Things to do · Arts and crafts
Make a mosaic
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Mosaic is the art of arranging small pieces of coloured glass, tile or stone into a pattern or picture, and a beginner can make a first piece on a short beginners' course. Longer courses add design, the direct and indirect methods, adhesives and grouting, and most supply the materials.
Gentle£100 to £500 / $130 to $650A few weeksIndoorsAlone or with othersUK and US
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What you learn first
Beginners' courses start small. WM College in Camden runs a five-week beginners' course in which students make a 14 x 14 cm piece with all materials provided, and a three-week Saturday course making 20 x 20 cm pieces by the direct method.
There are two main ways of working. City Lit's direct-method weekend applies materials straight onto a base, using manufactured and recycled materials; its other introductory weekend teaches an indirect method, fixing pieces to a temporary surface, then applying the finished section to a flat base or casting it into concrete.
The Chicago Mosaic School's six-week Mosaic I covers cutting, adhesives, substrates, design and layout, and grouting, and students make two projects. In the second half they move on to smalti, a glass tesserae cut with a hammer and hardie.
What beginners pay
| Where | Course | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| City Lit, London | Mosaics beginners intensive: an evening course in which total beginners complete their own mosaic | £179, or £143 senior and £116 concession |
| Alex McHallam, Community Art Room, Bethnal Green (listed by Mosaic Workshop) | Mosaics for beginners and improvers: weekend days, 12pm to 6pm; basic materials and tools included | £175 for two days, £95 for one |
| The Chicago Mosaic School | Mosaic I: six weekly three-hour sessions; all materials included; no prerequisite | $365 |
City Lit also runs a Try it out: mosaics introduction, making a small mosaic piece, at £149. In the US, the Society of American Mosaic Artists keeps a directory of workshops run by its members, and advises students to contact instructors directly for current dates.
How to start
- Book a beginners' mosaic class at an adult education college or a mosaic school; many include all the materials.
- Read the course description for the method: direct means fixing pieces straight onto a base, indirect means working on a temporary surface first.
- Take ideas or a sketchbook to the first session, and start with something small, such as a coaster or a tile-sized panel.
Where to go
- City Lit: mosaics courses for beginners (London) UK
- Mosaic Workshop: courses listing (UK) UK
- The Chicago Mosaic School: Mosaic I US
- Society of American Mosaic Artists: mosaic workshops directory US
We opened these links on 8 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Do I need any experience to take a mosaic class?
No. City Lit says its beginners intensive is for total beginners, and the Chicago Mosaic School's Mosaic I has no prerequisite.
What is the difference between the direct and indirect mosaic methods?
In the direct method you fix pieces straight onto the base. In the indirect method, as City Lit teaches it, you fix them to a temporary surface first, then apply the finished section to a base or cast it into concrete.
What is smalti?
A glass tesserae used in mosaic. The Chicago Mosaic School teaches it in the second half of Mosaic I, cut with a hammer and hardie.
Are materials included in a mosaic course?
Often. WM College and the Chicago Mosaic School include all materials, and City Lit provides basic materials on its introductory weekends.
Where this comes from: City Lit, Mosaics courses for beginners; Mosaic Workshop, Courses; WM College, What is mosaicing and why try it?; WM College, Mosaic using direct method: craft your first piece; The Chicago Mosaic School, Mosaic I; The Chicago Mosaic School, Frequently asked questions; Society of American Mosaic Artists, Mosaic workshops; British Association for Modern Mosaic, home page. Opened 8 November 2026.
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