Grades K–2 · Arts & Music
How can tiny colored pieces make a big mosaic picture?
A mosaic is a picture or pattern built from many small pieces. The pieces may be stone, glass or another material. Each piece keeps its own color and shape.
In the diagramSmall colored pieces form a larger flowerseparate pieces
An artist arranges light and dark pieces where different parts of the picture should appear. Close up, the separate pieces stand out. From farther away, their colors and edges can join into a larger image.
A supporting surface and material between or beneath the pieces help hold the arrangement in place. The picture comes from how the pieces are placed together. A single little piece does not have to contain the whole flower or face.
About this explanation
Starting knowledge: Recognize a picture made from separate small shapes.
Sources
- Metropolitan Museum of Art — Mosaic Tesserae