The mosaic panel, assembled from multi-colored mosaic elements, is a highly artistic decorative object. It can add zest and originality to the interior, focus on something specific or visually change the proportions of the room.

The panel can be used on the floor, imitating an intricate carpet, or on the wall as a copy of a portrait, photograph, painting of a famous artist or a frame from your favorite movie.

Features:

The mosaic panel has undeniable advantages during operation, such as high resistance to environmental influences, durability, aesthetics, strength and color saturation. It's universal finishing material, which is ideal for use on surfaces of any curvature and configuration. Recently, floor mosaic panels made of natural stone or chipped tiles are becoming more and more popular.

In order to convey the smoothness of color transitions and detail the finest elements, mosaic pieces of the smallest size are used. This creates the effect of the integrity of the image and the saturation of the color palette. Using this technique, you can create an artistic masterpiece not only on the wall, ceiling and even the floor, but also use it for decorating furniture surfaces.

Such an interior will not go unnoticed, and if a mirror mosaic is used in the performance of the panel, then the space in the room will play with chiaroscuro from reflected light and furnishings. The location of such a mosaic panel can be completely different - it is a bathhouse, a bathroom, a kitchen, a pool, and a living room.

It should be noted that experience with mosaics is very important, as it is very difficult to install and does not forgive even minor mistakes.The first step to successful laying is a perfectly prepared, smooth and even surface.

In order to prevent the layer from chipping and subsequently, when applying the plaster, it does not crack or deform, you need to use cement-sand plaster with an adhesive and reinforcing base.

Views

Based on the material of manufacture, mosaic panels are of ceramic, glass, stone, mirror, marble, metal and combined types.

According to the technique of execution, they are subdivided into artistic and matrix types. To assemble an artistic mosaic panel, elements of various shapes and sizes, materials and textures are used. To create a matrix panel, clear schemes with a strict construction of a pixel grid are used. Such a panel is assembled from convex polygons.

Materials

The appearance and characteristics for the operation of the mosaic panel depend on the material used.

• Glass mosaic Is a very practical and versatile material to use. Its embossed surface refracts light, thereby creating additional volume and expressiveness. In addition, it has a number of enviable qualities, such as water resistance, fire safety, hygiene, and resistance to deformation.
• Smaltcomes from Murano glass, has the same brightness, strength and opacity. It is made of powdered glass with the addition of dyes. The surface of smalt is both glossy and matte with a glow effect.
• Mirror tiles (one of the glass options) is used only as a background. Due to the ability of reflection, it gives a visual change in the proportions of the room. It has a number of significant disadvantages: fragility, high susceptibility to deformation and intolerance to constant moisture.

• Ceramic - ideal for all surfaces and operating conditions. Has a wide range of colors and textures. Differs in resistance to frost, moisture, chemicals and wear and tear.
• Stone - the most ancient way of decorating walls and floors. Such mosaics are more often produced in the form of modules on a grid, since they are easier to lay. It has a varied combination of qualities that depend on the properties of the stones used in it, for example, sandstone is porous and is not suitable for finishing an apron in the kitchen, and marble easily absorbs dirt and therefore needs periodic polishing.

• Metalmosaic began its existence quite recently. For its production, aluminum, stainless steel, copper are used, less often pollination with brass, bronze, silver and gold is used. With a meager color scheme, it has a large assortment of textures. It is produced only modularly on a rubber backing, due to which it does not require an ideal surface evenness.
• Wooden the mosaic is made of hardwood veneer. In most cases, for a change colors use a mixture of veneer from different tree species, less often resort to more interesting solutions, for example, cross-sections of a tree trunk. Such an original mosaic fits into the interior different styles: from loft to hi-tech. For greater effect, the structure of the surface is betrayed by laying the mosaic at a different slope relative to the surface.

Drawing options

Today the imagination of designers has no boundaries in the use of mosaic tiles. It is used almost everywhere: from the usual decor of rooms to exclusive furnishings.

The variation of mosaic panel patterns is also great and can copy folk, antique, classical, ethnic ornaments and motifs, paintings by famous artists, photographs, children's pictures, film frames, inscriptions, imitate textile carpets, animal skins and much more. This abundance is limited only by fantasy and financial capabilities.

The mosaic panel easily depicts both simple and complex subjects, as well as floral, heraldic and even geometric ornaments. Mosaics for creating such a panel are in the form of regular convex polygons. There are several options.

• Chaotic stylingIs an arbitrary assembly of small parts of any color and shape. The result is a pockmarked or monochromatic surface. This arrangement does not require the use of the scheme.
• Motive repetition method. A simple pattern (stripes, waves, geometric variations) with repeating elements is taken as a basis and laid out over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe working surface. Suitable for self-styling.
• Graphic drawing. The simplest version of the picture, which uses few tile colors in the main achromatic range.

• Concentric pattern... The point is taken as a basis, around which a symmetrical composition is created with the same lines and elements repeating around the circle.
• Picture... The complex process of recreating an image using the pixel principle. It requires a ready-made sketch and minimal artistic skills, patience and endurance. The result will pay off the effort expended.
• Local insert method... This is a lightweight version, when a drawing is created by a single layout of simple elements on a solid background, for example, a dolphin or a dragon.

Laying methods

There are two styling methods: forward and backward.

With direct laying, images are laid out directly on the surface and fixed in the plaster layer.

With the reverse laying method, the template is covered with a transparent self-adhesive film or a paper base, on which the mosaic fragments are laid face down. After the panel has completely hardened, the paper is soaked with a damp sponge, and its remains are removed with a soft cloth moistened with ethyl alcohol or varnish solvent.

How to assemble with your own hands?

For many centuries, mosaic panels have not lost their relevance when decorating various surfaces. Over time, mosaic laying has become more affordable and varied, which helps to create a truly unique interior.

When professionally assembling a panel with a mosaic of this size, an almost indistinguishable version of a portrait, painting or carpet is obtained.

By making a mosaic we mean the independent production of all its components from the base to the elements of the set. And laying involves the creation of a panel from a ready-made set of factory production. Such sets include everything you need from mosaic elements to a sketch of a future panel. This option is more in demand as it does not require any artistic ability.

The direct stacking method is to lay the image face up. It is better to lay out the panel on a horizontal surface for ease of use. The elements of the panel are glued to a fiberglass mesh, and then they are transferred to the planned place. The seams are overwritten after the finished panel is fixed to the surface.

This method of laying is suitable only for flat surfaces, otherwise the image will be deformed on bends.

For rooms with high humidity, for example, in a hammam, silicone-based glue should be used, in other cases, a regular tile solution is suitable.

First of all, you need to make a drawing of the future product, a small master class will help with this.

To bring to life the conceived work of fantasy, you should decide on the drawing, then digitize it and, using a computer program, develop a diagram of the future panel. After the sketch is received, you need to choose what size the mosaic should be and determine its color palette.

There are some tricks to laying the mosaic.

1. To prepare the surface, use a bowl grinder and sandblasting. The result should be a smooth and rough surface.
2. This method of installation is suitable only for a perfectly degreased surface.
3. Complete absence on the basis of any extraneous traces of rust, rubber, grout or other origin.
4. The grout should not contain sand in its composition to avoid damage to the mosaic elements. After hardening, the traces of grout should be removed with a soft, damp cloth and polished with the same cloth, but dry and completely clean.

Reverse stacking is convenient for use on curved and curved surfaces.

For this installation, a pattern is used - a template that is covered with a transparent self-adhesive film with the glue side up, and the mosaic fragments are already laid out on it, face down. The protective film is removed as the mosaic elements are laid out.

To complete the installation, the resulting panel is divided into small parts, each of which is transferred in turn to the base. The base is preliminarily covered with glue. Before transferring a part of the panel, it is better to number it so as not to confuse the sequence of its fragments. Fastening should be done with light pressure so that the glue completely covers the adhesion surface. Regarding the size of the parts into which the panel is cut, they should be small so that the mosaic does not crumble or damage, and does not change its position.

In the first version, after the panel is completely frozen, the self-adhesive film is removed. When using the second option, the paper is soaked with a damp sponge, and the remaining egg white is removed with a sponge of medium moisture.

Alexander Kulev,

art critic

Mosaic panel

Before talking about the types of mosaic panels, it is necessary to understand what is meant by the words panel and mosaic, the meaning of which is intuitively clear, but in fact some explanation is required.

About the origin of the concept of "mosaic panel"

Meaning of the word panel comes from the French "panneau", which in turn goes back to the Latin "pannus" - a piece of cloth. The word “panel” is usually understood as a work of a decorative nature, intended for permanent filling of any sections of the wall (wall panel) or ceiling. Its varieties include: bas-relief, carved or stucco composition. Thus, the main feature of the panel is its immobility and a certain monumentality, and as follows from the Latin meaning of the word, it resembles a piece of cloth, that is, an insert on the wall.

Word mosaic comes from the French "mosaïque", as well as the Italian "mosaico", which in turn goes back to the Latin (opus) musivum - a work dedicated to the muses. Mosaic is a decorative and applied (related to an art form that has a dual function: aesthetic pleasure and a utilitarian, practical one) and monumental (large format and related to architecture or interior design) art. Mosaic is quite heterogeneous in the use of materials: it can be colored stones, smalt, ceramic tiles or other materials fixed to the surface.

Thus mosaic panel Is a large panel interspersed with pieces of multi-colored materials that form a semantic pattern or pattern and perform an aesthetic or utilitarian function.

Sometimes, mosaicism is understood as a collection of heterogeneous elements that form a kind of whole, which individually do not represent anything of themselves, but together create something special and integral.

The history of the mosaic

The history of the emergence of the mosaic dates back to the fourth millennium BC, approximately to its second half, the time of the development of the Sumerian state. If we trace further (but only hypothetically), then, most likely, the mosaic arose from children's play, the development of the ability of a primitive man to combine various materials and lay out an image from them, initially very simple, from homogeneous objects. But, later, with the development of intelligence, they acquired a more complex form, from achromatic (performed in one color scale) to polychrome (multicolored). Primarily, the mosaic had a utilitarian function - the function of protecting the surfaces to be faced from atmospheric or other adverse influences. With the development of various materials, the improvement of their polishing technique, the development of glass making, as well as the development of glass staining techniques, it became more and more complicated.

In this article on mosaic panels, we will only touch on the issuesmosaic techniques,consider its main types and,in part, evolution and contemporary work.

The evolution of the technique of creating mosaic panels

The mosaic technique is complicated by the arrangement of dissimilar elements into a single whole, in order to lay out a picture from separate small elements and in a certain color scheme requires great skill.

The emergence of the mosaic

At the initial stage of the development of mosaics (as we assume), dissimilar elements were not fixed with each other, that is, it was in to a greater extent children's game, or one of the ways of knowing the world. For the arrangement of heterogeneous elements into a single whole, it is necessary to develop combinatorial thinking, certain, sufficiently highly developed skills in processing materials, therefore the initial samples of the mosaics that have come down to our times are of a primitive nature.

For the Sumerians, the mosaic was made up of the material most accessible to them - baked clay sticks, which were also fixed on a clay solution, from which a geometric ornament was formed. Column framing is known by this method from the city of Ur. What function these mosaics performed can only be assumed, perhaps utilitarian - protecting the base of the columns from weathering, but rather purely aesthetic, associated with the function of a kind of amulet in the use of geometric ornament. With the increasing complexity of the technique, floors made of mosaics, richly inlaid caskets ("Standard Hurray"), and furniture appear.

One way or another, this is only the prehistory of the emergence of mosaic panels. The early stages of the development of this ancient art include pebble mosaic ornaments dating from the 8th century BC from Assyria.

Mosaic panel in antiquity

Gradually, the technique became more complicated and already in rather developed forms is found in antiquity. Initially, in antiquity, untreated pebbles were used, then the technique of grinding stone, processing it, and only later on colored glass was mastered, which made it possible to create not only beautiful, but also realistic mosaic panels.

Composing a mosaic is an extremely difficult and painstaking job, in order to get to know it better, you need to figure out what materials can be used to create it.

Glass and smalt

One of the main materials is glass, which allows you to create the subtlest color transitions, to beat the flow and play of light inside the mosaic panels. In addition, glass is resistant to moisture, corrosive liquids and environments, temperature extremes. Panels made with glass mosaic reliably protect the surface of the walls and give aesthetic pleasure. Glass mosaics are currently produced in various forms: they can be plates, rounded or drop-shaped elements. Glass allows you to vary not only the structure, but also the degree of color, that is, the ability to work with halftones and pure colors, as well as have a different degree of opacity or transparency. Glass mosaic panels are widely used in decorating both the interior (bathrooms, swimming pools) and the exterior (panels on the facades of buildings or courtyards).

The next most famous material is smalts - colored opaque glasses, usually square in shape with slightly beveled corners and a slightly textured inner surface and a polished outer surface. Smalts can be gilded, with various inclusions, they allow you to add various effects to the overall pattern and often replace glass, because, due to its transparency, a fully glass mosaic panel will be very bright, glass is very sensitive to its location in the interior or exterior.

Smalt manufacturing technology for creating a mosaic panel

Having described glasses and smalts, I would like to dwell on the description of the process of making various color shades, which are so important for creating works of art. The colorful palette of smalt has more than 10,000 different shades, but this variety is achieved by using a little more than 10 dyes, among which are: iron, manganese, copper, nickel, cobalt, uranium, gold, silver, lead antimony; later, chromium began to be used, and in our time - selenium and cadmium sulphide. Most of these elements show their qualities during oxidation, that is, interaction with oxygen. Metals are characterized by different oxidation states depending on the interaction with the amount of oxygen, for example, copper, depending on the oxidation state, gives blue and red colors, iron - yellow and blue. It is quite difficult to achieve the oxidation state in the cooking process, for this it is necessary to provide either an excess or a lack of oxygen, therefore, various oxidizers (potassium or sodium nitrate) and reducing agents (coal, tartaric, stone, aluminum, and others) are used. The color of glass in some cases strongly depends on the combinations with which the dye is located, for example, sulfur colors the glass blue, and in the presence of cadmium, which itself does not give color, yellow. The color of glass is strongly influenced by its composition.

Heat treatment of glass after the melting process is of great importance for coloring. For example, copper, dissolving in glass, does not in itself give any color, the glass remains transparent, but when heated to temperatures close to glass melting, it gives a pinkish tint, with increasing heating which turns into a thick red color. If you continue to heat the glass, then the bright red tint will change to brownish brown with copper crystals embedded in its depths with a parallel change in transparency, that is, it will become cloudy. This principle is widely used to create the effect of artificial aventurine. The same process is followed to produce chrome aventurine, which is green in color.

Colloidal dyes of glass can be precious metals, such as gold and silver, the first gives the glass color in raspberry red, and the second - in yellow, which are also used in the production of especially valuable tableware.

A special group of smalts, highly valued by the Romans and melted by Lomonosov, include: varnishes, scorces and purples. They are painted with copper in low oxidation states and have shades of yellow-orange, brown-red and wax tones. Their production is complex, since they require not only cooking, but also subsequent heat treatment. Staining glass is a great art and requires not only tremendous skill, but also a special sense of paint, as minor changes give rise to color variations.

After describing the color scheme, it is necessary to dwell on the glass melting process. First, it is necessary to say about some features of the smoked production, firstly, it is not large, since the need for the production of the necessary materials can be satisfied by a small workshop. Secondly, each shade of smalt requires its own composition and therefore is cooked in separate containers and in small quantities. Structurally smoked furnaces are technically simple devices: the relatively low temperature of glass melting makes it possible not to contain complex devices for injecting additional temperature, while maintaining the thermal regime, special accuracy is also not required, so there is no need for expensive and complex automatic devices to adjust and maintain the required temperatures. In a workshop for the production of smalt, except cooking oven, there are also auxiliary devices designed for glass annealing, color adjustment, crucible firing. Despite the primitiveness of the devices, smalt cooking is a process that requires great skill and art, the ability to feel the materials. The cooked smalt is poured directly from the crucibles or by means of a metal spoon onto a cast-iron baking sheet, where it solidifies into individual tiles, which are then sent to the furnace for annealing.

Making gold smalt. Kantareli production technology

A special group of smalts is represented by gilded smalts, which were widespread in the art of the Byzantine Empire. The increased requirements for strength in mosaic painting do not allow the use of traditional methods of surface gilding, in which a thin layer of gold is fixed to the surface by firing. When using this method, gilding is quickly erased. Therefore, a more reliable method is used, which was widespread in ancient times: the conclusion of a thin gold foil between two layers of glass. Many are familiar with books with thin sheets of gold foil - gold leaf. Gold is an exceptionally plastic material, so making gold foil from it is not very difficult. These golden leaves are less than the thickness of a human hair, or to be more precise, at least 0.0001 meters. The process of making gold smalts is as follows: sheets of no more than 1 mm are blown out of glass. thick, which are then cut into small plates, on which a sheet of gold foil is superimposed. The plates prepared in this way are introduced into an oven, where at a temperature that softens the glass, a new layer of glass is poured over the gold foil, also about a millimeter thick. This process ends with pressing and subsequent firing in a special oven. For the production of gold smalts, two conditions are necessary: \u200b\u200bthe glass must not be refractory, otherwise the gold will start to burn, and also both layers of glass, between which the foil is located, must have the same composition.

Silver smalts are used somewhat less frequently than gold ones. They are made in a similar way, only the silver foil layer needs to be slightly thicker. There are known methods of counterfeiting silver smalt with gold, when a sheet of silver foil is covered with tinted orange glass. Nowadays, a method has also been developed to obtain cheaper gold smalt, based on the same method in which aluminum is deposited instead of silver.

Mosaic panel made of marble and other types of stone

Natural stone, for example, marble, onyx, travertine, granite, is especially popular, but difficult to work with for making mosaics. The pattern, laid out of stone, is unique, it allows you to create gradations of unusual and natural colors, to use halftones, and also does not have the glitter and pretentiousness of glass. In panels made of stone, depending on the skill of the artist, you can convey almost any plot, use realism. It should also be noted that the stone is a "living" material with its own structure, and this is taken into account when creating a mosaic; it is impossible to mechanically compose a mosaic of stone, you need to feel where this or that element can be placed so as not to disturb the image. In fact, the stone dictates the rules for creating images. The structure and color of the stone is unique, so some samples are left untreated, others are carefully polished to reveal the natural texture of the stone (like the texture of wood), some stones can be artificially aged. A special type of mosaics is made from fragments of porcelain stoneware, which has increased strength, such claddings are often used in exteriors.

Ceramic mosaics and panels

Ceramic mosaics have become especially popular in our time, which are individual square-shaped tiles with a glazed outer and rough inner surface. Such tiles are often used not only by mosaic masters, but also by non-professionals in everyday conditions, laying out a pattern on kitchen aprons or including in the decor of bathrooms. The various types of these tiles are easy to spot in any store that sells ceramic tiles.

A special type of mosaic creation can be attributed to mosaic panels made of fragments of ceramic tiles or ceramic tiles small format. This type dates back to ancient baked clay specimens, only has a glaze and great variety. With a certain skill, it is possible to lay out mosaic panels from ceramics quite beautiful, however, ceramic tiles with various shades and colors can rarely be used to create the most complex samples of mosaic panels, since they have a single color and do not have such a natural texture as stone or the finest color halftones like glass.

All of these materials are quite traditional, but manufacturers in our time develop more and more new solutions for mosaics. For example, italian company "Sicis" developed a metal mosaic, and if the traditional shape is a square, then the developers have introduced new forms, such as a diamond or a triangle. A similar mosaic can be applied to create truly unusual effects, however, she is quite independent, just stylize the interior for such mosaic panels is very, very difficult.

New types of modern mosaics and experiments with mosaic panels

Experiments on the creation of various types of mosaics continue constantly, mosaics made of precious metals can be attributed to very bold and original finds, for example, mosaics, inside which are embedded gold foil of the highest standard or mosaics with the addition of real aquamarine or interspersed with copper oxide, mosaics are also being developed having a special light output, having a flicker when different types lighting. It should be noted that the process of creating such types of panels is very laborious and they are usually very expensive. Naturally, one cannot imagine a panel made only of gold tiles or with a combination of cheap ceramic mosaics and expensive ones.

Craftsmen have to find a middle ground in this process. The creation of mosaic panels is primarily a creative process, and very laborious, a sense of proportion and the ability to see your work in its entirety. It is not enough for a master to be able to create a work, he must see where it will be located, fit it into space, because only in space or in surroundings mosaic panels are revealed in full, which are inextricably linked with the interior or exterior, only in this close relationship is fully comprehended their aesthetic function, overshadowing the utilitarian one.

Since the materials used in creating the mosaic have been considered, you can turn to the varieties of technology, of course, you cannot fully consider this issue, just as you cannot explain the creative process in words, but list the main types with a description - this is possible, but first you need to describe how craftsmen work with ready-made mosaic tiles that came from the workshops for their production.

Tiling process

Mosaic comes to the workshop in several forms: it can be large tiles, 15-20 cm in size, 1-2 cm thick, or in the form of rectangular or elongated trunks. It is not suitable for direct use; it is necessary to give the tiles the desired shape in accordance with the chosen idea of \u200b\u200bthe picture. Large bars are sawn into small ones and they are often given a sharpened shape in the lower part of the cube, as well as for a tighter joint of the tiles, they are polished.

One of the simplest types related to mosaic imitation is background mosaic... It is made of ordinary large-sized tiles, on which, in turn, cuts are made along the surface, creating an imitation of a mosaic pattern, while maintaining the texture and pattern of the tile itself.

Mixes, or mixing technique - individual small tiles are laid out haphazardly on the surface, which is why a pattern is formed, born of the spontaneity of the arrangement of the tiles.

Actually mosaic panels, representing a pattern of many separate small tiles that form integrity when viewed at some distance.

Mosaic panel set technique. Direct and reverse dialing methods

There are several techniques for setting mosaic panels. In ancient times, tiles were laid directly on the wall on a previously prepared surface, on which incisions were made, and the tiles were laid on a lime mortar. Later, the craftsmen refused to lay tiles in this way, since it required great skill and was laborious. In such a setting, the slightest mistake made it difficult to reproduce the picture, because the very perception of the mosaic panel requires viewing it at some distance, as well as the ability to correctly combine various materials and color combinations. Craftsmen began to use the method of setting tiles in special boxes or on the surfaces of marble slabs with an area of \u200b\u200b1-2 square meters, this made it possible, in a convenient position in a workshop, to apply a drawing in the most detailed way in accordance with the developed drawing and avoid unnecessary mistakes and inaccuracies in work. Upon completion of the set, the individual fragments were removed along with the slab on which they were fixed and embedded in the wall, the resulting seams were neatly sealed and decorated with tiles selected in color and tone, continuing the pattern line, thus, the integrity of the separately recruited fragments was obtained.

There are two main ways to set mosaic panels (forward and backward). With the direct method, the master lays out the cubes face up, while he can see the results of his work, and, stepping back some distance, correct the existing drawbacks of the drawing. Technically, this method looks like this: the box is filled to the full depth with plaster mortar, then paper with the future pattern applied to it is applied to the surface, then a small area is marked and plaster is cut to the very bottom of the box, the resulting hole is filled with a powdery substance or special mastic ... In the prepared layer, which has looseness, the master inserts the tiles in accordance with the drawing, they are firmly fixed there, but at the same time they can be easily removed. When the processing of the first fragment is finished, the second fragment is cut, then the third and so on until the very end. When the entire surface is filled with a pattern, paper is glued to the front side, and the box is turned over, the powdery mixture or mastic is removed and the lower part is filled with adhesive solution. There is an option when the tiles are laid directly on the glue or cement mixture.

The reverse method of dialing is often used, in which tracing paper with a pattern is laid on the bottom of the box (or caisson), while the master, guided by translucent lines through the tracing paper, lays the tiles face down, after the installation is completed, the box is poured with prepared cement mortar, after hardening, it is disassembled. This method is considered faster, but it has one significant drawback: the master cannot see what he is getting when laying the picture.

In such brief overview it is impossible to fully consider the subtleties of the use of materials or the technique of making mosaic panels, however, it is possible to describe the basics of work in a rather complex technique descriptively.

Polishing the surface of the mosaic panel. Technology and materials

Concluding the description of the mosaic production technology, I would like to mention the grinding of finished mosaic panels, that is, the final processing of the finished surface upon completion of the work. Grinding and polishing of mosaics is done as needed. Various abrasive materials are used: metal, felt materials, chemical liquids such as tin oxide. Small mosaic paintings that have not yet been installed in the surface are polished on rotary machines, which are tables rotating in a horizontal plane. Large mosaic paintings are polished primarily by hand using the necessary abrasive materials. It should be noted that polishing is not always required.

Consider the cases in which polishing is required, and in which it is not. If a mosaic panel is part of architecture and is monumental in size and is thought of as an object viewed from a distance, it is not customary to polish it, on the contrary, it is customary to leave a special roughness or put tiles in uneven rows, without trying to seal the seams between them. This is due to the peculiarities of human visual perception, when the contours of individual small objects at a distance merge. Pointillism is an example in the visual arts. IN large sizes panel polishing surfaces and the absence of seams between the tiles would not make any sense. In cases where the mosaic appears as a picture or is supposed to be viewed from a small distance, polishing is necessary, especially when it is necessary to reproduce subtle color and tonal transitions. When working with glass, the absence of polishing is a sign of high skill, since glass itself has a glossy texture and it is impractical to resort to additional processing methods, it is more advantageous to arrange the fragments of the picture so that they themselves would form integrity.

In the MOZAICO company you can order the production of a mosaic panel. We are the only manufacturer of polymer mosaics in Russia. Our production capabilities allow us to create high-quality digital images of any complexity. Paintings, family photographs, designer prints or masterpieces of world art - we can quickly make all this to order.

What are the advantages of a polymer mosaic panel?

• It is a striking decorative solution that will transform any space.
• In the production of mosaic panels, a special protective coating is used.
• High wear resistance and durability make the mosaic very practical.
• It can be used at temperatures between -60 and +120 ° C.
• UV resistance ensures color retention.
• The production of mosaic panels is carried out in accordance with the existing standards and norms, which is confirmed by the presence of sanitary and hygienic certificates.

Mosaic production technology

Features of the production of mosaic tiles depend on the materials used in the process. Ceramic mosaics are made from clay, quartz sand, feldspar and a variety of pigments. All components are mixed and laid out in shapes. After that, they are pressed, covered with glaze and fired in special ovens. The manufacturing process of ceramic mosaic tiles is fully automated.

Porcelain stoneware mosaic is made from a sheet of porcelain stoneware. It is cut into small pieces with a waterjet tool. Glass mosaic sheets are made from flat glass. It is durable and durable. First, such glass is painted with special heat-resistant paints, and then cut into the required formats. Before firing, they are collected on special substrates. In the oven, pieces of glass mosaic are processed at a temperature of 900 ° C. As a result, the paint is baked into the glass, and the corners of the products are melted.

The final stages of the production of any mosaic are gluing the finished shards on the base and laying on a special mesh or paper base impregnated with an adhesive solution. Once the sheet is completely dry, it is ready to use.

The definition "mosaic" is usually called a pattern or ornament, laid out from fragments of stone, pieces of ceramic tiles or glass fragments. Ancient Greece is considered its homeland - it was there, according to historians, that they first began to decorate the walls and vaults of temples with colored pebbles. Later, this type of activity began to be adopted in different countries, with each nation bringing something of its own into it.

Features:

There are two ways of mosaic collection - forward and backward.

In the first case, the fragments of the future product are laid out on the surface with the finishing side up. This technique is used to lay out mosaic panels on horizontal flat surfaces. All fragments of the future picture are put on glue on a special grid. Then the mesh is transferred to a permanent place of residence, after which the seams are rubbed.

If the mosaic surface has a curved shape, apply reverse laying. Most often, this method of laying is used if the basis for the composition is cloth or cardboard. The tile is glued to the base face down, then the base is made - the whole composition is fastened with a special solution. When the base hardens, the paper or cloth from the front is removed. Grouting is done on site.

Today, several technologies are used to create mosaic panels:

• Matrix technologyconsidered the easiest to manufacture. Mosaic elements are assembled into ready-made prefabricated fragments on a paper or mesh base, approximately 30 cm in size. In stores, you can buy ready-made compositions consisting of such fragments, and in place it will only be necessary to fix them in a certain order using special glue. They can be either monochromatic or multi-colored, depending on the artist's idea and scope. Their shape is most often square or rectangular, less often other shapes are found.
• Art technologyit is mainly used when performing exclusive orders according to individual sketches. This is a very delicate, painstaking manual work, comparable to manual painting - with the help of this technology, it becomes possible to recreate whole paintings and even portraits. For this, both whole tiles of the correct shape, and their parts can be used - the smaller the mosaic elements, the higher its artistic value and, accordingly, the cost. Artistic technology helps to focus on various elements of decoration or, conversely, to hide any imperfections. To increase the aesthetic properties of the finished work, artistic grout is used - a suitable color scheme is selected for each fragment.
• Mixed technology - its name speaks for itself. It combines some of the manufacturing elements of the first two technologies. Thanks to this approach, you can achieve high quality and save money at some stages of work.

Mosaic tiles are very capricious in their work, they require meticulousness and great patience.

Manufacturing materials

Depending on where exactly the decorative panel will be located, various materials can be used. Floor coverings must have special endurance, resistance to abrasion and must not slip, therefore, patterns on the floor are laid out mainly of stone, which has a matte non-slip surface. Modern manufacturers offer a wide range of marble, granite and other natural stone mosaic tiles. Also ceramic tiles are often used for the floor.

From chipped small parts, you can lay out whole works of artnot only for the floor, but also for wall decoration. For this, not only marble or ceramic tiles, but also glass tiles are suitable. Unlike stone tiles, crushed glass mosaic has a very beautiful shine and a wonderful play of light.

One of the varieties of glass tiles is smalt - it has increased durability, attractive glossy sheen and excellent color rendering. Smalt is often used to decorate the vaults of temples, palaces of culture, theaters and other public institutions. Whole pictures are often laid out from it, while the tiles themselves are typed by hand. To obtain a special color rendering, special dyes are added to the glass, and thanks to high technologies, thousands of different shades of various colors can be obtained. Today it is even possible to obtain gold and mirror smalt, which looks very unusual and expensive in the interior.

Classic smalt is obtained by breaking off small pieces from a large whole layer.The chipped pieces are irregular and unlike each other. This is their main advantage. Factory smalt has some similarities with ordinary glass mosaic, only the quality of the modules is much higher. These two types are often combined with each other when decorating one interior. When decorating interiors of rooms with high humidity, such as a swimming pool, hammam or bathroom, several types of different smalt are most often combined.

Metal mosaics are often used to decorate various columns and other surfaces with complex shapes. It looks very impressive, and is also durable and unpretentious in care. For its manufacture, steel and aluminum are most often used. Various imitations for gold or platinum are created from these materials.

Modern technologies allow you to create mosaic canvases from a wide variety of different materials... For these purposes, sea pebbles, wooden blocks, shards of bottle glass, cork are perfect.

Sometimes the most unexpected materials can be used - for example, sawdust and even plastic wrap.

Style and design

The mosaic spread all over the globe, and each nation added something of its own to this art form, peculiar only to this nation. For today, there are several styles. Let's consider some of them in more detail.

The Alexander mosaic appeared in the 4th century AD. It got its name in honor of the great commander Alexander the Great and depicted episodes from his campaigns. Several natural shades prevail in the color palette - these are red, red-brown, white and yellow. The drawing typical for this style was laid out strictly along a certain border. Mosaic elements were cut from marble or glass, polished in a special way. However, they never went beyond the designated limits.

Byzantine mosaics appeared around the 6th-7th centuries and has not lost its relevance to this day. It is highly regarded and easily recognizable due to some of its characteristics.

First, it is made of smalt - it is Byzantium that is considered its homeland. Secondly, it is necessarily a golden background. To obtain different shades, several types of metals are mixed in different proportions. It can be copper, mercury and even gold particles. All depicted objects have perfectly clear contours and correct proportions - the elements are in the shape of a cube. Therefore, up close, the picture seems somewhat rough and reveals itself in all its glory only from a certain distance.

Classic examples plots depicted using Byzantine mosaics can be observed in many temples in Italy that have survived from ancient times. Today, in this technique, you can upload absolutely any picture. These can be mythical animals such as dragons or fantasy flowers. Looks good in this style and nautical theme - fish, dolphins, coastal landscapes.

Florentine mosaic named after the eponymous city of Florencein which she first appeared. It is made from natural stone - most often from sea pebbles, and is considered one of the most difficult to perform. The Florentine style is characterized by stacking elements close to each other, leaving almost no space for seams and grouting. And since all fragments from nature have the most diverse shapes and shades, adjusting them to each other is a very laborious process.

Michael's mosaic originated in the Middle Ages on the basis of the Byzantine school.All shades of green and gold prevail in the described technique. The plots of the mosaic are mostly biblical - this technique is used to paint the Hagia Sophia in Kiev. Thanks to the various shades, the image is not static, but lively and interesting, for which this style is appreciated all over the world.

Sophia mosaic has more varied color palette than the previous school. For this mosaic, pieces of smalt were used in various shapes - square, oval and even triangular. At the same time, they did not fit as carefully as the Florentine masters did.

Roman mosaics are also made of smalt.In this case, very small pieces are used, which makes it possible to achieve a high accuracy of the picture. This technique is especially good for depicting people, natural landscapes, as well as various representatives of flora and fauna. Thanks to this technique, it is especially possible to convey flowers and animals in motion.

Russian mosaic is made of stone.Its advantage over other styles is that such a mosaic can be created on curved surfaces, on which classical technologies cannot be applied. In the technique of Russian mosaic, you can make small crafts such as boxes or writing instruments. Its essence lies in the fact that the very basis of the future painting is created from a durable, but not very expensive stone, on which plates of semi-precious stones about 5 cm2 are glued on top.

For these purposes, malachite, agate, lapis lazuli and other stones with a beautiful texture are usually used.

Scope of application

You can decorate absolutely any surface with a mosaic pattern. Typically, mosaics are used to decorate walls and floors both indoors and outdoors. Sometimes the walls of houses are decorated in this way, and the mosaic path on garden plot can transform it beyond recognition.

In cathedrals, it can also be observed on the vaults. In everyday life, such panels are more often found in the interiors of various premises. Where it is required to decorate a large area, panels are usually laid out of stone or modular elements are used. For the home, you can also purchase a ready-made composition that can be glued not only to the bathroom, but also to decorate one or several walls of the kitchen - for example, a work apron.

Some fans of this art form prefer not to limit themselves to jewelry. utility rooms and decorate with mosaic paintings and living rooms. There are also ready-made solutions for these purposes. And if you want some kind of exclusiveness, then there are many manufacturers who can create a mosaic canvas according to an individual sketch. For example, a living room with a picture of malachite or a bedroom decorated with a glass panel will look very impressive and non-standard.

At the same time, it is a mistake to believe that the mosaic looks good only in large-scale projects. You can create small pictures from it, you can decorate a kitchen countertop or furniture with it.

How to do it yourself?

Contrary to popular belief that mosaic is very difficult, such a decoration can be assembled by hand.

Process of creation decorative panel occurs in several stages:

• Selecting a picture and creating a sketch.
• Sketch processing. The selected picture needs to be scanned, and then using a special computer program to build a layout of the mosaic elements.
• Decide on the choice of material and bonding solution. If you choose a factory-made glass tile to create your mosaic, you must glue it with a special glue recommended by the manufacturer or consultant in the store. Stone and ceramic tiles must be planted in a special solution of cement, glue and water. A notched trowel is used to evenly apply the mortar to the wall or floor.
• Preparation of base and mortar. The surface on which the future painting will be located must be free of dust and debris. Before gluing the tiles, you should make preliminary markings on the wall.
• You should glue sheets or mosaic fragments one at a time, remembering to insert special crosses between them - spacers.
• Grouting. After all the elements of the panel are fixed, it is necessary to seal the seams with a special grout, applying it to the entire area rubber spatula and carefully filling all the voids between the tiles.