Stone mosaics are ancient art forms. They're so tough they've actually outlasted whole civilizations. They're a true art form, equally popular with ancient kings and modern homeowners. Modern mosaics are made with hard stone, notably quartzite, one of the most versatile stones around. Most of the modern pattern mosaics you see are made of this dazzling stone.

Mosaics and stonework

Mosaics and stone are a good match of media. Mosaics are designed step by step as pictures, and then reproduced in stone. This can be very demanding work, requiring tiny pieces of stone to produce color effects and shades. The pieces of the mosaic are painstakingly laid, one at a time.

Complex mosaics may require thousands of pieces of stone. In some cases even small gems are used to produce highlights, echoing classical techniques. Pattern or abstract mosaics may use much larger stones, creating mosaic features throughout the stonework. The most popular commercial designs are symmetrical features, using templates to create a series of designs in the stone tiling.

Quartzite and design

Quartzite is a perfect stone for mosaics. It's extremely hard, colorful, and a reliable medium when set in stone. This combination of characteristics makes it perfect for any sort of design, however ambitious. It's also a highly textured stone, providing excellent quality for even individual pieces.

Quartzite designs may be obtained as either ready made designs, matched to a choice of stone flooring, or designer pieces made specifically for a predetermined area in the floor space. These complex designs have to be commissioned and planned in advance, to allow the stone laying and mosaic placement to be coordinated.

Mosaic art

Mosaics are a highly developed art form. The main exponents of mosaic art for stone flooring in its original form were the Romans, who used them as features throughout huge buildings. The Pompeii mosaics are almost at the standard of portrait art, using tiny colored stones to make startlingly lifelike pictures of people and legendary characters. The early Christian church revived them as decorative features in cathedrals, and Islamic art created masterpieces of floral designs.

Modern mosaics have taken on a range of artistic forms, including large portrait-styles and the highly stylized forms of patterned stone used by designers, which can include very complex interwoven patterns and separate picture pieces.

Getting help and advice for your mosaics

Getting the mosaic you want is easier than it may seem. If you've got an idea for a mosaic, or want to explore your options for having pre-designed mosaic designs, you can get advice easily.

Custom mosaics: You can arrange the process through a mosaic artist. They'll need to see your design idea, and give you a quote for the work. The installation will need specifications, to set aside space for the design in the stonework.

Pre-designed mosaics: There's a big range of these designs, and some are quite beautiful. Mosaics can be installed by good stone suppliers, and you may be surprised at the range of designs available.

Mosaics can be laid anywhere, adding their unique style to an environment.

They're still one of the most popular art forms in the world.