When you make mosaics according to the reverse method, often the colours are much duller than if you would work direct. This is due tot the fact that the back of the tesserae are usually not polished and do not shine as their front does.

So when I want to have a better idea of what the completed piece will look, I spray it with water. I keep in my shop a spray bottle for this purpose.






Here we have the same Michi mosaic at 2 stages of completion.


I took this first picture directly without spraying the piece with anything.

When I took the second picture a few days later, I had sprayed the piece with water. You can see how much blacker the granite looks. Generally speaking everything looks brighter.

Water has that amazing power to get everything unpolished brighter. It acts as a sort of temporary polish which reflects the light off the piece.

Here is the completed piece on the right.

This interesting use of water to help visualize the finished aspect of a misaic is also clearly illustrated in this short video of a wonderful Roman floor mosaic in the antic town of Zeugma, Turkey.

Ancient floor mosaics were very likely waxed for 2 reasons : it protected the stones from being stained and it made them look better ! 

When I complete one of my pieces, I first treat it with a waterproofing product - this makes sure the grout is waterproof. It is important if the mosaic is displayed outside in a cold weather. Wet grout does not freeze well ! Then I wax and buff it.

The mosaics shown above are a representation of a Chinese ideogram signifying  "the Way" as the way things are or are done. The Chinese pronounce it Tao - as in Taoism, and the Japanese Do - as in Judo or Kendo; or Michi. It is the emblem displayed in the back of the Yoshukai Karate Organization to which I belong.

The red one is available for sale.

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If you are interested in purchasing one of my mosaics, would like to commission a special project or to simply discuss the wonderful art of modern and ancient mosaics, please contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com or by phone at (334) 798 1639. 
 

Illustrated Reverse Method

In the Reverse Method the mosaic is build upside down.

Everything begins with a model, mirror image of the final piece. To allow for easier cleaning, I ask my printer to laminated mine between 2 thin sheets of plastic.

The tesserae are glued upside down on the model with a water soluble glue.

At this stage, only a few  beige tumbled Travertine and black Granite tesserae had been laid.

Later, all the Travertine and Granite had been laid.

And I started to lay iridescent red glass in the background of the Michi Sign.

Once all tesserae were laid,

Came the time to apply the Thinset mortar on top of the piece.

And glue the support on top of its back...



48 hours later, once the mortar is properly cured, one flips the mosaic

Et voila le travail !

This particular mosaic represents the Chinese Ideogram TAO, also pronounced "Do" or "Michi" in Japanese. It was commissioned by a Martial Art Instructor to display in her Atlanta dojo.

 

If you are interested by a similar piece or by an other of my works, please contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com or by phone at (334) 798 1639.

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