Pikmin + Mosaic
Step 1: Choose a design
Quickly I learnt that even the smallest mosaic pieces will fail to depict the details, and I had to choose one with less feature. Eventually this image from Pikmin Bloom, one of the screen image as you open the app, caught my eye. The hardest part would be the three fingers - we'll just have to wing it!
Step 2: Draw it out
Having decided on the image, I then started giving a rough go at the image with a pen and paper. The paper is cut to the same size as the wood board that I would soon use for the mosaic for ease of transfer.
The facilitator came over and reminded me to adapt layers in the design, to avoid using the same colour for a big block and instead, try using different shades of the same colour to create pattern and texture. It was very good advice especially when I was trying to re-create the blueberry that the Red Pikmin was holding...
Step 3: Find Mosaic Pieces
I started by putting mosaic pieces (50mm width sqaure) onto the wood board, to see how many pieces and what colours would work with my design.
Some people start on putting the pieces on paper which would have been a smarter idea, as I would not need to mess the pattern that was already neatly on the board to put EVA glue on the surface, just to put the pieces back again, now all over the place. Lesson learnt!
Step 4: Transfer & Glue
Quite happy with how the blueberry turned out. It was slight messy work with the EVA glue...
Once the pieces are all glued on, it takes a night or more for the thick EVA glue to completely dry up and secore the mosaic pieces...
Step 5: Grout it!
This is my most hated part...it's basically pre-mixed cement powder that needs a bit of water to get to the watery consistency, then smudged all over the now dried (and somewhat secured) mosaic pieces on the board...then carefully, gently using a sponge (or a piece of cloth) to wipe the excess grout on the top while not dislocating the pieces...it was a fidigty process, one that required an apron and gloves!
Rock Pikmin Mosaic
Here's another piece that my partner did alongside.