| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | grout lines aligned, such as a checkerboard. |
| Making wonderful glass mosaic tile art is easy! Let me | | | | Opus Regulatum is also a square or rectangle pattern |
| show you how. | | | | but with grout lines staggered like a brick wall. I |
| Andamento (Italian for flow) is the visual | | | | sometimes use a variation of this opus as a |
| movement of your mosaic created by placing | | | | background by enhancing the effect using light |
| tesserae in specific patterns to achieve the desired | | | | tesserae in the center and gradually darkening the |
| image (a.k.a. coursing your tesserae). | | | | tone to the border. |
| Opus (Latin for work of art or literary work) is | | | | You’ll find inconsistencies with the definitions of |
| any work in any creative field, such as literature, | | | | tesselatum and regulatum in that some believe |
| architecture, music, and fine art. In our world of mosaic | | | | they’re reversed. Those who believe as I do |
| art, opus refers to how we arrange our tesserae. | | | | have sound justification. For example, the Latin |
| Different opera (the plural of opus) result in different | | | | tessella means small square piece of |
| flows. Understanding the various opera allows you to | | | | stone. The Latin tessellatim means in a |
| properly plan your work to ensure you achieve the | | | | checkered or tessellated form. The modern |
| desired look. | | | | tessellate means arrange in a checkered |
| The following opera terms are based on Latin. Few | | | | pattern. Therefore, I’m comfortable being in |
| people I know, including me, remember two minutes | | | | the group that defines the two terms as noted above. |
| after rading about them what each term means. It | | | | However, there’s another discrepancy, which is |
| doesn’t matter what you call each style. For | | | | with the spelling of tesselatum. Does it have one |
| example, instead of saying Opus Regulatum, | | | | l or two? I use one "l" to stay consistent with the |
| you can call it squares aligned like a brick wall. | | | | other ...latum opera described below. Again, it |
| The point is to be aware of the types of opera, then | | | | doesn’t matter what you call them or how you |
| plan which types give the results you want, and then | | | | spell them as long as you understand that the two |
| create your masterpiece accordingly. | | | | styles exist and they each can arouse different |
| This articles merely describes the basic andamento | | | | feelings when used in mosaics. |
| types; whereas, the eBook provides visual examples. | | | | Opus Reticulatum is similar to opus regulatum or |
| Don’t get hung up on the names; simply be | | | | tesselatum but with slanted lines. |
| aware of the various styles and how your eyes react | | | | Opus Sectile is either a piece of tessera cut to one |
| to each. Plan your work to give the desired flow and | | | | specific shape or several tesserae of varying sizes |
| effect. I won’t try to describe in art-speak the | | | | cut to shapes that fit together like puzzle pieces. |
| effect that the eyes see in each opus because your | | | | Opus Vermiculatum is typically a single row of |
| eyes may interpret something completely different | | | | tesserae following the outline of a focal point or main |
| than mine. Besides, I never understand so called | | | | feature of the mosaic. Some artists use several rows |
| connoisseurs when they use words like energy, strong, | | | | to create the halo effect and add emphasis to the |
| sharp, dynamic movement, and dynamic power to | | | | focal point. The background is usually done with a |
| describe a particular opus. I remember a pretentious | | | | contrasting opus, such as opus regulatum. |
| guy who once told me, Your lines are crisp and | | | | Vermis is Latin for worm, so think of opus |
| intense, and give the piece a provocative | | | | vermiculatum as a worm surrounding your focal point. |
| personality. I confidently responded, That’s | | | | Opus Musivum is opus vermiculatum extended out to |
| exactly what I was going for, although I had no idea | | | | fill the background, either all the way to the borders or |
| what he was talking about. I felt I had to acknowledge | | | | to secondary focal points. |
| what sounded like a compliment by pretending to | | | | Opus Classicum combines opus vermiculatum with |
| understand his art-speak. | | | | opus regulatum or opus tesselatum. |
| Surf the Internet for mosaic artists, study their work, | | | | Opus Palladianum uses similar shapes laid in an |
| and note the flow of their tesserae. Pay attention to | | | | irregular pattern. In my opinion, triangle like shapes with |
| how each type of flow makes you feel. Associate the | | | | relatively equal grout spacing works best for this opus. |
| flows with the feelings they stimulate in you. Then, plan | | | | Opus Circumtactum uses interlocking fan like patterns |
| your own work using the flows for the feelings you | | | | for the background. |
| hope to evoke in others. Try mixing several types of | | | | Remember, the eBook gives visual examples of each |
| opera into your work. For example, try using Opus | | | | type of andamento described above, making it so |
| Regulatum for the border, Opus Palladianum for the | | | | much easier to understand its associated flow. |
| background, and Opus Sectile for the focal point. | | | | Making mosaic art is easy. |
| Opus Tesselatum is a square or rectangle pattern with | | | | |