Like all representative arts, a mosaic begins with a drawing. An additional color sketch is prepared as a guide for the selection of the colored
tesserae.
Each tessera is individually selected, much like a stone mason chooses his stones. Each tessera is then affixed to a special plaster which has to
be kept moist until the piece is completed.
Upon completion, the piece must be thoroughly cleaned of the plaster. A special binder is then applied to the back in order to achieve the
necessary stiffness. In the final step the mosaic is attached to a backing or a wall. |
| Smalti are the basic ingredient of Byzantine mosaic; this is just a sampling of the many colors available. |
 |
 |
|
| The basic tools of mosaic making. |
 |
|
|
| From the large pieces supplied by the manufacturer, small tesserae are cut in the size appropriate for the next work. |
 |
|
|
| The color drawing is the guide to how the mosaic will be made. From a handful of cut pieces the eye selects the next piece to be
picked and the hand embeds it in the temporary plaster. |
 |
|
