How does someone who can’t draw come up with patterns/templates for mosaics?

Pinterest of course!

Pinterest is a visual search engine (much like Google is an internet search engine) and is where millions of users pull inspiration from.

I have been on this wonderful, time sucking platform since it began and love, love, love it! I draw most of my inspiration from this social platform and name my boards to reflect this.

 

Click picture to see my boards on Pinterest.

 

Inspiration is taken from aspects of several images and put together to make an original design.

 

Look to see if the images are copyrighted and err on the side of caution when “copying” these. Do not (I can not say this enough) do not copy someone else’s picture.

 

After an image is found, open up Power Point and save all the images that have inspired you on a slide. You can use multiple slides if needed.

Once the image(s) are tweaked and sized, print them. No fancy expensive printer is needed and I print in black and white to save ink.

Target glass table
Table I am currently working on.

Once these are printed, begin layering them and trace if necessary to morph images into a workable pattern.

Two pictures printed separately then cut out and taped together.

I wanted the center of this sunflower to have a rounder shaped honey comb, so the house hold hunt began.

Mixing bowls make the perfect center of a sunflower.

 

I traced the bowl in the center and then began laying out the honey combs in a pattern that was pleasing.

 

I colored these so I could visually see them more precisely in their placement.

 

Once arranged, tape is used to hold patterns together (less mess then glue and repositionable if necessary).

This pattern was attached to the underside of the table. Glass on glass is a wonderful substrate for me because I get to attach the pattern directly to the back of the piece to be worked on.

 

Taking my time to cut the pattern as needed and taping it so it does not shift.

 

Now the fun begins!

 

You can view my progress on this piece as I post my updates to my Facebook page as well as my Instagram feed by following both.

 

You can find me on any social platform under the name: Awesomely Traci.