How to Make an Abstract Mosaic From a Photo in Illustrator
Learn how to create an abstract mosaic image from a photo in Illustrator with a built-in mosaic effect, then change the overall look using the Recolor Artwork feature.

In this Three Minutes Max video, Nigel French shows off a fun Illustrator tip for creating an abstract mosaic from a photo. He uses the Create Object Mosaic to get a grid of squares, then releases and manipulates those squares to circles. Lastly, Nigel opens Recolor Artwork and changes the overall look of his finished mosaic.
Three Minutes Max comes from a fun—yet very competitive—session at our annual CreativePro Week conference. Speakers have three minutes to wow the audience with the tip and win a prize for a lucky conference attendee.
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This article was last modified on August 29, 2025
This article was first published on April 16, 2024