Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Rooster Mosaic Backsplash

I have wanted to make rooster mosaics for a while. I was recently contacted by a gentleman, for whom I had made a mosaic fireplace surround 5 years ago, to create a new piece to go behind his stove. He was redesigning his kitchen in a black-and-white motif, sort of a "bistro" theme. His floor is black & white and the cupboards and walls are bright white. Well, when I Googled "bistro" a lot of rooster art came up! So I designed this piece: a simple white tile background with 6 tiles with a grey-metallic finish and 4 solid black tiles. The centerpiece is a glass mosaic rooster. I really like how this came out. 
Here are photos of the process:
First the design. I laid out the tiles on a mockup of the space. 
 Then I cut the rooster out of Wedi board. I don't like the "strings" that stick out of the sides of the Wedi but I do like how easily it cuts. 
Here it is finished in my studio and ready to be packed up to go to the job site:
  Next step, the installation! Here is the space "before".
Here is the space "after". 
You can see the substrate nailed to the wall by the contractor. I tape all around and put tarps on the floor to protect all the new white paint. 
The install begins. 
I held up the tiles with blue tape to keep them from sagging. I didnt want to use quick-setting adherent because I wanted to be able to measure and level each row and shift the tiles if necessary. 
And here it is at the end of the first day. 
 Second day - grouting!
 Again, taping everything around the piece is essential.
 Almost clean!!
I went back to seal this a few days later and the stove was in place. Here she is finished! 
I think I am going to keep making rooster mosaics. I really like the image and "feel" of roosters and chickens. 
 
Rooster Mosaic Backsplash
34" x 36"
2013