Rooster mosaic & grouting top tips

I love this moment…hours and hours of cutting, placing and sticking are over…

 Before grouting, I cover the slate with masking tape to stop it getting ingrained with grout. This is a good mosaic tip to keep in mind when you are grouting things such as slate, shells, beads. Petroleum jelly (vaseline) is also a good aternative to porous / grooved materials when grouting
 I mix the grout to a lovely, thick, creamy consistency (think smooth peanut butter!)

Then I spread it all over. With my hands (I love the feel of it, the spreading tools just aren’t for me). Many mosaic artists don’t like grouting. I love it. I love the unifying effect, the emergence of art from under a blanket of goo. Its just like life. You have to trust that even when beauty is covered up, it still there, waiting to emerge.

Then gently, slowly (straight away, I just can’t wait!) I begin to wipe the excess grout off with kitchen roll.  Another tip, fold the kitchen paper again and again so that you are using a clean bit every time. It stops you re-wiping grout that you are trying to remove! Its a loving process, tenderly stroking and bringing it to life – shining up each small piece that makes up the whole.

Just love it. I finished Mr Cheeky Rooster yesterday (he is a commission for a couple’s 40th wedding anniversary) and a friend of mine looked at him and said “ooh, he is alive!”. I couldn’t want for a nicer compliment to a piece of my mosaic art.

8 responses

  2. he IS quite alive. I have a thing for roosters and that one is like no other I have seen. Thanks for the glimpse into your process. I have always loved the idea of mosaic but have never really given it an honest try. I would love to dip my hands into the creamy grout.

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  3. So beautiful! I love to read about your process, it really makes your piece come alive even more! Gorgeous! 🙂

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  4. Love the whimsy of this rooster! They are such fun to paint with all of their amazing colors. Found you on Amelia's course blogroll.

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  6. Thats a great tip-vaseline I recently made a large piece for a wedding present and used shells and pebbles as well as glass tiles -I mixed a gorgeous “purple” grout-inspired by the colour of some of the shells but sadlllly it stained some of the shells and pebbles-will try vaseline next time -Thankyou

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  7. I am in love with your pieces and site! Thank you so much for sharing with the one of us that do not have inspirations naturally.
    I would like to know if the top of the rooster head are pieces that you fused?

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    1. Thank you for your kind words Vera. They are fused pieces…but not fused by me but by Martin Cheek 😉

      Reply

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