Mosaic tiles

We made mosaic tiles using air-dry clay. We had to brainstorm ideas and symbols for our designs, like favorite foods or drinks, hobbies, family traditions, or places we’d like to visit. We sketched our ideas on a small paper-like square before working with the clay. Next, we prepared our clay by wedging it, then used a roller to flatten it evenly and make it large enough to fit our square template. Once the clay was the right size, we placed our sketched paper on top and traced the square outline onto the clay. After cutting out the square shape, we started designing. Our project required three techniques: additive, subtractive, and one of our choice. The additive technique involved adding pieces of clay, while the subtractive technique meant carving or removing clay. When using the additive method, we scored the clay by making “X” marks and adding a bit of water so the pieces would stick together securely. Once our design was complete, we finished the project by painting our tiles however we wanted.

My additives were an iced coffee, a teacher clip bored top left, a bow bottom left, and the letter K for my name in the middle. My subtractive was making a checkered background, my carving lines in a pattern. I used lots of pink for my painting, and the background was black and white. I really liked how mine turned out!

As an extension, students could create a small series of story tiles inspired by their original mosaic tile. Each tile would show a scene or moment connected to their design, like a favorite hobby in action, a family tradition, or a place they love. They could continue using additive and subtractive techniques to add texture and detail, then paint the tiles to bring the scenes to life. Once finished, the tiles could be arranged to tell a short visual story, combining art and storytelling in a fun, creative way!