What is a mosaic portrait made of?
Glass smalti and glazed ceramic tesserae, 8–14 mm, set in lime mortar on sealed birch, then grouted and waxed. No print, no resin, no vinyl.
13 October 2026
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The questions,
answered plainly
What a mosaic portrait is made of, how long it takes, which size for which wall, which photo to send and how to hang the panel when it comes. Written at the bench, from what we actually do.
How is a mosaic portrait made, step by step?
From your photo to a signed panel: the design, the cartoon, the cutting, the setting in lime mortar, the grout, the wax and the crate. Every step, in order.
13 October 2026
How long does a mosaic portrait take to make?
Design in about a minute, made within two weeks of approval, then posted in a tracked crate. What happens inside those weeks, and what can stretch them.
13 October 2026
Which photo should you upload for a mosaic portrait?
A single animal, face toward the lens, both eyes showing, daylight if you can. Focus is not critical. What Tesera and Tedooo can work from, and what we cannot.
13 October 2026
30 cm or 50 cm: which mosaic size should you choose?
Tesera panels come in 30 × 30 and 50 × 50 cm. Which suits a landing, a hall or a sideboard, how the tesserae scale between them, and what changes in the price.
13 October 2026
Ready-made or from your photo: which Tesera mosaic?
The shop has breeds and cats we already designed; the create page sets one from your photo. Same panel, same glass, same two weeks. Which to choose, and when.
13 October 2026
How do you hang a mosaic panel with a keyhole?
One screw, through the keyhole on the back, with the fixings from the crate. How to mark the wall, what height to use, and why the panel sits flat without wire.
13 October 2026
How do you clean and care for a mosaic panel?
Dust with a dry cloth, never soak the grout, and leave it in the sun if you like: it is glass and clay. The short care routine for a Tesera panel, and why.
13 October 2026
Why is the mosaic set in lime mortar on birch?
Lime mortar is the bed the basilicas were set in; a 12 mm sealed birch panel will not warp. Why Tesera builds every portrait that way.
13 October 2026
How do you give a mosaic portrait as a gift?
Two weeks to make, then the post. Which photo to borrow, what to put in the name field, how the crate arrives, and what to do when the date is already close.
13 October 2026