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 1. |
Make the clay tile chips by following Steps 1-4 from our main Clay Tile Mosaic page. |
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2. |
Think of the main design for your mosaic. You can put a sheet of paper under the tile design to serve as a guide on how big or what shape you'd like your mosaic to be. Play around with the tile chips to have a better idea of what to make. |
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3. |
Continue arranging the tile chips until you've put the main elements of your mosaic in place. If you encounter difficulty in finding the perfect- shaped tiles, you can always trim and cut some of the tiles into a more suitable size and shape. |
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4. |
You can mark the edges of the main shape by drawing around it with a pencil. This will make it easier to tell it apart from the background tiles. |
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5. |
Fill the background with more tiles. Again, you can trim or cut some of the tile chips if you can't find a perfect fit. |
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6. |
Plan the colors for your mosaic. You can make a sketch or "study" on paper. |
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7. |
Paint the tile pieces. To ensure that you don't lose your carefully laid out design, work at an area at a time and put back each painted piece to its original position. |
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8. |
When you're done painting, set your work aside to dry. |
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9. |
Once the painted tiles are dry, prepare the clay base for your mosaic by flattening a chunk of self-hardening clay to a fairly thick sheet. Estimate the size of the flattened clay against your mosaic's intended size. |
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10. |
Mark out the dimensions of your mosaic on the clay base. Cut the clay with the edges of a ruler. If you are making a round-shaped mosaic, use a bowl or a circular object to cut the clay. Pat the sides to smoothen the trimmed edges. |
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11. |
Transfer the tiles one at a time onto the clay base. |
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12. |
After you have positioned all the tiles in place, slightly press on each tile to bury it into the clay. This pressure will slightly deform the clay so it will be helpful to hold the edges of the base as you press on each tile. Allow the clay to set completely. This may take a day or more, depending on the size of your work and the relative humidity in your area. |
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13. |
When your clay mosaic has set completely, brush over a thick layer of white glue or decoupage medium (e.g. Mod Podge) on the tiles.
In contrast to white glue, decoupage medium will waterproof your work. Apply it on all areas, including the bottom surface of your mosaic. |
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14. |
The white glue or decoupage medium will dry clear and will give the tiles a glazed look and brighter colors. |
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