Mosaic tiles

Mosaic tiles are a form of art in which a large image is made up of a large number of small coloured stones, also known as glass mosaic, which is layed in a floor or set in a wall. With glass it is possible to make a stained glass Mosaic. In Greek and Roman times, floors and wall in luxury villas were made with Mosaics, with images of emperors, gods or everyday scenes. Mosaics that have been well preserved till today have been discovered in several places in Europe.

Mosaic tiles can be made in two ways. The first method is by making it on site and then applying it to the chosen wall or floor. This technique requires a great expertise and is very strenuous, because the maker is bend over on the floor all the time, and all the Mosaic tiles must be secured one by one.

A simpler method is by making a template on a piece of paper, cardboard or cloth. Then the glass mosaic is glued to the template. This can be done somewhere else in a workshop. The template is the mirror image of the final image. The mosaic is put in place by pushing it, template up, into the mortar. Mosaics that are made in this way are usually more even than mosaics that have been layed onto the floor directly.

Using templates is particularly practical when making ornamental borders with geometric patterns. The Roman armies applied the glass mosaics in a combination of techniques, laying the main scene on site, while the ornaments and borders were applied by using templates.

Nowadays one can buy Mosaics made from marble, glass and ceramics in which the separate stones or tiles have been glued to a piece of netting. This netting is applied, in contrast to the templates, directly to the wall or floor on which the mosaic is fixed. After this the mortar or plaster is applied which will glue the mosaic in place.

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