Dimensional Dog Mosaic

Steps 1-2

Steps:

1. Determine the design and draw it onto MDF board. The MDF board will not warp.

2. Put on safety glasses. With the jigsaw, cut out the design elements. The base and eye pieces of this project are cut with the blade set at the 90-degree position.

Step 3

3. The nose piece is cut using a 45-degree blade angle.

Steps 4-5

4. Create a small glue supply on a paper plate. Because of the large quantity of glue required, use a cartridge and caulking gun rather than a smaller tube of glue. Select a glue product that is specifically recommended for ceramic applications.

5. Apply glue to the nose and eye pieces with a cotton swab and adhere these pieces to the base.

Steps 6-7

6. Break the tile with the tile nippers and smooth uneven edges with a tile file. Strive for a variety of chip sizes and shapes. Tile pieces may be very sharp and should be handled with caution.

7. Glue bits of tile scrap to the tips of the ears and to the entire mouth outline. These scraps will serve as elevation for the final ear and mouth tiles. Experiment with placement to determine the desired relief.

Step 8

8. Cut triangles of cardboard and glue them in elevated layers in the middle of the ears.

Step 9

9. Cover the horizontal surfaces with tile pieces, using glue applied to the pieces with a cotton swab. Press the tile pieces down evenly to achieve a uniform and level surface. Leave 1/4" spaces between the tile pieces to allow for an attractive and uniform grout line on the finished piece.