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Many of the tools and materials Mosaic artists use
are simple and traditional like the hammer and hardie, which is the focus of this video.
One of the essential qualities of a mosaic
is having hand-cut or natural materials rather than manufactured
machine cut materials. Hand-cut tesserae is unique
because the artist cuts their own material and imprints
a portion of themselves on each cut piece
Cutting is done with the use of a special hammer and a hardie,
which is a tool that has a chiseled edge and is traditionally mounted in a log.
There are many kinds of mosaic hammers; some are better suited for smalti
and glass, such as dalle de verre and others for stone.
The weight of the hammer is chosen via the preference of the artist.
In order to demonstrate cutting we will start with this piece of marble.
We sit in front of the hardie which is at a slight angle,
to the right or left depending on your preferred cutting hand.
This angle allows your arm to sit in a comfortable position
so that the blade can make contact with the hardie at a parallel angle.
The arm that holds the hammer is relaxed
and in a "L" position next to the body. Your grip of the hammer is firm
and a fingers' length from the head of the hammer.
Holding the marble between the fore finger and thumb,
we allow the weight of the hammer to fall onto the material
sending a fracture through the stone. It is not the force of your arm
but the weight of the hammer and gravity that makes the fracturing predictable
if not precise. At The Chicago Mosaic School
hammers and hardies are available to all students.
But if you're looking to set up your own mosaic studio
you're going to have to obtain a hammer and hardie.
The hardies will need to be embedded into a block of wood
which is fairly simple to do and only requires a 1 1/4 inch boring bit.
It will be important that the hole in the would be deep enough
so that the bottom of the hardie does not make contact with the wood.
Once the hole is drilled, you place the hardie
into the whole and set it by driving it in with a block of wood and a hammer.
Over time, both your hammer and hardie
will become dull and it is important to keep your tools sharp.
Dull tools will make unpredictable fractures
create a lot of wasted material. Sharpening your
hammer and hardie
are easy with an electric grinder, keeping the edges straight
while grinding. Proper care of your tools can ensure
that you will be able to use the same tools throughout your lifetime.