Tile mosaic story

Shelley and I were looking at real eastate on my buddies MLS program and I stumbled accross a house in Oceanside with a photo of their dining room:

Notice the mosaic. I wrote the guy and told him I would like to buy it. He wrote me back and told me that in the 50s his Grandfather, his Mother and her siblings made this from a kit. It took them a whole year. It was the only thing he has of his Grandfathers and would be impossible to part with. Damn and for a minute there I thought I had my grubby little fingers on it.
Mahalo,
AL

[ Edited by: Alnshely on 2003-03-25 08:21 ]

Nice to have it confirmed that these were made from kits in the 50s! I guess the guy that did mine didn't want to do the whole thing, so he only did the left half. A big Mahalo!

Hey aquarj, don't you have something like that hanging in your entry?

--cyn

Would love to have one of those....someone should re-make that kit!

Just a thought,

Why not try putting those "grubby little fingers" to work and try and make it yourself. I'm sure with just a little effort (i.e. try enlarging the picture of the internet) and use it as a pattern. Everyone has to buy things today, why not try and make it yourself. I'm sure it would be a lot more fun!

You've seen the great mosaics done by Mr. & Mrs. Cheeky? Simply AWESOME!

http://www.tikiroom.net/gallery/misc/afn

http://www.tikiroom.net/gallery/misc/afl

I agree with tikisobayli. We can't afford to put our grubby little fingers on everything tiki we come across, so we make tons of stuff at home ourselves. It saves us money and ends up meaning a lot more to us than the "see it, gotta have it" phenomenon. Al, I've seen you post tons of stuff you make, I'm sure you can tackle this easily! And those mosaics that the Cheeky's made are still amazing!

waikiki

On 2003-03-26 10:02, tikisobayli wrote:
Just a thought,

Why not try putting those "grubby little fingers" to work and try and make it yourself. I'm sure with just a little effort (i.e. try enlarging the picture of the internet) and use it as a pattern. Everyone has to buy things today, why not try and make it yourself. I'm sure it would be a lot more fun!

Tikisobayli, it doesn't sound like you know our Al very well. He's posted many pictures here on TC of the various things he's made with his own "grubby little hands" for not only his very own Lagoon Room but for gifts to other members on this board as well.

I think you mis-understood his post...

**Poly-Pop ***

[ Edited by: PolynesianPop on 2003-03-26 11:20 ]

I've looked into doing my own and the tools and supplies aren't the easiest to find in Phoenix. You can find the basic kits all day. It's a striking mosaic, I'd love to make it.

On 2003-03-25 08:36, TikiHula wrote:
Nice to have it confirmed that these were made from kits in the 50s! I guess the guy that did mine didn't want to do the whole thing, so he only did the left half. A big Mahalo!

Yes, I suspected, but never knew for sure. I know of about 5 in existence, and one of them is the smaller left half, so it must have come in two size versions. Some of them are in different/wrong color combinations. Would love to find the packaging and instructions for this. Al, ask the house owner if they maybe kept that! Does he remember WHERE it was sold and when?

It is really one of my favourite pieces, when I found mine in a store, I could not believe my ears, I thought the guy said $750.-, but he actually said $75.-!!! (...well, it has about five stones missing!)

Look at BOT pages 174/175 for some of the finer details:
The big dark gray horizontal stripe in the left part is a thundercloud, with two diagonal light grey double streaks of rain falling from it. The golden lightning is reflected in the water in three golden spots, just as the sun is reflected on the right. I wonder what the black spots symbolize...
The Volcano eruption cloud has a layer of light grey ash in it that rains down in five little grey pieces in the lower right half of the cloud!

This is a closer view of the left side of one.

[ Edited by: DawnTiki on 2003-03-26 14:56 ]

I am sure many of us here COULD make these as there are tons of very creative folks on T.C. However please keep in mind many of us have real jobs and as stated multiple times before these mosaic pieces take a lot of time. I also know glass mosaics are very expensive-it may actually be cheeper to buy some art pieces than make them!

....Time can be more precious than money...and it sucks to have little of either....Mahalo for the picture....

You guys are so defensive. Tikisobayli was simply offering the idea that Al try and make it since he couldn't purchase it. He was just quoting Al by saying "grubby little fingers" and doing so jokingly! I am very aware that Al makes all sorts of nice things and thought this mosaic would be no problem. Sorry for the misunderstanding. And Laney, just exactly what is a "real job"? Does that mean that some people here have fake ones? Anyway, the mosaic is really cool and Al, you do some really nice work!

waikiki

I know what you mean, Waikiki, I am guilty of that myself, it reminds us of the limitations of this way of communicating (as opposed to talking in person):

A message hastily read, just one word overlooked, or even reading it with a different emphasis through a subjective mind, and all of a sudden one takes something personal. Right now everyone is a little on the edge, being broke AND at war is simply stressful. It's nobody's fault.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki on 2003-03-27 13:20 ]

On 2003-03-27 13:13, bigbrotiki wrote:
Right now everyone is a little on the edge, being broke AND at war is simply stressful.

Well, nothing could be more calming during these times than making a Tiki mosaic....more relaxing than yoga......

By the way, while these kits are obviously not available any more, is it easy to get hold of the little tiles? Surely, it can't be too difficult to sketch out a Moai, then fill in the gaps with tiles until you've got yourself something special for your wall?

Trader Woody

On 2003-03-27 13:32, Trader Woody wrote:
By the way, while these kits are obviously not available any more, is it easy to get hold of the little tiles?

TW, I've seen my local Home Depot hardware store sell small bags of ceramic tile bits but for the price they were asking, the cost of all the different colors could quickly add up.

I've been told that you can go to a tile manufacturer directly and ask them however, I've yet to try this.

My wahine has done some tile mosaic work in the past on an old table. How did she get the tile? She picked up some really cheap plates & stuff at a thrift store, took them home, wrapped them in an old towel and smashed them to bits with a hammer.

The table came out great!

Thanks Poly-Pop,

I think going at 'em with a hammer looks the cheapest (and by far the most fun) bet. Now I've just got to do out and find lots of flat plates in various shades of brown...

Trader Woody

You can also go to a tile dealer and ask if they have any remainders of discontinued lines. They'll usually sell them cheap, and you can break 'em up into smaller pieces. Broken up four inch standard bathroom tiles cover a good bit of area, with grout and all.

A Bygone Era in Oakland and Urban Ore in Berkeley (two architectural salvage yards) usually have tons of tile.

--cyn

I have gotten boxes of broken, chipped, off colored tiles from Tile Dealers dirt cheap. One guy gave me a box for free!

On 2003-03-27 11:17, waikiki tiki wrote:
You guys are so defensive. Tikisobayli was simply offering the idea that Al try and make it since he couldn't purchase it. He was just quoting Al by saying "grubby little fingers" and doing so jokingly! I am very aware that Al makes all sorts of nice things and thought this mosaic would be no problem. Sorry for the misunderstanding. And Laney, just exactly what is a "real job"? Does that mean that some people here have fake ones? Anyway, the mosaic is really cool and Al, you do some really nice work!

waikiki

Yes, I'd say I have a "fake" job. I work nights and while it is wearing to my body (wah, wah) it does leave me my days free. I have time to take on a lot of projects, but I'm still getting my house painted and unpacked (this could take years!) I have also finished two art projects, several jewelry pieces, some lamp refurbishing, etc. I also think we were defensive of Al especially. You probably wouldn't have seen that reaction if it was someone else but Al is extremely creative and not only makes lamps, barkcloth upulstry, etc. He even tells us how he did it and will jump at the chance to help anyone who needs advice tackling a project.

On another note. I made a table with broken bathroom tiles, plates and other ceramics, and I think the tiles in the tiki mosaic piece are a different kind. I don't have one but someone who does can maybe post a very close-up photo. I think they are glass mosaics and not ceramic (like bathroom tiles) I know there used to be a stained glass Co. that produced glass mosaics but again, they are expensive. I'll keep looking and post info if I find it.

eBay got gobs o glass tiles

Here is shot of a stained glass I had a friend make for me using the same design from those kits. I got my reference pic off a Pollo Del Mar cd.
Chongolio

[ Edited by: Chongolio on 2003-03-27 20:04 ]

whoops, double post
Chongolio

[ Edited by: Chongolio on 2003-03-28 04:04 ]

Aloha,
Tikis Obayli, That's a good Idea, I've only seen one of these and I photographed it so I could grid it up and copy the patern. If I do it, I'll post Pics.

Waikiki Tiki, thank you for the kind words.

PolyPop and Laney, Standing up for me? you guys are sweet.

Chongolio, Great Idea, what an Inspiration.

Sven, sadly, this is all he has left of the kit. He was suprised that anyone would want such a thing. I'll Email him and see if he knows were it came from.

Mahalo,
Al

I also think we were defensive of Al especially. You probably wouldn't have seen that reaction if it was someone else but Al is extremely creative and not only makes lamps, barkcloth upulstry, etc. He even tells us how he did it and will jump at the chance to help anyone who needs advice tackling a project.

Laney,
I'm not sure you read my posts very well, because in both of the posts I mentioned how I knew Al did lots of creative stuff that was great. I guess you missed that part though. Sorry I offended you so much.

Chongolio,
I love that stained glass! I do stained glass as well and am going to try and tackle a similar project, I've just been putting it off until summer. The one you have looks great though!

Trader Woody,
Good luck with yours! I think the plates are a great idea since you could get lots of good browns and stuff. Might try that myself sometime.

Have a great weekend everyone!
waikiki

Have you seen many of this other mosaic before? It's got that funky tribal voodoo mask kinda' quality. It's made from colored linoleum. Since I have two (found at different places at least a year apart) and the first one I found has a couple of pieces missing, (you can see the color numbers underneath) I'm pretty sure it came as a kit like paint-by-numbers or "Mosett" by the inventor of paint-by-numbers. I guess you could take your favorite tiki image and make it into a mosaic, though there is something very cool about the idea these old ones were once deemed worthy of being mass-produced and sold at department stores to home crafters.

Everyone wants to buy or make things today, why not try and steal one of these mosaics? Many of you know who has them, where they live, what they like to drink and how much they can drink of it...Do the math.

Or you could make it out of something other than tile. Say smashed up Lifesavers you bake in the oven...Or Jelly Bellies! That would be so cool. But seriously, since it would be a decorative wall piece you could use a heavy card stock for a paper mosaic, sealed under several coats of something shiny. Or use vinyl tile, particularly the color flecked ones used in schools and hospitals, they come in a wide variety of colors and they're vomit proof. Both these materials would be a helluva lot easier to cut than glass/ceramic tile but assembly will be just as tedious...So you wouldn't feel like you were cheating much.

*On 2003-03-27 20:00, Chongolio wrote:
I got my reference pic off a Pollo Del Mar cd.
*

[ Edited by: filslash 2008-09-12 14:54 ]

I don't know if this will help or not, but one of the mosaic by number companies was
General Crafts Corp, 1964. address was 3031 James St. Baltimore, Md. 21230
They producted kits under the name "Picturesque"
I also have sent out feelers to see if any of todays companies that design custom kits would do a resonable copy of the one you've shown and what that cost might be. As for the above company, I do not know if they are still in business, but I doublt it. They were though as of 1964 though....

I've long admired that mosiac. After all this posting, I've gotten quite excited, and decided to make my own stained glass version. I've only made a few windows, but I'm told that I'm quite good by the person that taught me that has been doing it for years. Does anyone know the original dimensions of it? I want to try to do it to scale. it should take me a couple of months, what with my horrible schedule of having NO time to myself, doing stained glass, pinstriping, and carving tikis all at once. But Dammit, i've got to try! Any help with dimensions or better pics would be much appreciated!

For those of you interested, I've started my project. Check it out at:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=11793&forum=7&3

edited by me

[ Edited by: Chip and Andy 2009-02-23 10:25 ]

i am a tile contractor. to make a mosaic repclca out of tile would be almost impossible at that size, too many tiny cuts. now, if it was done on a floor, or wall at 3x15 feet.... might take several weeks. total cost for materials and tools should be around $200.

there are companys that can make that mosiac for you with a water jet. it will be out of 4x4 tile unassembled. it will be perfect. would take up a large wall or floor.

have fun.

AWESOME!! I have been looking for info on this for years. wondering where it was from. I have a Full size one made from pebbles it appears.and tiny rope. favorite thing ive ever owned for sure.lol ill try and get a pic up here A.s.a.p

my sister came across it like 20yrs ago. was a relic then but in mint shape..ive owned ever since

[ Edited by: DropDeadPony 2009-02-05 21:11 ]

On 2003-04-02 01:08, woofmutt wrote:
Everyone wants to buy or make things today, why not try and steal one of these mosaics? Many of you know who has them, where they live, what they like to drink and how much they can drink of it...Do the math.

Or you could make it out of something other than tile. Say smashed up Lifesavers you bake in the oven...Or Jelly Bellies! That would be so cool. But seriously, since it would be a decorative wall piece you could use a heavy card stock for a paper mosaic, sealed under several coats of something shiny. Or use vinyl tile, particularly the color flecked ones used in schools and hospitals, they come in a wide variety of colors and they're vomit proof. Both these materials would be a helluva lot easier to cut than glass/ceramic tile but assembly will be just as tedious...So you wouldn't feel like you were cheating much.

This post has been dead for 5 years and suddenly popped up again. But I noticed, even 6 years ago Woofmutt was a smartass! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I would like to point out as with pert near everything I ever post my mosaic comment was built on an undeniable foundation of truth.

In this case: An acceptable mosaic effect can be achieved using easily cut materials. And you wouldn't need a major support post to hang it on.

Also true: You can steal one. Or have one stolen for you by a master thief. That's is how I recently added a piece of taxidermy to my collection.

pics of mosaic!

[ Edited by: DropDeadPony 2009-02-06 13:42 ]

Interesting! The Canadian version!

I have this original mosaic- and I was thinking I could probably take some very detailed section-by-section pics so that those artfully inclined could reproduce it at home by taking my pics and getting the linework down on a board.

Then its just a matter of glueing tiles down to the board.

Its a big beast- like 5 feet wide and weighs so much that I'm almost scared to hang it. Right now its leaning against a wall waiting for the final touches on my tikiroom so I can mount it (in the studs) and I'm still gonna be afraid of that thing coming down on me.

I just took a close look at it, and its made up of those "italian" glass tiles like those ones used in the giant mosaic in Cinderella's castle.

No grout to be seen, just real close placement of all the pieces.

I would suspect that today there may be a newer alternative material that looks much the same, but is lighter and easy to cut with tile clippers or heavy duty scissors. Some art supplier has to have something that could fit the bill.

All you'd need at that point is alot of material/colors, a thick piece of plywood and the master linework.

Lemme know if anyone is interested and when I can get to it (theres a bar sitting in front of it right now- needs to be moved) I'll get some good pics..

because you know.. all the FUN is in making it yourself..

EDIT: Looked around a bit online for mosaic supplies.. couldnt find anything light and plastic- but these seem to be the kind of material that its made from:

http://monstermosaicsstore.com/catalogs/catalog.asp?prodid=1894175&showprevnext=1

That site also has the glue and clippers for the tiles.. sounds like it could be a fun project- lay the board down on your dining room table and work on it a couple hours each evening..

[ Edited by: fatuhiva 2009-02-06 23:01 ]

Check this out, Reyn Spooner made a shirt from the Tiki Mosaic.

DC

Anybody have one they want to trade out?

Here are some "homage" pieces I made for serving trays. My initial idea was to do a half size reproduction of the original mosaic, but it seemed too daunting for my first attempt. It was a really fun, if time consuming, project.

[ Edited by: ManFromT.I.K.I. 2009-02-20 10:37 ]

Fatuhiva

I would be very graeful to get detailed photos of the mosaic. Ive been drooling for years and your photos could be the mojo I need to finally build one.

The hardest part of this project (brainwise) will be laying out the pattern for the tiles.

Thanks
Dave

Me too - would love to have sectional photo details - I have a bartop that I've been thinking of doing something like this with.

Me Three.

Does somebody out there have a picture of the other half of the mosaic? The one with the fishes as shown on the shirt.

DC

On 2009-02-20 10:36, Dustycajun wrote:
Me Three.

Does somebody out there have a picture of the other half of the mosaic? The one with the fishes as shown on the shirt.

DC

Here are two versions of the whole mosaic: