how small is small enough, talking tesserae...

16 years ago

on 3D objects. I've been continually troubled by how small ya have to get the pieces so that you don't get points. But do you worry about points? and is it even possible to create a totally smooth 3d object.... anyway as I ponder these matters I decided to see just how small a mosaic I could make (no it's not my swap ball, that's done)

and then there's the question of at what point do you completely lose the recognizability of what you're trying to make? case in point, am I the only person that knows what this was supposed to be?

I really think this is the smallest I can actually nip a shape and not just make frit. I say shape but not necessarily a "meaningful" shape! lol

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Comments (27)

bamasusanna
16 years ago
I'm guessing an iris? I don't like my points to show personally, but like you said, it's hard to get a recognizable shape in pieces so small.
rchovey
16 years ago
Wow, that is small....I recognize flower petals. I haven't started on my project yet, have the idea I'd like to go with, but I'm worrried about it. I have trouble with points on BB's, I could never get anything as small as your example!
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nanatricia
16 years ago
Flower for shure .I have done a bunch of small one out of crash glass .I made them for abowel on my tab.
nicethyme
Original Author
16 years ago
tell ya what, I think those leaves would have to be 1/2 that size to get rid of points on a substrate that size. You know what this is right? It's me and my laziness - that size tessera would be perfect and pointLESS on a ball twice that size, but take soooooo much more that I would inevitably start nipping larger and larger. Yep, I was trying for an iris shape but it's just not obvious enough - I have to wonder if it's just a matter of size and lack of detail or if I missed something in the shape altogether
bamasusanna
16 years ago
OCD.That's what it is.
Those 1" balls I ordered are safe from my tesserae!!
I noticed on some of the micro mosaic pins on ebay, the flowers are one piece.. cheaters!!
mosaicwench1
16 years ago
I saw an iris, too.

My eyes limit my tesserae size. My exchange ball is as small as I'll go.
gretch1964
16 years ago
Oh my that is small i order a small ball like that and i looked at it and said no no no. But yours is some kind of flower. And you can still see??
Calamity_J
16 years ago
I thought the first pic looked like upside down butterflies, then the second one looks just like an iris! Klinger mosaiced her bathroom knobs...I so wanna copy her..is this a marble? or the 1inch ball? I thought my frying pan was small!!! I noticed what I envisioned with my frypan was lost when I grouted it. Had I known about using a toothbrush, it may have turned out somewhat better.
cacbeary
16 years ago
NT - that's a small ball. Can't imagine how small that tesserae is. One thing with the points - you can always grind the points with your Dremel. I've done that before.
nicethyme
Original Author
16 years ago
Klinger mosaiced her knobs? we need pictures of that! CINDY!!!!

that was the 3/4" ball, it was supposed to be 1" but I did the 1.5" for the swapball and there was a huge difference in size so it was 3/4" I only messed with it to see if I could... CAN'T! lol

Jane, your frypan came out great! what did you think wasn't as you envisioned?
shrty411
16 years ago
Too small for me, ponts or not. Nope, couldn't figure out what that was even with my new glasses!!

Maria
barbfrizzell1955
16 years ago
I noticed the iris right away but I know I could never do anything that size.
d3bbi
16 years ago
What a challenge! Maybe it's a lesson from smalti artists, small pieces need to be close together with no grout. Not sure I've seen smalti on 3D though.
nicethyme
Original Author
16 years ago
Debbi, I think I have but they don't try to flatten or smooth the surface, it looked more like stone work
mmqchdygg
16 years ago
Pardon, but a one-inch ball IS tessarae ;)
Nope, no micro-mosaics for me. Drives me batty when I have to put in a piece that's got a smaller surface than it is thick.
I missed the Iris, but now that you say it, it's obvious...I would have guessed a fleur de lis. I need to get started on this ball project.
stjohnsgypsy
16 years ago
That sure is a challenge...I saw an Iris and leaves.....would definetely be very difficult for me...I wear trifocals........I gotta stay with big.
siriusmosaics
16 years ago
My mouth is still open. I'm amazed that you can make pieces that small look like an iris. I don't think on a
3-d object you can avoid points sticking out. On most of my things, there are a few that stick out but I softened them with a diamond pad.
nicethyme
Original Author
16 years ago
SIRIUS, YOU ARE MY INSPIRATION! you're the one with the tiny garden path and the recognizable hosta leaves... and all those teeny but perfect holly leaves at the base of your Christmas tree!

MM, I know exactly what you mean and it's one of those deal breakers for me when trying to use plate shards, I end up no where neat enough with my interstices too wide and not enough surface to grout ratio - I hate my little blue tea set because of that! If I could apprentice under Tasymo for 6 months to a year, I'd be thrilled!
eklypz
16 years ago
I think you can go smaller, just start treating tesserae as pixels :)
mmqchdygg
16 years ago
I got a better idea: Pretend we are only 1/4" tall, and buy a ball that is proportionately 1" tall. How big would that ball have to be then?

DEES BIG!!!
{{!gwi}}
livnlife
16 years ago
That is small!!! But very cute!
I did recognize the iris but it does seem "pointless"! LOL!

I've been a bit scarce around here for a while...had to go back to work. But I'm still hanging in there on the exchange! My ball is almost done...just need to grout...wish I knew more about what grout colors work best with the colors on my ball!!! Need to do some research on that.

Thanks NT for doing these experiments so we all can learn from them!

Crystal
nicethyme
Original Author
16 years ago
LOL at Eklypz! pixals - you KILL ME!!!! Bwah ha haaaa ha

MM, I have those fantasies about the big red balls outside the Target store! it would be life long nipping to prevent points!!!!

and livin, you are right pointless! yes! lol
cindiloo
16 years ago
Wow, those are some GIANT nippers you have! I thought fluer de lis when I first saw it, too. I don't know how to not have points sticking out on even way bigger projects!
It's a cute lil thang anyway...
eklypz
16 years ago
I kinda want to do a mosaic with colored sand..

hmmmmmm
chickeemama
16 years ago
I love the small stuff!!...NT I thought of an iris also when I saw it. I will do a micro mosaic SOMEDAY..dont know when I will get to (have to be able to afford the smalti!!!) but I will!!!

Cant say my exchange ball is that small but thats cuz I changed my mind a gazillion times!!!!

Hey like Linlee I dont get to come on here as much as I normally do. Im working full time for the next three weeks so will post when I can. Just tryiing to stay caught up!!
shrty411
16 years ago
eklypz - then grout with Un-sanded grout?????LOL
curbdiver1954
16 years ago
Like sirius I go over the piece with my hand and smooth any remaining sharpies that I find. Ideally, I wany my grdaughter to be able to touch anything I have made and not cut or scratch her soft little baby skin. Only thing I have found to work fairly well for itty bitty pieces is to cut them and then shake in a jar of water for a few minutes. Gets the worst of the points at least...then I can go over the finished piece with a dremel for the rest.

Pat

how small is small enough, talking tesserae...

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