Читать книгу Garden Mosaics - Emma Biggs - Страница 11

This is enamelled glass made in a vast range of colors following a process developed in Roman times. A mixture of silica and potash or soda is heated with particular elements such as copper and lead according to special recipes that produce different colors. The mixture is poured out to form flat plates, like pizza bases, and cooled gradually. The plates are then usually cut up into ½ x ⅜ in. (1.5 x 1 cm) rectangles that have uneven surfaces on the front and back faces. The material is remarkable for the intensity of the colors, making it highly suitable for architectural work over large areas seen from a great distance. The irregularity of the surface, however, makes it impractical in areas that must be kept clean, and the laborintensive process of manufacture also makes it an expensive material to buy. Smalti can be cut with tile nippers, and the double-wheel nippers are particularly effective and reduce wastage.