Mosaics FAQs

Have you ever seen an elaborate countertop decorated from hundreds of thousands of broken tiles? Each individual piece is arranged to make a beautiful piece overall. Mosaics have been a part of humanity's art work for centuries. They can be very intricate or they can be a simple tessalation of geometric designs all pieced together to form an object. Most people have seen a mosaic several times in their lives but may not have realized that was what the art form was called. In this article we will cover the basics of the mosaic as well as its history. You may even be interested in creating a mosaic yourself once you know the details about how to create one. They can be as simple or as ornate as you want and they will definitely add beauty to any room or object.

What is the history of mosaics?

The earliest examples of mosaics have been found from the 4th century BC in the Macedonian city of Aegae. The Romans created many fantastic mosaics that can still be found in certain collections such as the one in the Bardo Museum in Tunis, Tunisia. The largest collection of Roman mosaics is found in the Villa Romana del Casale near Piazza Armenia in Sicily. It is thought that the villa was owned by Emperor Maximian and was built in the early 4th century. Thanks to a mudslide in that area, the mosaic pieces were protected for 700 years before being unearthed and recovered. As Christianity began taking a firm root in the world, the mosaic changed. It no longer centered on mythological religious beings and began to be centered on Christian church themes and saints. The different political and religious leaders began to commission works that centered on scenes from the Bible. This continued on for thousands of years. As the political climate changed, you would often see the mosaic pieces of the time change.

What do mosaics have to do with mathematics?

It is easy to think that creating a mosaic is simply putting down random pieces of material to form the overall picture but there is more to it than that. Some mosaics require detailed mathematic equations to determine the size and shape of each individual piece. Mathematics is also used to help determine the spacing and overall size that the finished mosaic will take. You can think of it like an architect. Architects use mathematics to determine the height, length and width that a building will have. Then each piece is assembled and put into place. The same thing happens with a mosaic.

What is digital imaging?

Digital imaging is when non-overlapping images are arranged in a tessellation. You can often find digital imaging used in a photomosaic. Have you ever seen a large picture but when you examined it closely found that each pixel was actually another picture entirely? That is an example of a photomosaic and digital imaging. Digital imaging is used quite frequently now to make up the sketches and templates that artists use when forming their mosaic. They can do this by using computer aided design software. This way they can manipulate each tessera into place and apply any color. Changes are easily taken care of and then the final sketch is printed out and sent out to the workers who will assemble the mosaic piece by piece.

What does tessellation have to do with mosaics?

As you already know, a mosaic is made up of small pieces placed together to create an image. Each of those small pieces is called tesserae (plural for tessera). Tessellations are geometric pieces that make up an overall design. The two go hand in hand. You could not have a mosaic if it were not for tessera. Though the tessellations are considered to be more standard geometric pieces and the mosaics are made up of different shapes and sizes, both come together to form an image or scene.

More about mosaics

How To Decorate With Mosaic Tiles

Online businesses offer you a catalog of information regarding designs, patterns, sizes and prices, as well as care instructions for mosaic tiles. By ordering online and having the tiles shipped directly to your door, you will save yourself time and money.