Students will use torn and cut up pieces of magazine pages to create colorful (and in some cases, complex) paper mosaics.
By Andrea Mulder-Slater
About Mosaics
Mosaics are made of tiny colored pieces of stone, pottery, glass or other materials, arranged together and set in plaster or cement to make patterns and images. They can be used to decorate a floor, a wall or in some cases a ceiling. Mosaics have a long history. They were created in Ancient times in Babylon, Egypt, Greece and Rome. When the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum (which were buried under lava when Mount Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79) were rediscovered, many wonderful mosaics were found. Ask your students to imagine, making a mosaic using over one million pieces of glass – all hand cut, and placed into wet plaster to create a large pattern for their entry hall! It is a project that would take months and in some cases even many years to complete.
For several centuries, interest in the making of mosaics declined. It wasn’t until the 19th century, when architects started to look at old ideas for new inspirations, that the interest once again returned and mosaics began popping up in public buildings and private homes.
What You Need:
- Magazines or photos
- Scissors
- Paper (poster board works best)
- Paint (optional)
- White glue
What You Do:
- Cut out small pieces of magazines or photos. Select related colours and start piles of reds, greens, blues etc.
- Draw a picture or design onto the paper. Its a good idea to refer to pictures of mosaics.
- Begin adding the pieces of magazines and photos to create a mosaic.
- Remember to take time to plan out your ideas and don’t be afraid to experiment.
Note: You can see more beautiful examples of Magazine Mosaics (and other great things) on Julia Sanderl’s teaching blog.
Enjoy these lovely photos of Mosaic Fish created by Kim Scott’s 5 year old class at Swarthmore Friends Nursery School
