How to Alter Ceramic Tiles
An Altered Object Project Using Leftover and Discarded Tiles
Sometimes, when visiting a home improvement center or a surplus store, there are remnant tiles available to purchase. Why not turn them into art?
There are a lot of different ways you can use ceramic tiles in your mixed media art projects. These techniques can range from very complex and complicated to very quick and simple.
Here are some suggestions for using ceramic tiles in mixed media art:
- Break up the tiles and create a mosaic on a piece of wood, a piece of furniture, or a wall surface.
- Use decoupage medium to create small collages and pieces of assemblage art out of the ceramic tiles.
- Incorporate the tiles into a mixed media painting.
- Break up the tiles and adhere them to an altered art project.
- Use a tile cutter and cut them up into small squares, and then use them to alter a piece of furniture, a bookshelf, a wall area, or a picture frame.
- Prime them with shellac-based primer, and then paint them using assorted alkyd paints (create an interesting pattern using templates and stencils).
If you plan to break up the tiles, work outside if possible. Be sure you are wearing protective goggles or safety glasses to protect your eyes from any flying debris. The work area will be very dusty and you could create dings and damage, so choose a work surface that will not matter if this type of damage occurs. (An old picnic table, a cinder block, or a boulder are great surfaces to use when breaking up ceramic tiles.)
Before starting any project with a ceramic tile, it is important to clean them thoroughly. This is especially important if there will be painting or decoupage medium involved. Use a mixture of ammonia and water to clean the surface of each tile. Because this is a very toxic chemical, be sure this clean up process occurs in a well-ventilated area. Also be sure that this, along with all other dangerous chemicals, is out of reach of children.
After each tile is thoroughly cleaned, set them aside to dry. As they are drying, work up some sketches in your art journal or a sketchbook about how this project will be executed. Use one of the tiles as a template and trace out diagrams on the pages of your art journal. This will give you an idea of what kind of space you will be working with, as well as some practice working with such a small area. For those who are used to working with ATCs and mini-books, this type of small project will be a piece of cake.
