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Review on 🐬 Dive into Creativity with the Mosaic Art Kit: Dolphin Design (7inch/20cm Square) by Carla Anderson

Revainrating 5 out of 5

An exciting project that rewards patience and attention to detail.

I really liked the mosaic set. This was my first attempt at mosaic since elementary school when tiles were made of thick paper glued on with a glue stick. but tiles that need to be pinched to fit into place. They call the surface magical because you dip the back of the tile in water and put it back in place and it dries solid. I have a feeling the potion used is probably gum arabic or clear wallpaper paste or slime, but it works well. You can clear it by moving and rewet the tiles. A drop of PVA glue will hold the tile in place. It sticks well enough that I actually ripped off the paper attached to the tiles when trying to detach the already glued tiles from their prepared surface. It is very different from the paint by number kit despite some similarities. You are responsible for placing the tiles correctly, making sure the tiles are the right shape where needed and that the way you place them creates a nice line. There's also a slight ambiguity in the colors of some of the tiles, so I've removed and replaced a few. There are a few blue tiles and a few black tiles, and in some cases I used one that pleased my eye rather than the color of the tile on the surface. I'm out of deep blue tiles. I contacted Alea and they asked me to send a photo of the mosaic and a photo of the rest of the tile. They were very polite and sent a package with extra tiles. I also thought that the gray tiles intended for the edge of the dolphin's belly were too close in color to the soft blue and not to the more brownish gray image. I was told one color differentiation would suffice, but they sent me a tile in a different shade so I could try both. I ended up using both but there was more tile color in the kit. I was very happy with the customer service. I learned how to shape tiles "on the job," and my technique and resulting detail improved over time. doesn't wobble or you will have trouble placing whole tiles between tiles in adjacent rows. I strongly recommend that you buy tweezers. I liked the shape with the bird's beak at the end best. Also use real tile cutters or round nose pliers to shape the pieces. Normal pliers do not fit. They crush the tile, break it unevenly, or chip the glaze. Sometimes everyone gets abused over the same tile. The effect of the finished mosaic is strongly reminiscent of classic Greek or Roman mosaics. It's easy on my eye and gives me a sense of accomplishment that's worth the time invested. I haven't figured out how to display it yet. I intend to get more sets from them and have also ordered more packs of their tiles to try out the original effort. I ordered this size and their nano size tiles. I tried using nanotiles on a small wooden circle and designed a dolphin similar to the one in this set. I've definitely found a new hobby. :)

Pros
  • DIY Mosaic Kit; on a wooden base with a magical surface
Cons
  • Long delivery time