Mosaics

A mosaic is an image created by assembling numerous pieces of glass to create an image. The different sizes and colors of the glass allows the artist to create different shapes and patterns as well as specific imagery. The process that I developed to create my mosaics involved a chalkboard, Aviation snip scissors, Weld Bond glue, and tweezers. The chalkboard was strong enough to hold the glass and the Weld Bond glue adhered to the chalkboard easily. I tried grout, fabric glue, and Weld Bond glue to test which held the glass the best and showed the least residue. The Weld Bond glue held the glass the best to the chalkboard and dried clear. The grout was difficult for me to navigate and the sanding took away some of the shine from the glass pieces, I also did not like the color between the glass that the grout left behind. First I drew my sketch on the chalkboard, and was ready to fill in the sketch with the glass. I needed to cut the glass into smaller pieces so I used the Aviation snip scissors to cut pieces to the size I needed. Although the tool did not cut the glass into uniform pieces or straight edges, I could still cut the pieces small enough to fit into my sketch. From there it was all about putting together a puzzle to see where the glass pieces fit together within the sketch. I used my tweezers to pick up the glass and dip it into glue on one side and then press the glass into the desired spot. This entire process was very time consuming and if I were to do it again I would have gotten more glass with a larger selection of colors. I would also invest in a glass cutter and a glass cutting board to make more precise cuts. I would continue to use the Weld bond glue, but perhaps try out a different surface to lay the mosaic on. And I would buy a sealer for the mosaic. There are several safety concerns in regards to creating a mosaic specifically because of the sharp nature of the glass and the aviation snip scissors. For this reason only mature young adults and above should be allowed to use these tools. I made sure to cut all my pieces into a box so that shards of glass would remain in one place. This also makes it easier for cleanup.