Dictionary.com says mosaic is:
1. a picture or decoration made of small, usually colored pieces of inlaid stone, glass, etc.
2. the process of producing such a picture or decoration.
3. something resembling such a picture or decoration in composition, esp. in being made up of diverse elements: a mosaic of borrowed ideas.

Traditionally, smalti glass was not grouted, nor was marble or stone. However, this type of tesserae was set into a cementous product like thinset and thus could be seen as a design element or a sort of grout.

Personally, I don't like the look of flat glass or tiles ungrouted. I think it looks unfinished, amateurish, and rushed. That said, the ungrouted smalti look is VERY appealing to me because of the way smalti is produced with it's inherent bumps and squiggles and uneven-ness.

When it's all said and done, it's probably personal taste that rules us rather than rules of what something "should" be.

It just doesn't look finished without grout.
It really bothers me to look at it. All I can do
is imagine what it look like finished.

Hazie

Funny this should come up. One of my books has a couple of smalti projects, and they are not grouted - I was wondering if I had missed something, but Mosaicwench answered that one for me:)

I think they look unfinished too.

I liked the cup/candleholder I thought it was interesting and they didnt leave room for grout so it looks more finished. The guitar was the exact opposite though the edges are what bothered me because had it been grouted they wouldnt have looked so uninished.

I'd grout the guitar def! But the coasters looked okay. I've noticed too, that some mosaics are not grouted and it kinda threw me off, but each to their own. I personally don't get anything from the whole clear grout thing we posted about awhile back...

Ok, grouting issue aside... 25 dollars for a... coaster?, a coaster with no discernable effort other than "oh these colors will work" twenty five dollars????

ok rant over,

yes the guitar looks "pained" like scaley skin. bad

In the case of smalti and or marble, the ungrouted look will only look great if each piece is fitted perfectly where therte is a constant and regular crevice as the interstice.

I guess by definition they are mosaics, but bleeeeck. Can't stand that guitar. the coasters are ok,maybe I'd pay .50 for them . I'm with you NT, they didn't even have to nip those tiles!! I wonder if they really sell??

Maria

Well, I see all the points, and can certainly see instances where grouting my not be necessary, but that guitar is missing something.

Ditto what Maria said.

Whew..for a minute I thought you were upset over my post of my slate steps!!! I wasn't sure if that was really a mosaic or not!! LOL!!!

I do agree the guitar definitely is not finished without the grout! I do agree that smalti should not be grouted but most things that use smalti really don't have room for grout!

I had to get used to the fact that anything that has random tile or whatever is considered a mosaic. Where to me it had to be a design or picture. but I do agree a mosaic is not a mosaic w/o grout!!! Ok..other than smalti!!!

I agree with Nice that those coasters are WAY overpriced! I would not buy them. There isn't even 25.00 dollars worth of material or time in them!!!

here's a great example of no grout needed

Here is a link that might be useful: Corsica

very true although it sure looks grouted. I believe its the cement he has set it in that gives it that look. Awesome piece! Wasn't there someone the other day wanting to know what to do with her marlbe pieces???

I like what you all do here. That said, I have a book that "teaches" that mosaic can be done with paper pieces, wine corks, bottle tops, beer cans etc! It even has a man wearing a suit made of corks! And a car all decked out with cans! I guess mosaic can be as diverse as each of us! I still picture a mosaic being small tiles of color making up a large picture of something, a design or a person. But looking here has taught me much!

well, I'll stand my ground and be the odd one out!

to me, the mosaic is the pattern of whatever is used for the design.
I like a garden with pebbles as the mosaic, and not grouted, just as much as a vase, with grout.
it's all in the elements used..
I would call a picture with squiggles all over it and colored in, with color pencils, or oil chalks, every bit as much of a mosaic as a patio table top.
one obviously can not be grouted..
if I was to use sea glass for a mosaic, I know that what I would do would be to put the grout/adhesive on first and sink the pieces in..
that's not grouting but it would still be a mosaic..
oh heck..I like to travel in the opposite direction as anyone else.
I's the black sheep of the family!

Becky .(*_*).

on line with my new laptop computer...here in the kitchen..oh so sweet!!!
and this little mouse on it has a little circle for scrolling up and down and a left and right click box..
my DD's didn't have that feature..I could get used to this in a heartbeat.
I've only been on here for less than an hour..
it's with Q-west...