Leave a little
space between.
A mosaic is a collection of pieces, but most of my decisions happen in the spaces around them.
Sort until something speaks
I empty a few fragments into a tray and look for a relationship: two similar greens, an edge that continues a curve, a pale piece with just enough warmth. Sorting by colour is useful, but sorting by shape is often more surprising. I keep the smallest pieces in an egg cup so they don't disappear beneath the larger ones. One of them usually solves a corner I had been avoiding.
Try the pattern without fixing it
I arrange the pieces loose on a paper outline and leave them overnight. The next morning makes it easier to spot a crowded patch or a line that suddenly changes its mind. I take a quick photograph before lifting anything, then pencil in the strongest edges. There is no need to preserve every accident, but the loose arrangement often has a rhythm I would struggle to draw from scratch.
Let the spaces join the work
Grout changes the whole conversation between the tiles. I keep small test pieces to compare a pale join with a darker one before committing to a panel. Afterwards I write down the choice, the result, and the thing I would change next time. On the kitchen panel, the quiet spaces let the terracotta line stay clear. That small test saved me from choosing a much busier finish.