I get a lot of questions regarding working with certain materials. Paul from Lloydminster, AB wanted to know how to get started with smalti. What tools, what adhesives and to grout or not to grout...that is the question! Here is my reply.
Many people say that you must have a hammer and hardie to cut smalti. (tradition tool which I do own, however I suck at using it!!) I simply use the dual wheeled cutters for cutting the smalti and the tile nippers for trimming. I also use a hand file to grind the edges a bit but a dremel would be speedier (is that a word??).
Smalti is traditionally left ungrouted but if I am mixing it with other materials I often space and grout it exactly the same way.
http://www.mosaicbeach.com/albums/album_image/2360932/686566.htm this is a piece of mine that is smalti and ungrouted. As it is an indoor art piece I just used Weldbond as the adhesive (framed plywood base). I did however paint the board the EXACT same colours I was going to use in smalti in case I couldn't get them perfectly tight. That way you can't see the wood through my spacing mistakes!
http://www.mosaicbeach.com/albums/album_image/4717895/1572736.htm This is a piece done by Sara Paquin of Quintessential mosaics (one of our studio artists). She created the flower and vase in the traditional smalti way (tight and ungrouted) and then did regular grouted tile around it. I think it is a pretty cool effect.
http://www.mosaicbeach.com/albums/album_image/2360932/686562.htm This a piece I did with smalti and vitreous. It is all grouted and spaced like a traditional mosaic. The smalti is much thicker than the vitreous though so it gives it a nice 3d effect.
Hope this gives you all some ideas for working with new materials this year. Don't hesitate to drop me a line if you need more information or have another question. This is how we all learn!
I really like your smalti piece. The combination of colors works really well with the design.
Congratulations
Posted by: Pam Givens | February 10, 2009 at 06:31 PM