Mosaic Books for Inspiration and Instruction

In this group of mosaic books, the books on the <left are best for beginners. They are more the step by step books.
Books on the right >are more for inspiration than instruction.

The following books can help you come up with moaic floor designs you like and good designs for mosaic borders. Just use an enlarging color copier to increase the design to the size you need. Places like Kinkos & Office Depot can do really large copies for you.

	Geometrix: 161 Patterns and Motifs for Artists & Crafts Black & White-mostly op-art effects A collection of striking graphic images wittily combining geometrical form and the principles of optical illusion. Designs range from expanded geometric forms to borders, panels and overall patterns. Complete with a simple, basic plan with which artists and designers can create their own geometric designs.
	Arabic Allover Patterns-Interlocking geometric patterns Black & White line drawings to try different color combinations on your own. 46 full-page geometric designs—polygons, stars and rosettes—based on beautiful Islamic art patterns. Use the copyright-free, bold geometrics as overall patterns or individual elements for a myriad of art and craft projects.
	Islamic Designs in Color--from Russia Copyright-free motifs ... and furnishings, metalwork, jewelry, more. Geometrics, florals and other designs in many sizes and shapes; rich selection of borders. Indispensable resource for design inspiration or direct practical use. 162 designs on 68 plates
	Spanish Tile Designs in Color Selected from rare l9th- and early-20th-century manufacturers’ catalogs, the exquisite full-color tile designs in this splendid collection display a host of patterns, many revealing striking Moorish influence. Predominantly blue, green, red, and brown with white backgrounds, the tiles incorporate stylized flowers, leaves, and other plant forms, abstract and geometric figures, stars, suns, and other richly decorative patterns. Good for inspiration for mosaic tile floor designs and the mosaic rug type designs.
	Decorative Tile Designs in Color designs are in color, so you can see variations in light and dark colors, color combinations, colors receeding and coming forward, etc. Some designs are done using just the tile shape, and some depend on designs painted onto the tiles. Some are very bold and simple designs and some are very flowery. Appears to be a good mix of designs from around the world and throughout time. A good resource for mosaic floor designs.
	Arabic Geometrical Pattern and Design- Black & White Intricate overall patterns based on hexagon, octagon, geometric figures, rosettes, etc. from traditional sources. 200 plates-----make yourself several bk & wht copies and try out different color combinations on the same designs. See how mosaic floor designs will look using crayons before you even think about ordering tiles.
	Arabic Art in Color Here are 141 designs and motifs in authentic full color from classic 19th century work by noted French historian—a visual vocabulary of Islamic decorative art.n A resource for mosaic floor designs, borders, walls,etc.
	Islamic Designs for Artists & Craftspeople mostly in Black and White Various elements of Arabic designs drawn mostly in black and white. It includes instruction for reproducing the designs and commentary on time periods and original colors used.

Before I began to cut my own tiles, I bought a lot on eBay. The sellers were very reliable and fun to do business with. Many people just sell tiles to make enuf money to pay for their hobby.