool contractor install a row or two of the brightly colored tile along the outer edge and in the center of the underwater hazard.

So when you are considering the different options in front of you when you are installing a new pool or remodeling your existing pool, remember the many benefits that glass mosaic tile can provide..

pool tile
Unique glass mosaic pool tile, create your own special design with our free software.

The photos above depict the work of an amzing company, Agape Tile. you can find them at www.agapetile.com

By Anthony Ventura
Published: 1/2/2008

Enjoy the video below of a fabulous Australian pool fabricator. They make the swimming pool entirely out of mosaic tiles!

Bizassa swimming pool video


Swimming Pool Mosaics

With Swimming Pool Mosaics remodeling you can easily redecorate your home by using the same techniques and style used by the Greeks and the Romans. 


Custom Tile Pool Mosaics

When choosing a particular item or design, try to visualize if the piece will look better on the walls for a side view or if the mosaic appear better on the floor of the pool.


Designing a Swimming Pool With Glass Mosaic Tile

Incorporating glass mosaics design into your swimming pool can be just the thing to make your pool come to life, it will keep your pool from being ordinary.


New Mosaic Wall at Kent College Pembury

PUPILS from Kent College Pembury helped a professional artist design and create a mosaic for the wall of the school’s swimming pool. 

Swimming Pool Mosaic Trout

I just finished up seven mosaic trout for the swimming pool at the LimeLight Lodge in Aspen, Colorado. They came out great.


Pool Mosaics

Some pool mosaic companies also have reflective types of pool mosaics that reflect the sunlight along the border of the swimming pool, enhancing the effect of the pool mosaic

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Mosaic Table Ideas

  mosaic tables

Liven Up Your Patio With Mosaic Tables

 Mosaic tables can be really great for brightening up and making a house feel like a home. If you are interested in art then these kinds of tables are definitely for you as they show off your artistic taste and also help to bring a touch of sophistication the home too.

Why Mosaic Tables Can Be For You

A mosaic table is mainly made from various tiles which have been glued together. Mosaics generally give a personal outlook into what a person is truly like and within your home they can really help to show visitors your unique style.

The mosaic art on the actual table top is transferred onto a wrought iron or a wooden base in order to finish off the look and it all depends upon your own personal taste as to which material you choose for your home. Wooden bases tend to give a slightly more modern look whereas wrought iron gives a touch of class and sophistication along with a contemporary feel to it. So, decide upon which theme you would prefer in your home and that will help you to choose a material to suit you.

It is entirely possible to create a mosaic table yourself, though it may take some time if you really have no idea what you are doing. The materials can easily be bought at you local hardware store or online if it would be easier. Online there is usually a bigger range to choose from so it is often better to shop there. Of course, if you do not want to make your own mosaic table you certainly do not have to. You can also buy them pre-made. The reason people do attempt to make their own is because it does add that little bit more of a personal touch.

A mosaic is personal to the artist who created it. It is a mixture of art which that particular artist likes. So, by making your own table you will be adding a truly unique piece of furniture into the home. You will need various supplies from your local hardware store such as a mold, self adhesive paper and quick drying cement. It can be quite complicated making your own designs so if you are not confident about it, it would be better to simply buy a pre-made one. You could always see it as a hobby and create the table in your spare time. That way when it is finished you will feel a sense of achievement.

Overall a mosaic table can add a touch of elegance to the home and it will show your visitors your taste in the arts. They are certainly growing in popularity as more and more people are attempting to make their own and with so many different materials available, it is easy to create one which suits your own personal taste.

By: A.Caxton -

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Andrew Caxton loves writing for www.home-decorating-reviews.com . You can find more information and resources on mosaic tables at his website.

mosaic project ideas


Amazing Pebble Mosaics 

Most important being what you choose for your picture and how you design it. You can try and create an abstract sort of picture. 


Build a Mosaic Mural

I laid it out in my mom’s studio and started to sketch out my rough design. I’m choosing to do the work on a flat surface, because we’re going to screw the panels to the wall.


Mosaic Art at the Pittsburgh Glass Center Neighborhood Project 

Gorgeous mosaic from the Mosaic Art Source Blog. This image is one of many describing the Pittsburgh Glass Center Neighborhood Mosaic Project with mosaic artist Daviea Dav


Mosaic Art by Lee Ann Petropoulos

I just ran across Kraken Mosaics’ Day of the Dead Groom and feel inspired to bring some of the dark side into my next piece. 


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The Idea of Andamento in Mosaic Art

  buy a mosaic

Great article by Bill  Enslen

Andamento (Italian for ‘flow’) is the visual movement of your mosaic created by placing tesserae in specific patterns to achieve the desired image (a.k.a. ‘coursing’ your tesserae).

Opus (Latin for ‘work of art or literary work’) is any work in any creative field, such as literature, architecture, music, and fine art. In our world of mosaic art, opus refers to how we arrange our tesserae. Different opera (the plural of opus) result in different flows. Understanding the various opera allows you to properly plan your work to ensure you achieve the desired look.

The following opera terms are based on Latin. Few people I know, including me, remember two minutes after reading about them what each term means. It doesn’t matter what you call each style. For example, instead of saying ‘Opus Regulatum,’ you can call it ’squares aligned like a brick wall.’ The point is to be aware of the types of opera, then plan which types give the results you want, and then create your masterpiece accordingly.

This articles merely describes the basic andamento types; whereas, the eBook provides visual examples. Don’t get hung up on the names; simply be aware of the various styles and how your eyes react to each. Plan your work to give the desired flow and effect. I won’t try to describe in art-speak the effect that the eyes see in each opus because your eyes may interpret something completely different than mine. Besides, I never understand so called connoisseurs when they use words like energy, strong, sharp, dynamic movement, and dynamic power to describe a particular opus. I remember a pretentious guy who once told me, ‘Your lines are crisp and intense, and give the piece a provocative personality.’ I confidently responded, ‘That’s exactly what I was going for,’ although I had no idea what he was talking about. I felt I had to acknowledge what sounded like a compliment by pretending to understand his art-speak.

Surf the Internet for mosaic artists, study their work, and note the flow of their tesserae. Pay attention to how each type of flow makes you feel. Associate the flows with the feelings they stimulate in you. Then, plan your own work using the flows for the feelings you hope to evoke in others. Try mixing several types of opera into your work. For example, try using Opus Regulatum for the border, Opus Palladianum for the background, and Opus Sectile for the focal point.

Opus Tesselatum is a square or rectangle pattern with grout lines aligned, such as a checkerboard.

Opus Regulatum is also a square or rectangle pattern but with grout lines staggered like a brick wall. I sometimes use a variation of this opus as a background by enhancing the effect using light tesserae in the center and gradually darkening the tone to the border.

You’ll find inconsistencies with the definitions of tesselatum and regulatum in that some believe they’re reversed. Those who believe as I do have sound justification. For example, the Latin ‘tessella’ means ’small square piece of stone.’ The Latin ‘tessellatim’ means ‘in a checkered or tessellated form.’ The modern ‘tessellate’ means ‘arrange in a checkered pattern.’ Therefore, I’m comfortable being in the group that defines the two terms as noted above. However, there’s another discrepancy, which is with the spelling of ‘tesselatum.’ Does it have one ‘l’ or two? I use one "l" to stay consistent with the other ‘…latum’ opera described below. Again, it doesn’t matter what you call them or how you spell them as long as you understand that the two styles exist and they each can arouse different feelings when used in mosaics.

Opus Reticulatum is similar to opus regulatum or tesselatum but with slanted lines.

Opus Sectile is either a piece of tessera cut to one specific shape or several tesserae of varying sizes cut to shapes that fit together like puzzle pieces.

Opus Vermiculatum is typically a single row of tesserae following the outline of a focal point or main feature of the mosaic. Some artists use several rows to create the halo effect and add emphasis to the focal point. The background is usually done with a contrasting opus, such as opus regulatum. ‘Vermis’ is Latin for worm, so think of opus vermiculatum as a worm surrounding your focal point.

Opus Musivum is opus vermiculatum extended out to fill the background, either all the way to the borders or to secondary focal points.

Opus Classicum combines opus vermiculatum with opus regulatum or opus tesselatum.

Opus Palladianum uses similar shapes laid in an irregular pattern. In my opinion, triangle like shapes with relatively equal grout spacing works best for this opus.

Opus Circumtactum uses interlocking fan like patterns for the background.

Remember, the eBook gives visual examples of each type of andamento described above, making it so much easier to understand its associated flow.

Making mosaic art is easy. You can do it. Yes, you can! Let me show you how.

By: Bill Enslen

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Bill Enslen has created lovely mosaic art for 30 years. His new eBook, Mosaic Pieces: Essentials for Beginner and Professional Mosaic Artists, gives you step-by-step details for creating your own mosaic masterpieces. Visit his website and read the free sample chapters at Glass Mosaic Tile Art. Let him show you just how easy it is. With Bill’s help, you can do it. Yes, you can!

 

Energize Your Kitchen With A Mosaic Kitchen Backsplash

If you decide to make your own mosaic kitchen backsplash, you are able to start anywhere and either finish with a design or a mix-and-match grouping of tiles .


Wood Planters Make Perfect Mosaic Projects

You can get more creative by adding a stenciled pattern to the wood or even glass mosaic tiles for a wonderful effect. 


Use Mosaic Supplies To Make Mosaic Tables 

The kits available do actually have everything that you will need to make the mosaic designs. They generally include tile grout, glue and cutting tools.


 Make a Mini Mosaic 

To create a non-slip surface beside the tub, we employed more of our mini mosaic tile. 


  Mosaic Tile Sakura Vintage Labels Plate Tesserae

All are 1/2", 1" to 1.5" pieces. most are cut to lay flat, some are curved. Great classic ad patterns, dogs, apples, plums and peppers. Great designs! 


Build a Giant Mosaic Mural

I created my design in photoshop, and then used the ’stained glass’ feature to get the look of mosaic tiles broken up. 


Cork Mosaic Tiles

  Cork is one of the most eco-friendly materials around but it usually comes in large tiles that can be awkward to install.


Ceramic Tile Patterns

High-sheen tiles will quickly show dull footprints from people and pets. Choose a large, light-colored tile, if you want a room to look larger. 

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Wall Tiles: DIY or Hire an Expert Installer

 

Wall Tiles

 One of the most common wall tiles is ceramic. Ceramic tiles have been made by man over 4,000 years ago. They have been found in the pyramids, the ruins of Babylon, and ancient Greek cities. They displayed beautiful sculptures of that period of time.
Ceramic tile is made from a mixture of clays that are fired on high temperatures and then are generally glazed. They are used to add beautiful accents to your walls and your surroundings.

Wall tiles are more durable than any other wall covering. They are easy to clean, stain resistant to most acids, not effected by oxygen and easy to maintain. You can put wall tiles in any room that you need easily maintainable surfaces. They help create a sense of freshness and tranquility.

They are available in a wide range of design, color, materials and patterns. Some of the materials are ceramic, porcelain, limestone, metal, slate, marble, granite, cork and glass. There are many sizes, shapes and decorative techniques that are used for you’re choosing.

Before purchasing the tiles you must measure and make certain you buy enough for your surface. Proper preparation makes it easy to install yourself. There are many professionals that can install the wall tiles if the "do it yourself " does not work for you.

You must make sure you have everything at hand before you start the project. This job does require special tools. For instance you will need a saw, tile cutters, nippers, trowels, spreaders, rubber float, and a leveling board. Professionals also apply tiles to walls using a thick bed of mortar.

Since your wall tiles won’t be walked on you can use ceramic or rustic stone. There is also available recycled glass which comes in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. This is for the environmentally minded individual. Also in this same category you can purchase metal tiles in panels which is lighter. This material can also be hand painted or antiqued to match your decor, but please keep in mind that metal can be harder to install.

Anywhere you would like beautiful art on walls you can put up tile murals. They are especially attractive as a back splash in your kitchen above your counter or stove top. It can make any room in your home unique, special, and very comfortable.

Decorative techniques are used on tiles. Some examples are unglazed which the color can range from light sand to brick red. There are also plain glazes such as flint, white lead, china stone and china clay. These are all ground to make the glazes. They add ground metal oxides to form different colors. Last but not least there are mosaic tiles. These come in a variety of color choices. Yellow, blue, brown, black, turquoise, green and white are the many colors they come in. They are carved and cut into small pieces and placed close together into a prepared pattern. They are plastered and hardened into one large single piece.

Some other techniques are hand painted, carved, tube lining, modeled, and transfer printing.

Porcelain tile is very popular material used in today’s homes. It is a newer form of ceramic tile. It is composed of fine porcelain clay that is fired at higher temperatures than ceramic. It is denser, less porous, and prone to take in less moisture and more stain resistant. .The downside is that it is harder to cut than ceramic. Porcelain is suitable for the indoors as well as outdoors.

Marble is more high maintenance and very porous. It needs to be resealed every 1 to 2 years depending on where it is used. For instance in a shower area where there is heat and steam.

Granite wall tiles are stunning and dramatic but very heavy. These can be hard to install because gravity takes over. They must be securely attached but once hung correctly they are very durable.

Cork is another durable and stable material. It is a pure material and it improves indoor air quality. It is elegant and sophisticated and brings warmth to your living quarters.

They take the visual essence of natural light and infused it with a multitude of colors using glass tiles. This method can add pizzazz and charm to your decor.

There is a vast difference in price range for the many different materials that are used in making wall tiles. You can find ceramic tiles priced between $1.00 and $5.00 per square foot. Depending on your style and budget glass tiles can be as high as $25.00 to $50.00 per square foot.

No matter what choice you finally make, wall tiles all produce the same effect. They inject color, interest and excitement to your life and home.

Author Bio: Barbara Tobiasz resides with her husband (Joe Tobiasz, Owner/Webmaster: Wall Decor Concepts) in the Chicago area, studied at the Art Institute and taught for the Chicago Public Schools. She has volunteered her services for many organizations with her creative expressions in the interior design field. Her hobbies include reading, taking long walks with her dog and working her magic turning ordinary rooms into creative works of art.

   By Barbara Tobiasz
Published: 7/18/2008

Travertine tiles are used to cover a patio area below:

travertine wall tiles


Travertine Wall Tiles

We already have Brazilian slate tile floor – laid in a utility area’s. Like the idea of stone / looking at travertine ……… 1/ is it a good choice of a stone for shower / etc – or should we perhaps think about marble ?.


  Slate Floor Tiles: Durability with style

Slate tiles are available in various colors as well, such as, black, grey, bluish white, coral red, matted black, brown and many others. Thus these can successfully complement the furnishings and wall colors in a room. 


Learning How to Lay tile

Laying Tile The key to a good tile project is a good foundation. Whether you are tiling a wall or floor, the foundation must be plumb or level and the surface must be flat. Once the old covering has been removed lay a product like Hardi- Backer, … Continue in this fashion until the tiles are all in place. Allow the mastic to dry for 24-hours before grouting. 


The Use of Marble Or Ceramic Tiles When Remodeling

More and more people are giving walls their due attention when it comes to remodeling because transforming a wall is the easiet fef way to transform a home. 


Glass, Marble Tiles & Ceramic Tiles

New bathroom wall tiles or kitchen wall tiles can be used to give even the dullest rooms in your home a brand new look. There are a wide range of different tile materials available, each of which can be used to get different effects.

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Wall Tiles of All Materials and Colors

  patina wall tiles

Wall Tile For Elegance and Beauty

I don’t know about you, but I thought that I have been there, done that and got the t-shirt when it comes to wall tile. I never imagined that I would ever experience the awesome feeling of seeing something new and breathtaking in the world of wall tile. Was I living in a cave wearing blinders in the dark? Was I transported to another planet where wall tile was nonexistent? Was I stranded on an island in the middle of the South Pacific?

No, I was living in the Chicago area and the thought came to me that I should take a look to see what has happened to wall tile in the 21st century. What a splendid idea! So I did…

As I began to explore all the possibilities I began to realize that wall tile has become an amazing decorating art form that has truly evolved over the past few years. As I researched the forms of wall tile available today, each step of my search brought me into new and exciting materials, styles, colors, shapes and textures that are sure to please even the most scrupulous of individuals.

At first, I came across wall tiles that are familiar to even the most novice wall tile seeker. These wall tiles were those made of ceramic, glass, limestone, marble/granite, porcelain, slate, travertine and mosaic.

The ceramic wall tile I first came across came only in earth tone shades. The glass wall tile had more to choose from. Different shapes of glass in each tile, multi-colored tiles and an array of surface textures.

When I looked at glass tile I found that you are able to get glass tile in every color under the rainbow. The options for glass tile textures are open to exactly what you are looking for. The variety of styles is one of the largest of the tile family.

The limestone wall tile was mostly of earth tone, but offered a multitude of design patterns and borders. This made it possible to mix and match designs to create works of wall tiles art on your surrounding walls.

The marble/granite wall tile was presented mostly in shades of off-white and beige, but dark brown marble and an aqua blue granite tile are also offered. It was nothing new. This type of wall tile has been around a long time.

The porcelain wall tile came mostly in medium to dark shades of tans and browns. With the exception of Flagstone (a mosaic porcelain style) and Cognac (with a design pattern), most of your porcelain wall tile is solid color.

The slate tile in general has a mixture of earth tone colors creatively combined into each tile. With grays, tans, browns and reddish browns mixed into the display depending on what particular color combination you are looking for.

With Travertine wall tiles, you have a diverse selection of colors to choose from. From earth tones of brown and beige, from rustic walnut to golden volcano, from Egyptian Gold to Tuscany Blend, these tiles have a natural beauty that has descended through the ages.

I’m sure you are familiar with mosaic tiles. Each tile consists of small tile or stone pieces placed in some sort of geometric pattern. There are a variety of pastel colors to choose from. You can also choose from tile pieces or stone pieces with a flat or polished finish.

Now let’s get to what I call the interesting wall tiles. These are wall tiles that you have to see in order to get the full impact of their unique elegance. So let’s get started.

I will now take a look at what is offered in hand crafted wall tile. First I will describe the hand crafted tiles available in an array of colors such as Mojave, Dijon, Vermouth, Espresso, Savannah, Breakwater and several other artful shades.

This is the Ashbury collection. As for the textured surfaces of these tiles, they are presented in Anchor Bay, Du Bois, Ghiradelli, Montreaux, Presidio, Soledad and several other elegant textured designs. You have to see for yourself how beautiful these truly are.

Next, we will take a look at the Classic Shapes Collection. Here we have classic shades of beige tones with elegant shapes called Mini Acanthus, Acanthus, Dot and Dash, Acropolis, Crown and Stop Corner, Peter’s Lattice and Sonia’s Flower. To see the articulate detail of these pieces, you have to examine them online.

The Artisan-Heritage Collection consists of Country Hen, The Rooster and Plentiful Platter. The title of each of these pieces does describe what is present on the tile, but does not express the detail these beautiful tiles will bring to your kitchen decor. You truly have to see these exquisite pieces for yourself to feel the charm and warmth that radiates from each piece.

Before I move on to Modern Wall Tile, I would like to delve into the Olde California Collection. This collection consists of multi-colored designs fired into these tiles making them a desirable addition to any room in which they are displayed. With titles such as Adobe, Patio, Plaza, Benecia, Clara, Diego, Mojave, San Gabriel, San Luis Rey and Vallejo, you just have to see the rich Spanish heritage devoted to these extraordinary works of tile art.

Other collections in the handcrafted tile category are the First Choice Collection, the Casual Elements Series, the Confetti Collection, the Campagna Collection and the Heritage Pecos. Take a few minutes and explore these and all the others I mentioned. You will discover how you can create an enchanted atmosphere in the comfort of your own home.

Now it is time to take a look at modern wall tile. This version of tile is creating a new frontier that will pave the way to future generations of artfully expressive fashion.

I will start with tile categories. Here you will find modern wall tiles in topics such as Glass Tile, Tile Blends, Ceramic/Porcelain Tile, Cork tile, Pebble Tile, Steel Tile, Brio, Lush, Mod Dots and Mod Rocks. Now I will attempt to provide you with some basic information on each of these. Remember, this is all Modern Tile.

For modern glass tile you have Mosaic, Blends, Square, Subway, Recycled and Tattoos. Out of all of these modern glass tiles, I thought I would give you an idea of the styles of Glass Tattoos offered. You have Sailor Girl, Compass Blue, Anchor, Compass Red, Koi, Swallow, Dagger Heart and Mom Heart. If you are familiar with regular tattoos, then you will have an idea of what these glass tiles look like. Otherwise, just go online and have a look at these and all the modern glass tiles that I have mentioned.

Moving over to Modern Tile Blends. This is just exactly what it sounds like. These tiles are made with blends of different tile materials. Here you can pick from stock blends that are tile blends that the manufacture has already catalogued, or you can put together your own custom blended tiles with unlimited possibilities.

Now we will discuss Modern Ceramic/Porcelain wall tiles. There are 2 main styles to choose from when it comes to modern Ceramic/Porcelain tiles. First you have your Mod Dots. These are glazed porcelain penny rounds. With a variety of colors to choose from, you can mix and match color dots for a modern look to any wall indoors or outdoors.

The other style of Modern Ceramic/Porcelain wall tiles is called RAW tiles. RAW Tiles are derived from fabric designs and graphics. The process for making these tiles was first used by Persians and over the years the technique was introduced to California from immigrating Spaniards. The modern version introduces patterns or designs on the tile that match well with contemporary decor.

Next we have Modern Cork Tile. This cork tile follows in the footsteps of Mod Dot tile. This is a cork mosaic in a penny round style. You have the option to stain the cork rounds to any color of your choice or using wood stain you may retain the natural color of the cork. Before grouting the cork tile a sealer must be applied. You have to see examples of the finished product in order to fully appreciate the beauty.

Our next example of Modern Wall Tile is Pebble Tile. These are natural polished pebbles. They are now available in six color combinations. These tiles are mesh mounted and are shaped in an interlocking pattern. With outstanding durability, these tiles can be applied indoors or outdoors.

So now we have come to Stainless Steel Tile. This tile is constructed with a heavy porcelain base and a 1mm stainless steel overlay. This tile is ideal for kitchen backsplash applications. Not recommended for standing water applications, such as spas or pools. With six styles to choose from, you’re sure to find a style to match your application.

For those who wish to go green, most all of the Glass Modern Wall Tile that I have gone over is also available in recycled material. All of these products are environmentally safe and are generally easy to apply.

If you are ready to make a striking and dramatically pleasing appearance to one or more rooms of your home, then you should seriously consider wall tile. You will see how an ordinary room will suddenly turn into a masterpiece.

By: Barbara Tobiasz

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Barbara Tobiasz is an expert in interior/exterior decorating. Along with her husband Joe, they own and operate Wall-Decor-Concepts.com. For more information on Wall Tile, go to: www.Wall-Decor-Concepts.com

 xx

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Mosaics Art From past To Present

 

Mosaics History

Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic villas, and Roman dwellings from Britain to Dura-Europos. Splendid mosaic floors are found in Roman villas across north Africa. In Rome, Nero and his architects used mosaics to cover the surfaces of walls and ceilings in the Domus Aurea, built AD 64.

 

The mosaics of the Villa Romana del Casale near Piazza Armerina in Sicily are the largest collection of late Roman mosaics in the world and are protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The large villa rustica, which was probably owned by Emperor Maximian, was largely built in the early 4th century. The mosaics were covered and protected by a landslide in the 12th century for 700 years. The most important pieces are the Circus Scene, the 64 m long Great Hunting Scene, the Little Hunt, the Labours of Hercules and the famous Bikini Girls, showing girls in modern-looking bikinis. The peristyle, the imperial apartements and the thermae were also decorated with ornamental and mythological mosaics. Other important examples of Roman mosaic art in Sicily were unearthed on the Piazza Vittoria in Palermo where two houses were discovered. The most important scenes here depicted Orpheus, Alexander the Great’s Hunt and the Four Seasons.

  alexander the great mosaic in pompeii
In 2000 archaeologists working in Leptis Magna, Libya uncovered a 30 ft length of five colorful mosaics created during the 1st or 2nd century. The mosaics show a warrior in combat with a deer, four young men wrestling a wild bull to the ground, and a gladiator resting in a state of fatigue, staring at his slain opponent. The mosaics decorated the walls of a cold plunge pool in a bath house within a Roman villa. The gladiator mosaic is noted by scholars as one of the finest examples of mosaic art ever seen a "masterpiece comparable in quality with the Alexander mosaic in Pompeii."

Modern Mosaics

A modern example of mosaic is the Museum of Natural History station of the New York Subway. Some modern mosaics are the work of modernisme style architects Antoni Gaud and Josep Maria Jujol, for example the mosaics in the Park Gell in Barcelona. Today, among of the leading figures of the world in mosaic art is Saimir Strati. His process is similar to traditional oil painting wherein the artist first sketches a design onto a canvas before creating the layers of the artwork. Among his credits are two Guinness World Records fo r largest ‘Nail’ and ‘Toothpick’ mosaics.

You can now get a unique poster or canvas of your favourite football team, football art which would not look out of place in any home, involve close friends and family in your unique piece of art by opting for one of our mosaic or ‘art by you’ options.

By: Kaloyan-Veselinov Banev

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Football Wall Art is the place to be when you’re looking for something just that bit different, There has never been a better way to incorporate your football club into your home’s decor in a tasteful and personal way.

Below is a very entertaining video of a tour of the famous "Piazza Armerina" in Sicily where many ancient Roman mosaics were found including the famous Girls in Bikini mosaic:

 Piazza Armerina Tour


  Mosaics as History

Over the past century, exploration and serendipity have uncovered mosaic after mosaic in the Near East–maps, historical images, mythical figures, and religious scenes that constitute an immense treasure of new testimony from antiquity. 


Ancient Mosaics Discovered at 7000-year-old Dara Ruins

A fully illustrated guide to the outstanding, historical mosaics of Istanbul. It features 123 color pictures, showing 68 mural or floor mosaics from famous historical buildings and sites.


Native American Mosaic Warrior

The Woolaroc Museum presents one of America’s must unique displays of Western art and artifacts; Native American pottery, baskets, beads, blankets and cultural art. 


Artaic Pieces Together a Robot Revolution in Mosaic-Making 

And because the process is software-driven, Artaic can make a mosaic from almost any image, such as a photograph, a painting, or even a historical work like the famous, 1700-year-old Bikini Girls at Sicily’s Villa Romana del Casale.


  Mosaics to Adorn Floors, Walls and Mantels

Such innovations come from Trend USA through its creative use of mosaic tile, stone and engineered terrazzo. Company founder Andrea Di Giuseppe says his goal is to ”reconstruct historical movements in contemporary ways. 

Mosaics of the Greek and Roman World

‘This daily be a great toil of ocular, historical, exact and general analysis. print no less important amount than 318 pictures of mosaics that sort riveting viewing and be assessment the debt of the book. 

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Redo Your Floor With Quartz Tiles

  mosaic glass tiles

Quartz Tiles For Your Bath or Living Room

 Quartz floor tiles such as white quartz tiles are perfect to give sparkling effect to the floor decor. White quartz tiles are made of pure quartz and give a serene look to the overall flooring. White quartz tiles look so pure and delicate that you will feel like being in heaven while walking on them.

The white quartz tiles will look like the dark sky dazzled with glittering stars. Quartz tiles such as crystalstone quartz tiles have 95% quartz and with such a high ratio of quartz, these tiles are resistant to strain and scratches. They are best known to be durable and very long lasting tiles. The best feature of quartz tiles is that one can find shiny mirror particles in the tiles. The crystalstone quartz wall and floor tiles provide eye dazzling shine to floor or wall  finish for the indoor as well as outdoor area.

The quartz floor tiles come in a rainbow of colors and original shades such as ruby red quartz tiles, Arabian cream quartz tiles and sapphire blue quartz tiles, and the most popular ones are black quartz tiles and white quartz tiles. The customers can get a quality range of quartz tiles with sparkling range of mirror pieces that can be well used to decorate the office, kitchen and bathroom wall tiles.

The most important benefits of using quartz tiles for floor decor includes:

Quartz tiles are made of durable stone and so prolong the life of the wall and floor. These tiles can also be installed on shower walls so as to give a classy finish to the bathroom decor.

With quartz floor tiles, the users are free from the requirements of sealing the tiles as is usually required in granite marble tiles.
Bacteria and other pests cannot survive on the delicate and smooth surface of the quartz tiles and this way quartz tiles keep the house bacteria free.
Quartz floor tiles are resistant to stain and heat. The stain on the quartz tiles can be easily cleaned with a non abrasive cleaner.
The surface of the tiles is solid and non porous and so it can be easily maintained.

Quartz tiles are increasing in demand as they reflect a clear glass look and make the room or space spectacular and classy. If you are in search of adding a classy flair to your wall and floor, then quartz tiles are the way to go.

There is an increasing demand for quartz floor tiles in pubs, restaurants, airports, hair dressers, nightclubs and multiplexes which demands executive indoor decor. If you are in search of quartz floor tiles for a stylish ambiance to your indoor area, there are online service providers that offer quartz tiles in varied sizes such as 600mm x 600mm, 400mm x 400mm, 600mm x 300mm, 300mm x 300mm and mosaic tile mats. The online companies offering quartz tiles manufacture modish tiles both for residential and commercial purposes. Buyers can check the color with authentic pictures of the quartz tiles in the online showroom of the quartz tiles offered by the tile sites.

By: Jason colling

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Jason colling is the author of this article on quartz tiles. Find more information relating to quartz floor tiles, and white quartz tiles here.

 xx

mosaic bath tiles


Mosaic Tiles – Creating Attractive Illusion

Filed under Mosaic tiles, beige marble products, engineered quartz, granite counter price, granite counters, marble suppliers · 


Dartmoor Naturals Quartz Mosaic Tile

Use the mosaic to create an interesting feature wall, or the cool grey glass strip for an ultra modern fresh look for you and your guests.


Wall & Floor Tiles

Leading exporter and supplier of granite rough blocks, unfinished granite, granite counter tops, granite tiles and granite slabs.


Bathroom Flooring With Mosaic Tiles

Any size floor can be covered with mosaic, although in practice it tends to be used on a smaller scale, eg bathrooms. 


Quartz Tiles- Best Tiles for Floors and Walls

These tiles can be used both commercially and residentially and are mainly available in red, blue, black and grey colors. Quartz tiles are available for both flooring and wall purpose.


  A Quartz Countertop For the Kitchen

In addition to kitchen counters, Granite Countertop Atlanta showrooms also have on display a large variety of tiles, mosaics, and trim pieces for floors, walls, or to simply compliment any existing or on-going project.

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  sign mosaic art

Great Way To Sign Your Glass Mosaic Art

 Ever wonder how to sign your indoor glass mosaics so the signature won’t rub or wear off? Nothing seems to stick permanently to glass. Permanent marker isn’t permanent. Acrylic and enamel paint rub, chip, or flake off. Nothing works!

Until recently, I signed my indoor glass mosaics with enamel paint. I covered the entire mosaic (except the signature) with old rags and towels, and then lightly sprayed on two light coats of clear acrylic sealer to protect the paint. That method works okay, but it doesn’t seem to be as permanent as my new idea.

I had an epiphany a while ago and I’ve been signing all my indoor glass mosaics with this method ever since. Try it and see how it works for you. Use this method only for indoor mosaics. Do not use this method for outdoor mosaics or mosaics that will be displayed in a wet environment (e.g., a sauna or shower area).

CAUTION: Try this method on a piece of scrap glass before trying it on your mosaic art. Trying it on scrap glass first will let you know if this is how you actually want to sign your mosaic art. It will also give you practice before doing it on your mosaic art.

Using a fine-tip permanent marker, sign your name on the glass. I usually put my signature on the bottom-right corner of my indoor mosaics. Put yours where you like it best. I find a piece of tessera big enough to hold my entire signature so I don’t have to write on any grout lines. If I have to write small to fit it on a single piece of tessera so I don’t cross any grout lines, then I write small.

Lay your indoor mosaic art on a flat surface. Do this so the wet glue won’t run or drip. If your mosaic is flat, the glue is thick enough so it stays where you apply it (i.e., it won’t run or drip). With your indoor mosaic lying flat, carefully apply plain white Elmer’s Glue-All over your entire signature. Don’t touch the tip of the glue bottle to the signature or the ink might smudge. Slowly squeeze out enough white Elmer’s Glue-All to cover the entire signature. (White Elmer’s Glue-All is the stuff we all went to school with. I can usually buy a big 7.625-oz bottle at Walmart for about $1.50.)

Allow the glue to thoroughly dry overnight. White Elmer’s Glue-All dries clear. When wet, the glue doesn’t absorb or blur the ink. Instead, the ink stays intact and the signature looks good after the glue is dry and clear. The glass color also shows through so the glue doesn’t affect the mosaic’s appearance. The ink is entombed in the glue and the glue provides strong, permanent protection for my signature on my indoor mosaics.

Don’t try to get cute by using a cotton swab or other tool to spread out the glue evenly. While trying to spread out the wet glue, if you press just a hair too hard and touch the ink, it will smudge. If you leave the ink alone, it won’t smudge or blur, but it will with the slightest touch. Therefore, I suggest that you don’t try to even out the glue lines. Instead, hold the tip of the glue bottle close to the glass and carefully squeeze out the glue. The edges will look a bit ragged (i.e., not perfectly straight and square with each other). In my opinion, that’s okay, they don’t need to be perfectly smooth, straight, and at perfect angles with each other. When the glue is dry and clear, I don’t notice the raggedness unless my nose is right up to the mosaic.

As noted, don’t use this method for outdoor mosaics or for mosaics that will be displayed in a wet environment (e.g., a sauna or shower area).

This process is explained on my website for free with lots of pictures, so if you don’t quite understand it, go to my website and look at the pictures. Try this method on a piece of scrap glass and see if you like it. If you do, then you’ll know a neat trick that allows you to sign your indoor mosaic art masterpieces and be comfortable that your signature won’t rub or wear off over time.

Remember, making mosaic art is easy. You can do it. Yes, you can!

By: Bill Enslen

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Bill Enslen has created lovely mosaic art for 30 years. His new eBook, Mosaic Pieces: Essentials for Beginner and Professional Mosaic Artists, gives you step-by-step details for creating your own mosaic masterpieces. Visit his website and read the free sample chapters at Glass Mosaic Tile Art. Let him show you just how easy it is. With Bill’s help, you can do it. Yes, you can!

Great video from Tracey on how to make mosaic stepping stones:

 mosaic steps


Glass Mosaic Art Ornaments

I used glass cobbles and tiles to create a stained glass appearance for this egg. Create an Eccentric Mosaic Garden Ornament Create an Eccentric Mosaic.  Recycle old materials to create an eccentric garden decoration. 


  Glass Mosaic Tile Project

I am fixing a beautiful glass mosaic all the way up (vertically) the middle of a shower cubicle. how would you go about this to get best finish. would you set out with your vert lines for. 


 Special Mosaic Glass

All of a sudden it came to me that perhaps I could make a glass on glass mosaic with the shower doors. I could get the doors out of storage in the garden and instead display th fef em in a fun and useful manner.


Stone Mosaic Demolition


Steps to Install Beautiful Mosaic Tile

  The natural stone has become a popular building material because of its numerous advantages, so use the material to design your homes. Nowadays, several homemakers and builders are shifting their focus towards natural stones .


Ingenious Stone Mosaic Design

As an ode to the business that we started several years ago on our property, Phil devised a technique to hold large stone in metal "frames" to create a large scale mosaic of various stone colors at the base of the oak trees in the gate. 


Glass Tile and All Natural Stone And Tile

Just make sure to buy a glass tile that is strong enough to endure the amount of foot traffic that you expect. Most glass tiles are durable and no more susceptible to regular foot traffic as a ceramic floor tile. 

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