Make Your Own Mosaics

by Helen Miles

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Make Your Own Mosaics is a tutorial guide with templates for mosaic projects by Helen Miles. Due out 30th May 2023 from Pen & Sword on their White Owl imprint, it's 176 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats. 

This is a well written and logically arranged teach-yourself course for beginning to quite advanced mosaic technique. The author (a mosaic artist & teacher) puts together an accessible and graphically appealing set of learning materials. The book is arranged in chapters from a surprisingly concise and comprehensive historical background, through materials, cutting and gluing techniques, and a well ordered historical perspective for techniques. The theory chapters are followed by 8 project tutorials. Each tutorial includes introduction and explanations for the project, supplies lists, step-by-step directions and -many- photographs. Photos are clear and without hands or tools figleafing the action shots.

The book has the feel of a well arranged and led workshop/retreat with a gifted teacher. I can imagine Ms. Miles is a worthwhile and engaging learning resource. For the folks who can't take a class or workshop in person, this book could be an acceptable substitute. 

The resource/links guide in the back of the book with stockists is slanted toward readers in the UK, but most (if not all) of the supplies can be found online for readers elsewhere in the world.

Five stars. This would be a superlative choice for public or school library acquisition, home studio, makers groups, and similar. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.