Palettes: Generic bricks · 16–192 pieces wide · up to 45 colours
Free brick mosaic patterns to start with
What brick mosaics are, and what these tools do
A brick mosaic turns a picture into a grid of 1×1 building pieces, like a pixel image you can hold. The plans fit any building bricks on the standard stud grid, so they work with LEGO® pieces and with compatible brands alike. Mosaics are a popular way to make wall art from family photos, pet portraits and favourite characters you have drawn yourself, and a single baseplate is a satisfying afternoon project with children.
The hard parts are planning: which colours, how many of each, and how to lay the picture out across baseplates. These tools do that in your browser. You get a numbered chart, a piece count for every colour and the baseplate layout, ready to print or follow on a tablet. Your photo never leaves your device.
Choosing size, pieces and colours
Size. Each piece is 8 mm, so 32 pieces make one baseplate of about 25.6 cm. A recognisable face needs at least 48 pieces across, which spans two baseplates side by side (or one and a half if you cut a plate down). Widths from 16 to 192 pieces are supported; the default is 48.
Pieces. Flat tiles give a smooth, modern finish; studded plates show texture and are often cheaper; round plates leave small gaps that let the baseplate show through. Pick the look in the advanced options to update the preview.
Colours. The palette has 45 generic shades with our own names. Portraits usually need 12 to 20, graphic designs fewer. Because each piece is a flat block of colour, strong contrast reads better than subtle shading.
How the tools fit together
The photo to brick mosaic tool converts a photo with the usual controls: size, maximum colours, confetti cleanup to avoid single stray pieces, background removal and brightness, contrast and saturation. The brick mosaic name maker builds name plaques and door signs in three pixel fonts with borders. The brick mosaic editor lets you design from scratch, tidy a conversion or swap a colour you cannot get for one you can.
The PDF has a cover page with the finished size, a colour key with piece counts, and numbered chart pages with bold lines every 16 pieces. Follow along in the stitch tracker to tick off rows as you build.
Common mistakes
- Going too small for a face. Under about 40 pieces across, features merge. Crop tightly to the face.
- Assuming every colour is available. Generic shades approximate common colours; confirm stock before ordering.
- Not sorting first. Sorting pieces by colour into trays before building saves far more time than it takes.
- Building from the middle. Work from one corner of each baseplate, row by row, so you never lose your place.
- Too many similar greys. Merge greys that are hard to tell apart in daylight.
Getting started
- Choose a clear photo with a simple background, or type a name.
- Set the width in multiples of 32 so the mosaic fills whole baseplates.
- Start with about 16 colours and compare studs, tiles and rounds in the preview.
- Remove single stray pieces and adjust colours in the editor.
- Download the PDF and build row by row from the top-left corner of each baseplate.
Brick mosaic guides
Frequently asked questions
What is a brick mosaic?
A flat picture built from 1×1 plastic building pieces pressed onto a studded baseplate, one piece per square of the chart. Each piece is 8 mm across, so a 48-piece-wide mosaic is about 38 cm wide. They are popular as portraits, wall art and personalised name signs.
Which pieces can I use?
Any 1×1 piece that fits a standard stud grid: studded plates, flat tiles or round plates. The count is the same whichever you choose; the realistic preview can show studs, tiles or rounds so you can compare the look.
Does it work as a LEGO® mosaic maker?
Yes. The plans use the standard stud grid shared by LEGO® bricks and compatible brands: 1×1 plates, tiles or round plates on 32 × 32 baseplates. LEGO is a trademark of the LEGO Group, which does not sponsor or endorse this site, and the colour names here are our own.
Are the colours official brand colours?
No. The palette is our own set of 45 generic brick shades with descriptive names, chosen to resemble colours that are commonly available as 1×1 pieces. Availability varies, so check what your supplier or collection has before you finalise a design, and swap colours in the editor if needed.
How many baseplates do I need?
The tool divides the mosaic into 32 × 32 baseplates and tells you how many across and down. Bold lines every 16 pieces on the chart make it easy to find your place, and baseplate edges fall on every second bold line.
How long does a mosaic take to build?
It depends on the size and how you work. A single 32 × 32 baseplate has 1,024 pieces; sorting pieces by colour before you start and working one row at a time makes a big difference.
Can children build these?
Yes, with a simple design. A name sign or a bold animal on one baseplate is a good first project. The pieces are small, so they are not suitable for young children who still put things in their mouths.
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