Brick mosaic or relief art: what’s the difference?
A brick mosaic is flat: one small round or square piece per stud on a baseplate, like the pixels of a photo. Relief brick art is built in layers, so the subject stands out from the background with real depth, curves are made from shaped parts, and an element can rise over the frame. Both can be made from your photo.
Your World in Bricks designs both, for $19 at any size: our bold shapes and painterly looks are relief, and the classic mosaic look is a flat mosaic. Bricks are sold separately.
The same photo, three ways
Here one fox photo is designed in each of our looks. The first two are relief; the third is a flat mosaic of round tiles.
Flat mosaics
A mosaic turns each small area of the photo into one piece of the nearest available color, so it reads best from across the room, like a pixelated image. Building one is relaxing and repetitive: row after row of single pieces on a baseplate. Some examples, as described by their makers or catalogs (October 2026):
- LEGO® 40179 Personalised Mosaic Portrait: a 4,502-piece set released in 2016 with a US retail price of $79.99, for building a mosaic portrait from a photo (Brickset: 40179 Personalised Mosaic Portrait).
- Brick Me: a personalized mosaic kit from $59.99 for 15 × 15 inches (48 × 48 studs), with LEGO®-compatible bricks, transparent baseplates, a separator and paint-by-numbers instructions; larger sizes cost more (Brick Me: Personalized Brick Mosaic).
- Brickoodle: an automatically generated 32 × 32 photo mosaic of 1,024 flat 1 × 1 tiles for $9.99, with instructions and a LEGO® upload list; bricks bought separately (Brickoodle).
Mosaics suit high-contrast photos, faces at a distance and graphic subjects. Their limit is the grid: every edge is a staircase of squares or circles, and there is no depth to catch the light.
Relief art: real depth
Relief art is closer to a sculpture you hang on the wall. Our designer redraws the photo as a few strong shapes and builds them on separate depth planes: a flat background, then the far, middle and near layers, with the subject on top, up to about 2.5 cm proud of the background. Light from the side throws small shadows between the layers, so the picture changes as you walk past it.
- Shaped parts for curves. Slopes, curved and round tiles round off an ear, a hill or a petal instead of leaving a staircase edge.
- Sculpted modules. Foliage, blossom domes, feathers and fur are built up as small raised modules rather than flat color.
- Breaking the frame. Most designs let one element rise over the frame, such as a treetop, a lighthouse cap or a waterfall spilling over the edge.
- Painterly texture. The painterly look sets the raised subject on a background of round-tile brush dabs.
- Designed, not converted. The picture is composed shape by shape: a clear subject, simplified forms and a calm background, never a pixelated copy of the photo.
Every picture, mosaic or relief, gets a frame built from bricks in the parts list (or no frame, if you prefer) and a brick back with two wall hangers.
Side by side
| Flat mosaic | Relief art | |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | One layer of 1 × 1 pieces | Several layers, subject raised |
| Edges | Square or round steps | Shaped parts and curves |
| Best for | Faces from a distance, graphic photos, busy photos | Pets, landscapes, landmarks, one clear subject |
| Build | Repetitive, row by row | Varied: background, then layers, then details |
| Bricks (ours, medium, framed) | $230–$330 | $290–$420 |
Relief and mosaic designs in our library
Real examples from the library, each with full instructions and a parts list. Relief:
Atlantic PuffinBold shapes look · 36 × 48 studsAbout 1,200 pieces · 49 stepsInstructions · Parts list · BrickLink & LEGO® Pick a Brick lists · 3D modelFree this weekSee the design
Wheat Field with CypressesPainterly look · 64 × 48 studsAbout 4,000 pieces · 120 stepsInstructions · Parts list · BrickLink & LEGO® Pick a Brick lists · 3D modelSee the design
Parliament at SunsetPainterly look · 48 × 36 studsAbout 2,900 pieces · 99 stepsInstructions · Parts list · BrickLink & LEGO® Pick a Brick lists · 3D modelSee the design
IrisesPainterly look · 48 × 36 studsAbout 2,600 pieces · 116 stepsInstructions · Parts list · BrickLink & LEGO® Pick a Brick lists · 3D modelSee the design
Grand Canal, VenicePainterly look · 96 × 48 studsAbout 3,500 pieces · 139 stepsInstructions · Parts list · BrickLink & LEGO® Pick a Brick lists · 3D modelSee the design
Plum Garden at KameidoBold shapes look · 48 × 64 studsAbout 3,400 pieces · 141 stepsInstructions · Parts list · BrickLink & LEGO® Pick a Brick lists · 3D modelFree this weekSee the designAnd flat mosaics, for comparison:
Squares with Concentric CirclesClassic mosaic look · 32 × 24 studsAbout 1,700 pieces · 52 stepsInstructions · Parts list · BrickLink & LEGO® Pick a Brick lists · 3D modelSee the design
EarthriseClassic mosaic look · 64 × 48 studsAbout 2,200 pieces · 28 stepsInstructions · Parts list · BrickLink & LEGO® Pick a Brick lists · 3D modelSee the design
Dürer's HareClassic mosaic look · 48 × 48 studsAbout 1,900 pieces · 35 stepsInstructions · Parts list · BrickLink & LEGO® Pick a Brick lists · 3D modelSee the designSizes and price for your photo
| Size (square) | Framed size | Bricks, relief | Bricks, mosaic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small32 × 32 studs | 32 × 32 cmabout 1,150 pieces | $160–$220 | $130–$180 |
| Medium48 × 48 studs | 45 × 45 cmabout 2,250 pieces | $290–$420 | $230–$330 |
| Large64 × 64 studs | 58 × 58 cmabout 3,750 pieces | $470–$670 | $360–$510 |
The design is $19 at every size and in every look. Most designs are ready in about an hour. We deliver within 24 hours after payment (and your photos). Brick estimates are planning figures at LEGO® Pick a Brick prices with a classic frame, before tax and shipping. How photo to brick art works
Questions
Is a brick mosaic the same as LEGO® Art?
Many LEGO® Art sets are mosaics of round tiles on a 48 × 48 base, and some add raised elements. Our medium size is the same 48 × 48 studs. Our designs are independent, for real LEGO® bricks; we are not affiliated with the LEGO Group.
Which look should I choose for a pet photo?
Usually relief: a pet’s silhouette, eyes and markings read clearly as raised shapes. Choose the mosaic look if the photo is busy or you prefer the pixel style.
Does relief art cost more in bricks?
Yes, somewhat: a medium framed relief picture is about $290–$420 in bricks against about $230–$330 for a mosaic, because the mosaic leaves plain areas as bare studs. The design is $19 either way.
Are the bricks and frame included?
No. The frame is built from bricks and is in the parts list with the picture. You buy all the pieces separately from LEGO® Pick a Brick, BrickLink or another seller.