Mosaic art can be created from many different types of materials. Artists use everything from marble, to stone, to slate. There are also ceramic tiles, stained glass, and of course Italian or Mexican smalti. But have you ever wanted to create a mosaic with pebbles? You might find those smooth rocks in rivers, beaches, or even at your local landscaping business. These pebbles come in a variety of shapes and colors and make beautiful and dynamic pebble mosaics.
If you have been intrigued by these mosaics and wondered how they are created, this is the course for you. Kathleen Doody starts with the basic principles and methods that will take you step-by-step: creating the best design, learning how to work “upside down,” and curing your piece before displaying it outside in your garden. Kathleen was trained by the world renowned Maggy Howarth of the UK, and has worked for years honing her skills for creating pebble mosaics on both a small and large scale. Now she has brought her techniques and methods to Mosaic Arts Online.
In this course you will learn:
- How to choose the best design
- Kathleen’s favorite tools and materials
- How to choose the best pebbles; shapes, color, and size
- Two versions for building the mold with the template
- How to build the mosaic upside down with sand
- How to mix the cementitious grout
- How to cast the pebble mosaic
- How to remove the mold after the 24 hour cure
- How to clean the pebble mosaic
- The proper amount of time for a full cure
This course is full of so much information and will give you the skills and confidence to create multiple pebble mosaics. We highly recommend this course before diving into Kathleen’s second course “Pebble Mosaic: The Next Step.”
It is best to watch this course in its entirety before you start creating. This course includes a PDF for download of all tools, materials, and resources. Kathleen has also included three template choices that can be downloaded and printed to 12”x12” for use in your pebble mosaic projects.
Your Instructor
For over twelve years Kathleen Doody has been creating pebble mosaics in her studio on Toronto Island. She is always on the search for pebbles, and draws inspiration from those she finds on Lake Ontario beaches, from other parts of Canada, and beyond. She believes in the motto: You can NEVER have enough pebbles!
Kathleen fell in love with the medium over years of studio visits with eminent pebble mosaic artist, and friend, Maggy Howarth, at her home in England. In 2009, she was very fortunate to complete both Maggy’s beginner and advanced workshops, creating her first pieces. In 2010 Kathleen directed and edited the two-hour instructional video The Precast Technique, produced by Maggy Howarth and filmed on location in the Cobblestone Designs’ studio.
She brought skills learned in England back to her home community on Toronto Island. Over a period of three years, and in association with two other project co-ordinators, as well as community members from Toronto Island, she worked to transform an unsightly and garbage-strewn area on Ward's Island, Toronto into a public square, featuring a 12' diameter pebble mosaic.
For two months in 2018 Kathleen was an artist-in-residence in the International Residency Program at the Olive Stack Gallery in Listowel, Ireland. Using exclusively pebbles collected on coastal beaches, she worked with locals to create two 2’ x 6’ mosaics, now installed in the local public park. She returned to Listowel for another residency in 2022, again working with local beach pebbles, making four new works for private gardens.
During the pandemic, Kathleen designed and built a 3.5’ x 6’ mosaic, incorporating pebbles from across Canada, as well as seven 6” diameter solid brass rings shipped from Pennsylvania. In November 2021, she delivered this Threshold mosaic to the Ruins Project in Whitsett, where it is now installed.
Two new instructional videos that Kathleen created with Mosaic Arts Online were released on September 2 this year. She has commissions installed in private gardens and public places. Please visit her on Instagram @kathleenonwards as well as at her website kathleendoodydesign.com
Course Curriculum
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StartIntro and Personal Interview with Kathleen and Tami (8:30)
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StartPDF for download. Tools, materials, and resources.
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StartOverview of basic pebble mosaics (1:49)
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StartOverview of tools and materials (2:00)
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StartPebbles: The Rounds, The Longs, The Flat tops, and The Bad ones (10:56)
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StartThe pebble smash test (0:22)
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StartIntro to the mold (1:44)
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StartMold option 2.0 (1:59)
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StartDrilling the holes for the mold (1:15)
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StartDrill press option for drilling holes for the mold (0:14)
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StartTemplate options with pebbles (3:48)
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StartThe template and the mold (9:52)
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StartIntro to the sand and the dibber (1:17)
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StartFollowing the template (7:16)
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StartStabilizing the pebbles (7:00)
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StartAdding the black flat top pebbles (13:29)
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StartSecond white strip and then the greens (18:35)
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StartTurning your substrate around (1:02)
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StartMoving from the edge inwards and working with the pink flat tops (7:29)
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StartFinding the best flat tops (4:16)
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StartFinishing the row (4:42)
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StartAdding the last line (3:35)
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StartMeasuring and leveling out the sand (4:42)
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StartOverhead light for checking the sand levels (1:42)
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StartSpray down the sand with water (3:57)
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StartFirst step for casting the pebble mosaic: Weighing the cementitious grout (3:10)
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StartMeasuring the water (1:01)
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StartMixing the cementitious grout (4:49)
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StartPouring both layers of the cementitious grout (7:18)
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StartTopping off the cementitious grout into the mold. Clean up tips (1:41)
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StartReleasing the bubbles (0:56)
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Start24 hours later: Removing the plastic and cleaning up the edges (3:17)
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StartDeconstructing the wood mold (2:13)
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StartThe importance of cleaning the edges and the frame (3:16)
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StartThe Big Reveal (3:17)
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StartRinsing the pebble mosaic (2:28)
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StartHow to chisel the high spots (3:25)
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StartOne more cleaning with the hose (1:15)
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StartFinal tips and tricks. Framing suggestions (2:23)
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StartHow to cure a pebble mosaic. Wrap up and thank you! (2:00)