August technique: Mosaics

Sometimes, I think we forget to have fun when we do art. At least, I do. We can get caught up in regular life and its problems. We get involved in swaps, exhibits, and selling what we make. We write articles and submit to the various magazines. We experiment without remmbering the joy of why we do it in the first place. So, the next time you make something, just make it to make it. Don't worry about composition, color, or what you need "1 more of". Just play and think about what you like about it. Go and touch some of the various pieces that you have made. See the colors of what you used. Notice the texture in the fabric or the cheesecloth. Wonder how you got the paint to turn out that color. That is the attitude I want you to take when creating mosaics this month. Do not spend so much time planning it. Just go and do it.

I have a couple of sample mosaics drying right now on my art table. I will scan and post when it has dried - probably tomorrow. For now, get some supplies together. Don't go out and buy stuff unless you want this as an excuse to do so. Use stuff you already have. Get rid of some of your excess or your scraps. I will post more instructions tomorrow or Monday. Depends on when my son's seeding tournament is over tomorrow. 3 more games tomorrow afternoon. I am pooped. I forgot to mention that I took him to the seeding tournament this afternoon. I watched 2 games. One got delayed due to weather. Tied first game. Won 2nd and 3rd game. They are in first place going into tomorrow's tournaments. They tied with the team who was in 2nd place in the platinum division. Yeah, proud soccer mom talking here.

I am doing this as a group project in the Mixed Media Art Friends. You will see what and how other people did theirs in that Yahoo group. Here is what you will need:

This is what you need to do to get ready for Monday - we will play together.Don't freak out about being ready on Monday. The first one that we are going to do together will just be a practice one. You will have more time to create yournext one. You can do the next one with whatever materials you want - even fabric.

One sturdy background surface approximately 6x6". Make it mat board, cardboard, thicker chip board, or game board so it will not bend and warp from theheavy elements on there.The surface does not have to be square.

You can make it a circle, diamond (mychoice), or even free form.

Paint to color your molding paste, glue, or whatever when you are laying downyour little pieces.

Little pieces of whatever - they can be leftover bits of tile, sea glass,metal, poly clay, puzzle pieces, buttons, etc...They do not have to all be thesame type of thing. You can have one row of something and then another row of something else. Remember, this is just a practice one. Yes, if you must, youc an go to your local craft store and buy small mosaic pieces. Not necessarythough. You might want to break a small, broken clay pot and use those pieces.Be sure to wrap it in a cloth before breaking so you don't get hurt from the shards. You can even use small chipboard squares or cut up a gameboard into little pieces.

Thick goopey glue or maybe even molding paste. You don't have to have a grout-like surface in between your little pieces, but if you do, then thicker paste will probably make you happier. You can just choose to lay down your pieces with regular glue. You will see more of the background that way. Hint:If you mix in some tiny seed beads in with your gel medium and use that, you might be loving the texture it gives you. You will have your rough grout-like texture and it works as a glue instead.

Have some glue on-hand in case your pieces are a tad heavy and you want to make sure they stay on your mosaic.

More on Monday (tomorrow, if I am not too exhausted). Look for a new give-away tomorrow or Monday as well.