Page 452 - (DK) The Ultimate Visual Dictionary 2nd Ed.

THE VISUAL AR TS

Mosaic EQUIPMENT FOR BREAKING MARBLE

Sawn strip of Mosaic
marble, ready hammer
MOSAIC IS THE ART OF MAKING patterns and pictures from for breaking
tesserae (small, colored pieces of glass, marble, and other into cubes
materials). Different materials are cut into tesserae using
different tools. Smalti (glass enamel) and marble are cut
into pieces using a hammer and a hardy (a pointed blade)
embedded in a log. Vitreous glass is cut into pieces using
a pair of pliers. Mosaics can be made using a direct or
indirect method. In the direct method, the tesserae are
laid directly into a bed of cement-based adhesive. In the
indirect method, the design is drawn in reverse on
paper or cloth. The tesserae are then stuck face-down
on the paper or cloth using water-soluble glue. Adhesive
is spread with a trowel on to a solid surface—such as
a wall—and the back of the mosaic is laid into the
adhesive. Finally, the paper or cloth is soaked
off to reveal the mosaic. Gaps between tesserae PLIERS Hardwearing,
tungsten
can be filled with grout. Grout is forced into carbide tip
gaps by dragging a grouting squeegee
Alicante (red Hardy (pointed
across the face of the mosaic. Mosaics
marble) pieces blade) embedded
are usually used to decorate walls and in a log
floors, but they can also be applied MOSAIC TOOLS
to smaller objects. CEMENT-BASED
ADHESIVE GROUT
SMALTI (GLASS
ENAMEL)
EXAMPLE OF A MOSAIC RED
(DIRECT METHOD) SMALTI
Seascape, Tessa Hunkin, 1993
Smalti mosaic on board
31½ in (80 cm) diameter

Handle with
rubber grip

YELLOW TROWEL Notch GROUTING SQUEEGEE
SMALTI

Wooden
handle

Steel Rubber
BLUE
blade blade
SMALTI

Wooden
handle
Gold-leaf
smalti