Barry Porter on tue 1 dec 09
Stephani,
I replied offline to this same post.
Seems we feel the same about 'white'. LOL
My comment was, that it almost never works!
I am a big fan of dirty, almost antique looking grout.
Enjoyed your post....
Barry Porter
On Tue, 1 Dec 2009 17:05:57 -0500, Stephani Stephenson=3D20
wrote:
>i missed prior posts on this topic so mea culpa if i am repeating what w=
=3D
as=3D20
already said.
>when i first started working with tile I saw grout lines as interfering =
=3D
visually=3D20
with tile=3D20
>patterns and fouling up the aesthetic appeal of a project.
>Now not only do i accept grout lines but I enjoy them. I see them as=
=3D
a=3D20
unifying=3D20
>element in the composition or field of tile.
>
> good grout spacing and coloration will not only unify the tile project,=
=3D
but will=3D20
draw=3D20
>attention to the tile/glaze color, by way of contrast, in the same way =
=3D
that=3D20
work shown=3D20=3D20
>against a medium to dark neutral gray backdrop, t will emerge from that=3D=
20=3D
backdrop and=3D20
>'pop'.
>I usually go with a dark to medium dark neutral gray, though there are m=
=3D
any=3D20
shades of=3D20
>gray to choose from.=3D20
> a dark charcoal can be used for dramatic effect and can recreate the=3D2=
0=3D
effect of a stain=3D20
>glass window with tile. for more subtle tile glazes i prefer a more subd=
=3D
ued=3D20
gray, but I=3D20
>never stray into the lighter value neutrals.
>
>This is personal, but I flinch every time i see white grout, for 2 reaso=
=3D
ns. One=3D20
is the white=3D20
>grout jumps out and grabs your gaze , fiercely and jealously holding i=
=3D
t, so=3D20
that you have=3D20
>to strain to get beyond it to see the tile.(unless that is the effect yo=
=3D
u want!)
> second, i pity the poor person who has to clean it.
>I have also seen some pretty awful attempts to match grout color to a co=
=3D
lor=3D20
in the=3D20
>tile..the grout color can appear more strident and monochromatic than th=
=3D
e=3D20=3D20
glazes or=3D20
>surfaces of the tile, and once again , can overpower it, rather than hig=
=3D
hlight=3D20
it. if the=3D20
>color match is off, it can look garishly off...if the color match is clo=
=3D
se, it can=3D20
seem to=3D20
>drain the tile of it's own energy...
>
>
>congrats for you have discovered the beauty of just the right kind of=3D2=
0=3D
contrast for your=3D20
>particular tile.. experimenting using different colors is fun and reall=
=3D
y helps=3D20
you see your=3D20
>project in different ways.
>
>One more note: in general, if the tile will be subject to everyday use a=
=3D
nd=3D20
environment i=3D20
>would also recommend choosing a nice 'dirt ' color for your grout...
>.i.e. any of a variety of neutral mid range tones
>for the simple reason that these colors tend to not show dirt=3D20
>as much as the very light or the very dark tones...
>cheers!
>Stephani Stephenson
William Lucius on tue 1 dec 09
After posting a message about my experiences with tiles we went to =3D
Washington, D.C. for almost a week and managed not to consciously think =3D
about the subject. However, the old Zen part of my brain was still =3D
working on the question and just yesterday it finally figured out that I =
=3D
had forgotten a very important point.
In my tile panels the grout line is as much a part of the pattern as the =
=3D
tiles. But because I picked a gray sanded grout, there was not enough =3D
contrast between the grout and the tiles to bring out the overall =3D
pattern. Yesterday I took the panel down from the wall and went over =3D
the entire thing with black shoe polish. Using naphtha and a rag, I =3D
removed most of the polish from the tiles. I put it back on the wall =3D
and now it sings! When my wife came home from work she asked me what on =
=3D
earth had I done to her tile panel - she noticed it immediately.
So, my advice is to determine the correct grout thickness and color =3D
before you assemble your work. Most tile layers and supply stores have =3D
a neat display of various colored rods that you can physically place =3D
between your tiles to gauge the best grout color. In my case it is =3D
black. =3D20
William A. Lucius, Ph.D.
Board President and Director
Institute for Archaeological Ceramic Research (IACR)
iacr@msn.com
www.instituteforceramicarchaeology.org=3D
aeology.org/>
http://www.ourlkcpage.multiply.com
www.leuppkilnconference.org
Stephani Stephenson on tue 1 dec 09
i missed prior posts on this topic so mea culpa if i am repeating what wa=
=3D
s already said.
when i first started working with tile I saw grout lines as interfering v=
=3D
isually with tile=3D20
patterns and fouling up the aesthetic appeal of a project.
Now not only do i accept grout lines but I enjoy them. I see them as =
=3D
a unifying=3D20
element in the composition or field of tile.
good grout spacing and coloration will not only unify the tile project, =
=3D
but will draw=3D20
attention to the tile/glaze color, by way of contrast, in the same way t=
=3D
hat work shown=3D20=3D20
against a medium to dark neutral gray backdrop, t will emerge from that b=
=3D
ackdrop and=3D20
'pop'.
I usually go with a dark to medium dark neutral gray, though there are ma=
=3D
ny shades of=3D20
gray to choose from.=3D20
a dark charcoal can be used for dramatic effect and can recreate the ef=
=3D
fect of a stain=3D20
glass window with tile. for more subtle tile glazes i prefer a more subdu=
=3D
ed gray, but I=3D20
never stray into the lighter value neutrals.
This is personal, but I flinch every time i see white grout, for 2 reason=
=3D
s. One is the white=3D20
grout jumps out and grabs your gaze , fiercely and jealously holding it=
=3D
, so that you have=3D20
to strain to get beyond it to see the tile.(unless that is the effect you=
=3D
want!)
second, i pity the poor person who has to clean it.
I have also seen some pretty awful attempts to match grout color to a col=
=3D
or in the=3D20
tile..the grout color can appear more strident and monochromatic than the=
=3D
glazes or=3D20
surfaces of the tile, and once again , can overpower it, rather than high=
=3D
light it. if the=3D20
color match is off, it can look garishly off...if the color match is clos=
=3D
e, it can seem to=3D20
drain the tile of it's own energy...
congrats for you have discovered the beauty of just the right kind of co=
=3D
ntrast for your=3D20
particular tile.. experimenting using different colors is fun and really=
=3D
helps you see your=3D20
project in different ways.
One more note: in general, if the tile will be subject to everyday use an=
=3D
d environment i=3D20
would also recommend choosing a nice 'dirt ' color for your grout...
.i.e. any of a variety of neutral mid range tones
for the simple reason that these colors tend to not show dirt=3D20
as much as the very light or the very dark tones...
cheers!
Stephani Stephenson
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