Miura Hanshi Mosaic, all tiles laid !

I finished laying Miura Hanshi's last tiles last night ! 

I worked fast on this piece as I want it ready as early as possible to take pictures, wrap up the rewards for my Kickstarter campaign backers and take with me to Pensylvania for the KNBK Gasshuku in November.

It took me just a little more than 2 weeks to lay this 22 x 30' piece. I hardly worked on any other mosaic while I was building this one.

Miura Hanshi Mosaic, October 3, 2015, DRY

Remember that you are seeing the back of the piece. it will be glued onto a ridgid support before it can be flipped and seen for the first time.

In the afternoon I sprayed the piece with water to show its actual colours.

Miura Hanshi Mosaic, October 3, 2015, WET

Water turned the granite tesserae from a dull grey to a brilliant black. You still cannot see the difference between the two different granites used for the background and for Hanshi's black attire. You'll have to wait until the piece is flipped - which should happen sometimes this week - and cleaned up, which should take care before October 15. 

 

Detail of the head

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I am a modern mosaic artist with a deep admiration for ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Arts. You can see my own mosaics on my site at mosaicblues. 

If you are interested by my work or would like to drop me a line please contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com or by phone at (334) 798 1639. 

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Mosaic and Haute Couture - Dolce & Gabana - Part Deux

This is a second post about the influence of ancient mosaics in modern art; more specifically of Byzantine Mosaics on 21st century Haute Couture fashion.

At the Fall 2013 Milan Fashion Week Dolce & Gabbana introduced a collection inspired by Italian Byzantine Mosaics.

Lion Dress

The Actual Lion mosaic from the Palatine Chapel

D&G traveled to mosaic adorned churches across Italy : the Cefalu Cathedral, the Cappela Palatina, La Martorana, and the Duomo Monreale in Sicily and the San Vitale Basilic in Ravenna

Justinian Handbag

The Actual Justinian mosaic (San Vitale Basilica)

These Byzantine style mosaics were created from the end of the Roman Empire in the 6th to the 12th century during the reigns of Sicilian Kings Roger II and William II.

During the Renaissance, Italian painters were inspired by Roman Frescoes and Mosaics created 13 centuries before them.  In our 21st century, fashion designers are inspired by the work of artists who created 15 centuries ago !

 

I hope you enjoyed this post. I am a modern mosaic artist, with great admiration for our Roman and Byzantine Art. I create modern mosaics inspired by the work of ancient masters. You can visit my site at mosaicblues  If you are interested by my works, please contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com or by phone at (334) 798 1639.

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In which I keep you informed of my work, techniques, history and archaeology of mosaics. 

How to video : Lay your tesserae - Reverse method.

In this short video I demonstrate how to lay your tesserae.  (the little blocks of stones we learned how to make in the 2 previous videos)

We are using the reverse method here: the tesserae's shiny polished face is glued to the model, upside down. so what we see while building the mosaic is actually a mirror image of the final mosaic.

Once all the tesserae are placed, a rigid support is glued with thinset mortar on top of them and left it to set for 36 hours minimum. Then the whole thing is flipped, and the model removed from the top; there appears the final mosaic for the first time ! This will be the object of future videos. 

With a special appearance of Mugen, great destroyers of foxes, grand destructeurs des renards.

Music by the Mokurai Roosters