1. Where can you locate your installation?

Location
There are floor tile, wall tile, specialty tile, swimming pool tile, etc. Where can this tile be used? Surving Studios spent three years testing clay and glaze formulas because Natalie was insistent that our tiles would be suitable for use anywhere, and they are. Our unique private formula gives our tile the strength, permanence, and durability of the porcelain clays that survive for thousands of years. Our glazes are permanent, brilliant, and in colors not available in a true porcelain.

2. Who will create the design?

The Designer
Your choice of designer is as important as your choice of tile. The most beautiful tile will disappoint if the design doesn’t work.

The tile showroom where you buy your tile will usually have designers on staff who will work with you. This is their field. They have experience with, and access to, many lines of tile and stone. They live near you and can oversee your job from beginning to end. Normally they are reasonably priced and well worth it. Check out this possibility first even if you want to do it yourself or you are working with an independent designer. Your showroom specialist is a valuable resource.

Can you do it yourself? Yes, If you have confidence and some art experience. Why not? Who knows better than you do what you like and what you envision?

Our Clip Art is designed to help you. You can choose your tiles, define your dimensions and play. It is fun; it is easy. You can change it as many times as you wish. You can get help and you can show it to your friends and family before you make the final decision.

What if you prefer to use an Interior designer, architect, or landscape architect? Wonderful! Some of the best installations are profession-ally designed. These people are trained to imagine the best. They have experience with the materials and can oversee many of the details that are so important. In choosing a professional, check their references, look at their portfolio, and understand that they have a style and a look. If you like their previous work you are likely to be happy with your results.

Can Surving Studios design and install my installation? Surving Studios’ offers design services and recommends that you use them. Our designers enjoy designing for you. They have seen many jobs and have a vast portfolio of ideas. The fees are reasonable and with the clip art an accurate representation of the job can be seen and approved in advance of your purchase. Surving Studios does not do installations but sometimes we can recommend a local showroom or professional.

What if you just want an idea or some advice or help? A Surving Studios’ designer can give you limited phone help. We want you to have a successful job.

3. How much will it cost?

Budget
You will be pleasantly surprised to know that, if you let your showroom know how much you expect to spend, they can design within those limits. Your job can cost almost any amount. Some very successful jobs have used the least expensive wall tiles and an accent or two of Surving Studios Nature Tiles. With good design and good color you can create a beautiful, permanent and forever fun spot in your home using just an accent or two. The modular design of the tiles means you can create murals with as little as three tiles.

On the other hand, there are few limits to the wonderful installations that can be created with a generous budget. In fact, because these are modules and combine well with themselves and with many other natural and man-made materials there is literally no size limit. Every job will be unique, and can be customized to whatever degree you require. Whatever you decide to spend, you will be making an investment in a permanent work of art that will bring you years of pleasure and satisfaction.

4. How long will it take?

Scheduling
Large murals and fountains are always made to order for you. Always allow us a two month lead-time. It is preferable, and sometime necessary, to allow six months for highly customized jobs.

5. What will surround the tile?

The Field
Surving Studios specializes in decorative tiles, but we also make matching field tile (the tile or stone that surrounds the decorative pieces are referred to as the field or field tile). We create handmade field tile in colors and sizes to match our work. Our tiles are more expensive than manufactured tile or natural products such as stone, marble, or glass.

Many other tile and stone products can be combined with Surving Studios’ decorative pieces to add a great variety of colors, textures, and budgeting possibilities. The dealer who carries Surving Studios’ tiles will also offer a large variety of other products and will be an expert in helping you choose the right field for your job. Because of the natural quality of our work it combines particularly well with natural products such as slate, tumbled marble, and stone. The Surving Studios’ Appliqués can be put on top of, or combined with, most background materials including glass, wood, painted walls and existing installations.

6. What colors will you use?

Choosing Colors
Surving Studios’ tiles come in three basic background colors: Earth, Light and Water. Rainforest tiles usually have a “Bark” background, but we also offer some of the tiles in our basic background colors. All of our colors were chosen from nature and combine well with each other. Custom colors can sometimes be achieved. It is best to consult us about custom coloring before your design evolves too far. We will require a color chip or sample to determine if we can achieve the color within our palette of colors.

The final color choice is the grout color. Your tile dealer will have a good selection of grouts and will be able to advise you.

7. Who will do the installation?

Installation
An experienced tile setter who has set art tile before and who likes what you are doing is the perfect choice. Just as a painting can be enhanced or devalued by its frame, the tile installer is your finish artist and will control the final quality of the job.

Surving Studios’ tiles can be installed exactly like any other handmade tile with one major exception: the tile must be cleaned thoroughly before the grout dries. Some installers tape the face of the tile.

Most just work clean and keep cleaning until there is no grout left to dry in the grooves. Amateurs can do tile installation, but we do not recommend that your first attempt at tiling be with Surving Studios or any handmade tiles. Your tile store can offer expertise and a wealth of materials.

Sealing our tile is an option but because of the high quality of the materials it is not necessary. Consult with your tile expert regarding grout sealing.

8. What maintenance is required?

Tile Maintenance
Tile installations require amazingly little maintenance. Just clean them as you would any tile. A non-metal brush may work better than a cloth or sponge to get into the crevices of our textures. Our high fire tiles can be safely cleaned with any commercial cleaner including bleach.
A mural requires almost no maintenance. Clean it lightly with any tile cleaner, bleach or vinegar and water and it will bring you joy and pleasure forever. Outdoor installations in very polluted air may require more frequent attention.

Fountain Maintenance
A fountain requires careful and more expert design and installation, and some basic maintenance. The water flow must be adjusted to avoid splash. The water level should be monitored. Since the same water recirculates, like a plant; your fountain will require regular watering unless it is connected to the house plumbing with a regulator. It also requires cleaning. Approximately weekly, clean water should be added and the fountain tiles cleaned with a vinegar solution or special tile cleaner. If your water is heavy in minerals, this becomes very important. A watery environment is tricky to control, too much water will cause the water to bounce out of the basin and splash where you do not want it. Place your fountain in waterproof environments. We have made many fountains and have designs that are simple to install and maintain. However, every fountain is unique and needs a little TLC.

9. What if you expect to move sometime?

Temporary Installations
Some mirrors, murals and fountains can be made in sections on a backing board with key tiles removable. The sections can be assembled and screwed in place. Then the key tiles can be installed temporarily so that they are removable. When you want to move, your installation can easily go with you.

10. How long will it last?

Permanent Installations
High fired ceramic tile will virtually last forever. You can be sure the bathroom you do for the kids will be dear to their adult memories. Because our designs are based on nature, your installation will be timeless, bringing a fresh smile each day.

11. What if there are problems when you receive your tile?

Returns and Allowances
Be sure to examine your tiles and review your layout before installation begins. If there is anything you are unhappy with we will be happy to work with you. Do not have your tiles installed without your personal review. The tiles cannot be returned after installation.

Producing Your Mural, Fountain or Installation

To achieve the highest quality fountain, mural or larger installations, many extra steps and a great deal of extra care is required from the entire staff at Surving Studios.

Design Consultations
If you choose to create your own design, you can download our tile designs from our website or use the Clip Art CD. It has full color icons of nearly all of our designs ready for you to cut and paste.
Please notice the size and direction of the tile you are choosing. We cannot flip a design or resize it. Some designs, such as the 4” Dragonfly, can be rotated in any direction successfully while other designs only work in one direction. When your design is ready take it to your dealer or send it to us for pricing, scheduling and suggestions.

The Design Process
Surving Studios offers full service design services for a fee. Most tile dealers also have experienced designers on staff. The designer will design it for you, or create a presentation based on your design, or collaboratively create a design with you or your architect or interior de-signer, or showroom designer.
Our designers know the most successful way to use our tile and to make recommendations based on our experience of knowing all the tiles, all the colors and the many possibilities. They have created and seen hundreds of wonderful jobs. When we do a design for you we start with what elements you would like from our lines.

Design and presentation of concepts: This starts with a pencil sketch, from you, your designer or from us, and can be carried clear to a full color presentation.

Alterations: Necessary alterations are made until final approval is received.

The Final Designs: are drawn and presented in full color. Three-dimensional maquettes can be created when required. Pricing Estimates are created: We provide a complete estimate of your job. Please note we can design within a budget.

The Production Process
Since large murals and fountains are always made to order for you, there are many steps that must be performed correctly in order to achieve a beautiful result.

Working drawings for production: After the final design is approved and the order placed, a project manager is chosen, working drawings and a production plan are created. This important step allows our art team to be able to do his or her part and have the project come together successfully and on a schedule.

Batch pressing and glazing: For the average order, we can select tiles from our inventory. For fountains, murals, or where the design requires more unity, we must stage the project and reserve the necessary studio time and artists to work exclusively on your project. The tiles must all be created together, glazed together, and fired together in units that can then be assembled into a unified whole.

Custom pieces: Frequently we need to sculpt, cut, or carve special pieces to make a mural work or to meet your job’s requirements. One-of-a-kind pieces can also be created: When using our available elements just won’t do, we create an original, one of a kind piece for you. Pricing is done on an individual basis.

Custom Glazing and Coloring: Is available at an additional charge. We may be able to create unique glazing for you. However, glaze is not paint. Our artists are trained for years but color matching in ceramics is extremely difficult. Success can only be determined after the firing. Frequently more than one attempt is necessary. It is best to consult us about custom coloring before your design evolves too far. We will require a color chip or sample to determine if we can achieve the color within our palette of colors.

Installation Preparation
Layout and number of the final tiles: Once the pieces are fired, the job must be laid out to assure the overall look and sizing of the project. When we are satisfied with the layout, the mural must be turned over and numbered so that your installer can reassemble the pieces accurately.

Photo of tile layout for installers: As a further guide for the client and the installer, the mural can be photographed while it is laid out. Custom rematching: If one piece comes out damaged or flawed, we need to recreate it compensating for the 15% shrinkage and trying to match the already-fired pieces. It is very difficult to match tiles perfectly at a later time. We take every precaution and aim for perfection every time. When we have a problem, several attempts may be necessary to achieve success. Please check and recheck your design and sizes. If we miscalculate, and must make matching tile at a later date, we have a real challenge ahead. It is recommended that a few extra tiles be ordered so as not to delay your installation should breakage occur at your site.

Extra packing: We even assign a specially trained packer and use extra packing materials for mural type installations.

A Special Request:
We have all worked hard and your installation is complete. Is it beautiful? Send us photos and we will send you a nice thank you gift.

Design and Custom Services
The list below allows you to determine if your job requires customization or if you will be able to create your design from our regular modules: