These colorful projects, which I call “Masterpiece Mosaics”, were a collaborative effort by my students in grades K through middle school. Each grade level created their own copy of a famous painting – six masterpieces in all. These were really pretty easy to do, and super FUN! We’re hoping they’ll command a high price at our school auction in the spring!
Check out the rest of our Masterpiece Mosaics below. Then try this project yourself with the art masterpiece of your choice. Visit my TPT store to purchase my Masterpiece Mosaics pdf with photos and step-by-step directions for this project!
You will need the following materials for one Masterpiece Mosaic:
- Inexpensive fine art poster (I ordered ours online from AllPosters.com and Art.com – all one company, by the way!)
- Card stock (black or white, depending on your print)
- Oil pastels
- Foam core board (black or white, to match your card stock), cut to the same size as your poster
- YES! Paste
- Old credit card or plastic membership card
- Mod Podge (gloss)
- 1-1/2″ foam brush
- Uni Frame for hanging (optional)
Visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store to purchase a convenient pdf with detailed instructions and step-by-step photos for this project!
You can also have students make their pieces larger than the original (for example, enlarge a 3×4 section onto a 9×12 piece of construction paper) and put the pieces together to make a mural for the wall. This is more challenging for the younger kids, but can also be really fun to do! I’ve done mural versions of this project successfully with 4th grade and up.
Hi there, we run a mentoring program for kids and always looking for creative art projects for kids/young people to do. I liked your one on mosaics
Glad you liked it, Mimi! I’ve done this project many times, with a variety of different fine art prints, and it’s always a hit! If you decide to try it, please let me know how it goes!!
Hi Cheryl,
My daughter Naomi introduced me to your site. I’m so glad she did! I was looking for a class project for our next school year.
I’m so excited, I can’t wait to get them started! Now to pick the picture were going to paint.
I love your site and am sure I’ll be using more of your ideas.
You’ll love this project, Lorraine, and so will your students! It’s really fun and the results are fantastic!! Let me know how it goes!
those are very cool!
Did you section off a printed example of each painting and give each student a piece to work on? I am just wondering what your process was?
Thanks, Becky
Thanks for your question, Becky!
I used inexpensive art prints and posters, which I cut into sections and passed out to students, along with the paper they would be re-creating their section on. Then we re-assembled their finished pieces to create a more abstract version of the original art. This project requires a bit of planning and prep, but the results are so fun and the parents LOVED them. They make a great school auction project! You can find detailed instructions with step-by-step photos and tips for success in my TPT store. :)