A 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 by a famous artist or a frame from a favorite movie.

Peculiarities

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, more and more popular is floor mosaic panel from natural stone or chipped tiles.

In order to convey the smoothness of color transitions and the detailing of the finest elements, mosaic pieces of the smallest size are used. This creates the effect of image integrity and 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 to decorate furniture surfaces.

Such an interior will not be left without attention, 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 - this is a bathhouse, and a bathroom, and a kitchen, and a pool, and a living room.

It is worth noting that Mosaic experience is very important, because it is very difficult to install and does not forgive even small mistakes. The first step to successful laying out is a perfectly prepared, smooth and level surface.

In order to prevent the layer from chipping and subsequently not cracking or deforming when applying the plaster, it is necessary to use cement-sand plaster with an adhesive and reinforcing base.

Kinds

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

According to the technique of execution, they are divided into artistic and matrix types. To assemble an artistic mosaic panel, elements are used various shapes and size, materials and textures. 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

Appearance and characteristics for the operation of a mosaic panel depend on the material used.

• glass mosaic- This is a very practical and versatile material to use. Its relief surface refracts light, thus creating additional volume and expressiveness. In addition, it has a number of enviable qualities, such as water resistance, fire safety, hygiene, resistance to deformation.
• Smalt comes from Murano glass, has the same brightness, strength and opacity. It is made from powdered glass with the addition of dyes. The surface of the 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 humidity.

• ceramic– ideal for all surfaces and operating conditions. It has an extensive range of colors and textures. Resistant to frost, moisture, chemicals and wear.
• Stone- the most ancient way to decorate walls and floors. Such a mosaic is more often produced in the form of modules on a grid, since they are easier to stack. It has a diverse 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 requires periodic polishing.

• metal the mosaic began its existence quite recently. For its production, aluminum, stainless steel, copper are used, less often they are pollinated with brass, bronze, silver and gold. With a meager color scheme, it has a large assortment of textures. It is produced only in modules on a rubber substrate, due to which it does not require a perfect evenness of the surface.
• Wooden The mosaic is made from hardwood veneer. In most cases, for variety colors use a mixture of veneer different breeds trees, less often resort to more interesting solutions, for example, cross sections of a tree trunk. This original mosaic fits into the interior various 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.

Pattern options

To date, the imagination of designers has no limits in the use of mosaic tiles. It is used almost everywhere: from the usual decor of rooms to exclusive furniture finishing.

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 stills, inscriptions, imitate textile carpets, animal skins and much more. This abundance is limited only by imagination 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 styling is a custom build small parts any colors and shapes. The result is a pockmarked or plain surface. Such installation does not require the use of a scheme.
• Motif 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 installation.
• Graphic drawing. The simplest version of the painting, which uses few tile colors, mostly achromatic.

• concentric pattern. A point is taken as a basis, around which a symmetrical composition is created with the same lines and elements repeating along the circumference.
• Painting. The complex process of recreating an image using the pixel principle. It requires a finished sketch and minimal artistic skills, patience and endurance. The result will pay for the effort expended.
• Local Insert Method. This is a lightweight option when a drawing is created by a single calculation of simple elements on a plain background, for example, a dolphin or a dragon.

Laying methods

There are two laying methods: direct and reverse.

With direct laying, the 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 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 lacquer thinner.

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 accessible and diverse, which helps to create a truly unique interior.

When professionally assembled with a mosaic of this size, a virtually indistinguishable version of a portrait, painting or carpet is obtained.

Under the manufacture of 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, because it does not require any artistic abilities.

The direct laying method consists in laying out the image face up. Laying out panels is best done on a horizontal surface for ease of use. Panel elements are glued to a fiberglass mesh, and then transferred to the planned place. The seams are rubbed after the finished panel is fixed on the surface.

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

For rooms with high humidity, for example, in a hammam, silicone-based adhesive should be used, in other cases, a regular tile mortar will do.

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, it is necessary to choose what should be the size of the mosaic, and determine its color palette.

Mosaic laying has some tricks.

1. To prepare the surface, use a bowl grinder and sandblast. The result should be a smooth and rough surface.
2. This installation method is suitable only for a perfectly degreased surface.
3. Complete absence on the basis of any extraneous traces of rust, rubber, cement mortar or other origin.
4. The grout should not contain sand in order to avoid damage to the mosaic elements. After hardening, 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 laying, a pattern is used - a template, which is covered with a transparent self-adhesive film with the adhesive side up, and fragments of the mosaic are already laid out on it face down. The protective film is removed as the mosaic elements are laid out.

To complete the laying, the resulting panel is divided into small parts, each of which is transferred to the base in turn. The base is pre-coated 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 gentle pressure so that the adhesive completely covers the adhesion surface. Regarding the size of the parts into which the panel is cut, they must be small so that the mosaic does not crumble and is not damaged, does not change its position.

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

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 intuitive, but in fact some explanation is required.

On 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 to permanently fill in 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 immovability and a certain monumentality, and, as follows from the Latin meaning of the word, it looks like 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 an arts and crafts (related to an art form that has a dual function: aesthetic pleasure and utilitarian, practical) and monumental (large format and associated with architecture or interior) art. Mosaic is quite heterogeneous in the use of materials: it can be colored stones fixed on the surface, smalt, ceramic tiles or other materials.

Thus mosaic panel - This 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 certain whole, individually representing nothing of themselves, while in integrity they create something special and integral.

The history of the mosaic

The history of the emergence of mosaics dates back to the fourth millennium BC, approximately to its second half, the time of the development of the Sumerian state. If we follow it further (but only hypothetically), then, most likely, the mosaic arose from a child's game, the development of the ability of primitive man to combine various materials and lay out images 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 (multi-color). Initially, the mosaic had a utilitarian function - the function of protecting the facing surfaces from atmospheric or other adverse influences. With the development of various materials, the improvement of their polishing technique, the development of glassmaking, 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 issuesmosaic techniques,Let's take a look at its main types andpartly, evolution and modern works.

The evolution of the technique of creating mosaic panels

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

The emergence of the mosaic

At the initial stage of the development of mosaics (as we assume), heterogeneous elements were not fixed with each other, that is, it was in more child's play, or one of the ways of knowing the world. To arrange heterogeneous elements into a single whole, it is necessary to develop combinatorial thinking, certain, rather 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.

Among the Sumerians, the mosaic was composed of the most accessible material for them - fired clay sticks, which were also fixed on clay mortar, from which a geometric ornament was formed. Framing of columns by this method is known 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 complication of technology, floors made from mosaics, richly inlaid caskets (“Standard of Ur”), and furniture appeared.

One way or another, this is only the prehistory of the emergence of mosaic panels. By the early stages of development of this ancient art pebble mosaic ornaments dated to the 8th century BC from Assyria can be attributed.

Mosaic panel in antiquity

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

Drawing up a mosaic is an extremely complex and painstaking work, 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 finest color transitions, play with the flow and play of light inside the mosaic panels. In addition, glass is resistant to moisture, aggressive liquids and environments, and temperature changes. Panels made using glass mosaics 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 tear-shaped elements. Glass allows you to vary not only the structure, but also the degree of color, that is, the possibility of working with halftones and pure colors, as well as having a different degree of haze or transparency. Glass mosaic panels are widely used in decorating both interior (bathrooms, swimming pools) and exterior (panels on the facades of buildings or patios).

The next, most famous material is smalts - colored opaque glasses, usually square shape with slightly chamfered corners and slightly textured inner surface and polished outer. Smalts can be gilded, with various inclusions, they allow you to add a variety of 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 the location in the interior or exterior.

Smalt manufacturing technology for creating a mosaic panel

Having described glasses and smalts, I would like to dwell in particular on the description of the process of manufacturing 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 diversity 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 already in our time - selenium and cadmium sulfide. Most of these elements show their qualities during oxidation, that is, interaction with oxygen. Metals, on the other hand, are characterized by different degrees of oxidation depending on the interaction with the amount of oxygen, for example, copper, depending on the degree of oxidation, gives blue and red colors, iron - yellow and blue. It is quite difficult to achieve the degree of oxidation during the cooking process, for this it is necessary to provide either an excess or a lack of oxygen, therefore, various oxidizing agents (potassium or sodium nitrate) and reducing agents (coal, wine, stone, aluminum and others) are used. The color of glass in some cases strongly depends on the combinations with which the dye is found, for example, sulfur colors glass in Blue colour, and in the presence of cadmium, which itself does not give color, to yellow. The color of glass is strongly influenced by its composition.

Of great importance for coloring is the heat treatment of glass after the melting process. For example, copper, dissolving in glass, does not give any color by itself, the glass remains transparent, but when heated to temperatures close to the melting of glass, it gives a pinkish tint, which turns into a thick red color with increasing heating. If you continue heating the glass further, then the bright red tint will change to brownish brown with copper crystals interspersed in its depth 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 carried out for the production of chrome aventurine, which has a green color.

Precious metals, such as gold and silver, can act as colloidal dyes for glass, the first gives the color of glass in crimson red, and the second in yellow, which are also used in the production of especially valuable tableware.

A special group of smalt, highly valued by the Romans and smelted by Lomonosov, includes: varnishes, scorcetes and purpurines. They are painted with copper, which is 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. Glass painting is a great art and requires not only great skill, but also a special sense of color, since minor changes give variations in color.

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 malt-brewing production, firstly, it is not large, since the need for manufacturing necessary materials can be satisfied with a small workshop. Secondly, each shade of smalt requires its own composition and therefore is cooked in separate containers and in small quantities. Structurally, malt furnaces are technically simple devices: the relatively low melting temperature of glass makes it possible not to contain complex devices for injecting additional temperature, maintaining the thermal regime also does not require special accuracy, so there is no need for expensive and complex automatic devices for adjusting and maintaining the required temperatures. In the workshop for the production of smalts, except for cooking oven, there are also auxiliary devices designed for glass annealing, color pickup, crucible firing. Despite the primitiveness of the devices, the work of cooking smalt is a process that requires great skill and art, the ability to feel materials. The welded smalt is poured directly from the crucibles or by means of a metal spoon onto a cast-iron pan, where it solidifies into separate tiles, which are then sent to the annealing furnace.

Making golden smalt. Cantarelle production technology

A special group of smalts is represented by gilded smalts, which were widely used in the art of the Byzantine Empire. Increased strength requirements in mosaic painting do not allow the use of traditional surface gilding methods, in which a thin layer of gold is fixed to the surface by firing. When using this method, the gilding is quickly erased. Therefore, a more reliable method is used, which became widespread in antiquity: 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 extremely plastic material, so making gold foil from it is not a big deal. These golden leaves are less than the thickness of a human hair, and to be more precise, not less than 0.0001 meters. The process of manufacturing gold smalts is as follows: sheets of glass are blown out no more than 1 mm. 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, also about a millimeter thick, is poured over the gold foil. This process is completed by pressing and subsequent firing in a special furnace. For the manufacture of gold smalt, two conditions are necessary: ​​the glass must not be refractory, otherwise the gold will start to burn, and both layers of glass, between which the foil is located, must have the same composition.

Slightly less often than gold, silver smalts are used. They are made in a similar way, only the layer of silver foil should be a little thicker. There are known ways to fake silver smalt under gold, when a sheet of silver foil is covered with tinted orange glass. Nowadays, a method has also been developed for obtaining cheaper gold smalt, based on the same method in which aluminum sputtering is applied instead of silver.

Mosaic panel of marble and other types of stone

Natural stone, such as 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, use halftones, and also does not have the brilliance and pretentiousness of glass. In panels made of stone, depending on the skill of the artist, almost any plot can be conveyed, realism can be used. 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 arrange a mosaic of stone, it is necessary to feel where one or another 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 mosaic is made from fragments of porcelain stoneware, which has increased strength; such facings are often used in exteriors.

Ceramic mosaic and panels

Ceramic mosaics, which are separate square-shaped tiles with a glazed outer and rough inner surface, have gained particular popularity in our time. Such tiles are often used not only by mosaic masters, but also by non-professionals at home, laying out a pattern on kitchen aprons or including them in bathroom decor. A variety of types of such tiles are easy to spot in any store selling ceramic tiles.

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

All of the materials listed are quite traditional, but manufacturers in our time develop more and more new mosaic solutions. For example, Italian company "Sicis" developed a metal mosaic, moreover, if the traditional shape is a square, then the developers introduced new forms, such as a rhombus or a triangle. Such a mosaic can be applied to create truly extraordinary effects, however, she is quite independent, only to stylize the interior under such mosaic panels is very, very difficult.

New types of modern mosaics and experiments with mosaic panels

Experiments on creation various kinds mosaics continue all the time, very bold and original finds include mosaics made of precious metals, such as, for example, mosaics inside which gold foil of the highest standard is embedded or a mosaic with the addition of real aquamarine or interspersed with copper oxide, mosaics with special light output are also being developed, with flickering various 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 laid out only of gold tiles or with a combination of cheap ceramic mosaics and expensive ones.

Masters have to find a middle ground in this process. The creation of mosaic panels is primarily a creative process, and very time-consuming, a sense of proportion and the ability to see your work in integrity. It is not enough for the master to be able to create a work, he must see where it will be located, inscribe it in space, because only in space or in the environment mosaic panels are fully revealed, which are inextricably linked with the interior or exterior, only in this close relationship is fully comprehended their aesthetic function, pushing the utilitarian into the background.

Since the materials used to create the mosaic have been considered, we can refer to the varieties of technology, of course, this issue cannot be fully considered, just as it is impossible to explain the creative process in words, but it is possible to list the main types with a description, but first you need to describe how masters work with ready-made mosaic tiles received from the workshops for their manufacture.

The process of creating a mosaic image

The 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 pattern. Large bars are sawn into small ones and they are often given a pointed shape at the bottom of the cube, and also for a tighter joint of tiles, they are polished.

One of the simplest types related to mosaic imitation - background mosaic. It is made from 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 randomly on the surface, resulting in a pattern born from the spontaneity of the arrangement of the tiles.

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

Technique of a set of mosaic panels. Direct and reverse dialing

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 notches were applied, and the tiles were laid on lime mortar. Later, the craftsmen abandoned laying tiles in this way, since it required great skill and was laborious. In such laying, the slightest mistake caused failures in the reproduction of the picture, because the very perception of the mosaic panel requires viewing it at a certain distance, as well as the ability to correctly combine various materials And color combinations. The craftsmen began to use the method of setting tiles in special boxes or on the surfaces of marble slabs with an area of ​​1-2 square meters, which made it possible to apply the pattern in the workshop in the most detailed way in accordance with the developed drawing and avoid unnecessary errors and inaccuracies in work. Upon completion of the set, individual fragments were removed along with the slab, on which they were fixed and embedded in the wall, the resulting seams were carefully sealed and decorated with tiles matched in color and tone, continuing the line of the drawing, thus, integrity was obtained from separately typed fragments.

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

The reverse method of set is often used, in which tracing paper with a printed pattern is placed 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 laying is completed, the box is filled with cooked cement mortar, after hardening, it is disassembled. This method is considered faster, but it has one significant drawback: the master cannot see what he gets when laying the picture.

In such summary 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.

Polishing the surface of the mosaic panel. Technology and materials

Concluding the description of the mosaic manufacturing technology, I would like to mention the grinding of finished mosaic panels, that is, the final processing of the finished surface upon completion of work. Grinding and polishing of mosaics is carried out as needed. In this case, various abrasive materials are used: metal, felt materials, chemical liquids, such as tin oxide. Small mosaic paintings, not yet embedded 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 abrasives. 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 the architecture and is monumental in size and is conceived 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 place 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 that are at a distance merge. As an example in the visual arts, pointillism can be cited. IN large sizes panel polishing of surfaces and the absence of seams between tiles would not make any sense. In cases where the mosaic acts as a picture or is supposed to be viewed from a short distance, polishing is necessary, especially when it is necessary to convey subtle color and tonal transitions. When working with glass, the lack of polishing is a sign of high skill, since the glass itself has a glossy texture and it is not advisable to resort to additional processing methods;

At MOZAICO you can order the production of mosaic panels. We are the only manufacturer of polymer mosaic in Russia. The capabilities of our production allow us to create high-quality digital images of any complexity. Paintings, family photos, designer prints or masterpieces of world art - we can quickly make all this to order.

What are the advantages of polymer mosaic panels?

• This is a spectacular 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 from -60 to +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 what materials are used in the process. Ceramic mosaic is made from clay, quartz sand, feldspar and a variety of pigments. All components are mixed and laid out in forms. After that, they are pressed, covered with glaze and fired in special ovens. The manufacturing process of ceramic mosaic tiles is fully automated.

Porcelain 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 sheet glass. It is durable and wear resistant. 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. Pieces of glass mosaic are processed in the furnace 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 the gluing of finished shards onto the base and laying it 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 of "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 to be its homeland - it was there, according to historians, that they first began to decorate the walls and vaults of temples with the help of colored pebbles. Later, this type of activity began to be adopted in different countries, while each nation brought something of its own to it.

Peculiarities

There are two ways to set the mosaic - direct and reverse.

In the first case, fragments of the future product are laid out on the surface with the finished side up. This technique is used for laying 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 overwritten.

If the surface of the mosaic application has a curved shape, reverse laying is used. Most often, this laying method is used if the basis for the composition is fabric or cardboard. The tile is glued onto the base face down, then the base is made - the entire composition is fastened with a special solution. When the base hardens, the paper or fabric from the front is removed. Seams are grouted on site.

Today, several technologies for creating mosaic panels are used:

• Matrix technology considered the easiest to make. 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 on the spot it remains only to fix them in a certain order using special glue. They can be both monophonic and multi-colored, depending on the idea of ​​the artist and the scope of application. Their shape is most often square or rectangular, and other shapes are less common.
• art technology It is mainly used in the execution of exclusive orders according to individual sketches. This is a very delicate, meticulous handicraft, comparable to hand painting - with the help of this technology it becomes possible to recreate entire 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 enhance the aesthetic properties of the finished work, artistic grouting 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 on some stages of work.

Mosaic tiles are very capricious in work, require scrupulousness 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, so the patterns on the floor are laid out mainly from stone, which has a matte non-slip surface. Modern manufacturers offer a wide range of marble, granite and other tiles for natural stone mosaics. Also, ceramic tiles are often used for the floor.

From chipped small parts you can lay out whole works of art not only for the floor, but also for wall decoration. For this, not only marble or ceramic tiles are suitable, but also glass. Unlike stone tiles, chipped glass mosaic has a very beautiful sheen and great game Sveta.

One of the varieties of glass tiles is smalt - it has increased strength, attractive glossy sheen and excellent color reproduction. 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 technology, 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.

Classical smalt is obtained by breaking off small pieces from a large whole layer. Chipped pieces are irregular in shape and dissimilar to each other. This is their main advantage. Factory-made smalt has some similarities with ordinary glass mosaics, only the quality of the modules is much higher. These two types are often combined with each other when finishing one interior. When decorating the interiors of rooms with high humidity, such as a swimming pool, a hammam or a 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, as well as durable and unpretentious in care. For its manufacture, steel and aluminum are most often used. Various imitations of 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, fragments of bottle glass, cork are perfect.

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

Style and design

Mosaic spread throughout the globe, and each nation added something of its own to this type of art, peculiar only to this nation. Today, several styles can be distinguished. 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. The color palette is dominated by several natural shades - red, red-brown, white and yellow. The drawing, characteristic of this style, was laid out strictly along a certain border. Mosaic elements were cut out of marble or glass and 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 valued and easily recognizable due to some of its features.

Firstly, it is laid out from 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 particles of gold. All depicted objects have perfectly clear contours and correct proportions - the elements are in the form of a cube. Therefore, close up, the picture seems somewhat rough and is revealed in all its glory only from a certain distance.

Classic examples scenes depicted with the help of Byzantine mosaics can be observed in many temples in Italy, preserved 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 marine theme- fish, dolphins, coastal landscapes.

The Florentine mosaic is named after the city of Florence of the same name. in 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 the stacking of elements closely, leaving little room for seams and grouting. And since all fragments by nature have the most diverse shapes and shades, fitting them to each other is a very laborious process.

Mikhailovskaya mosaic originated in the Middle Ages on the basis of the Byzantine school. In the described technique, all shades of green and gold predominate. The plots of the mosaic are mostly biblical - the Hagia Sophia in Kyiv is painted in this technique. Thanks to various shades, the image is not static, but lively and interesting, for which this style is valued all over the world.

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

Roman mosaics are also laid out from 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 style directions is that such a mosaic can be created on curved surfaces on which it is impossible to apply classical technologies. Using the Russian mosaic technique, small crafts such as caskets or writing instruments can be made. Its essence lies in the fact that the very basis of the future picture is created from a durable, but not very expensive stone, on which plates of semi-precious stones about 5 cm2 in size are glued on top.

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

Scope of application

A mosaic pattern can decorate absolutely any surface. Usually mosaics 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 common in the interiors of the most 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 pasted not only in the bathroom, but also to decorate one or more kitchen walls - for example, a work apron.

Some fans of this art form prefer not to be limited to decorations. utility rooms and decorate living rooms with mosaic paintings. For these purposes, there are also ready-made solutions. And if you want some kind of exclusive, then there are many manufacturing companies that 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. From it you can create small paintings, you can decorate a kitchen countertop with it or decorate furniture.

How to do it yourself?

Contrary to popular belief that a mosaic is very difficult, such an ornament can be assembled with your own hands.

Process of creation decorative panel takes place in several stages:

• Selecting a drawing and creating a sketch.
• Sketch processing. The selected picture must 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 a mosaic, it must be glued with a special adhesive recommended by the manufacturer or a 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 the base and solution. The surface on which the future picture will be located must be cleaned of dust and debris. Before gluing the tiles, you should make a preliminary marking on the wall.
• Sheets or mosaic fragments should be glued one at a time, not forgetting to insert special crosses between them - spacers.
• Seam 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.