Mixed-Media Mosaics: Techniques and Projects Using Polymer Clay Tiles, Beads & Other Embellishments [Paperback]

Laurie Mika (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 6, 2007

Imagine beautiful mosaic pieces with tiles that you easily create yourself!

Mixed-Media Mosaics offers a fresh, new approach to a traditional art form. By making your own tiles from polymer clay, you control the size, shape, color and even the texture, resulting in beautiful finished pieces that include tabletops, boxes, jewelry and shrines.

In addition to learning traditional tiling techniques such as working with grout and cutting glass tile, you'll also explore creative options for personalizing tiles:

• Discover the magic of mica powders and the regal look they can give to mosaics
  
  
• Learn quick and easy ways of adding paint to handcrafted and commercial tile
  
  
• See how easy it is to create molds and cast your own relief tiles
  
  
• Find ways to add personal meaning to your work with the addition of text tiles
  
  
• Experiment with the addition of beads, jewelry and other embellishments by embedding them right into the tile!

Whether you'd like to complete a mosaic tabletop for your patio, a jewelry box as a special gift, or simply experiment with jewelry, you'll find the inspiration you seek in Mixed-Media Mosaics. Start creating your custom mosaic pieces today.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Laurie Mika's work employs her unique handmade tiles with mosaics, beads and jewelry to create "contemporary icons" (a blend of Byzantine art, Illuminated Manuscripts and Mexican folk art). Laurie was published in the premier issue of Expressions magazine and has had work published in Somerset Studio, Somerset Wedding 2, Haute Handbags and Somerset Gallery 5, as well as the books 400 Polymer Clay Designs (Lark, 2004), New Techniques for Wearable Art (Quarry, 2004) and JoAnn Locktov's Mosaic Art and Style: Designs for Living Environments (Quarry, 2005). Mika has also appeared on HGTV's Crafters Coast to Coast and the DIY network's Craft Lab, and has taught workshops at Artfest in Port Townsend, Washington, Art Unraveled in Phoenix, Arizona, and Art and Soul in Dallas. She will also be teaching at Art and Soul in Portland in 2006 and at Hacienda Mosaico in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico, in 2007.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books (July 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581809832
• ISBN-13: 978-1581809831
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #102,383 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > Arts & Photography > Other Media > Ceramics
  • #66 in Books > Arts & Photography > Other Media > Mixed Media

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clever, Concise, Colourful Clay, July 25, 2007

By 

R. Eberhard "Eclectic Studio" (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mixed-Media Mosaics: Techniques and Projects Using Polymer Clay Tiles, Beads & Other Embellishments (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book for people of all ages and backgrounds. Polymer artisits will have a lot of fun gaining inspiration or completing one of the many projects contained in this publication. Laurie starts out with a clear outline of how to make the tiles, both in Polymer and glass cutting, tools required etc. She broadens your scope by wonderful step by step instructions on how to add glamour - trying paints, micas, gilding, stamps,Image transfers, beads and so forth. Each project from Boxes and Tables throught to Pendants and Pins - each tackles a new technique and the excellent photos make it almost impossible to make a mistake. A small but rich gallery of her work which is a veritable explosion of colour complete this worthwhile addition to your library shelf.

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I LOVED THIS BOOK!-even though it wasn't about what I thought., September 22, 2007

By 

Llynn A. Huntley "my own place" (usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mixed-Media Mosaics: Techniques and Projects Using Polymer Clay Tiles, Beads & Other Embellishments (Paperback)

I ordered this book, even though I am not a "mosaic" person. The projects on the cover just looked so intriging and the title lead me to think that this would be a book about incorporating lots of different objects into mosaics- I think it was the 'and other embellishments' part. Since I do collage and mixed media art, I though this might be a new field to explore.
The book does NOT teach you about incorporating objects into mosaics (although there are a few things other than tiles in some of the projects), but it does tell you how this artist makes mosaics using clay tiles she makes herself with rubber stamps. And she does such a wonderful job of teaching you how to do this,too, that I am already getting my supplies together to try this, although I am also not a (polymer)"clay" person! She includes lots of tips-usually things you wouldn't think about until you run into a problem, the photos are clear and stepped out for each project, and the projects themselves are beautiful.
The projects also are set up so that you can immediately see how you could change them or make something completely different, using the same techniques.
If you enjoy collage, mosaics, rubber stamps and/or polymer clay, this book could lead you in a new direction.

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful mosaic of techniques and photos - Gorgeous photos!, June 25, 2007

By 

A. Huff "Amy Huff" (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mixed-Media Mosaics: Techniques and Projects Using Polymer Clay Tiles, Beads & Other Embellishments (Paperback)

I was lucky enough to take a class with Laurie Mika not too long ago and she's just as generous in sharing her techniques and tips in her book as she was in class. She doesn't hold anything back and is truly giving of her art and herself in this book. Laurie walks you through the entire process with the photos and written descriptions but also provides several inspiration points and gallery pieces throughout the book that helped give me insight into her as an artist and provided my own inspiration and insight to what I wanted to create. I love this book and have been making tiles since I got it!