Art 7 Byzantine Mosaics

We have just wrapped up working on the Byzantine Art unit with Grade 7.

For the final project, we focused on mosaics made from gesso, gouache, and card.

Mosaics are an exercise in planning and patience.

Planning: Mosaics challenge the student’s drawing ability in setting down a guide image to work with. The students must plan the form of the mosaic, the number of tiles, pre-visualising the complex arrangement and form of their final piece.

Patience: The meticulous addition of each mosaic ’tile’ requires patience. Each tile must be measured, cut, primed, painted, then placed with care and consideration.

The project also encourages a sensitivity for colour, with students observing and weighing variations of tone, often in hues of rusty brown and golden yellow when working with Byzantine Mosaics.

Two outstanding works I wanted to highlight are the work of Maria Grazia P. and Sophie C.

Their highly-skilled drawing, meticulous placing of each tile, and instinctive use of colour and patterning are a joy to behold.

Fantastic work!