Mosaic is a form of tiling that is usually used in showers and on floors to add a lot of color and style to the room. Mosaics can be found in a large number of textures, colors, layouts and shapes so that if required, you could customize every room in the house. Not only are they are a form of tiling, they are sometimes even considered works of art, called mosaic art. Most mosaic tiles come with ridges on the backside so that glue can bond more securely to the tile. Nearly all types of glass, stone and ceramic material can be considered as a mosaic tile. The vitreous-glass mosaic tile is a glassy stone-like material that is opaque, not clear, and is not as sharp as regular glass when cut. It is better to use mosaic supplies like mosaic glass cutters for cutting glass mosaic tiles; regular tile nippers may cut the tile but not as predictably as with a mosaic glass cutter.

Ceramic mosaic tiles are popularly used for architectural applications, as they are quite cheap and can be easily cut using regular tile nippers. Sometimes, broken pieces of china and other types of dinnerware are used as mosaics, but as this ceramic dinnerware is engineered to be unbreakable, the plates produce razor edges when broken. Some of the mosaic tiles come attached to fiberglass mesh that keeps the tiles arranged in a grid. This mesh is then glued directly to the floor to be tiled. If you need to remove the mesh to get loose tile, the tile has to be soaked in warm water and the tiles fall off the mesh. Mosaic tiles are not only used for flooring; they are also used to produce pieces of mosaic art that can be used for display. Mosaic tables make a great piece of furniture, with a tabletop made of mosaic tiles. Pools are the greatest source of use of mosaic art, with mosaic used in different mosaic patterns on the bottom and edges of the pool.

A mosaic is a picture or decoration made of tiny pieces of “tesserae, “colored stone, glass or other material, which are inlaid onto a backing to form a design. These pieces are cut into squares, triangles, or other shapes, which is an effort in itself. These tesserae are then pasted onto such things as vases, to more intricate designs inset into tables, walls, floors or ceilings, on fireplaces or even out in your pool.

Organizations For Mosaic Artists Many organizations exist today to further the cause of the mosaic – which is flourishing today as much as it did thousands of years ago. The Society of American Mosaic Artists has a web page, as does the Institute of Mosaic Art. Individual mosaic artists also have their own web pages, of course, or there are cooperatives such as Mosaic artists. There’s even a mosaic webzine, Mosaic Matters. History of the Mosaic Mosaics have been found as early as 4000 BC, in a palace in what was then Macedonia. Roman families also decorated their villas with mosaics. Some of the most well-known mosaics today were found in the excavated cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, in Italy. St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome is also embellished with beautiful mosaics.

The Alexander Mosaic, also known as the Battle of Issus, is one of the most famous mosaics in the world. It dates from approximately 200 BC, and depicts the battle between the forces of Alexander the Great and Darius III. It measures 19 X 10 feet, and contains over one and a half million tiny tesserae! In 2003 a copy of this mosaic was made. It took 22 months to finish the mosaic. It is fascinating to look closely at these mosaics to see the “pointilism” involved in the depiction of the figure of an animal or human being. Each small square of color must be precisely placed and the colors graduated precisely to give the image of realism. There’s no question that a mosaic vase, table or wall hanging will be a lovely addition to your home.