The mirror is done! The mirror is done! (img heavy) - Ceramic Tile Advice Forums

sugarbeth · 10-02-2006, 05:55 PM

It's been a long time since I started this, and I took some detours with other projects (my son's constellation room, the kid's playset out back - I have pics of these too!) but I'm finally done! It's all grouted and sealed and caulked and everything. And we can finally use the sink!

These are handmade tiles - pseudomosaics. Next time I won't make the individual "tiles" so small! I'll likely just make bigger tiles and take advantage of the process to make unusual grout lines (like the zig-zag tiles in the crows). There's a lot of flaws in this mirror - a lot of not-quite-so-flat tiles, and some crazing in the glaze. But for a newbie, it came out pretty good, I think!

Thanks all, for your help sorting through how to get the mirror and tile up. I ended up putting up the mirror with mirror mastic first, then put the tile up around it. I covered the mirror with contact paper when I grouted, and that worked really well to protect it from the sanded grout. The grouting went really quickly and didn't give me any problems at all. I did the top half, then started clean up right after I got everything smeared in. Then I did the bottom the same way. And I'm amazed at how well the matching sanded caulk matches the grout - you can't even hardly tell where one ends and the other starts.

Now to start the tiles for the tub surround!

BlueCanyon · 10-02-2006, 06:05 PM

Beth,
It's beautiful. Really very awe inspring.

Mary Ann

davem · 10-02-2006, 06:21 PM

Oh my gosh Beth, that's awesome. You're a gifted artist.

I spotted a pretty girl in one of those pichers too.

JTG · 10-02-2006, 06:29 PM

Double thumbs up!
Beth that is GREAT looks very nice good work.
I'm sure that John will post those pictures up in the site where he puts outstanding work and this will qualify for sure.

Don't be a stranger around here and best of luck on your next project
JTG

lou432 · 10-02-2006, 06:44 PM

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike2 · 10-02-2006, 06:47 PM

Wow! is right.

Hamilton · 10-02-2006, 06:51 PM

Absolutely fabulous!

How did you make your tiles? Did you use unglazed
tile and paint them yourself? I dont think tile gets any more creative than
this. congratulations.

motlot77 · 10-02-2006, 06:55 PM

wow, you have some patience, girl! i love the eel the best...very nice design. congrats!

rayc325 · 10-02-2006, 06:56 PM

That is Awesome!! Love the squid..

cx · 10-02-2006, 06:56 PM

So, Beth, you got any pichers of this mirror?

Seems like it woulda been a whole hellofa lot easier to make that whole thing on the bench and then pewt it up, no?

It is a wonderous piece.

sugarbeth · 10-02-2006, 07:12 PM

Thanks, Everybody!

Oh, cx, I'm sure I could've found an easier way to do this thing! :lol: It was a learning experience, for sure!

Let me put up some of the in-progress pics, to better explain the whole pseudo-mosaic thing...

I rolled out several big slabs (I have a slab-roller), then carved out grout channels to make the pictures.

The big sections then got chopped into smaller, easier-to-handle chunks. Then fired, then hand-glazed, then fired again.