Speaking of 'the next project...'

18 years ago

My coffee table is atrocious. I got it free from f/c, and it's really a nice table, but it's been abused, and has many scratches. Oval thing with a dark mahogany finish. We have a non-clutter-proof family, and it's always covered in STUFF. I hate it. (You know, the stuff you can't throw out, but ends up in a pile on the end of the coffee table for lack of a better place...nuther story for another day). It's a "hot spot" for sure.

Anyway, this is the "mandala circle" project that I've mentioned a couple times. I've found a pattern I like, and I stretched it out so it's oval, and it works. I have no colors planned yet, but have pattern.

Yesterday, a thoughtful gal put up some how-to pages here on various things, and I found out that in order to get total flatness, one has to do the "indirect" mosaic method. Anyone do this, and is it complex? What other "issues" are there to think about? Do I have to take my design and "flip" it horizontally in my Paint program to invert the pattern?

Is it possible to get complete flatness doing it directly? How do your lazy susans & other flat projects come out as far as being "functional" afterwards? Will they hold a small cup comfortably, or are there humps?

Thanks.

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Comments (4)

shrty411
18 years ago
Never really done the indirect, but it works good from the projects I've seen with it.

Ladyronnie did a name plaque. There are others. Something like the lazy susan, what I'm planning is to use all glass.

Maria

Here is a link that might be useful: Ladyronnie's name plaque
icheer
18 years ago
I'm not very experienced, so take what I say with a grain of salt :-)

That said, I think it is possible to get a perfectly flat surface applying your tesserae directly to the flat surface. Thus far, I've applied thinset and/or silicone, laid my tesserae, and then put a thin piece of cardboard over it. On top of the cardboard I've set encyclopedias or a fat phone book which levels the tesserae out. Then I remove the books and the cardboard and let it dry. Then grout :-)

If your pattern is an oval mandala, is flipping the design really necessary? Mandalas are generally symetrical, aren't they? So would flipping it with Paint do anything?

Indirect method - I'm using this method currently on the stepping stones I'm creating for work and it's very easy. I printed my pattern (literally cutting and taping it together), laid clear contact paper sticky side up over the pattern, apply the tesserae (burnish them down well!), and when I'm ready to apply just flip it over into a bed of thinset on the substrate. You can then either allow the tesserae to set into the adhesive before peeling the contact paper off OR if you're like me and too impatient, carefully pull it off without disturbing the tesserae.
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mosaicwench1
18 years ago
Indirect is certainly not hard, it just challenges you to think in a different manner (upside down and backwards).

The only way to achieve "total" flatness is to make sure every piece (and I do mean EVERY) you use is the same thickness on the same thickness of adhesive. . . . Easier to do it indirect.

Speaking of mandalas, check the link below for some lovely examples. Go to Galleries, Fine art, then Mandalas.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gnomenclature
mmqchdygg
Original Author
18 years ago
I'm a lefty...it's my God-Given talent to work upside-down & backwards. Maybe I CAN do this!!! LOL!