Fourth Grade Tile Mosaic

One of our visual arts standards this term for fourth grade is to "Explore composition by creating an artwork with a center of interest, repetition, and/or balance." I wanted students to create a tile that represented this standard. We first started by looking at pieces of art in the classroom that showed a center of interest, repetition, and balance. We talked about circles, squares, and geometric shapes that could help us get started with our design.

Students started this project by drawing a design in their sketchbooks, and when they were happy with their drawing, they started the final on their ceramic tile. Next, we talked about analogous colors, or colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. Each table was given a color paint and then two colors that were analogous to that color. For example, the yellow table used a yellow-green and a yellow-orange along with the bright yellow I gave them first. Once they were all finished painting, students glazed them and I placed them in the kiln. After taking them out and letting them cool off, I used a tile adhesive to place them on the wall in the color wheel order. These came out beautiful, and will be on the wall at Byam for many years to come. Amazing work fourth graders!