Some of us will have vague memories of sitting in art class, meticulously gluing colorful bits of plastic, ceramic, or even broken up pieces of CDs onto individual tiles or plates.
Many people’s point-of-reference might even be ancient history, where mosaic images of emperors, heroes and religious icons can be seen decorating temples, churches, or the floors of villas in history books or online.
Most of us know, or think we know, exactly what mosaic artwork looks like, but what is mosaic art really?
Mosaic artwork is one of the earliest decorative art forms and has been around for thousands of centuries. It is comprised of brightly colored pieces of glass or tile arranged in patterns or images on top of a stationary surface. This style of decoration was exceedingly popular in ancient times and was valued for the striking and unmistakable effect that it provided.
Although this style of artwork fell out of favor in the Renaissance it has recently made a comeback thanks in part to its unique look and its ability to add interest to any space in a variety of different ways.
Mosaic art has come a long way from its humble beginnings.
With modern developments in chemistry and art, artists have been able to experiment with materials and mediums, mixing different textures and styles in ways we’ve never seen before.
For example, some artists, like the one whose artwork is pictured below, have begun mixing styles and techniques for different mediums to create innovative results. This multi-media effect creates a dynamic and interesting finished piece of wall art. Such pieces not only provide the viewer with a multitude of different viewing experiences, but they can also emphasize the color and design mood of a space.
Today, we’ll be looking at just a handful of ways mosaic artwork can enhance your home or office and transform a once boring space into something new.
Mosaics instantly add texture
Many people neglect to consider using texture when decorating or designing a new room, but it’s an easy way to make or break the vibe of a space.
Texture is an art and design term for things that provide a different feeling, either literal or figurative, to a space and can be anything from a throw pillow to a plant. You can add texture to a space by mixing up prints or finding ways to incorporate design pieces you might not initially think of.
Modern glass mosaic wall art satisfies a need for visual texture. Because mosaics are typically made up of broken pieces of glass or ceramic arranged to make an image, the results are usually three dimensional.
Depending on the technique the artist used to create the mosaic, the pieces may be in various interesting shapes and might be slightly raised. This dimensionality to mosaic artwork creates texture which breaks up the uniformity of a space, be it a wall or a tabletop, and gives the eyes a welcome distraction.
A close-up of this mosaic glass wall decor art piece shows the masterful use of acrylic paint and glass tiling used together to give a dynamic look and feel. With so many details in one place the eye will always find new and interesting points to focus on and will naturally seek out new ways to interpret the piece, providing different viewing experiences every time.
Mosaic artwork can add interest to otherwise plain furniture or spaces
As we previously mentioned, texture is an easy way to liven up a space. It isn’t always apparent what things you should add to space in order to provide texture and sometimes adding just one texture or adding the wrong kind of texture can fail to make any impact at all.
Take the example above.
By itself this utilitarian entryway console can seem mundane or even boring. You might add some books or maybe even a vase to remedy this but the white wall behind is so big and empty that those things would inevitably fall short.
This is where glass mosaic wall art comes in to save the day.
Here this mosaic glass wall decor not only adds texture and takes up vertical space, but it also adds a welcome pop of color. This can either compliment the space in general or set the tone for the rest of the room; giving guests a taste of what’s to come.
You can play around with the subject of the artwork as well as the placement in order to get the maximum effect out of your mosaic art. There are no rules, per se, just follow whatever looks good to your eyes.
Mosaic artwork comes in a variety of patterns and subjects to suit every taste
With so many artists working with mosaic glass, it’s almost impossible not to find something that piques your interest. Mosaics come in a variety of styles and colors to suit everyone’s style and design needs.
Although floral and nature scenes are a constant fixture in mosaic glass art, everything from original artwork to great masterpieces can be done in this style.
At American Art Decor we stock a variety of different glass mosaic art; taking into consideration the needs and tastes of our patrons. We understand that different people need different things and we’ve worked with artists to provide our customers with multiple options.
Here, glass mosaic art breathes new life into Van Gogh’s bewitching ‘Starry Night’, emphasizing the artist’s original brushstrokes and shapes through a new medium.
This is just one example of many of the ways that mosaic artwork can remix and revive old concepts to create something new and interesting.
There really is something for everyone and finding the right piece is, in our opinion, half the fun. In the end, we hope you will give mosaic artwork a chance and start exploring the infinite world of texture.
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