phila*craft

stone mosaic panel I started with a kit to copy an image of the head of Dionysus (on sale for $9) from The National Gallery. I didn't like the image, and I'm glad I didn't try to make it because there's no way there would have been enough stone. When I completed the central design, I ordered 3/8" cubes of stone from Mosaic Art Supply along with grout. I didn't want to use (or buy) chemical sealant for the tiles, so I rubbed their surfaces with melted beeswax before grouting. I scraped away most of the wax after the grout set. Then I ran the panel under the broiler of my toaster oven (door open), pulling the panel out with an oven mitt and wiping the wax away with a flour sack cloth. (Backing board in all sizes, tiles, adhesive, cutting tools, grout, and everything else you need with friendly service is available from Mosaic Art Supply.)