1 The base of the sundial 1 bought was cast concrete which had brickwork effect indentations on the side. To create flat sides, I filled these groves with a rapid set floor and wall tile adhesive. Use a grout speaker to achieve a smooth flat surface and leave to set.
2 Using patels or chalks, divide the octagonal top surface into its eight segments. Colour each segment in orange and yellow alternatively. To break this up 1 made the central line of each segment the opposite colour, ie. a yellow strip through the centre of each orange band, and vice versa.
3 Mix the waterproof tile adhesive with water to the consistency of smooth porridge. Begin mosiaicing by applying an even layer of the adhesive to a segment with the metal modelling tool or a lollilop stick. Lay the two diagonal outer lines and the vertical central line of smalti first. The lines on either side of the central line are also vertical, mosaic these next. If a piece of smalti does not fit exactly, trim down the last piece to size, it looks better if this smaller piece is in the middle of the line and not at either end. Now work from the diagonals inwards to meet the central lines. Nibble the angle of the two end tesserae of each diagonal line to the same angle as the sundial.
4 Continue in this way, alternating the colours on each successive segment until you have completed the top surface of the sundial. Then mosaic the sides by running vertical lines of smalti down the edge of each segment. Try to match the vertical lines to those on the top surface of the sundial.
Continue on each successive side until the sundial is completely covered in smalti. Leave to harden for 24 hours, then place the sundial in the middle of your favourite flower bed, where it can catch the sun.
BROKEN CHINA TERRACOTTA POT
Even the simplest shapes can be useful to the mosaic artist. By using china, which has a very intricate design, you can get away with using quite large tesserae as the pieces are intrinsically interesting. Indeed, if the pieces are too small, you can't appreciate the delicacy of the patterns or the subtle shading of the colours within the china itself.
You do not need to grout the finished mosaic since the adhesive is forced up between the pieces of crockery and so 'self grouts' as you work.
Once again, this is a project that looks complicated, but isn't. we completed the entire mosaic in a morning. Before attempting a larger, more complicated structure using broken ceramic, as, for example, the bird bath, it would be a good idea to have a go at a small pot with a simple shape like this one.
Having finished this pot, we thought that the white adhesive looked a bit stark and did not set off the pieces of crockery. To remedy this, I stained the adhesive with a waterproof blue ink. It did the trick. It would, of course, have been better to colour the adhesive at the dry stage with powder paint!
Overall Dimensions: Back semi-circle: 21 * 16 cm (8 * 6 1/2 in)
Distance from front to the back of the pot: 13.5 cm (5 in)
Designer and maker: Sylvia Bell
YOU WILL NEED
Assortment of broken plates and china as shown right
Plastic bag
Hammer
Mosaic snippers
5 kg (11 lb)rapid set floor and wall tile adhesive
Bowl
Trowel
Rubber gloves
Cleaning cloth
Liquid floor cleaner
Abrasive cleaning pad
Waterproof blue ink
1 Roughly break up the plates by putting them in a plastic bag and hitting it with a hammer. Then use the tile nippers to break up the pieces still further. Sort out the darker, stronger colours in one pile and the more delicately shaded ones in another. Mix up the rapid set floor and wall tile adhesive with water until it is the consistency of porridge.
2 Begin by mosaicing the stronger the bands at the top and bottom of the pot. As you break up the plates, you will notice that some pieces have cut sides and others, the ones taken from the edge of the plates, have a rounded side. It looks neater and gives a better finish if you can place the uncut, rounded edge along the top and bottom of the pot.
3 Mosaic in the flower. Place the centre first and then add the petals around it.
4 Continue mosaicing this remaining centre band until the entire surface is covered, apart from the flat area at the back of the pot where it rests against the wall.
FROG SPLASHBACK
This design is derived from a series of frogs that Sylvia and I made for a swimming pool. Sylvia liked him and thought he would make a good splashback. This project was made indirect so that the final mosaic surface would be flat and easy to clean. The finished surface of the mosaic is the one that touches the paper, so remember to lay the tesserae flat-side-down. This is very important when making an indirect mosaic using vitreous glass, which has a 'right' and a 'wrong' side.
Make sure that the pale underbelly of the frong stands out well enough from the background. We have chosen a white background to ensure this, but you may prefer to use various blues to create a watery-effect. If so, make sure that you use a dark blue tile against his light green underbelly and a light blue tile against his dark green back when placing the opus vermiculatum to achieve significant contrast.
Size: 53 * 36 cm (21 * 14 inches)
Designer: Martin cheek
Maker: Sylvia bell
YOU WILL NEED
Brown craft paper
Roll of 5 cm (2 in) wide gummed paper tape
Wooden board measuring 80 *60 cm (31 * 24 in), waxed
Tracing paper
Pencil
Template
Carbon paper
Wallpaper paste or water-soluble gum
Bowl
Vitreous glass tile as shown oppostie
Mosiac nippers
Safety spectacles
No. 8 paintbrush
Craft knife
Cement
Rubber gloves
Building sand and cement
MDF measuring 53 * 36 cm (21 * 14 in)
Two-part fast setting epoxy resin
Piece of card measuring about 15 * 10 cm (6 * 4 in)
Lollipop stick or modelling tool
Grey grout
Trowel
BUilder's float
Squeegee
Cloths and sponges
Bowl of water
Liquid floor cleaner
1 copper (30 tiles)
2 black (3 tiles)
3 pale pink (8 tiles)
4 green (30 tiles)
5 emerald green vein (4 tiles)
6 dark green (30 tiles)
7 sage green (63 tiles)
8 pale green (13 tiles)
9 white ceramic (320 tiles)
10 white (2 tiles)
11 marbled white (7 tiles)
12 brown (2 tiles)
2 Using patels or chalks, divide the octagonal top surface into its eight segments. Colour each segment in orange and yellow alternatively. To break this up 1 made the central line of each segment the opposite colour, ie. a yellow strip through the centre of each orange band, and vice versa.
3 Mix the waterproof tile adhesive with water to the consistency of smooth porridge. Begin mosiaicing by applying an even layer of the adhesive to a segment with the metal modelling tool or a lollilop stick. Lay the two diagonal outer lines and the vertical central line of smalti first. The lines on either side of the central line are also vertical, mosaic these next. If a piece of smalti does not fit exactly, trim down the last piece to size, it looks better if this smaller piece is in the middle of the line and not at either end. Now work from the diagonals inwards to meet the central lines. Nibble the angle of the two end tesserae of each diagonal line to the same angle as the sundial.
4 Continue in this way, alternating the colours on each successive segment until you have completed the top surface of the sundial. Then mosaic the sides by running vertical lines of smalti down the edge of each segment. Try to match the vertical lines to those on the top surface of the sundial.
Continue on each successive side until the sundial is completely covered in smalti. Leave to harden for 24 hours, then place the sundial in the middle of your favourite flower bed, where it can catch the sun.
BROKEN CHINA TERRACOTTA POT
Even the simplest shapes can be useful to the mosaic artist. By using china, which has a very intricate design, you can get away with using quite large tesserae as the pieces are intrinsically interesting. Indeed, if the pieces are too small, you can't appreciate the delicacy of the patterns or the subtle shading of the colours within the china itself.
You do not need to grout the finished mosaic since the adhesive is forced up between the pieces of crockery and so 'self grouts' as you work.
Once again, this is a project that looks complicated, but isn't. we completed the entire mosaic in a morning. Before attempting a larger, more complicated structure using broken ceramic, as, for example, the bird bath, it would be a good idea to have a go at a small pot with a simple shape like this one.
Having finished this pot, we thought that the white adhesive looked a bit stark and did not set off the pieces of crockery. To remedy this, I stained the adhesive with a waterproof blue ink. It did the trick. It would, of course, have been better to colour the adhesive at the dry stage with powder paint!
Overall Dimensions: Back semi-circle: 21 * 16 cm (8 * 6 1/2 in)
Distance from front to the back of the pot: 13.5 cm (5 in)
Designer and maker: Sylvia Bell
YOU WILL NEED
Assortment of broken plates and china as shown right
Plastic bag
Hammer
Mosaic snippers
5 kg (11 lb)rapid set floor and wall tile adhesive
Bowl
Trowel
Rubber gloves
Cleaning cloth
Liquid floor cleaner
Abrasive cleaning pad
Waterproof blue ink
1 Roughly break up the plates by putting them in a plastic bag and hitting it with a hammer. Then use the tile nippers to break up the pieces still further. Sort out the darker, stronger colours in one pile and the more delicately shaded ones in another. Mix up the rapid set floor and wall tile adhesive with water until it is the consistency of porridge.
2 Begin by mosaicing the stronger the bands at the top and bottom of the pot. As you break up the plates, you will notice that some pieces have cut sides and others, the ones taken from the edge of the plates, have a rounded side. It looks neater and gives a better finish if you can place the uncut, rounded edge along the top and bottom of the pot.
3 Mosaic in the flower. Place the centre first and then add the petals around it.
4 Continue mosaicing this remaining centre band until the entire surface is covered, apart from the flat area at the back of the pot where it rests against the wall.
FROG SPLASHBACK
This design is derived from a series of frogs that Sylvia and I made for a swimming pool. Sylvia liked him and thought he would make a good splashback. This project was made indirect so that the final mosaic surface would be flat and easy to clean. The finished surface of the mosaic is the one that touches the paper, so remember to lay the tesserae flat-side-down. This is very important when making an indirect mosaic using vitreous glass, which has a 'right' and a 'wrong' side.
Make sure that the pale underbelly of the frong stands out well enough from the background. We have chosen a white background to ensure this, but you may prefer to use various blues to create a watery-effect. If so, make sure that you use a dark blue tile against his light green underbelly and a light blue tile against his dark green back when placing the opus vermiculatum to achieve significant contrast.
Size: 53 * 36 cm (21 * 14 inches)
Designer: Martin cheek
Maker: Sylvia bell
YOU WILL NEED
Brown craft paper
Roll of 5 cm (2 in) wide gummed paper tape
Wooden board measuring 80 *60 cm (31 * 24 in), waxed
Tracing paper
Pencil
Template
Carbon paper
Wallpaper paste or water-soluble gum
Bowl
Vitreous glass tile as shown oppostie
Mosiac nippers
Safety spectacles
No. 8 paintbrush
Craft knife
Cement
Rubber gloves
Building sand and cement
MDF measuring 53 * 36 cm (21 * 14 in)
Two-part fast setting epoxy resin
Piece of card measuring about 15 * 10 cm (6 * 4 in)
Lollipop stick or modelling tool
Grey grout
Trowel
BUilder's float
Squeegee
Cloths and sponges
Bowl of water
Liquid floor cleaner
1 copper (30 tiles)
2 black (3 tiles)
3 pale pink (8 tiles)
4 green (30 tiles)
5 emerald green vein (4 tiles)
6 dark green (30 tiles)
7 sage green (63 tiles)
8 pale green (13 tiles)
9 white ceramic (320 tiles)
10 white (2 tiles)
11 marbled white (7 tiles)
12 brown (2 tiles)
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