Color gives Mexican tile designs the variety unique to Mexican culture. The geometric tile patterns seen in homes and public buildings have traditional motifs and symbols dating back to the 13th century, with roots in the cultures from native Mexico, Spain, the Mediterranean, China and the Italian Renaissance. Familiar designs decorate each tile. The hand-painted shapes give Saltillo, Alhambra and Talavera tiles their beauty.
Instructions
1. Make your design to fit your decorating plans. Choose a traditional pattern with geometric shapes, motifs and symbols from Mexico. Squares, ovals and triangles make good geometric shapes. Use a pattern with both straight sides and lines that turn in and out. Then, select your colors. Traditional tiles have three to seven colors chosen from three sets: blue, orange, green, red and yellow; brown, beige and tan; and white and black.
Each tile is part of a single pattern you plan for the kitchen countertops, backsplashes, step rises, floor, patio or fireplace mantle. In the single pattern, alternate decorated tiles with solid color tiles. Traditional mission tile designs use four tile sets that make up one pattern that is part of the whole pattern.
2. Glaze the tiles to make the smooth surface ready for fine painting. Dip each tile in glaze in the tray. Fire all the tiles in a kiln to make the tile surface hard and glassy smooth. You can choose either gloss or matte glaze to give the tile a brilliant top that reflects light.
3. Hand-paint each tile. With your design as a reference, paint each tile with craft brushes. Begin with thin black lines that lay in the tile pattern. These lines are borders for the color shapes. One color at a time, paint each colored shape. Layer paint until the faces are solid and consistent. Paint your edges so the colors meet at the border.
4. Fire the tiles to make the painted top hard and durable. Place the painted tiles in a kiln, and heat until the paint sets permanent. The colors take on their final hues and values in the kiln. Know how your colors change in the heat.
5. Finish the tiles with a tile sealer. Brush on an even sealer coat with the flat brush. Let dry. Radiant, colorful tiles are ready to be layed in the design.
