Mosaics can be purely decorative or entirely functional works of art. They are created by piecing together small tiles, stones, broken crockery or pottery to create a design.

Make a beautiful orb-shaped garden lantern with glass mosaic tiles - see the December 2003 issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine for full instructions or send a ssae to Mosaic lantern 12/03, BHG Online Private Bag 9600 North Sydney NSW 2059. This project is available as a kit from Steven Vella.

Setting up the studio Whether you have a small studio or are intending to work on the kitchen table, you need to make some plans and preparations before you start work.

Consider the size of the area you are working in and the scale of the project you are intending to tackle.

If you don't have a studio, organise space on a shelf or in a cupboard to store your equipment.

Mosaic work can be messy, so cover the table and floor with plastic, old sheets, or anything that can be discarded or washed. Small shards of tiles can be vacuumed up, but when grout dries on carpet or wooden floors it is difficult to remove.

Make sure you have easy access to water. When grouting and cleaning the mosaic, you will need frequent changes of water.

If working indoors, make sure you have plenty of light and fresh air. Find a comfortable chair and work at a steady, leisurely pace.

Tools and equipment
There are no set rules as to what tools you should use, but most of what you need can be found in hardware stores and tile suppliers, or look around the home for items that may be useful.

Tile nippers
There are several methods of cutting tiles but the easiest is to use a pair of tile nippers. Tile nippers are the most versatile tool in a mosaicist's tool kit and arc the only major investment you will need to make. Tile nippers are available in various sizes and usually differ in quality and price. Tungsten carbide-tipped nippers are a worthwhile investment. Make sure the handles are spring-actioned and try them out first by holding them in your hand to see if they feel comfortable.

Rubber squeegee
A rubber squeegee is used to spread the grout into the gaps between the tesserae and to wipe off the excess grout. If you don't want to purchase a rubber squeegee, spread the grout with a trowel or palette knife or, wearing; rubber gloves, use your hands to spread the grout over the surface, pushing it into all the cracks.

Palette knife or trowel
Use a palette knife to spread the tile adhesive directly on the surface or on the back of individual tesserae. A trowel is useful when working on large areas.

Sponges and rags
These are used to wipe off excess grout from the surface of the mosaic and to polish the finished mosaic.

Containers
Save plastic or ice-cream containers and use them for mixing adhesive and grout. Use glass jars or plastic containers to store your tesserae and other mosaic odds and ends.

Miscellaneous
For drawing designs you'll need paper, ruler and a pencil. If you are choosing your own colour scheme, coloured pencils or watercolours are useful. Transfer designs onto the surface using carbon paper and a stylus (or blunt pencil). Carbon paper is available in sheets and one side is coated in carbon. It is usually black or blue, but buy white if you want to transfer a design onto a dark surface. A felt-tipped pen is useful for outlining pencilled designs for better visibility, and for marking on tiles. Use a compass for drawing circles and a protractor for measuring angles. Safety When working with mosaics you will need rubber gloves, protection for your eyes and a dust mask or respirator.

When cutting tiles, even if you only need to cut one or two, always protect your eyes with goggles or glasses. As tiles have a tendency to shatter, wear goggles and cut the tiles at arms' length to prevent small shards flying up into your face.

When cutting tiles, wear a mask to prevent inhalation of dust or glass particles.

Wear rubber gloves when working with cement or grout, and wear a dust mask when polishing off dry grout or when using solvents.

Materials

Source: Mosaics (Murdoch Books (out of print)