You Can build a Rubik’s

Cube Mosaic

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A mosaic is a form of artwork that uses small pieces put together to create a larger picture. Traditional mosaics are made from tiles or small pieces of glass, but you will be using the 6 colors of the Rubik’s® Cube to create mosaic art.

Albert Einstein(using 225 Rubik’s Cubes)

The bigger, the better. The more Rubik’s Cubes you use, the more detail you will be able to achieve. If you look very closely at a photograph or a TV or computer screen, you will see tiny squares, called pixels. The clarity of the screen depends on how many pixels are in a square inch of screen. A high definition TV has more pixels in a square inch than a standard definition TV does. Since the Rubik’s Cube is a set size, we are able to get more clarity only by using more Rubik’s Cubes. See the examples below - the 25 Rubik’s Cube version of Einstein is much less detailed than the 225 Rubik’s Cube version on the right.

Albert Einstein(Our original photo)

Albert Einstein(using 25 Rubik’s Cubes)

Thinking in Pixels

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Start with a scrambled or solved Rubik’s Cube

Instead of taking a scrambled Rubik’s Cube and solving it, you will be taking a scrambled or solved Rubik’s Cube and solving it into a specific design. You only need to focus on the top (UP) face of the Rubik’s Cube.

Using the Same Skills

The same sequential movements you use to solve the Rubik’s Cube can be used to make a custom color pattern on any face of the Rubik’s Cube.

1) Find the center piece

2) Solve the edge pieces (cross)

3) Solve the corner pieces

For complete directions on solving the cross and corners, see the You CAN Do the Rubik’s Cube solution guide, Solve Layer One at: www.YouCanDoTheCube.com

There are only three steps:

Learning to think Backwards

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Visit YouCanDoTheCube.com to download templates of historical people, national landmarks, wildlife and more. There are templates for as few as 36 and as many as 600 Rubik’s Cubes. Choose one based on your interests and the number of Rubik’s Cubes you have to work with. Teachers and youth leaders can borrow sets of mosaic Rubik’s Cubes at www.YouCanDoTheCube.com/mosaics/borrow-a-set/

Step 1: Find the Center Piece

Look at the mosaic template sheet and locate the center piece of the Rubik’s Cube’s face. Now, find the same color center piece on a Rubik’s Cube. Once you have found the correct colored center, hold the Rubik’s Cube so that the center piece is on the top (UP) face.

Section 1

Mosaic Template Sheet

Mosaic Template

Your Goal

Pick a page from the template and a Rubik’s Cube to start with- now let’s get started!

Using the Mosaic Template Sheet

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Step 2: Solve the Edge pieces Make a Multicolored Cross

Holding your Rubik’s Cube with the correct center piece on the top (UP) face, you must place the edge pieces correctly to create the multicolored cross as shown on your mosaic template sheet.

This algorithm can be used if you have an edge piece in the correct location, but need to change the orientation of the edge’s colors:

Step 3: Solve the Corner Pieces

Once you have the edges placed around the correct center piece on the top (UP) face, you must solve the corner pieces to match the Rubik’s Cube pattern on your mosaic template sheet.

See the You CAN Do the Rubik’s Cube solution guide and apply the instructions from Solve Layer One, Step 3: Solve the White Corners. Three algorithms can be used to move a corner piece from the bottom layer of the Rubik’s Cube to the top (UP) face. Or, you can use just this algorithm by repeating these moves up to three times per corner.

R’ U F’F’ U’

R’ D’ R D

Mosaic Template

Your Goal

Mosaic Template

Your Goal

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One Rubik’s Cube at a Time:

Be sure to place the Rubik’s Cube on the table or tray the same way you see it on the template sheet.

Keep the face you have completed as the top (UP) face of the Rubik’s Cube.

As you complete other Rubik’s Cubes, make sure they are placed in the same order as on the template.

To keep track of which Rubik’s Cubes have been completed, use a pencil to cross them off the mosaic sheet.

Go slowly and double-check your progress.

Work Space:

The templates suggest working in sections of 25 Rubik’s Cubes. If you make a mistake it will be easier to isolate and fix the Rubik’s Cubes.

The 225 Rubik’s Cube mosaics are 15 Rubik’s Cubes by 15 Rubik’s Cubes and require about 3 ft x 3 ft. Dimensions of all of the templates are available at www.YouCanDoTheCube.com/build-mosaics-with-rubiks-cubes/mosaic-templates

Also consider enough space for all the sections of cubes, room to move around, and a place where you will display the finished mosaic.

Photos by Paul L Newby II

Section 1

Finishing your section

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The master template shows how the sections fit together to make the entire mosaic. Once all of the sections are complete, move them to a large table or floor so the mosaic can be viewed in its complete form.

Double check to see if all the Rubik’s Cubes are correct. If they are, then you are ready to push the sections together.

Use a long, straight object like a yardstick or broom handle to push the sections together. Be careful and move slowly and carefully.

Drum roll...

You’re finished!Congratulations!

You have completed a Rubik’s Cube mosaic! Have your teacher upload a picture to www.facebook.com/

YouCanDoTheRubiksCube or send it to us on Twitter @YouCanDoRubiks

The Final Push

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When you mix colors together, you can get other colors. Primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) can be mixed together to create secondary colors (purple, orange, and green). This Rubik’s Cube mosaic uses 36 Rubik’s Cubes and looks like the primary colors have been laid on top of one another, creating the secondary colors.

You can also see from this template that dividing a small mosaic into a grid can help you organize the process of creating the patterns on the Rubik’s Cubes and keep track of where each Rubik’s Cube belongs.

Layering Colors Together

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How do you make something round out of something square? Pixels. Looking at the template below you can see we have a yellow circle inside an orange circle, inside a red circle. The red circle appears the most round because it’s the largest and using more Rubik’s Cubes gives you more detail. The smallest circle, the yellow circle, uses the least amount of Rubik’s Cubes and looks fairly square.

Circles out of Squares

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Make Your Own Mosaic Template

Don’t think you are limited to building Rubik’s Cube mosaics with premade templates! With some graph paper, colored markers or pencils, and your imagination- you can create your own mosaic templates. Try spelling your name in pixels, make fun patterns and designs, recreate emojis - just about anything you dream up can become a Rubik’s Cube mosaic!

Design and photos by Bryan Kinkel

There are online programs and other ways to design templates - visit our website for more instructions: www.YouCanDoTheCube.com/mosaics/create-your-own-mosaics/

Don’t limit yourself to flat mosaics either! Check out this double-sided mosaic. The train can be viewed from both sides and was displayed on a moving turntable.

Get Creative

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You can create a multicolored cross of opposite colors by following this sequence (start with a solved Rubik’s Cube):

If you want to make a checkerboard pattern of two colors that are next to each other on a Rubik’s Cube, like red and blue, a different algorithm is necessary.

Starting with a solved Rubik’s Cube, hold the Rubik’s Cube so the second color is the top face and the first color (the colored face with the center piece you want in the middle) is the front face. Follow this algorithm to make the checkerboard:

R

D

R

D

L

FF

U

B

L

FF

U

B

R

D

R

L’

D

D

FF

FF

R’

R

D’

D

U

L’

D

L’ F’F’

D’

D

L

FF F’F’

Special Checkerboards

Check us out online at

www.YouCanDoTheCube.com

©1974 Rubik’s® Used under license Rubik’s Brand Ltd. All rights reserved.

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