thats gonna be beautiful!

He is so cute! I don't really have any suggestions, I'm just a beginner and not very creative yet but I find a lot of good ideas when I go on google images and seach for: mosaic dog, mosaic pig,etc...you may see some that you will like. I definitely want to see the results! Have fun!

I did that yesterday, Charmo, but not on Google Images. I didn't know about that. It would have helped me alot with imagining what he might look like with various tess. I wanted to do him in some different sections with different colors, but I was afraid to. I'm pretty new to this too, and I took the safer route. We'll learn though.

I have some black plates with exactly the same design on them, so I'm going to use those for his feet and ears. At least that's the plan. (smile)

Fear w/cheat you out of so much fun. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE???, pray tell - dive in and DO IT.

Thank you for the words of wisdom, Slow. I KNOW you are right. I have to get over this anxiety about starting a piece and worrying it has to end up perfect. I appreciate your kick in the ass.

There were a some reasons I decided to use the brown tess. I am short on supplies for mixing it up with colors (I did look at my stash), I have only plates, I am under the gun for time (don't have a lot of time to play with cutting new tess). Most importantly have a chance to sell this piece, so I decided to go with something that might appeal to more people.

Since we've been gone this winter there's a new wonderful coffee house in town that's having their second art sale in April. Apparently they had a big turnout for their first event and everyone was deighted with their results (the venue, the attendees AND the vendors). The location is wonderful, and the fact that locals turned out for it is something no one expected. We've had a tough time supporting small businesses in this village sized town. I need money for supplies, so hopefully I'll be able to sell something there.

On another note, I met a gal who will pay me $50.00 to learn to mosaic a birdhouse. Hurrah! Maybe I can advertise a class at the coffee house event too. I would probably just do a basic (ceramic only and grouted)birdhouse so I'm not giving up my more unique look and ideas.

I wish, oh I wish! I had a country yard that would hold all kinds of colorful whimsical things like you, Flag and others have. I have to be able to use or get rid of what I make. DH is coming around to the realization that we WILL have some mosaic in the yard, but I'm gonna have to break him in gently.

When my two April sales are over I promise myself I will "play" a little more with a piece. I think it's important to try SOMETHING rather than sit on my thumbs. Even a small piece. I need to get out to the auction and find a cement turtle or something to play with that can hide in the garden no matter how he looks. I'll do it. I could say I promise you, Slow, but it's most important I promise ME. I know and understand that.

Thanks again for your thoughts, my friend.

Didn't mean to kick a$$, just meant to tell you NOT TO BE AFRAID. I've found that making something that pleases me is better than making something I THINK others w/like. A local artist told me once that she loved the way I decorate my house because I decorate it to my pleasure, not what I think other's w/think or like. That was nice to hear. I remember making a cake cover, thinking someone else might like it to buy at the trunk sale way back. I had NO use for the thing, so it was a lesson to me when it didn't sell. When Riana came to instruct at the workshop I organized, she fell in L.O.V.E. with, so I gave it to her. She takes it to all her workshops as an example of what can be done w/mosaics, which pleases me no end. Make it to please yourself, and then IF it doesn't sell, you have something you LOVE. You'll do fine. Your first jungle piece was wonderful, girlie. I can't stress enough - DO NOT BE AFRAID!!!

You're a peach, Slow. Thank you for being you.

Ditto Slow.
Looking forward to seeing this wonderful piece Daisy.
Great minds think alike. I just did a wooden dog pull toy with similar tessy!

It's a little slow. The plates I guess are old so the pieces aren't breaking cleanly. I've given up on sanding all but the worst bits off. Also, I've placed the pieces very close together (yes, I am leaving grout lines) and so it's slow going. I've seen people cover a piece with tess spaced alot furthur apart and their pieces looked good. Am I trying too hard? Am what I'm doing necessary?

Here he is after about 4 hours. I thought he'd piece faster than this.

{{!gwi}}

Well I think he is looking good .I love those colors.

I think he's perfect. Most say the pieces should be no more than 1/4" apart. Keep plugging away. You're doing great.
Ann

Don't give up he's looking good. I really like those plates, and your lines are looking nice and tight. I don't really think there are rules in mosaicing, you just do what you like. That's why there are so many unique pieces.This is gonna look very good,
Cindy

Hot diggedy dawg! He's looking DARLIN'. Grout lines - wooooohooooooooooo. You sure you didn't take that workshop I just had? They look PERFECT. You done yet???

"Done yet?" LOL If you could see the very little progress I made after another 2 hours! I am not as fast as you, Slow. Not YET.

Another of the reasons for the slow going is that I'm trying to leave the tess pieces as large as possible where I can so I don't end up with hundreds of small pieces on him in the later stages. The problem with large pieces is that he's curved all over so picking pieces that will sit and not rock is a concern, and it means adding thinset to even out the edges as much as possible. Those problems added to the uneven breakage of the edges is driving me crazy.

I also checked into my second forum with him and they suggested that I not tess the feet, tail and ears. I might just do that, at least to finish him for the April sale, then I have the option of doing them later. They said I could use the plate edges for a finished look. The only problem is that the edges have a tiny white band around them, and if I clip them off I have that chipping problem. Any ideas there?

Thanks for the encouragement, as always!

Daisy

You done yet?

Where's the work in progress pics!!?? lol!

All right, you two. You asked for it. This is 11 solid hours of piecing and from the side none of the 4 legs is done...or the front or the head. Arg! I've been sick the last 2 days and didn't touch it until this morning.

{{!gwi}}

This danged little doggie is just 12 inches tall. If I sell him for materials and labor, he's gonna be a $400 dawg. (grin)

Looking sooo cute!!!

That's some might good piecing - just like a puzzle, huh? Doin' good, girlie.

Well, I found a ceramic stone (for filing ceramic)at Lowe's the other day. It's much better than a file or the carberundum stone which filed up with dust and had to be brushed out. (Not easy in the dining room) The c. stone also got gouged from the tess. But I love this new tool!

How I get myself into these tedious projects, I don't know. LOL Especially now that I wanted to get something done for the sales in April. Notice the bowling ball in the background. If I get TOO stressed piecing this puppy, I can always move to that (TG) and come back to him.

Here's the dawg at 17.5 hours. We're not so much friends any more. LOL

{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}

I think when it is all said and done, he will be your best friend.
Wonderful work.

Thank you, all.

It's been suggested that it looks like he's wearing a coat at this stage. Do you think I could play off that idea and leave his head and front below the "coat" line undone? I could then just add the collar and maybe some sparkle on his toenails or something and call him done! I could always go back to him later if I wanted to. What do you think?

It's been suggested that it looks right now as though he's wearing a coat and I might be able to stop, leaving his head, legs and tail undone, then I could add his collar and maybe some sparkle on his toes or something to match. What do you think? Would I be whimping out? I could always go back and do him later, but I've been worried about doing his face in any case, and the number of hours I've looked forward to have been intimidating.

Not a bad idea, plan B, that could work, and as you say, you could always go back.
I think he looks great so far.