Book Collage Poster Art

At the end of the school year when the students are taking standardized tests I never know which kids will be testing and which kids will actually be in my class. 

Because I this there is a certain assignment that I like to do at the end of each year. 

I am sure this has a name, but I just call it book cover collages!

The concept is that you take a picture of a book cover and you dissect it into SMALL even squares. 

Each student gets a small square and re creates it onto a full sheet of copy paper. 

When you put all the large squares together it creates an abstract looking book cover collage.

Here are some examples from previous years:

They are fun to decorate the classroom with from year to year!

Here is how it is done

First, you need to determine what book cover you would like to choose. 

I usually do 4 book covers each year (one per block)

Copy and paste this image into Word and have it fill up a large portion of the screen. 

Insert a table of 4x5 and place the table on top of the image.

Play with the margins of the table so that it fits nicely over the image. 

(See example below)

Print 2 copies of the picture out in color if you want the cover to be less abstract.

Print 2 copies of the picture out in black & white and have the students choose their own colors if you want the cover to be more abstract.

Cut the squares out neatly of ONE of the copies and number the backs of the squares

Place a piece of clear tape at the top of each square and tape it to your wall or chalkboard. (I would even go so far as to suggest putting a little dot at the top of each square so the children know which way the square should be facing. This is IMPORTANT. Every year one of my kids turns the squares all topsy turvy and their square has to be re-done)

Place a copy of the original intact picture next to the squares. 

Have each student choose a square from the book cover of their choice.

Explain that they will be taking this little square and blowing the image up on a large sheet of paper. 

Make sure that their sheet of copy paper is facing up (portrait) and that their square is also facing right side up before they begin. 

When they are complete have them write their name and square number on the back of the copy paper and that they also tape their square to the back of their sheet of copy paper. 

When everyone is complete I usually have students put the pieces of the collages together and tape them up as neatly as possible!

If the laminator is working I laminate them and save them from year to year to decorate the classroom!

Here are some of the ones that I have hanging in my classroom this year and their original pictures:

J.K. Rowling (I did the square in the center, and apparently felt she should be VERY tan)

Edgar Allen Poe- I love his extra tall forehead and hairdo haha

Night by Elie Wiesel

The Hunger Games and Catching Fire (Sorry about the glare from the florescent lights!)

***Fun add on: Have each student place their name in their image in some subtle way, like signing their artwork!