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Below are some examples of mosaic portraits and impressionistic mosaic artwork with a discussion of how to create photo-realistic images in mosaic.

Frederic Lecut

As with painting, most of the work of creating a photo-realistic mosaic image is making sure the colors used reasonably match those of the model being depicted. In painting this can be done conveniently by mixing pigments. In mosaic this can only be done by sourcing different materials until you find what you need, which can be frustrating even with the aid of sample boards and online suppliers. Natural stone only comes in so many colors, and different brands of glass mosaic tile are only made in so many colors because it is produced as a building material and not really as an artist’s palette.

Artists frequently solve this problem by using “mixed media” and combining different materials such as stone, glass and ceramic in the same mosaic. Frederic Lecut of Mosaic-Blues.com is a master of this aspect of mosaic. His mosaic portraits shown here are made from multiple types of stone, glass, porcelain and colored mirror, some of which was sourced from recycled building materials.

Lecut says that the differences in thickness were not an issue for him because he works with the mosaic upside down in a reverse method. He pours concrete on top of the back of uneven mosaic, which fills in any differences in thickness, and then sticks a backer on top of the concrete. It is only later when he flips it over that he gets to see the finished mosaic.

Note that most novices prefer to work directly on a flat backer where they can see the mosaic as it is being created. This requires that the artist either cut their material to the same thickness or accept that the finished surface of the mosaic will not be flat.

Susanne Sorogon

Susanne Sorogon’s work is very sophisticated in that she subtly incorporates mixed-media elements (glass gems, accent tile, etc.) in mosaics that are photo-realistic. Many experienced artists would be capable of making an abstract mixed-media mosaic and a photo-realistic mosaic, but few would be capable of doing both in the same mosaic. One is reminded of the painterly flourishes that define the New Realism of contemporary painting, where the intent is to depict the model naturally, yet still make the paint itself interesting as it is in abstract painting. I particularly like Susanne’s use of upside down tile in the Motorcycle mosaic and how the embossed patterns on the backs of the tiles suggest asphalt that has been textured with non-slip divots, which is typically seen in the turns of race tracks, though conspicuously absent from the photo she used as a model.

Harjeet Singh Sandhu

Harjeet Singh Sandhu’s mosaic portraits of former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and 12th-century Sufi preacher Baba Farid Ji are well done, but what makes them amazing is that they are made from ordinary 3/8-inch vitreous glass mosaic tile, which is only available in a limited number of colors. In fact, at the time Sandhu made these mosaics, many of our normal colors were out of stock! Note that Sandhu was able to use this limited color palette to render two completely different skin tones in a realistic way. For that reason, I consider this pair of mosaic portraits to be something of a tour de force.

Mosaic Tile is cut with a specific tool based on the type of material. Using the wrong tool wastes a lot of tile and is dangerous.

What tool should I use to cut which material?

Glass Tile

Cut glass tile with a wheeled Mosaic Glass Cutter. This is okay for vitreous or recycled glass. Cutting glass tiles can create sharp edges, jagged edges, and edges that just don’t look right. The edges can be cleaned up with a Ceramic and Marble File or a Dual Grit Rubbing Stone.

Stained Glass

Stained glass can be cut into small irregular rectangles and triangles with the mosaic glass cutter. If you are trying to make long, straight cuts or curved cuts use a Pistol Grip Cutter to draw the line and then snap the glass with a pair of Running Pliers. It is also possible to wrap stained glass or china plates in old newspapers or magazines and hit them with a Chipping Hammer, which has tapered heads for more controlled breaks and less waste by crushing at the site of impact.

Ceramic

Ceramic tile and china can be cut with a Tile Nipper and sharp edges can be smoothed with a Dual Grit Rubbing Stone.

Marble, Porcelain, Stone, and Hard Dinnerware

For stronger or thicker ceramics and for stone, marble, porcelain, and hard plates or bowls a Compound Tile Nipper is recommended. The compound nipper has a lever mechanism which acts as a force multiplier. When cutting especially hard materials with the compound tile nipper, pieces are likely to fly out when the material is snapped. It may be helpful to cut underneath a rag or towel to catch the shards.

Other Safety Considerations

“Always use the right tool for the right job.”

When working on mosaics using the wrong tool can present a safety hazard or damage the tool. Use tools as instructed above, don’t use them for other kinds of materials.

For example, never use a wheeled mosaic glass cutter on ceramics and dinnerware. Some kinds of dinnerware are among the hardest materials known to science. The wheeled blades can shatter and snap violently.

Also, you should never use a regular tile nipper on glass. Too much tile will be crushed and wasted.

Safety Glasses with Side Shields should be worn when cutting mosaic tile. Other people in the area should definitely wear safety glasses as well. Chips tend to fly away from the tool and out towards any people facing it.

Learn by Looking

The best art is ultimately derived from looking at nature, but nothing seems to inspire an artist more than looking at great artwork by other artists. The reasons are simple: There is the competitive urge to create something even better, but there is also the discovery of new ways of seeing or rendering, a humble realization that the artist has done something in a way that hasn’t occurred to the viewer before.

The amazing thing about art is that this phenomenon occurs all the time, including when experienced professional artists look at naive art or art made by little children.

When artists browse other artists, there is a cross-fertilization of ideas where the synthesis is greater than the sum of the parts. There is the thought, “I can’t wait to do that myself and do it in my own way.”

Mosaic art is particularly suited for casual study by other artists because unlike painting, there are no hidden layers or semi-translucent layers and everything is visible as it was laid down. While a novice might benefit from classes or books for learning the best way to cut tile or transfer patterns or apply grout, he or she can learn more or less everything there is to know about the design merely by looking at it, including that critical element of style that is andamento, which is best expressed as the arrangement of tile in parallel or concentric work lines to suggest motion.

Triangular Tesserae

Normally I dislike mosaics made with triangular tesserae because they seem to be used by artists who aren’t as concerned with using andamento (arrangement of tiles) in rows or concentric rings to create a sense of flow or motion, which is a great source of visual interest in mosaic artwork, but David Cruise’s work really caught my eye.

David creates visual interest in localized areas of his mosaics by using contrasting colors and by contrasting light and dark areas. Notice how light-and-dark contrast naturally catches the eye and makes different elements more distinct. I also like how the andamento of the triangular tesserae creates a woven basket texture in the fruit bowl, however unintentional that might have been.

It is also worth mentioning that you can have the tile close together with minimal grout or no grout (if your mosaic is indoors and not subject to moisture). If there is no groutline, the artist needs to be more conscious of varing his or her colors in order to call attention to individual tiles and break up visual monotony. This can be done by mixing two or three similar colors or shades of a color instead of using all the same color, which is what Yetti has done in the background areas of her magical mosaic. David uses this approach to show depth and shading in his apples and oranges and other fruit and the torso of the female figure.

Mixed-Media Mosaic

There isn’t any need to limit yourself to just one type of material in making a mosaic. Different types of glass, ceramic and stone can be used together in the same piece in what is known as mixed-media mosaic.

More Great Mosaic Art

One of the largest collections of contemporary mosaic art online can be viewed at our Mosaic Artists Gallery. For a discussion of how to create photo-realistic mosaics and mosaic portraits, plus some great examples, see our page of Mosaic Portraits. For examples of mosaics that are whimsical and fresh without being tired or cliche, see our page of Fun Mosaic Art. For examples of using different types of materials in the same mosaic, check out our page of Mixed-Media Mosaic Art.

Below is a selection of customer artwork made from glass mosaic tile. The mosaics we have chosen for this page all demonstrate basic design principles: tightly-cropped compositions, use of contrasting colors, arrangement of tile in work lines that suggest motion (andamento). These fundamentals are the real key to creating beautiful artwork, no matter what the media. Note that many of the mosaics below were made using ordinary vitreous glass tile, which is one of our most economical materials.

Phil Lamie

“The Four Seasons Mosaics” were created in December 2012 under the direction of art teacher Phil Lamie. Over 730 students in grades K thru 5 worked on the project, which will first be displayed at the Children’s Art Gallery in Carmel before coming home to Towne Meadow Elementary.

   

Metamorphosis

“Metamorphosis” is another series of mosaics made under the direction of Phil Lamie. Every child in the Towne Meadow School (over 730 children ages 6 to 10) participated in the execution of the project. The finished mosaic consists of approximately 10,500 pieces of hand cut glass mosaic tile.

Evolve

The “Evolve” mosaic was made by Phil and his daughter Jodi, age 14. All materials used were from Mosaic Art Supply.

Linda Lenz

This Pink Ribbon mosaic sculpture was made by artist Linda Lenz as part of a fundraiser for breast cancer research sponsored by Kohl’s Department Stores. Linda’s ribbon was selected out of all entries to be displayed at Kohl’s corporate office during breast cancer awareness month. The other 15 ribbons (mostly painted designs) were displayed at various Kohl’s stores. Linda’s ribbon won the highest bid at the fundraiser’s auction and now resides in a mansion in Mequon, Wisconsin. The ribbon is made of glass tile, stained glass, mirror, fossils, and other found objects mounted on a fiberglass base.

Jill Freshman-Cohen

The following work by Jill Freshman-Cohen is a mosaic interpretation of James Earle Frasier’s well-known sculpture “End of the Trail.” This mosaic makes excellent use of andamento to give different visual elements a sense of motion. Observe the sky surrounding the sun and the sloping hill on which the horse is standing, and how interesting these elements look when compared to mosaics where tile is arranged randomly (or in arbitrary patterns such as rows of triangles.) Similarly, the size of tesserae is optimal for the size of the details being depicted. Note the horse’s head, mane and legs and how details of these elements are rendered with a single tile.

Jill resides in the Bronx, where she is a certified arborist for NYC parks, as well as the Queens forestry division. Jill plans to retire to Puerto Rico so that she can create mosaics full time.