Materials and Tesserae
Used for Making Mosaics

Mosaic materials known as tessera is a single piece of tile usually formed in the shape of a square.

In the beginning limestone or marble was cut into small squares that were arranged into the design. Later, tesserae were made from clear glass backed with metal foils or just coloured glass.

Gold leaves were also used, where two flatter pieces of glass would sandwich the gold. This method produced a golden glitter emanating from the tesserae, causing a more luminous and richer effect.

Today there are many different types of tesserae, some are easier to use and easier to find than others. Most of them can be bought in small quantities or you can break them down yourself into smaller pieces.

As mentioned before, you need to select what type of product you will use. This will depend on the surface where your mosaic will be displayed and the elements it will be exposed to, such as rain, frost human traffic and so on...

Types of Tesserae

Now that you've decided on a pattern and selected the product you will be using to make your mosaic, you need your tools and accessories to start your creation.

Before starting your creation make sure to check out the different methods you can use to make your own mosaic.

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