Customer Reviews

The Art of Mosaics: A Guide to the History, Materials, Equipment and Techniques

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For those who want to get into "building" mosaics-concrete slabs and 3-D objects d'art-this book tells all. It's for serious commercial mosaicists rather than weekend crafters, hobbyists, or even full-time crafters. The materials are expensive; the equipment, cumbersome. You need a large workshop for many of these projects. In addition, the work is kind of-well, ugly! It's filled with complicated but dull geometrics in discordant colors. Chavarria's book has been in a box to be returned since it was given to me months ago on my birthday. I have decided to keep it on the off chance I get some commercial commissions. Then it might be a handy reference.

The reason I don't give this book a one-star rating is because it does have comprehensive information on various kinds of stone (you don't see that very much), tools and a bit of interesting laying technique. And I give him credit for attempting mosaics on three-dimensional sculpted objects, though to my taste they are dreadful, and he does give a fairly good overview on bases and adhesives. But the projects? Is horrendous too strong of a word?

This is a very comprehensive book full of usefull information, however it is a book for those serious in learning the craft of the mosaic. If you are looking to see prety mosaic works and want to do home products this is not for you. This book does offer a great history of the art of mosaics. I found it to have the most comprehensive tool and technique section of most other books.

Being a tile professional and something of a "tile geek", I found "The Art of Mosaics" to be an excellent resource with complex processes explained and demonstrated in a very complete manner. Mr. Chavarria does an excellent job also in providing detailed information on tools, techniques, materials and structural design for serious mosaic work. This is NOT a book of backyard birdbaths and picture frames. While the criticisms of the work depicted are accurate (they aren't attractive at all), I believe his intention was not to impress but to illustrate technique. In that regard, he excells. An inspirational resource that I never tire of recommending to my friends and associates with serious interests in tile mosaics and it's many forms.

It's not for an amateur craftsman (artist).
If you want to get into this highly profitable and highly competitive
ancient art of mosaics this book is for you.
But this art resemble very much masonary.