DIY Glass Mosaic Crafts Using Broken Plates

Keep your broken plate shards to create mosaic art.

Mosaic art can be created using a wide range of mediums, including broken material. The pieces from broken plates may be used to create mosaic crafts of a wide variety. The basic steps involved in making these crafts are essentially the same. The only difference between the crafts is the design you create with the broken plates. Display the resulting art away from where children or people can touch it or bump into it.

Things You'll Need

• Old glass plates
• Gloves
• Goggles
• Claw hammer
• Glue
• Display medium (easel, poster board or particle board)

Instructions

1. Lay one of your plates on the work surface. Don your goggles and safety gloves and lightly smash the plate with your hammer. Don't use too much force. Tapping it lightly should be enough to break the plate.

2. Place your glass shards to the side and continue to break plates. Sort them out by size and color into specific areas on your work table.

3. Push your glass shard piles away from the main work area and lay down your display medium. Choose whatever medium with which you feel the most comfortable working.

4. Pick a glass shard from your pile and place a small amount of glue on the back. Push the glue shard to the display medium. Let it sit for a few moments until it dries. Repeat this process with other glass shards.

5. Create designs with your glass shards. Mix different colored pieces together to create whatever look you want to create. Add glass shards to the medium in whatever design you like until you are finished.

6. Vary the procedure depending on the type of craft you are making. For example, you may make a sculpture out of glass by gluing the glass to itself instead of a display medium. Create long thin lines instead of clumped up blocks of color to create more fine, detailed designs.

Tips & Warnings

• Always wear goggles when you're smashing glass.

• Always wear gloves when handling broken glass shards.

• Work in a well-ventilated area when applying glue.

References

• The Joy of Shards: How to Make Glass Mosaic Art
• Inland Craft: How to Do Mosaic Stained Glass Direct Method