Complete Guide to Tesserae: Materials, Types & Choosing the Right Pieces

Before flow, before design, before expression…

there is one essential decision:

What are your mosaics made of?

Tesserae are not just pieces you place—they determine how your mosaic feels, reflects light, ages over time, and ultimately… how it lives in the world.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to confidently choose the right tesserae for any project, understanding their materials, properties, and behaviours.

No guesswork. No overwhelm. Just clarity.

Video

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will:

-Understand the different types of tesserae materials and their properties

-Know how to choose tesserae based on environment (indoor/outdoor)

-Recognise how material affects durability, texture, and finish

-Avoid common mistakes when selecting mosaic pieces

-Build a strong foundation for all future mosaic work

Tesserae Learning Experiment - Materials & Preparation

Common Tesserae Materials

-Glass (opaque, transparent, iridescent)
-Ceramic (tiles, crockery, porcelain)
-Stone (marble, slate, natural rock)
-Smalti (traditional Italian glass, optional advanced)
-Found materials (shells, beads, recycled pieces)

Tools

-Tile nippers
-Wheeled cutters
-Safety glasses
-Sorting trays or containers

Preparation

Sort by:

-Material type

-Thickness

-Colour


💡 Pro Tip: Keeping materials separated helps you understand their behaviour before mixing them