Ep. 122 STARTING A COSMOS MOSAIC & A GROUTING PARTY FOR THE MOSAIC MANDALAS!!!
0:07 I start a new cosmos mosaic using a photo I took at Gibbs Gardens. I changed the design just a bit by moving the flowers around a bit. Anyway, I begin by tracing it onto an 8"x10" substrate using black carbon paper and a ball point pen. The substrate is a Liquid Art Panel from Pebeo.
1:20 I show my selection of pink glass that I will be working with. I have some irridized glass that I might put in to give the mosaic movement since real flowers aren't so sparkly. I start cutting and shaping the glass petals one at a time, nipping repeatedly until I achieve the precise shape I'm looking for. The first petal I cut down the middle to show the crease on it. I continue with the first flower, making the petals, adding the dark pink ring around the center, and splitting petals as needed. Then I add the deep yellow center. I use textured gold glass that is a bit thicker than the rest of the glass for the dark yellow bits.
4:57 Now it's time to bring in the greens for the stems. Some of the stems are in shadow and so I have two different shades. I will be cutting the glass very thin using my scoring tool and running pliers. The strips are so thin I have to use grozing pliers to grip the glass and break it on the score line. Next, I start adding the stems and giving them a bit of curve by breaking the pieces. I also start the next flower which is in profile with green bits and add the petals one at a time. Finally, I move to the last flower, laying in the petals and then the center with bits of the thicker gold glass around the center.
7:48 YAY! We are finishing up the LAST MANDALA!!! I planned a little grouting party and invited my students to help clean and grout them. With so many people making the mosaic mandalas, it was inevitable that silicone ended up on top of the glass. The first step is to clean up the silicone with acetone, rags, razors, picks, mini crow bars and scrapers. Once they are clean it makes grouting so much faster! The party lasted all day and we had about 5 or 6 people helping at all times!!! The grout used is Polyblend Plus black sanded grout for all of them. We had to add the grout to the edges by hand to make sure it was in all the crevices. I'm exhausted, but so happy with how they turned out and I can't believe we have just one more step - installing them on the wall!!! They look amazing and I love how they sparkle! I had to pile them on top of each other and just take in the color, sparkle and beauty! They are going to be incredible on the wall with the three from Phase I.
14:14 Back in my studio I get after the cosmos again, finishing up the stems and buds. I start adding in the background with a variety of green glass, being careful to always have contrast at the stem area so we can see them. I did not finish them- there is always next week.
Same for the smalti owl! Next week Owly!
WATCH NEXT:
Ep. 102 BUILDING MOSAIC SUNFLOWER PETALS, The Art Place Community Mosaic, & Grouting Two Mosaics! [ Ссылка ]
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