How to Put a Mosaic on a Glass Plate
Traditionally, mosaics are made from glass or ceramic tiles covering a sturdy substrate such as plywood, concrete or thick acrylic. The term mosaic as defined by The Free Dictionary online is "a decorative design made by setting small colored pieces, as of stone or tile, onto a surface." To put a mosaic on a thin substrate, such as a glass plate, the 'small colored pieces' can be bits of this glass, paper, paint or other lightweight material. Making a mosaic on a glass plate with tiles and grout would likely break the plate.
Things You'll Need
- Mosaic pattern
- Tape
- Grease pencil
- Clear, viscous jeweler's glue
- Toothpick
- Microbeads of many colors
- Dry spaghetti
- Loose paper
Instructions
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1
Tape the mosaic pattern to the underside of the glass plate if you plan to put the mosaic on the underside. Tape the mosaic pattern to the top of the plate if you plan to put the mosaic on the front of the plate. The pattern should be visible through the glass plate.
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2
Trace the pattern onto the front or back of the plate with a grease pencil. If the pattern is taped to the underside of the plate, trace the pattern onto the front of the plate. The outline will guide you as you create the mosaic image. The grease pencil lines remove easily with glass cleaner or rubbing alcohol. Remove the paper pattern.
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3
Spread a small amount of viscous, clear-drying jeweler's glue onto a section of the mosaic pattern in the center of the plate. Smooth the glue with a toothpick to cover the section.
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4
Sprinkle the desired color of microbeads into the glue. Make sure to cover the glue with beads; use a toothpick to press the beads into the glue as needed. Microbeads are also called no-hole beads as they are tiny bits of glass with no openings. Microbeads are available in an array of colors and finishes from most craft stores.
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5
Repeat Steps 3 and 4 to cover the glass plate in a mosaic design. If a microbead goes astray, retrieve it with a moistened tip of a strand of dry spaghetti. Press the wet spaghetti tip on top of the bead to pick it up. Slide the bead away from the spaghetti with a toothpick. Picking up the beads with tweezers is also an option, but this process can be a challenge.
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6
Leave the plate to dry for 24 hours. After the glue dries, stand the plate on its edge on top of a loose sheet of paper. Tap the top edge of the glass plate to dislodge any microbeads that are not glued to the surface of the plate.
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7
Replace any beads by inserting a drop of glue on the end of a toothpick into the mosaic design. Sprinkle one or more microbeads as needed to fill the spot. Let the glue dry.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit mosaic image by Qdigits from Fotolia.com
