SUMMARY: stress relief!

• find bottle/s

• hammer & Leps

• Plastic bags & newspaper

• smashing area and solid surface

• safety gear

• Leponnit cutters

• thinset, several colours 

•  

• colour layers required?

• pour thinset into bottle or outside of glass as desired

• allow drying time

• do arty stuff - etchings,signature etc.

• shade the etching area if necessary

• etch on damp or dry thinset on glass

• allow to cure

• cut down into shapes

• remove sharp edges with shaker jar.

• use new tesserae in your mosaic.

photos coming here soon

You can apply the masking method on  transparent gems, glass, and vitreous glass tiles.

Sandy has more tips 'n tricks in the  new cd coming  soon.

It's just too hard to document all of this...a picture tells a thousand works...thank Goodness, Sandy says.....

keep lots of the masked glass on hand ready for your next mosaic!

Use up left over thinset, by adding a little more of the thinset liquid and powder to the "leftovers" and pour into prepared wine bottles.  So handy...saves product and you have tesserae stocking up.

Note:  allow thinset to cure enough on your wine bottle glass so that you can use carbon paper to trace your signature IN REVERSE  on the thinset. 

Write your words or signature on transparent paper then put this over carbon paper on your thinset coated bottle surface.  Trace the signature or words on to the thinset.

Remove and then  gently etch the traced signature or words with a pointed object so when you turn the tesserae over, VOILA, you signature is up the right way (if you want it to be that is!!!)...

email Sandy if you have any questions....if you are inspired and live in Brisbane you may enjoy a workshop at OzMosaics.

last update to this page:   6pm EST 1st October 2007

© all rights reserved

 OzMosaics Sandra Robertson 

 2000-2006

 A NEW TIP FROM OzMosaics Studio - you read about it here first!

....with hugs to my mosaic addicts group!

I have been using wine bottles or any sort of glass or jars in my mosaic art for many, many years.   Neighbours have given up worrying about smashing sounds from my studio....I collect glass from broken windows, cars, bus tops ...anywhere..anytime, household items, vases, crystal. perfume bottles...you name it....light bulbs, light fixtures, glass shops....glass tiles......I am constantly on the hunt.

Here are my tips to share with you and thanks to all who are making mesh mosaics for the Steve Irwin mosaic tribute.

Drink the wine if you must (someone has to do it!) or collect the bottles. Keep the cork or screw lid if you can.

You may have to drink some wine in the name of art or ask others to give you their "empties" of any bottles that appeal to you re texture, colour, shape - whatever.

 A great way use the empty bottle from a celebration or something special as keepsake/gift mosaic art (imagine giving a gift with a photocard of the bottle originally being consumed.....hmmmm...the 21st...in a spa....breakfast and champagne in bed memories....the morning after....valentine's day...anniversaries....) Perhaps from a wedding, birthday, christening...any special occasion....Take photos as you make the mosaic...from the drinking to sealing.....behave Sandy!!!!

.......champagne, wine, Grange Bottle, beer, soft drink, scotch, blue gin, you name it - it's your choice!   You don't need to mask the inside of solid colour glass vessels (of course!).   

Now, the big problem with transparent or clear bottles is that when they are glued down in a mosaic often gorgeous colours turns rather "off" due to the adhesive colour.     White is a good adhesive colour for this method (but black is awesome too!) and I recommend thinset adhesive in this procedure.  Mastic is not good as it can "yellow" or crumble over time - it's a great adhesive, but it's downside here is that it's water-based and is too messy...JUST USE THINSET.  Pva or weldbond is not useful here as it is water based....

BUT:  I am going to tell you how to streak colours on the glass, glitter, etch, sign, scribble, and also how to make the glass sit and not wobble....more about this later.  Doing all these things is easy on flat glass, but not so easy on curved bottle glass, so here are some helpful tips.

 Imagine your signature under the leaf in a mosaic, or somewhere in your mosaic (etched into the thinset and then coated in gold or another thinset colour before you glue it into the mosaic!).  Or a glass leaf in three shades of green or dark tones, with highlights...all done in tinted layers of thinset....ooooh!!!! Etch into the thinset and put phrases, poems, works or squiggles - date your mosaic artworks with this method.   No-one can remove your signature or date from under the glass once you have set it into your mosaic art.

Let's consider a GREEN wine bottle, an amber beer bottle, a blue bottle....we can make all these basic bottle glasses into wonderful art....leaves, water, bird feather, simply whimsical stuff, 3-d, mixed media, no limits.  You will need a pair of Leponitt mosaic cutters or similar. (Irwin Mural makers, think of a blue jellyfish made out of wine bottle...croc skin out of green wine bottles and black thinset......wow!)...

I often have left over thinset and this made me think of how to do this new masking method (quickly and efficiently rather than cutting down the bottle glass and applying thinset to each piece!).

1.  Get a bottle/s of some sort.  A green wine bottle perhaps, to start with.

3. Get the label off - fill the bottle/s with hot water and stand in a bucket of hot water.  The hot water helps to melt the label glue.   If this doesn't work, use vinegar or eucalyptus oil etc.  Just get them off.  Try not to scratch them but sometimes the scratches look good!

2. Make sure the bottle/s (I do a few at a time) are clean and dry, inside and out.

4. Keep the lids or corks.

5. If you have scraps of other similar wine bottles, put some white paper or coloured paper underneath the glass to see the effect a coloured glue would have on the bottle if applied under the glass.

Make up thinset in the desired colour (white, black any colour you choose (you can tint white thinset with diluted water-based paints or concrete tints etc)  to make the colour you want for your thinset coating to go on the underside of the bottle).

5. Make the thinset quite runny and pour into the bottle (use a funnel or make something temporary to funnel the glue into the bottle).  Put the lid on the bottle and twist and turn the bottle so the thinset runs around inside and coats the inside surfaces of the wine bottle (or any bottle or jar).

6.  If you want the whole bottle covered inside keep adding thinset until all inside surface is covered......

7 OR STREAK IT by allowing the thinet to run it's own race around the inside of the bottle as you turn the bottle (lid is on!)...take lid off and pour out any excess into another bottle.   Allow this layer to dry for a day, and then pour another colour as per steps above and you will have two tone streaks.  If you want more colours-  keep adding more colours between drying times.

8.  You could also scratch inside with thin wire or whatever to make etchings inside on the damp thinset and then add more thinset colour layers.

9. The beauty of the thinset is that it is waterproof when it dries so the colours don't bleed if each layer is allowed to set up.

10. Now allow the coated bottles (take lid off to aid curing of the thinset) 

either allow the thinset on the inside surface of the glass bottle to cure for a couple of days if you don't want to make any more etchings on the glass.  You really have to let the thinset cure well, so when you smash the bottle later, it stays on the glass and allow you to cut easily with the Leps, with no thinset coming or crumbling off.   You will get the hang of this after the first time.

OR: if you want write your signature, draw curly things or make lovely leaf etchings or perhaps fossil type markings or just doodles, smash the bottle when you think it is still just off setting hard (I left two bottles overnight and broke them the next morning and they were still damp but the weather at the time will make a difference.  Just scratch inside the bottle a little to test or guess!).  Even if its a bit too damp, break with a hammer and allow to air dry to stage you can draw on the thinset for patterns or etch with a pencil, or whatever implement you want ....this is fun!   Then allow it to set up fairly firmly before snipping shapes such as petlas and leaves, or whatever suits your mosaic of the moment.

 Fabulous photos coming here! See note in right hand column to make sure you reverse your words re signatures or words so they are not backwards when you etch on the underside of the glass on the thinset.

TO BREAK THE BOTTLES:   You need to break down the bottles into chunks with a hammer and then cut down further with Leps.

 I put my bottles in a very large clip lock bag ( I sell these bags in my studio), so I can see where I am smashing the bottle.  Otherwise put plastic over the bottle or use shopping plastic bags.  Don't use towels as the shards are dreadful to remove from towels and similar fabrics.  Have a layer of newspaper under the glass smashing area or large bin bags.  The beauty of the big clip bags is that you can see and collect the glass all in the one go.   It's important not to over- smash at first hammering.     Never shove your hand in the glass bag. Be sensible and wear gardening gloves if you are worried and you do have our safety glasses on, don't you?!  ...and shoes....yes I nag, but  better safe than sorry.

aside:

Shaker container: Sandy originally came up with the idea, years ago  of using a glass jar or plastic container (select a size to accommodate the size of your tesserae).  Fill the container 3/4 with water, a few small pebbles and a tiny squirt of detergent (the detergent makes the glass slip around, it cleans it and helps to remove sharp edges from china and glass and mirror etc.  It's used everywhere now and I was my economical idea to save time, cuts and replace the sand tumbler.  You cut down the tesserae to a size to suit you and plonk in the jar. Shake the jar gently and then pour contents into a sieve over a bucket of water to drain.  When you have finished rinse the sieve over the bucket of water and pour the water over paper towel or newspaper to get rid of the glass slivers.  You could do this in the garden to save water.  Roll up the paper towel or newspaper carefully, secure with sticky tape and dispose of.  

If required, cut down the glass again and then shake again and repeat the process.   The more you do the shaking the more the sharp edges dull down.   Try it - it works.  Just handle the initial hammered bottle glass carefully.  If the first break has little bits of glass everywhere dunk it in a bucket of water to help rid the little shards.  I have a red bucket in the studio marked STUDIO GLASS/SHARDS SHAKING BUCKET ONLY and a dedicated very large metal strainer for this purpose. Don't use any of the studio utensils in the kitchen!

I also sell great little hammers that work perfectly and don't over-smash the glass or china..  Check out the mosaic shop. My students love this tool.        Hold the bottle still with a tea towel around the neck of the bottle and make sure safety glasses are ON!      I smash  lots of things in an old drawer that has a paver covered in plastic in it....(think large bricks) and this drawer is my glass smashing box.  You need a very firm surface to smash the glass bottle or it bounces.  My cd will show lots of good tips on cutting and smashing bottles to get desired shapes.

back to method......

Place the coated bottle glass on plastic and allow to air dry. I use a rapid set formula of thinset for quick results.

If you like the outside curve of the wine bottle, reverse all of the above and coat/streak the outside of the bottle with thinset and then break it down when it's set. - this gives you some really weird glass tesserae options (but very dangerous perhaps!) just be careful where you install any glass mosaics, especially in public areas, use common sense. The bottom of the wine bottle is magic to me- as the curve is really nice falling backwards in greenery.  So, sometimes you might cut the bottom of the bottle off first (method will be in  in cd).

ETCHING:

It's wonderful to be able to have your signature or "trademark" etched by you in the thinset coating on the back of the glass!!   or any pattern you wish to make on the back of the glass.

I made some beautiful leaves, by pouring and streaking white thinset in the green bottle, then black thinset and allowing each layer to dry before the next layer of thinset.   After smashing the bottle, cutting up the leaves, I "etched" veins and shadows on the thinset and THEY ARE DIVINE!

YOU DECIDE:

• if you want flat glass or bottle glass - it all works.

• if you want curved leaves, long or short - it's all in the bottle cutting

• (tricky and wonderful cutting techniques shown on my cd coming soon). -  but you can experiment yourself now.

• thin streaky water or waves or surf....use your imagination...clouds in the sky...try tinted thinset to make sunrises and sunsets under the glass for mosaic art.

AND JUST WHEN YOU THINK I AM FINISHED..THERE'S MORE:

If you want some of your curved bottle green leaves e.g. to  sit flat or to be propped in your mosaic, when you pour the thinset in the bottle, coat the inside and then pour more thinset - put the lid or cork back in the bottle and lay the bottle on it's side.  Allow to set for a couple of days and then smash and experiment with this glass.  Cd will have more of this - it's a visual thing!  Or else use Sandy's Shove the Shard method to prop your wonderful curved glass tesserae in your mosaic art.

When you glue the new tesserae to your substrate, no matter what glue you now use, the thinset won't bleed into your other glues as it's waterproof and strong.  

If you want to know more about thinset you can check out your hardware stores or buy from OzMosaics: 

Sandy's choice:   OzMos 3000 RAPID + OzMos Grout or standard white OzMosgrout.  

Do a workshop at OzMosaics or buy the upcoming cd for more wonderful mosaic tips and tricks from STUDIO OzMosaics.  Join Sandy's mailing list for updates on the release of the OzMosaics CD's and fact sheets. 2006-early 2007 and any further tips and tricks by email newsletter.

But most of all enjoy life to the full and make mosaics part of the adventure!  More interesting facts coming here soon.

hugs and cheers to all from Sandy Robertson

ps I would love to see pics of your bottle tesserae and art.  email me a photo and I will upload it here for all to enjoy!  Thank you!

- join the mosaic Addicts Yahoo Chat Group   it's free and fun!  Share your mosaic passion from beginners to advanced fine artists and craftsman.... adventures, photos, mosaic competitions, ideas and make great mates!

-be included in the making of the Steve Irwin mosaic tribute by making a mesh mosaic segment for a mosaic wildlife mural!

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© all rights reserved

 OzMosaics Sandra Robertson 

 2000-2006

  e&oe

I have become intrigued with wine bottle (or any bottles for that matter) colours, shapes, textures but especially wine bottles.

....So interesting which wines are in dark green, light, pale, or clear......a great study....

I have been known to select the wine at dinner parties or restaurant for the bottle first, wine later....you can imagine the reactions this causes...

Go dumpster diving and collect bottles from recycling areas, restaurants and parties.  Ask your friends. 

You will be amazed at what you can make:

...petals, leaves, water, ribbons, red hair out of beer bottles, ginger colours, sky, earth...so many things....3-D texture flat......so much fun.

Cockatoo plumes, fish tails, flowers, ferns....mosaic bliss.

The bottom of the bottle makes great "boobs" for mermaids or art work.....the bottle neck has so many uses too and you cut the glass to suit your requirements.

It's interesting to study the bottoms of bottles to see how large the "indent" is.

Often the ridges make great worms, slugs, tyre treads and wrinkles and more......

I cut up a gin bottle in Norfolk Island and dolphins and fish just fell out of the bottle...the shapes were magnificent.

Of course, vegemite jars rule too. Clear glass enables lots of wonderful textures to emerge from your imagination.

Try scratching and etching the back of mirror for fantastic effects when glued down in your mosaic art....so much to do, so little time.  There are etching products on the market.  I collect old mirror no-one usually wants - I love it.  I am experimenting with broken safety glass and thinset at the moment.  stay tuned for for info - it's looking awesome.

You may find on your journey of bottle discovery all wine bottles are not the same:  some have painted outsides, insides, some labels won't come off.....just test and experiment....it's part of the fun.

remember this is only one idea - you can mix up your tesserae and it's a never ending journey of mosaic joy!

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