Mosaic Color Lab with Vera Belikova

Color is one of the most powerful and often most challenging aspects of mosaic.

In this online course, Color Mosaic Lab, artist Vera Belikova of Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli offers a clear, structured approach to one of mosaic art's most complex aspects.

Rather than focusing on color as an isolated choice, this course explores how color actually functions within mosaic work through relationships between tesserae, shifts in light and shadow, scale, and viewing distance. You will learn why colors behave differently up close versus from afar, and how to use that knowledge to your advantage.

The course combines essential theory with hands-on practice, helping you move beyond intuition and develop a more controlled, intentional approach to color.

Throughout the course, you will:

• Gain a deeper understanding of how color interacts in mosaic compositions
• Explore gradation and color mixing techniques specific to mosaic
• Learn how to create strong visual results using a limited palette
• Develop the ability to evaluate and adjust color with confidence
• Follow a clear workflow for more consistent and successful outcomes

A central component of the course is the triangle exercise, a simple yet powerful method for studying how colors blend, shift, and influence one another. This exercise allows you to see, in a very direct way, how small changes can dramatically affect the overall perception of your work.

To support your learning, Vera has designed a curated kit that is available for purchase through Di Mosaico. The materials have been carefully selected to highlight specific color effects, though you are equally encouraged to work with your own smalti using the provided guidance. You can use wheeled nippers for this exercise.

In addition, the course includes analysis of historical mosaics and contemporary works, offering insight into how different color strategies are applied in practice.

The course is thoughtfully structured, beginning with a foundational understanding of color in mosaic, including its historical context and relationship to painting and pointillism, before moving into practical exercises and applications.

This course is designed to help you move beyond guesswork and develop a deeper sensitivity to how colors interact, contrast, and harmonize within your work. Through a series of practical exercises and clear demonstrations, Vera breaks down complex color concepts into accessible, usable tools you can immediately apply to your mosaics.

You won’t just learn theory, you’ll actively experiment, observe, and refine your eye as you build your own color studies and compositions.