Turning a Sketch into a Mosaic-Ready Colour Palette: Gang-Gang Cockatoos
Mosaics don’t start with tiles.
They start with an idea—and then colour.
When I design for mosaic work, especially detailed pieces like birds, I don’t just copy nature directly. I create a painted guide that shows me how to build the mosaic later.
In this post, I’ll show you how I took my Gang-Gang Cockatoo pair sketch and turned it into a bold, high-contrast colour palette—one that’s easy to see through mesh, and easy to recreate in tile.
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Why Paint a Mosaic Colour Map First?
When you’re working with tiny tiles or cutting each piece by hand, you need more than just a sketch.
Painting the colour plan helps you:
Choose tones that work together in mosaic form
Create clear lines and sections to guide tile placement
Test highlights, shadows, and depth before you commit to the cut
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The Gang-Gang Cockatoo Pair: My Process
Step 1: Start with a Clear Sketch
My Gang-Gang Cockatoo pair started as a detailed pen and pencil sketch.
I focused on getting the proportions right—thick, bold outlines that would be visible through mesh when I transfer the design later.
If you’ve never seen a Gang-Gang before, they have that soft, fluffy texture, which can be tricky in mosaic form. The sketch helps me break the feathers into chunks I can tile.
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Step 2: Paint the Colour Palette
Once the sketch is done, I paint directly over the drawing, building out the colour zones:
Bright Red Crest: I chose a strong, vibrant red that pops under mesh and translates well into tile colour options.
Soft Grey Feathers: Instead of trying to mosaic every fluffy detail, I blocked the grey feathers into manageable shapes. Think big enough for tile cuts, but still true to the bird.
Beak & Eyes: I keep these features bold and clean, using simple brown and grey contrast to help the face stand out.
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Step 3: Simplify for Mosaic
Mosaic isn’t about copying exactly—it’s about interpreting.
So while I paint, I’m already thinking:
Are these details too small to tile?
Can I break this area into cuttable shapes?
Will these colours show clearly through the mesh when I lay my tile?
For this piece, I made the shapes thick and the colours solid enough that when I mosaic the final version, I’ll have a clear guide, not a confusing blur.
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Why This Matters (For Beginners and Collectors)
Whether you’re learning mosaics yourself or commissioning a custom piece, this part of the process matters more than most people realise.
It’s not just about making something pretty—it’s about planning for permanence.
Tiles don’t blend like paint. Every cut, every colour choice, every section has to work together before the first piece is even laid.