That is going to be fantastic! I envision blue, lots of blue, plus other colors too. Wow, what a project! I will follow this with interest.

Oh so cool!
I am wanting to do something similar on my wall.
Can I bounce off you?
Lots of photos please :)

Wanderer, show us your wall too please..... Were you able to access my pictures from my link (on photobucket)?

Yes, saw the pictures on PB. What a BEAUTIFUL house you have, and if that wall is mosaiced, you'll have people stopping in the streets to watch you and see it. That's quite an expanse, but w/your determination, it can be done. WOW - what a fabulous project. Take care of your back. You can also work on small pieces of mesh, and mortar them on the wall so you won't have to work on the ground. Believe me, I know bad back and ground work very well.

oooh wow, this is exciting! please keep us posted with updates and pics

I wrote a how-to article about how to mosaic onto mesh and then transport and install the pieces into one large mosaic. Reading the comments and questions at the end of the article is also helpful. Here's the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mosaic on mesh

This is going to be a fantastic project to follow! I love your house and agree with Betty that once that wall is mosaiced, you will have people stopping to look!

Hey Silva, thanks for the info, I was ready to ask how to do this after Slo mentioned it.
May I ask a few questions please?

What mesh are we talking about, can screen be used, like for a screen door?

Next, what if I wanted to use thin set mortar and push and squish without grouting? Is this possible?

I'm working on cement, and I live in PA where it's freezing in the winter and hot in the summer.

Sidebar: I was such a good girl yesterday, I laid on the couch all day and took advil and today went to see my massage therapist and I'm able to move around a bit! I anticipate being up and running by the end of the week.

mfbpa

Slo,

You said I could mortar it on afterwards.... Would it still look like push and squish or do I have to grout then?

And when I did my lamp post I had people stopping like crazy and asking me what I was doing. And that is much further back in the yard. You can see the post by going to photobucket... follow the link below.

thanks so much for all input!
mfbpa

Here is a link that might be useful: lamp post

The mesh I'm talking about is a soft, white mesh, like a cloth mesh. I would say, Yes, screen can be used, just like slo and others use a metal mesh when they make their own shapes.

Also, I would say yes to using thin set mortar and pushing and squishing without grouting? I haven't done it personally, and I'm sure others will chime in here if I'm wrong, but from everything I've read on this board, it's all possible.

I can't picture it, if you are gluing to a screen using thin set, how does the mortar come up between the pieces of tess?

I just mapped out my route with chalk. I will have 95 feet on one end and 22 feet on the short end. I marked off 5 foot intervals but when I stepped across the street it looked like 10 feet areas might be better.

http://s1256.photobucket.com/user/Jeri_Bellini/media/You%20Want%20me%20on%20this%20Wall/95and25feet_zps28e31d0f.jpg.html

Here is a link that might be useful: ten feet to work with

I can't picture it, if you are gluing to a screen using thin set, how does the mortar come up between the pieces of tess?

I just mapped out my route with chalk. I will have 95 feet on one end and 22 feet on the short end. I marked off 5 foot intervals but when I stepped across the street it looked like 10 feet areas might be better.

http://s1256.photobucket.com/user/Jeri_Bellini/media/You%20Want%20me%20on%20this%20Wall/95and25feet_zps28e31d0f.jpg.html

Here is a link that might be useful: ten feet to work with

I would do a small test piece first. If the holes in the screen are big enough, the thinset should squish up through them. If the holes are not big enough for it to squish through, then you may need to re-think that method and use mesh. Slo and someone else on here can answer; they've used some kind of hardware cloth from Lowes or Home Depot; I haven't tried it yet. It would be much less expensive than mosaic mesh.

I've used fiberglass screen used for windows and screen doors. It comes in rolls at Lowes. I put the tess on w/thinset, then mash it into a nice bed of thinset. I used it on the Fountain Surround and on stepping stones in the back yard. It works just fine, and is much cheaper than the mosaic mesh. One of the teachers in PV was also passing it out one year to her workshop students to use in class. We just rolled it up to put in our suitcases to bring home.

Thanks Guys. I think I'll try a sample piece to see how it works. I like the idea of sitting at my table in the yard rather than on the ground out front in the hot sun.

It's pouring rain today again, my back is sore but not bad. Maybe today is a good time to try the sample. I'll keep track of what I'm doing too, maybe take some photos as I go along.

mfbpa

I decided how I'm going to proceed with my design. I've been doodling for days..... and looking at things on the net to see what types of designs I'm attracted to. My favorite things are when the piece is all one flowing design, from one thing to the next I mean without borders.
I'm starting on the right end, near to the corner. I've got a bit of an eye sore there, and wonder if I could get some feedback from you guys.

See the corner, hopefully you can see it well enough, theres a metal rod sticking out of the cement wall, it looks like something broke off. I can't lay a rock on top of it, and wonder if you have any ideas for me on how to cover it up gracefully.

I got my screen and my thinset yesterday and I graphed out the beginnings of my design today too, not that I'll follow it exactly, I just need a first step. After that I think I will allow it to just happen.

One last question, can you color the thin set, will it hold the color if you can since it will be in the sun? I bought white since I wasn't sure. My choice was that or gray. My last thought is, is that even possible to do the push and squish in sections and get the same color all along since I'll be mixing new batches all the time?

thanks for your help!
mfbpa

There may be a much better answer, but I'm going to throw mine out there -- the first thought that came to mind. Mix up some thinset, apply it liberally to the area around the metal that's sticking out, and press in some of the smaller pieces of the surrounding rock. Otherwise, you would probably need to make forms and pour some cement to angle (taper) the wall down to meet the driveway.

'morning, y'all. I can't see what metal you're talking about, but I imagine it is rebar. I've cut many rebar rods w/a hacksaw. Other than that, I think I'd make use of the rebar by attaching some kind of decorative finial to the area - thereyby making it look like it was on purpose. I'm sure you can find some kind of ceramic vase large enough to put over it, ad another one to it etc., and mosaic it. Do you know what I'm trying to say? In other words, build a little totem in that spot as an end piece. Mosaics give you so many possibilities - make the area work to your creative advantage. You could even make a totem by plopping a cupful of thinset, pushing some tess into it. When that's dry, plop another cup ful on top, build, build and build some more. You can add to it w/your leftover thinset for the day. Gonna show you an example of such from a member of Flickr. As far as matching your colored thinset, don't worry about it if it isn't EXACTLY the same color. Yes, Lowes sells liquid concrete colorant - comes in about four colors, and it is very intense, so it works well. I add it to the water that I use to mix the thinset, and if it isn't dark enough, I keep adding until I get the intensity I want. Go for it.
rustic totem

That totem is AWESOME! And Thanks for the idea of using the leftover mortar!!! a little tip here and a little tip there.....
and yes, that is a piece of rebar. And that is a sidewalk to the right, I live on a corner. I imagine whatever was there (before my time) broke off.... It's now an exciting possibility waiting to happen.

I mentioned the coloring to my husband who is a contractor and thinks like one, if you get my meaning, he said forget it. I don't like the idea of white exactly...... so I'll give the colorant a try in my sample. I'm headed up to the hut now to cut out the screen and make a small mess.

thanks!

Not sure of all the tesserae you want to use, but just a warning of freezing weather really needs glass or slate/rocks etc, cuz I have a bunch of ceramic items that have cracked and chipped and are very sad/ugly looking!!!

I have more faith in the thinset than to think that freezing weather w/make it crack and chip. Like I said, I've only experienced winter damage when I mosaiced on a wooden pedestal and terra cotta pots. I'd stay away from bathroom tiles too. If you use high-fired ceramics, porcelain and china, they should do just fine.

OMG this is going to be fun!!! It is easy to cut that rebar off with a grinder .I do it all the time.

I've been sketching the first part of my wall.... see below. It's on the screen I plan to use, and I realized I wanted to start with something I'm familiar with, glass, stained glass. But I have hardly any black and white and I want to use these for backgrounds. So, don't get too jealous, I went off on a road trip to Warner Glass.... YUP, it's about 15 minutes from my house. It was fun!
So I decided to change my sketch a little and make the faces wider and add more hair, why not, I have to fill up 95 feet right?! This is the before sketch. I think I will just ad-lib the after stuff that's in my mind...
I've cut out a bunch of glass for the faces but now that the push squish didn't go so great, I'm not sure what I'll do.

mfbpa

Ohhhhhhh - you're so talented. Wish I could do that. Don't give up on the push/sqush yet. Try it again w/less mortar, as per my response on your new thread.