By: Jocelyn Wang
We all remember elementary-level art classes—the smell of Elmer’s school glue, the sound of safety scissors on construction paper, and the feeling of pottery clay in our hands. Most of us have also likely created a mosaic of some sort, whether with ceramic tiles, magazine clippings, or small pebbles. While an engaging craft, it can get quite messy, and the pieces we can add to our physical mosaic are limited to what we have at hand. However, with the development of endless new computer software, artists can now create mosaics digitally. Through these technologies, artists have a limitless abundance of pieces and parts from all corners of the internet to work with—no glue, scissors, or magazines necessary! Everything can be assembled with a cursor, a keyboard, and a screen, making for a tidy and efficient craft. Furthermore, if an error occurs, the trusty undo button is a quick fix for any mistakes.
On the other hand, there is a concern that this new style of mosaic takes away a specific element from their creation: carefully selecting, cutting, and gluing your images to the canvas. There are distinct advantages and downfalls to both the traditional and modern methods, but new technology opens the window for a plethora of artistic creation. The possibilities lie in the hands—or at the keypad—of the artist.