Lists & Links – supplies for mosaic artists & lovers…

This is the first of several new pages that will pool resources and ideas for mosaic artists and makers, creative living enthusiasts and and lovers of all things soulful. I love lists so I thought it was about time I created a few on the Glittering Shards site! So welcome to the new series of post…

Lists & Links

 

You can expect lists and links  about sources of inspiration, design, tools, techniques, books and topics of interest (see categories on the right to give you a flavour!). A place to empty my head of the things that I have found helpful in the hope that they may be of help to you too…

I get lots of enquiries (and heart warming feedback) from this site, week in week out. One of the most common questions is about sourcing supplies…so that seemed a good place to start. I will be continually adding to the list you see below so  do come back and check this page whenever you are scouting for resources as there are new ones popping up all the time. It will always be easy to find in the categories on the right. You can also help! Please do add resources from your own country and experience in the comments section (click ‘Leave a comment’  under the post title above).

Here we go.. where to get your supplies for mosaic making:

 

1. Recycling & re-purposing

A good place to start! My first ever mosaic was made with left over tiles from home projects plus a small number of tiles I bought. Here it is (spot the legs – they are upturned plant hangers!)

Mosaic Art Concetta Perot London

Once friends and family know you are making mosaics, you will find yourself getting offers of leftover tiles. While there is a limit to how many white tiles you can chop us to use, don’t forget that you can tile on tile – I use plain white tiles as the base for mosaics all the time – like this one which was a commission made almost entirely by recycled materials…

Mosaic Art London by Concetta Perot

They are also great bases for children to work on…

 

2. High street stores

Here in the UK, the big DIY stores are now a good source of tiles (ceramic, mosaic) as well as bases (MDF, plywood), including a product that is similar to wedi board (totally waterproof material that is the best for external mosaics). I also buy my glues (PVA / silicone etc..) from DIY stores rather than mosaic suppliers – much cheaper.

In addition, here in the UK, we are lucky to have  Topps Tiles, who have a store in most towns and now supply a great range of mosaic tiles, high bling glass tiles and also 15 x15cm ceramic tiles in a wide range of vibrant colours that you can buy just 1 tile at time for less than 30p! Topps Tiles are also great supporters of mosaic art, running an annual Award for Achievement in Mosaics and and Mega Mosaic Makers school competition. Here is my student, Izabela, receiving her prize for being one of the winners of the Topps Tiles 2012 mosaic competition!

Topps Tiles Award Mosaic Art London

Topps also stock good quality Bal grout and adhesive, cement board and have now added a range of two-wheel cutters (we will be doing a review of these soon!).

Others:

B&Q

Wickes

and a link to the wedi board substitute from B&Q.

In the US, I am aware of Home Depot.

If you are outside the UK, perhaps you can add links to high street suppliers in the comments ?

Here in London, we are also super lucky to have Mosaic Workshop, a special mosaic art supply store (originally the baby of the lovely Emma Biggs and Tessa Hunkin). It is an Alladin’s cave for mosaic lovers. There is a well trodden path from my studio to Mosaic Workshop, since many of my students appreciate the opportunity to see, touch and feel so many materials before they buy. They also do online ordering (see below).

 

3. Online mosaic and glass suppliers

I use these a lot. Here’s a list from the UK and some international ones I am aware of. Again, feel free to add more in the comments:

UK

Mosaic Heaven

Mosaic Supplies

Mosaic Wholesale  (you need to open a trade account. If not use their sister site Hobby Island Mosaics)

Mosaic Workshop

Mosaic Trader UK

Stained glass (many of the above mosaic suppliers now do stained glass too)

Lead & Light (they also have a shop in North London)

Warm Glass UK (they also do delicous dichroic glass!)

Pearsons Glass

 

Outside the UK (many ship internationally)

Paul at Mosaic Matters has an international directory of suppliers

Suppliers of good quality Hammer and Hardie Artemarcia

Xina Marie Mosaics

Mosaic Trader

Wits End Mosaics

Opus Mosaics

Mosaic Art Supplies

Tiny Pieces Mosaics

Maryland Mosaics

Mosaic Smalti

Delphi Glass

Mosaic Tile Mania

Don’t forget…

…Ebay also has many mosaic supplies as well as lots of suppliers of wood blanks and shapes.

 

4. Bead shops and craft stores

I use jewellery supplies a lot, for example, this mosaic contains Swarowski crystals.

Mosaic Art London by Concetta Perot Mosaic Artist

You will find shops in your locality or use online stores (just google jewelery supplies). Here’s some I have used:

Jasmine Studios (who also have a shop in Streatham, SW London)

Creative Beadcraft

Burhouse Beads

Craft stores, either local ones or national ones like Hobbycraft (both online and stores) also provide good sources of bases such as wooden shapes, polystyrene spheres, jewelery bases and glues. (Personally, I avoid them for mosaic tiles because I think the mark up is way too high).

The DIY section of Wilkinsons is a good place for things like silicone glue and craft tweezers. Pound (dollar) stores also often stock tweezers, glass nuggets, shells etc (though I don’t always trust the glue quality from them so be warned!)

 

5. Charity / thrift stores

Broken china and crockery is a great source of mosaic supplies, either used with other materials or on its own which is a distinct form of mosaic known as picassiette. Cleo Mussi is one of the queens of broken crockery mosaics and my friend Janine, of Smashing Chintz has a unique spin on broken china mosaics.

Broken dishes are turned from a disaster to an opportunity and visits to charity shops, boot sales and flea markets take on a totally different meaning. Recycling at its best!

More Lists and Links to come…including unusual materials for mosaic making!

38 Responses to “Lists & Links – supplies for mosaic artists & lovers…”

Read below or add a comment...

  1. Krista says:

    Great start to the series, I love a good list 😉

  2. Concetta says:

    How can we survive without them eh?!

  3. John West says:

    Love the list you make. Thank you. Awesome set of list.

  4. Hi Concetta: Thanks for all the great info… I have done stained glass for years, also fused glass, I also make lampwork beads. I have done mosaics off and on for years. I have now started to do work shops in mosaics with seniors, school kids, etc. My biggest problem is with the grouting.. Having to come back to grout and it is messy. Last weekend while surfing the web I found a great new product. At least it looks great.. I am going to order some.. It is a film that you put on the substrate. .put the mosaic piece (in my case it will be glass) right on the film, then when finished just heat with a heat gun or put in your oven for 10 mins. This results in glueing and grouting all at the same time!!! I am in Canada and the company is in the U.S.A. so it may take some time for the product to get here. Have you heard of this type of film before?? I love your mosiacs… they are fabulous.. Thanks for sharing.
    Fay

    • SwirlyCurlz says:

      I too can’t stand the messiness of grouting. I just complete my first mosaic yesterday and grouted it today. But, it was very messy and I made a stupid mistake and fixed it with an odd trick. I didn’t have any of that (mosaic) glue and used a cheap Staples liquid glue (a lot like Elmer’s) and didn’t realize it was WASHABLE. So, when I mixed the water with grout and applied it to the mosaic, some (like 3) pieces fell off. So, I used double sided tape and stuck them back on. When it was covered in grout, you couldn’t tell the difference.

    • Joy says:

      Concetta – I would love to know what the name of this product is for glueing and grouting at the same time. Could you share? Thanks!

    • Joy says:

      Fay – I would love to know what the name of this product is for glueing and grouting at the same time. Could you send me an email with the name of it? Thanks!

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  7. Misty says:

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  8. Divya says:

    Hi Concetta,

    I draw lot of inspiration from you and your work. Your work is reallyt unique. My question is how do you find the time because that is my biggest challenge as a growing artist!!

    I live in the busy city of Delhi/Gurgaon in India. I enjoy the challenges that this city throws at me. For mosaic hobbyists and artists, it is difficult to find materials and supplies from any one dedicated place. But the love for mosaic as an art has kept me going.

    cheers
    Divya

  9. elsa says:

    really nice job can. 🙂

  10. Claire says:

    Hi Concetta,
    I hope you will have time to add to the list. I’m very curious about cutting tools and whether I might find something which makes the very accurate cuts I see in so many mosaics. I would also love to work with smalti one day. I wonder about whether the use of jewellery and beads requires a different kind of glue than the PVA I use for tiles, crockery etc?
    I am enjoying my returns to your site and blog!

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  20. Jacquie says:

    Great site. Thank you for the information. Love it. ??

  21. Jacquie says:

    Hi Concetta
    I’ve followed your advise (thank you) on backing board for external mosaic. I got mine from Amazon instead of the DIY store as was cheaper.
    Do I need to apply anything to the back section as its going to be wall mounted on a garden brick wall with screws or just put it straight up as its fully waterproof?
    Many thanks
    Jacquie

  22. hookah says:

    Can you tell us more about this? I’d like to find out some additional information.

  23. Cecilia morrison says:

    I have just made a large mosaic picture for my garden. Everything I have used, like the glue and the grout was waterproof. The board was well prepared with primer etc. I was wondering as an extra precaution if there is a silicon spray that can safely be applied to the surface of the tiles?

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  31. Lauren says:

    You mention a product similar to Wedi board available in the UK, but the link to the B&Q website just takes me to ‘DRAUGHT EXCLUDERS & DOOR SEALS’, please can you advise what this product is? Thanks.

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