Stories In Art Mosaics

Featuring six mosaics from around the world, this book explores different types of story, from historical recount in the Alexander Mosaic to film story in 'North by Northwest'. Each mosaic is looked at in detail, and a more general introduction to the medium provides a historical context. Step-by-step projects show children how to create their own mosaic masterpieces, using the techniques of the art form. Learn how to make a mosaic pen holder or photo frame and how to make a patterned place mat! The Stories in Art series explores the narratives told through different art mediums. A great introduction to the history of art for children at Key Stage 2.

Not a step-by-step guide or a how-to book, but merely a collection of photographs, documenting the work of 42 international mosaic artists, designed to inspire. There are a wide range of projects including commercial, home decor and outlets for creative impulses.

Between the second and the sixth centuries of the common era, elaborate mosaics were designed and created to pave the floors of town homes and rural estates of the Roman settlements in North Africa. These stunning mosaics were especially widespread in the colony of Africa Proconsularis, modern-day Tunisia, and covered a wide range of subject matter: from scenes of daily life and classical mythology, to abstract floral and geometric designs of rare vibrancy and complexity. A distinctive African style emerged, whose influence would extend throughout the Mediterranean basin and beyond. This catalogue is being published to coincide with an exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa from October 26, 2006, to April 30, 2007--the first major exhibition in the United States solely devoted to ancient mosaics. The twenty-seven mosaics in the exhibition come from Tunisia's leading museums, including the Bardo Museum in Tunis, the Sousse Museum and the El Jem Museum. Stories in Stone is structured around four principal themes--Nature, Theater and Spectacle, Myths and Gods, and Technique--and includes extensive material on mosaic conservation. In addition to color plates of all objects in the exhibit, this catalogue includes nine richly illustrated essays that illuminate the historical background of mosaic art, trace the development of principal themes, and examine the conservation of mosaics both in the museum setting and in situ. Contributors include Taher Ghalia, director of the Bardo Museum; Mongi Ennaifer, minister of cultural affairs, Tunisia; Thomas Roby, senior project specialist, Getty Conservation Institute; and Jerry Podany, head of antiquities conservation, J. Paul Getty Museum.

Found materials are taking the craft world by storm because the creative potential is tremendous. Contemporary mosaic artists--who continue to expand the limits of construction and materials--can benefit greatly from this movement toward reuse. Even the mosaic neophytes among us can explore the myriad possibilities of these new materials with this fabulous guide. Learn everything you need to get started in the world of found art mosaics, from materials, glass, ceramics, natural materials, grouts, surfaces, sealants, safety gear, and more. The 27 projects here--including the Buttons & Pebbles Vase, Glittering Jewels Belt Buckle, and Recycled Bathtub Garden Planter--each reuse and repurpose objects differently, as the found object may be the surface, the tesserae, or both.

This visually arresting volume showcases mosaics from all corners of the globe and teaches the skills needed to produce 15 beautiful pieces of your own.

“Of greatest use to beginners. The dozen projects will introduce first-time mosaicists to the art without...frustration.”—Booklist “You’ll never look at a shard of glass in the same way again.”—Glass Craftsman Innovative techniques, in tandem with striking and original designs, will make you revel in the creative pleasure of fashioning beautiful mosaics. An overview covers four basic mosaic methods: pique assiette, which uses fragments from plates, mugs, and pictures; direct (just lay it down and glue); indirect, where the work is done on a temporary surface before being cemented; and three dimensional applications. Magically transform everyday objects into art by replacing a standard kitchen counter with one covered in fragments of stone, glass, and pottery, or turning a simple lamp into a finely crafted sculpture. For additional inspiration, 50 artists provide invaluable hints and tricks of the trade.

The artwork of over 50 contemporary mosaic artists reveals the diversity of materials used and forms created in this ever-growing field. From small pieces of glass, stone, pebbles, ceramics, found objects, and other materials known as tesserae, these artists "paint" images of great intricacy and stunning beauty. In skilled hands, these small angular bits of material form works of art that are filled with fluid motion and life. Presented here in hundreds of vibrant color images, they include public and private installations, sculptures, wall murals and hangings, windows, plaques, medallions, floors, triptychs, furniture, and more. Visual texture, mixes of opaque and transparent tesserae, and the visual flow throughout an image keep viewers riveted to these ever eye-catching works of art. This book will be a source of inspiration for all who appreciate this ancient yet ever-evolving art form.